DUNDEE'S NARROW ESCAPE.

Taihape Daily Times, 6 March 1919, Page 5

DUNDEE'S NARROW ESCAPE.

BOMBARDED BY SUBMARINES. Now that DORA has released her grip on the news —the regulations being, of course, prompted by a fear of helping the enemy with information—certain incidents of home peril in the past are permitted to be disclosed.

A thrilling story of Dundee's narrow escape some time ago from bombardment by a U-boat is told in the "Dundee Advertiser."

One of our airmen, says the paper, observed a large submarine lying at the bottom of the river only a few miles from Dundee. | There is little doubt that a bombardment of jtho town was intended, and the destruction of the Tay Bridge, vital to our home eommunioations, the principal objective of this sea pest. The sand bottom of the Tay estuary suited the purposes of the pirates admirably. The moment the airman sighted the U-boat he got in touch with the minesweepers and patrol boats. A large number of sweepers swooped down upon the spot, patrol boats passed and repassed each other in and around the vicinity, and destroyers rushed from the four points of the compass eager to join in the marine tally-ho. The scent became keen about 6.30 p.m. less than an hour later the U boat received its coup do grace. The wh<e ropes of the /sweepers the mark, the obstruction was located, and a number of depth charges were lowered and fired.

Eventually the large patrol boat Jessinth came on the scene, and, after careful observation dropped a depth charge. This did it. Oil and wreckage rose to the surface. Soundings were taken, and there the wreck lay in about fifteen fathoms of water. When divers went down it was discovered that the maojrity of the crew were still within the wreck, several badly mangled, and of course all dead. Thirteen bodies were removed, taken to the harbour at the dead of night, and buried quietly in the Wes-

tern cemetery. Pieces of the mangled bodies were picked up on both sides of the Tay, one being the arm of an officer, the identification >f rank being ascertained by the marks on the sleeve. A good deal of the equipment of the vessel, including two of the guns, was salved, and a part of the wreckage was afterwards exhibited at the Albert Institute, Dundee.