HOW OLYMPIC AS SAVED.

Taihape Daily Times, 21 May 1919, Page 7

HOW OLYMPIC AS SAVED.

THRILLING EXPLOIT OF BRITISH SUBMARINE.

HUN PIRATE DESTROYED IN THE NICK OF TIME.

How the Olympic, with thousands of American troops on board, narrowly escaped disaster through the thrilling intervention of a British submarine. which brilliantly outmanouvred a Üboat and finally 7 sent her to the bottom before she could attack the great liner, has just been disclosed by a member of the British submarine’s crew, The story is one of the most thrilling of the war, and its authenticity, is beyond question. The narrator states:

“On Thursday, May 8, 1918, His Majesty’s submarine D 4 loft Portsmouth on an eight days’ patrol. Her complement consisted of three officers and 25 men, but. on this patrol she carried two seamen for training and a leading telegraphist for wireless duties, at the request of her captain (Lie'ut. C. W. Barry, R.N.) On arrival at her patrol billet D 4 dived and continued patrolling at a depth of 19ft. coming to the surface every fourth hour, during the day for wireless signals, and all night from 10 p.m. to 4.20 a.m. for charging her battery, Nothing, of note happened, and, though wireless reports of U-boat positions, were received, none were in or approaching D4(’ s area. Then, on Sunday. May 12, just after 2 a.ra., a wireless message reported a convoy passing through the area at 6 a.m. At 4 o’clock another message was received reporting a Üboat’s course, speed, position, and time she was sighted. The c--' L ein estimated that the U-boat woul.l arrive in D 4’ s area at 5.30 a.m.. and that she would cross the convoy’s path At 4 30 a.m. D 4 dived, and proceeded at a speed of about. 4 knots. TO MEET THE U-BOATS. The captain was on the y ...tope.

and at 5.30 a.m.. spotted, at some 5.000 yards' distance a U-boat on starboard bow D 4 was closing so thaf she would have crossed his (Fritz’s) path, but the U-boat suddenly turned and, steaming at six knots, went on a course at right angles to his original course. D 4 lost sight of him at this manoeuvre, and turned in a complete circle, when she ound him again. On his being sighted the second lime D 4 lowered her periscope, and closed in at ful 1 speed. At .1,300 yards’ range tho periscope was raised and the U-boat watched until the range had lowered to 1.200 yards. At exactly 6 amp both bow torpedoes were fired, and at 6.4 a.m., either one of both of them hit the U-boat, 6.5 a.m. D 4 came up the surface and rescued three of the U-boat’s crew, the only survivors out cf 36 men and four officers. The com - mandeifs name was Tragor, and the number of the boat was U. 8.73. Apparently U.B 72 had altered course to meet the convoy, and at first had mistaken 1)4 for her mate, who had. some two hours earlier, been lammed by the Olympic. If D 4 had nm 'got there’ first there is no doubt that the Olympic might have been lost. WITH 6,000 AMERICAN TROOPS ON BOARD.

for she passed over D 4 at 6.30, a im, whilst D 4 was at 70 feet. On Sunday night the survivors were turned over to H.M.S. Loyal and D 4 ‘soldered on' until the following Friday, when she relumed to Portsmouth, Admiral Colville (C-in-C., Portsmouth) came almost immediately to the boat and personally thanked the officers and men and gave them seven days’ leave. On returning from leave the men were mustered in the boat, and a telegram from H.M the King was read out, to the intense gratification of all concerned. thanking them for their work.