THE BARALONG INCIDENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 March 1916, Page 2

THE BARALONG INCIDENT.

AND THE TRUTH ABOUT THAT U BOAT. "ANOTHER PACK OF COWARDS." The German Government tried to "stagger" the civilised world with the recital of a story (allegedly based on the aflidavits of American muleteers) oi unparalleled inhumanity on the part of the officers and crew of H.M. auxiliary trailer Baralong. Little by little the true facts are being made public, the latest contribution thereto being furnished by a gunner aboard the Baralong, which took part in the events of that fateful day. He writes: "On August 19, at 2 p.m., We received a wireless message from the steamer Nicosian to say she was being chased by a German submarine. We accordingly altered our course, and proceeded at full speed to her assistance. At 3 p.m. wo sighted the Nieosian, which was being shelled by the submarine whilst the crew were getting into their lifeboats. We got plenty of ammunition ready on the poop, and at 3..10 p.m. the marines took cover behind the bulwarks on the port side of the after well deck with their rifles, '4 p.m., stand by.' By excellent seamanship our captain brought our ship upon tho starboard side of tho Nicosian, the submarine being on the port side, so that for a few minutes we I were hidden from the submarine's view. During that short interval wo 'cleared for action,' and trained guns outboard, set sights for 700 yds, and hoisted the White Ensign. As soon as we appeared round the bows of the Nicosian the! submarine fired one shot at us, which went wide, over the bows of • our ship. The marines then opened fire with a well-aimed volley, which swept the deck of the submarine, and seemed to demoralise, her crew, for they immediately left their guns and rushed for the conning tower, several going overboard, but whether they were shot by rifle lire or whether they dived over from panic, I cannot say. We then opened fire with our port and stern guns, but the first shot was bit short; however, I should say it hit the submarine beneath the water-line. The next shot hit the conning tower, which appeared to split in half, sending two men flying high into the air. The next and successive shots I all hit the submarine, which gracfuwiy sank, every one of her crew being either drowned or shot, and only a few parts of bodies and a lai'fie quantity of oil remained on the surface.

SHORT, SHARP AXD DECISIVE. "The action lasted 4min DOsec., during which time we fired 37 rounds between the two guns. The submarine was one o f Germany's latest and largest, being 300 ft long and of about 1000 tons. She had two guns mounted fore and aft, of » slighly larger calibre than our otfn. We thein took aboard the craw of the Nicosian, who numbered 107, not one oi whom was injured or killed. We then went alongside the Nicosian, and discovered that the damage caused by the German shells was comparatively slight. Our casualties were nil, hut we were all absolutely disgusted at the cowardice displayed by the ctcw of the submarine, who were more heavily armed than ourselves. 'Not only w'ere their two gun 3 of a heavier calibre than onr own, but in addition they had several torpedo tubes. If they had stuck to their guns they would at least have stood a sporting chance, but apparently the fierman submarines (although always ready to attack defenceless merchant ship's, and kill and maim their passengers and crew) have no stomach for fighting armed ships of his Majesty's Navy, even when the odds are in their favor."