GALLANT SUBMARINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 January 1919, Page 5

GALLANT SUBMARINE.

SINKING OF TEE El 4. London, Jaa. 1. The finest of all the tales of the achievements of British submarines in war-time is now completed by the official story of the sinking of tiie famous submarine El 4, off the Dardanelles, early in 1918, with the loss of her new commander, Lieut.-Conmiander Geoifrey White, and all except seven of her crew. The El 4 left Mudros on the evening of January 27, and proceeded up the Dardanelles to search for tie Goeben. After diving under the anti-submarine nets, she found the Goeben, which tho enemy had removed a, few hours previously, had gone, so the commander turned bade, keeping ft sharp look out for enemy craft. A torpedo 1 ws,3 fired at a ship, which, it transpired, contained the Goeben's ammunition, causing a heavy explosion, which extinguished tho submarine's lights, and sprang the fore-hatch. Leaking badly, the submarine rose to 15 feet, and the forts immediately opened a heavy JfirL, but did not hit her. She submerged to 190 ft, and continued her course, but became unsteady and kept diving, so she was brought to the surface, as she could no logger be relied upon under water, and only three bottles of air were left.

Heavy fire was immediately opened from both sides of the straits, and a shell hit the hull, juot over the wardroom, destroying the upper st eerie-; gear.

A survivor sc.ys: "Orders were given to steer from below, and we ran the gauntlet for half-an-hour, only a few shots hitt'ng us. The captain, seeing it was hopeless, ran towards the Bhore.

"Hi 3 last words v/erc: *We are in the hands of God,' and only a few seconds later I looked for him, and saw his body, mangled by shcllfire, roll into the water, arid go under. "The last shell hit the starboard saddle tajik, killing all, I believe." The submarine sank soon afterwards, close to the shore and the Turks piiiki'd up the survivors.