A FAMOUS FEAT.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 April 1919, Page 7

A FAMOUS FEAT.

EXPLOIT OF LIEUTENANT SANDERS, V.C. Auckland, April 2. Mr. Westmore, chief officer of the Cufic, now in port, is a brother of Lieutenant-Commander Westmore, who was in command of the mystery ship Whose exploit made Lieutenant-Com-mander W. E. Sanders, V.C, famous. He states that the crew of the mystery ship were all volunteers. Sanders then was second in command. At 0 a.m. they heard firing in the distance, and altered their courae. Presently they sighted two German submarines near a steamer carrying stores to Salonika. The steamer having been torpedoed, the crew had taken to the boats. When the mystery schooner was close enough, the commander of the nearest submarine, ordered her to stop. Instead, the schooner lowered a boat, containing about" six men, who pulled as though they had abandoned the ship. Comrjiauder Westmore,. -Lieutenant Sanders, and lay concealed in the schooner, and when she drifted within eighty yards of the submarine, she broke the White Ensign and fired her four guns at point-blank range. The submarine was practically blown to pieces, and sank instantly. The second submarine attempted to attack the schooner, but received a second salvo from her guns at 800 yards The enemy craft disappeared below the surface, and was not seen again. The steamer was not vitally damaged and her crew returned on board, and took her to port with the schooner in tow. Commander Westmore received the D.SO. and the chief gunner was also decorated. Lieutenant Sanders was decorate, and given command of' the mystery ship, on which he eventually gained his V.C.