CHASED BY U-BOAT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 December 1939, Page 5

CHASED BY U-BOAT

EXPERIENCE OF BRITISH SHIP UNDERWATER CRAFT FALLS BEHIND. SIGNS OF ENGINE FAILURE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, December 6. To have been chased by a submarine for more than half an hour in midAtlantic. 900 miles from land and 1300 miles from the nearest ship, was the exciting and unnerving experience one afternoon last month of passengers on a British ship which recently reached New Zealand. The submarine was sighted about three miles away, and the ship immediately went about to bring its stern gun to bear. No shots were fired, and it is believed that the vessel escaped because the submarine's engines failed. According to passengers, it was a tropical afternoon, and many were below, sleeping. About throe persons appear to have sighted the submarine at about the same time, which suggests that it had just broken the surface. It lay parallel with the ship on the port beam, and was partially obscured in the glare of the sun, as the ship swung away. Word immediately went around, and within a few moments (here was a full gallery on the afterdeck watching the gun crew, under the first officer. preparing for action. At least 30 passengers watched the submarine through binoculars, and distinctly saw the commander in the conning tower. They saw the wash I of the waves, as the submarine raced | through them, but did not actually see any distinguishing mark of nationality. For about a quarter of an hour the submarine appeared to gain on the i vessel, as it steamed at about I I knots. ■ For a time the Iwo seemed to be making the same pace, then the passenger ship appeared to draw away and the I submarine was soon out of sight over the horizon. While the chase was r.ir a puli' of dark smoke issued from the submarine. Some who saw it considered that it was caused by a shot having been fired. However the scream of a shell , was not heard, nor was any splash on the water near the ship observed. I The leading seaman, who was al I the helm when the first order was; given after the submarine was sighted, j said that officers believed the smoke | announced that the engines had fail-1

ed. and that was why the submarine fell astern so rapidly.

'fhe master of the vessel and the officers paid tribute to the spirit of the passengers. One woman admitted that she was “dead scared," and had been since the ship left England, the fear of submarines never having left her. A girl passenger seemed to be bored by the whole affair. and called her mother for afternoon tea while the chase was in full progress.