Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-10-16
CAPTAINS OWN STORY.
How Three British Cruisers Were Sunk by
Single Submarine.

Then l heard a roar and felt rever-
berations sent through the water by
the detonation. She had been broken
apart and sank in few minutes. The
Aboukir had been stricken in vital
spot and by an unseen force that
made the blow all the greater.
Her crew were brave, and even
with death staring them in the face,
kept to their posts, ready to handle
their useless guns, for l submerged at
once But l had stayed on top long
enough to see the other cruisers,
which l learned were the Cressy and
the Hogue turn and steam full speed
TO their dying sister, whose plight
they could not understand, unless it
had been due to an accident.
The ships came on a mission of in
quiry and rescue, for many of the
Aboukirs crew were now in the wa
ter, the order having been given,
Each man for himself"
Cruiser Hosue the Second Victim.
But soon the other two English
cruisers learned what had brought
about the destruction so suddenly.
AS l reached my torpedo depth 1
sent a second charge at the nearest OF
the oncoming vessels, which was the
Hogue The English were playing my
game, for l had scarcely to move out
of my position, which was a great aid,
since it helped to keep me from de-
lection.
On board my little boat the spirit
of the German navy was to be seen in
its best form. With enthusiasm ev-
cry man held himself in check and
gave attention to the work in hand.
The attack on the Hogue went
true. But this time l did not have
the advantageous aid of having the
torpedo donate under the magazine,
so for twenty minutes the Hogue lay
wounded and helpless on the sur
face before she heaved, half turned
over and sank.
BY this time, the third cruiser
knew of course that the enemy was
upon her and she sought as best she
could to defend herself She loosed
her torpedo defense batteries on
boats, starboard and port, and stood
her ground as if more anxious to
help the many sailors who were in
the water than to save herself. In
common with the method of defending
herself against submarine attack,
she steamed in a Zig-Zag course, and
this made it necessary for me to hold
nv torpedos until l could lay true
course for them, which also made 1t
necessary for me to get nearer to the
Cressy. l had come to the surface
for a view and saw how wildly the
fire was being sent from the ship.
Small wonder that was when they did
not know where to shoot, although
one shot went unpleasantly near us.
When l got within suitable reach,
sent away my third attack This
time sent a second torpedo after the
first to make the strike doubly GER
tain. My crew were aiming like
sharpshooters and both torpedoes
went to their bullets-eye. My luck was
with me again, for the enemy was
made useless and at once began sink
ing by her head. Then she careened
far over but all the while her men
stayed at the guns looking for their
invisible foe. They were brave and
true to their countrys sea traditions
Then she eventually suffered a boiler
explosion and completely turned
turtle. With her keel uppermost she
fioated until the air got out from
under her and then she sank with
loud sound. as if from a creature in
pain.
All Three Sunk in Less Than Hour.
The whole affair had taken less
than an hour from the time of shoot
ing off the torpedo until the Cressy
went to the bottom. Not one of the
three had been able to use any OF
their big guns. l knew the wireless
of the three cruisers had been calling
for aid. / was still quite able to de-
fend myself, but l knew that news OF
the disaster would call many English
submarines and torpedo destroyers,
so. having done my appointed work, l
set my course for home.
My surmise was right, for before l
got very far some British cruisers
and destroyers were on the spot, and
the destrOyerS took up the chase. |
kept under water most of the way,
but managed to get off wireless TO
the German fleet that l was heading
homeward and being pursued. l hop
ed to entice the enemy, by allowing
them now and then glimpse of me,
into the zone in which they might
be exposed to capture or destroyed
by German warships, but although
their destroyers saw me plainly at
dusk on the 22nd. and made a final
effort to stop me, they abandoned
the attempt. as it was taking them
too far from safety and needlessly eX-
posing them to attack from our fleet
and submarines.
How much they feared our sub
marines and how wide was the agi-
tation caused by good little U-9, is
shown by the English reports that