Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-01-12
RAID BY SUBMARINE
Undersea Fighter Tells Expert.
ences and Impressions.
German Craft Starts Out Just Before
Midnight and by Dawn Has Com.
pleted Successful Attack =
on Enemy.

The Hague.-A letter telling of an
attack by the German submarine U-26
upon an unmentioned British warship
is published by the Zeit. 1t begins with
preparations for the expedition two
hours before midnight" in order to
make a strike at dawn. The letter,
said to have been written by a member
of the crew of the attacking boat, fol.
lows:
Around the heavy granite rocks Of
the long pier, m~onstrously black in the
dark night, the storm sweeps up the
water of the North sea in angry waves.
AT half past ten there is a shrill
whistle from the little bridge which
stands high above the submarine and
which rs covered with heavy canvas.
The officer in command, dressed in his
%oilskins, gives the sign of departure.
The cables are loosened. A short sharp
signal to the engine room, the sudden
'whirr as the motor catches and the
UPS is under way. We are going to!
ward the enemy. !
"The earliest signs Of dawn appear
when suddenly in the near distance
there is the sight of a heavy bulk,
swinging high above us upon the wa.
ter. We pass through the long tail of
foam which hostile torpedo destroyer
has just left behind, speeding toward
the east. We have managed to find
our way through the first line of the
enemy's advance guard. From now on
we must be very careful.
"A signal is heard and the men ap.
pear upon deck. The boat is prepared
for action. The flag pole is taken down.
Part Of the bridge is folded together
and we'll fastened. The periscope is
brought up to the proper height. Then
the entrance through the combined
bridge and coming tower is hermeti.
cally closed. The tanks r opened
and the inrushing waters tell us that
the boat is about to submerge. The
gasoline motors stop their endless
song. Electricity will drive us from
now until we shall reappear upon the
water.
"A young lieutenant is posted at the
periscope and looks for the enemy. The
sailors take their position near the tor.
pedoes. The interior Of the boat is
lighted with two small electric bulbs.
They make the darkness visible but
give no light. 1ntently the men all
watch the signboard on the wall in
front of them.
1--WE think Of the advantage of the
man on board a warship. If his time
comes, he can 60 down with a last look
at the happy sun and the blue sky. We
e nothing, hear nothing. If the boat
is to 60 down we shall all suffocate in
the darkness under water.
Suddenly we all jump and forget
heat and bad air and discomfort. In
small lighted letters the signboard
says attention. The officer in com.
mand holds the lever which will re-
lease the first torpedo. A few seconds
passing, we must be very near the en-.
envy. Suddenly the first sign disap.
pears, half a second later and the red,
glowing letters say fire. With a single
jerk the lever releases the torpedo. A
short metallic click, the noise of the
water rushing into the empty tube and
all is over. The second torpedo is at
once pushed into the tube. A few sec.
onds later and the interior Of the sub.
marine looks as before the attack be.
gan. IT,
But what Of the first torpedo? Did
She reach her goal? ~Instinctively we
nave all kept count-100 meters, 200
meters, 300-400. Under water no
sound penetrates. We only hear the
aoise Of our engines. We wait. Nothing
happens. Then, suddenly we are all
thrown together by the jerky move.
ment, of the boat. Twice or three
times more we feel that we have
changed our course very abruptly.
"Then the boat rolls as before. The
regular purring of the engines is
beard. Our submarine is rapidly NOV:
Ing eastward.
"We are on our way home. The at
tack has been successful"