Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-08-14
TURK COMMANDER
Of THE MAUVENT
TELLS HIS STORY
Chief Officer Of Torpedo Boat
Which Sent British Ship Co.
Hath to Bottom RecountS
Exploit

tAssoelated Press correspondence
Constantinople July 20. r. capt
Lieut.. Rudolph Firle commander OF
the Turkish torpedo boat MauNenets
which sent the British Inesitip Colt
attn to the bottom Of M0rto bay or
Sid-el- Bahr. in the Dardanelles, mas
told his own fun story of his exploit
to the Associated Press CORRESPONDENT,
amplifVmg With some interesting de-
tails the earlier accounts.
Captain Firle is "A young man Of KY
years. but looks no more than 70 ne
is a Rhinelander, slight in bulld, ana
speaks English almost without tof-
eien accent The torpedo boat ne
commanded was one of four vessels on
the same class which were transferred
from German to Turkish ownership
several years ago. Before her chanBe
in ownership She was known as the
"S-1G5.
When asked to relate his experience
in sinking the Goliath, Captain Flrie
proceeded with this straightforward
1 matter-of fact narratives
"Tha British ships off the Darda-
I nesses entrances were causing the
/ Turkish troops near Sid Bahr some
trouble. Ii was decided that some
4 thing would have to be done to re-
move little of the one-sidedness OF
i the affair.
Boat Slips Through Mines,
"Shortlv after midnight, May l2-la
the Mauvenet. slipped through th'
Turkish mine fields and approached
the British fleet Of warships ana trans
norris which was lying In and sout'
Of Morto bay.
"As we passed one of tile last prom
ontolies the British fleet, with ever
:, port hole lit and protector playing
gave an the impression of large elt
LET me say like kiel on Regatta daS
THE British ships had on that ga
kent mn the bomhardment OF me iui
: kisb positions until after ocloc
: M night. ON the way down. | held
J. council with my two lieutehahts
ia The time Of night we were to max
!, our attacks We thought at trsl Una
Inc noise of the bombardment Whlc
was then still going on. would ana u
i Later we decided to wait unul IN
e weary crews had turned in, eNpectn
that after so strenuous day S wor
$ they would be too tired TO eNerels
+ more than a perfunctory vigilance
S ut was proved shortly attefWaIo
i that this theory was correct.
f. I'VE continued down the stralt
IS a leisurely gait of from seven 70 elsi
l<note an hour ! ordered this becaus
| wanted to get as close TO we ~ Tvs
IS nc Dossible before they would dlscoV,
e ~ nrpsence of an enemys Graf
Drfvine torpedo boats machlnel
y, Iat fnlI I'M causes a great deal OF non
n and what is worse blows too mar
,.Iyes ,,Ht ~ the tunnels.
l. Reaches Battleship at Midnight;
Is III was about 1880 midnight VINE
ne saw ahead Of me the outlines
a two British destroyers. they We
Re natrolling the strait. ! am sure IN
ne thew must have seen us, But our 70
ne sneed evidently fooled them IN
I'd held 10 their course and ! let the Ma
G. venet glide through between then.
es UBevond the destroyers we slGht
es eight torpedo boats, churning throul
the Esenko bay in pairs, eaeh "
o. lteeping in sort of echelon posllle
admit that things began to look We
to "But Inc eight torpedo boats J.
he tba Two destroyers, kept Looking an
ct their business whatever that m
have been So on We Went al
ay same speed. u,ho
as aJust as we rounded the northe
nromontory which helps to toi
sc Morto bay. the silhouttes OF two bi
rs, ish lineships came into view. ~
ay the Mauvenet for the bow OF the ile'
m est, and kept this course uh''i
were close to her. Natural ny,
hel nected to have my boat detected ca
To- instant and have a rev sne',s -
Of her way Nothing of the sott
ng cured. however ,
he Aims III StarhOard Side
Irn .ero have n torpedo strike surely
me IL necessary to have its course run
ars closely at a right angle TO the siae
ler the target as possible TINS opllN
me TO steer TO port in slight cur
because / had decided to TORPEDO
British ineship on her starboard y
which was nearest to the open wa
IT through which the Mauvenet Wo
u have to escape,
"The Mauvenet was discovered
as her broadside became visible
ofl HE lookouts on the British lnesh
.as 4 night signal flash began to we
- lis long and short blinking speI
- ont what ordinarily Is the Morse
ne ter %.
She II wasn't quite prepared to give
- intelligent answer to that. bul lell ,
tbp iuQulflnH WAS Aot nv
!, work with my own night lantern
lll' also spelled o., taking II for gran
mt mat repetition Of the signal on
the mart would at least delay some o
de- action or prevent for few NONE
nta the making Of another inquiry
uld Ruse Succeeds
ted .aThe ruse succeeded. After a
ope seconds delay, the signal man on
was Goliath again flashed O.. ! rep
an with the Same number Of dots
IN Gasbes' and having now come WI
tist, 950 TO 400 yards Of the BRUSH Ne
aus amidships made up my NINA lo'
trip ne three torpedo tubes
and THE third o. Of the Goilath
az ~, came more speedily than
first nrecedjna two. / launched one tolR
nrn hen number two and three--teh
onds apart -. ~ Col
A l. veil forward. saw a bhndlng
AdS and cloud of smoke Before the