The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1915-08-18
GERMAN OFFICER
DESCRIBES FEAT
Commander Of Turkish Craft Gives In.
cident Showing Quick Wit In Peril.

Constantinople, July Is. = Capt.
Lieut.. Rudolph Firle, commander of
the Turkish torpedo boat Muavent,
which sent the British line ship Co
Hath to the bottom Of Morto bay off
Sid-el-Hahr in the Dardanclles, has
told his own full story of his exploit
to the Associated Press correspond
ent, ampifying with some interesting
details the earlier accounts.
Capt. Firle is Il young man Of 33
is a Rhnelander, slight in build, and
speaks English almost without foreign
accent The torpedo boat he COM
manded was one Of four vessels Of
the same class which were transferred
from German to Turkish ownership
several years ago. Before her change
in ownership She was known as the
S-165.
When asked to relate his experience
in sinking the Goliath Capt. Firlc
proceeded with this straightforward,
mattcr-of-fact narrative:
"'rhc British ships off the Darda-
nelles entrance were causing the
Turkish troops near Sd-cl-Hahr
some trouble. 1t was decided that
something would have to be done to
remove a little OF the oncsdcdness of
the affair
shortly after midnight, May 1918,
the Muavent slipped through the
Turkish mine field and approached
the British fleet of warships and
transports which was lying in and
south OF Morto bay.
"As we passed one of the lost prom
Ontories the British fleet, with every
hole lit and projcctor playing, gave
all the impression Of q large city
let me say like l<iel on Regatta day.
"rhc British ships had on that day
kept up the bombardment Of the
Turkish positions until after 1 o'clock
at night. On the way down | held
n council with my two licutcnants as
to the time Of night We were to make
our attack. We thought at first that
the noise Of the bombardmcnt which
was then still going on would aid us.
Late; We decided TO wait until the
weary crews had turned in, expecting
that after so strenuous days work
they would be too tired to exercise
more than a pcrfunctory vigilance.
Il was proven shortly afterwards
that This theory was correct.
I'VE continued down the strait at
a lcisnrely gait OF from seven to
cieh, knots an hour. ordered this
because wanted to get as close to
the British as possible before they
would discover the presence Of an
cncmys craft Driving torpedo
boats machinery at full tilt causes a
great deal Of noise and what is worse
Blows too many sparks out of the
tunnels.
"It was about 1890 midnight when
saw ahead Of me the outlines of two
British dcstroycrs. They were patroll-
ing the strait. ! am sure that they
must have seen us. But our low
speed evidently fooled them. They
held to their course and let the
Muavcnt glide through between them.
Beyond the dcstroycrs we sighted
eight torpedo boats, churning through
the Escnkoi bay in pairs, each two
keeping in sort of cchclon position.
admit that things began TO look very
interesting.
But the eight torpedo boats, like
the two destroyers, kept looking after
their business, whatever that may
have been. So on We went at the
same speed
Just as we rounded tho northern
promontory which helps TO form
Morto bay, the silhoucttcs of two Brit
ish linc5hps came into vicw. | held
the Nluavcnt for the bow Of thc nearest
and kept this course until We were
Close to her. Naturally expected 10
have my boat detected each instant
and have a few Shells come hcr way.
Nothing Of the sort occurred, how
over.
",ro have torpedo strike surely it
IS necessary to have ii course run as
closely at a right angle TO the side Of
the. target as possible. This Obliged
me to steer to port in slight curve,
because had decided TO torpedo the