Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-08-02

Attacks bv German submarines upon the
first expedition o. American troops sent
% France became known for the first
time today. when the report Of Rear Ad-
rn,rsl Gleaves, commanding the naval
convoy. was made public by Secretary
Daniels.
The first attack was made on Admiral
Glea-es' flagship. leading the first group
Of the expeditiona-y force. and az least
two submarines were indicated TO be en-
gagged The admiral stated the belief
that the J-boats had knowledge Of the
coming Of the troop ships. and were On
watch for them
The second group Of transports also
was attacked by TWO submarines, one
Of which apparently was sent 20 the
bottom By bomb dropped from an Am
ericar destroyer. There is disagreement
among officers 81 the third group as TO
whether the% ~ere attacked, but much
evidence IS presented 10 indicate that
they also were assailed.
Secretary Daniels made the report
public, with certain military insorna-
ton deleted. after he mad sent an IN
censored COPY in confidence 10 the Sem
ate naval committee, members o. which
recently inquired as 20 the truth OF
charges in the Senate that the official
account OF The attack published on July
2 vas greatly exaggerated.
The report was prepared BY Admiral
Gleaves while a. a French port and was
submitted to Admiral Mayo, in COM
rnand Of the Atlantic feet. who forward
Ell u e the navy department. Names Of
ships are represented by letters. It's
full text as. made public follows:
Text Of Report
"1-About 1915 P. N, June %, the
frs- group Of the expeditionary force
Of which the flagship was the leader,
encountered the enemy's submarine,
"2-At the time IL was extremely
dark. fresh breeze was blowing from
white caps The condition was IDEAL
for q submarine attack
"2-Paragraph 3 gives the formation
and names Of the vessels.
"4-shortly before the attack the helm
Of the flagship had TANNED, and the ship
took a rank sheer 10 starboard; the whia-
tie vas blown to indicate this sheer II
a fen minutes the ship was brought back
on the course. At this time the officer o.
the deck and others on the bridge saw
a white streak about 20 yards ahead ot
the ship. crossing from starboard TO port
Z. right angles 10 our course. The ship
vas Immediately run off 90 degrees TO
s-a-board a. fill speed. I was asleep IN
the chart house az the time. I heard the
officer Of the deck say: Report 10 the
bow General alarm was sounded, tor
redo crews being already ar their guns.
When I reached the bridge the a ard one
Of the transports astern had opened fire,
the formers shell fitted with tracers.
Other vessels Of the convoy turned TO the
right and left in accordance with instruc-
thong 3 crossed our bow at full speed
and turned towards the left column in
he direction Of the firing.
at first II was thought on board
the flagship that the wake was that Of
torpedo. but from subsequent reports
from other ships and In the opinion OF
Lieut.. X. who was on the bridge It was
probably the wake Of the submarine boat
itself Two torpedoes passed close 10 the
4 from nort TO starboard. one about 30
yards ahead OF the ship and the other un-
der her stern as the ship was turning to
the northrard. Captain Y reports the
incident thus: 'Steaning In formation
on zigzag course. with base course IS de-
grees 2sc standard speed. A. 10. 25 sight
ed wake Of torpedo directly across our
tov about 81 Yards ahead OF the ship.
Changed course - degrees TO left and
went to torpedo defense stations. Fired
+yo one-pourder shots and one five pound
shot from port battery in alarm. in addi-
ton to six blasts from siren. Passed
through two wakes one being that from
the Z. s. 5 c in turning TO northward,
the other believed 70 have been from the
passing submarine A second torpedo
wake vas reported at about 1925 from
after lcokou.s After stea ming in various
coursee At full speed. resumed course g
degrees csc at ilio for rendezvous. At y
O'Clock SCI cou-se So degrees psc,'
THE torpedo cred at the D pass
q from s..rhcard 70 port about 40
vcrG- ahecd re nc ship, leaving a dis
tinct wake which was visible for about
four or Ave hundred yards, Colonel q,
L. 8 A., wes on the starboard wing
IF the bridge Of the . at the time and
states 7 frat saw a white streak IN
thc water just OF the starboard bow
which moved rapidly across the bow
-ery close aboard When ] first saw
Il j. booked like one very wide wake
and similar 10 the wake of a ship, but
after crossing the bow and when In
l!re with IL there appeared two dis
'.nct and separate wakes with
streak o. Blue water between them. In
m. opinion they were wakes OF TWO
separate torpedoee.' =
The submarine which was sight
81 by the flagship was seen by the 3
and ragsed under that ship. When the
elarrr was sounded on 3. Lieut.. "
was reused Ct his sleep and went to
his station and found urr1istakeabie
evidence OF the presence Of suhn,a.
rtne. He mad been there only fsT
seconds when the radio operator re.
ported 'submarine very close TO U.S.
Az submarine passed the e and tie
fsgship's bow and disappeared close