Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-23
Holds out ASLONG
AS SHE HAS SHELLS
Tanker Campana Surrenders to
U-Boat Only When Ammu
milton Is Exhausted.
FIRST FIRES $50 SHOTS
Battle Rages for Four Hours at
Range of Between 1900
and $500 Yards.
FIRST FIRES $50 SHOTS
rRy Associated Press. ]

AN ATLANTIC PORT. August "a
The Standard Oil tank steamer Cam
pana. whose captain and five of her
navy gunners were taken prisoners by
German submarine on August 6.
surrendered to the U-boat. but only
because she had not another shot to
FIRE. The Campanas ammunition. after
firing $50 shots. bec-me exhausted.
This was the story told by j. H.
Bruce. third mate OF the Campana.
who, with forty other members OF the
campana's crew and eight gunners.
arrived here to-day on French steam
ship. The battle began at A. NJ. and
was waged for four hours at a range
Of between 1900 and $500 yards
The U-boat fred 400 shots. only two
of which hit the mark The Campana
nevertheless was outranged by the two
guns. one four-inch. tho other two
inch. with which thes submarine was
armed Tho U-boat also was fully as
speedy as the American vessel.
U-BOAT STILL FIRES
AFTER TANKER SURRENDERS
After the Campana hoisted the inter
national signal of surrender. her last
shell gone. the submarine nevertheless
continued to fire. Bruce said. and all
hands took to the boats.
The U-boat commander first ap-
preached the boat commanded by
Bruce, which had aboard the Cam
pana's thirteen naval gunners. and or
dered II alongside. He then went to
the lifeboat occupied by Captain Albert
oliver. OF the Camrsna, and took him
prisoner.
Having room enough only for six
additional men aboard his craft. the
German skipper made only five of the
gunners prisoner. Bruce said. These
| included the chief gunner and two
petty officers. One of the gunners,
whose name was Millor. was included
because he could speak German. ,
The submarine was the U-2. Bruce
did not learn the commander's name.
| The German told him, he said, that
he had first fired a torpedo at the
Campana. but had missed, the pro-
tectile apparently passing under the
steamship, I'D, ~. ,.s
The Campana was sent TO the bot
tom by bombs after her crew I'd been
allowed to return and get their per-
sonal effects. Directions were given
to Bruce by the submarine commander
how to reach the nearest port. He
told him at the same time that he had
heard wireless messages exchanged by
two French war vessels in the vicinity.
and warned him not to allow himself
to be picked up by them.
L am going to sink them" he said.
MEN ARE PICKED UT
| BY FRENCH wARSHIP
Bruce and his men. nevertheless, took
| the chance. encounterinG a French war
snip after floating about in small
| ooats until o'clock that night The
warship took them aboard and landed
them in France. Bruce said he was
told by an officer Of the war vessel
that he had 'eard wireless message
| from another Fren>h cruiser. saving
that 1t had sunk a German submarine
IN the vicinity of the place where the
Campana had been sunk. Bruce said
IL was only matter of conjecture as
"hether this was the submarine
.nat attacked his vessel. but il true. he
feared 1T meant that Captain Oliver
ana his gunners had perished.
when Captain Oliver and the other
prisoners went below on the subma-
| rlne. said Bruce. the U-boat captain
saio they would be treated as prison
| ers OF war and landed in a few days
at German base. where, the captain
sala, they would be given every oppor-
tunity to send word home TO their
families. I was allowed to take a per
sonal message from Captain Oliver to
| be delivered to his wife.
| The bluejacktts with us were a
game lot. When the last shell had
gone. they would have tackled the
Germans with their revolvers had tho
word been passed to them.
| THE captain said his instructions
were to take all American gunners and
captains of armed ships prisoner. He
said however. he was sorry the United
States was in the war, because he
hated to fight Americans. as he had
always found them friendly and good
sports. Americans. he said. will always
| fight to A finish. He had no use for
the French or the English. though-es-
| pecially the English"
The names of the gunners taken
| prisoner were: James Delaney, chief
| eunners mate: William Millor. seaman
| Fred Jacobs. seaman: Ray Roop boat
swain's mate. second class, and Charles
| Kline. gunners mate.