New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-06-04
CREW DESCRIBES
SINKING OF COLE
Courteous Officer Of Submarine
Spoke English Language Well


years old, native Of Boston, with
twenty years experience in sailing
vessels in all parts of the world, in
describing the sinking of the Edward
H Cole by a German submarine off
New jersey, said
1T was just about ten minutes to
and the watch below had been cal
led to be ready to come on deck at
eight bells when I saw q submarine
come to the surface half q mile away
on the port bow There was a light
west northwest wind blowing. The
schooner had averaged about three
knots in the previous twelve hours.
I could distinguish objects for five
miles on the horizon.
1--WE were bound from Norfolk, Va,
to Portland, Me-, with a cargo of COAL
According to the position at noon the
Edward I'll. Cole was about seventy
five miles southeast of Atlantic High
lands at the time. Karl ". HARRISON,
a Finn, who was steering, asked me
why the submarine was moving
around our ship at high speed. We
both believed it was an American
craft with some Naval Reserve cadets
on board, who We're trying to have
some fun with us sailors of the
merchant marine
II thought that it would be a, good
idea to have a little fun with our skip
per, who had turned in for nap in
his cabin, and I yelled down the sky
light, Tumble UP on deck lively Cap.
There's a big German submarine
close astern getting ready to attack
us
''Then I took the marine glasses
and looked through them at the stern
of the U-boat, where her ensign was
Tapping Imply against the short
flagstaff. For a moment or two I
could not make out her nationality
and then a gust of wind came and
blew the ensign straight so that
could see that it was the German flag
and then I shouted in earnest to Cap
tain Newcombe, It's no joke this
time. BY gosh, she is German sub
marine
Officer Speaks Good English.
after making three circles to be
certain, apparently, that we did not
carry a gun the U-boat came up on
the starboard quarter and a tall, fair
haired officer on deck by the coming
tower shouted in god English. What
ship is that T replied that it was an
Am erican schooner and thought he
could read the name Edward H. Cole
on the stern. This did not please the
officer, who repeated the question in
quiet, businesslil1e tones, and I then
told him. The watch on deck began
to get a little anxious by this time,
as SOME of the German seamen on
the U-boat were swinging the for
ward gun around in careless man.
ner.
THE next hail we got as Captain
Newcombe joined me on the deck was
to heave to and they would send an
officer on board. This time the
U-boat was fifty yards away, and we
saw the tall officer get into a dinghey
with three of his men carrying some
thing in their hands.
AS the boat got alongside I had
the pilot ladder rugged on the star
board quarter by the gangway and
the Germans came on board. The Of
f1cer, who, wore gold shoulder straps
and gilt buttons, and was the only
one of the crew who was clean
shaver. spoke courteously to Captain
NeWcombe, and after listening to the
statements as to the name, tonnage,
cargo, and ports Of departure nd des-
tination he made a brief inspection OF
the ship. Then he came to where we
were standing and said, Now, Cap
tain, get your crew together and tell
them that they have ten minutes to
leave the ship Several of the men
were still in their hunks and they
were ordered to hurry on deck Then
the crew were ordered into the
schooners boat.
No Patrol Boats in Sight.
"On previous voyages along the
Jersey shore we had sighted scores OF
be seen yesterday afternoon when the
German subm arine appeared.
about 4:10 o'clock we pulled away
from the Edward H. Cole and rowed
hard with the two oars in the boat tc
get away from the expected explosion
There was no water or food in the
yawl and no compass The captain
brought his sextant and barbometel
| with him.
I'VE saw the Germans, acting under
| orders from their officer, take -four
| bombs and attach them, two on each
side of the schooner. and light the
fuses Five bombs exploded, and the
Edward H. Cole started to go dowr
| by the bows. AS she was settling THE
! German submarine fired one shell
from the bow gun which struck amid
| ships, and in sixteen minutes tn,
schooner had disappeared.
"Just then we saw a cloud of smok,
on the horizon astern, and the U-boa
went off at full speed in that direc
ton, presumably to attack the steam
ship if she proved to be unarmed."
"An hour later we heard five shot
| fired, and saw a submarine four am
| q half miles AWAY on the StarhOa u