Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-12-29
. . e. - . . = & L. =
|DECOY SHIPS SUNK
MANY SUBMARINES
Appetite of Germans for Defense
less Craft Proved to
Be Fatal.
INTERESTING STORIES TOLD
Shot Fired From LAUNDERING Old
Vessel Was Wholly I'm
expected.
INTERESTING STORIES TOLD

navy
LONDON, December 2s.--It is now
permitted to relate some of the stories,
and high efficiency Of the men on some
of Britain'st %" boats. Knowing the
sne boa,s for an Sent easy
as decoys. In appearance they were
innocent merchantmen. In reality they
were heavily armed and were manned
by some of the most intrepid seamen
Of England's great navy.
1t was summer evening. with r
calm sea and setting sun. and just
clumsy looking old British sailing
ship apparently coasting.
The galley fire was going. and the
to be seen in British waters prior. to
the opening of the U-boat campaign
suddenly some three miles off "a Ger
her forward gun and opened fire. Four
shots fell dangerously near the sail
ing ship. which at once hove to and
commenced pulling as for dear life out
OF the. radius Of the enemy's fire. The
u-boat continued firing, at the same
until dead astern OF the sailing shin.
German officers examined her care
ruiiy through their glasses. She was
pedo upon. When about 100 yards
away the submarines helm was nut
over and she came up on the ships
enty yards.
Evidently it was the intention of the
German comma n der /. sink her by gun
hre; in fact he had just given the
TSr e sa -, TO mr. tire mt her water-line when
The numbering old craft got in the
tut erf tirS MAS T T16ehns to be done now
puise was to ram. and with his helm
hnrd aport he went full speed ahead
But the sailing ship was not in his
Then he came about, and tried 70
nanenxer to escape the British gun
hre: The decov ship--for such was the
i real business Of the sailing vessel
shot. Her second was NOR 'successful.
ana made nasty mess of the base III
me O,ooats coming tower. so that
the submarine could not dive
DEADLY RNITISH AIM
"GOT" THE SUBMARINE
:. The British gunners' aim was excel
lent. as the third shot showed for il
completely carried away the foremost
gun and killed the whole OF the gums
crew. fhe submarine endeavored. to
SHOW as small a target as possihla.
Keeping stern on to the British ship
which. however. still continued to got
In several hits with her larger. guns
and Lewis guns. causing a number OF
casualties TO the enemy The sub
marine. apparently badly mauled pro
d
when Suddenly her engine sstoppcd and
she sank with an explosion. and amidst
Cloud Cloud Of dense black smoke
-, men tne smoke had cleared away
'n,ee German sailors were seen strus--a
T;lnG IN The water, and were picked III.
4, Ihe n were. badly wounded. but thanks
20 20 nrst aid' were got ashore and taken
inc brittsh crew were Slight
another decov ship. to all fntents and
purposes British merchantmen. armed
WY ba an antisubmarine gun. was MAX
the lookout sighted n torprdo on Nc
starboard beam. Apparently the tor
pedo had been discharged It very close
range.
Before the vessel had time IN rc-
snond to its helm, the torpedo iumpad
our OF me water 100 Yards from the
snip s, and struck near the engine-room
tore large rent in the ships side.
Water rushed in. filling the boi,ar.
rts NE en ns and M hold The
air. the wreckaSe landing OH the wire
leSs-room.
The abandon shin" signal was given
last hoat pulled away periycorn M
ncarec &hnre the surface scarcely 4oJ
wards away. The submarine, still sun
neg ;approa ched the ship until hftv
periScopH. \ few minutes !a.e..s the
nefiScope 'reappearcd astern of the IN
iured ship, and then the subrnarine
broke surface. following che Of TIE
lifeboats which was pulling rounl tie
s'err Of the vessel.
MERELY A "HLrND" HIT
HER SHELLS EFFECTIVE
German sailor emerged from tho
rections in English to the boats crew,
which still continued to pull away
from their ship.
BY this time tho submarine was
rea ched point before the shin's beam
about fifty yards distant Tn Went
vsaeG her tFus ama .h' s Brit re-
been thoroughly Abandoned
fire spnrted from several guns dead
hi, 10 the e" S. submarine. a four-inch she'll
swept both Deriscopes away. Rand
nrc was maintained and other hits Re-.
Badly holed. The submarine tool.
heavy list to port and several men
appeared on deck as she stesmed
s shS s SGrGss tn the boss OF the ,deeoy
showed $ no the sorry plight she was I'm in
ana more Of the crew came on deck
ana ana held ND their hands.
The British cantain taking thi. ~
- iEn or surrender. gave the order 10
cease IRE. But no sooner had he done
M .na or tn1 Tn sua,marine attempted to
nner again In an instant, and deadiv
Seaisa tne rate OF the enemy: She
neeled over on one side. poised for =
moment. end sank stern first
no ~ 1ooSout man on the decoy re-
E%s'ea suomarine three miles away.
ave ave follow at safe distance. nc
htnp,saaed TO he satisfying himself thar
Treasured on these points. he ana,m.;
lLe: amn GO. continued firing. drawips
'o sin - IN ~. while. The fact that not
NM a, / , and for a Quarter Of an hour n. he
MS,.'Ihn nn. ~ M nrs, Assin he commcnced
'',el course, to his Victim. : 20
hs ~ deroy ne !, Vas n in suitable position
re, "e rn,;,, snip opened IRE on him tba
ms, !, >, coming tower: II was evidently
lose 'o way ana SSpn atonn noS he appeared 90
!, scyentesn rounds were ared fioup s
lie British ship. and round after rsmna
CONTINUED on Fifth PsEs.5