Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-01-15

struggle and became the leader Of
British imposters to frighten its former
cons0rts off the seas.
"The dummies were an Irish Joke
according to our chef, who hailed from
Belfast, where the ships had been Mt
ted out in garb Of war. And 1t seemed
that the Celtic port officials there were
proud of us, for they continued to send
us our supplies in spite Of the distance,
A small fast boat used to make the
| trip thru the Irish sea, English channel
and North sea every month to bring
us what we needed for success in our
| task of trcking the Teuton.
Indeed there was small chance OF
the ruse being discovered, as we our
selves knew precious little OF the
schemes OF the squadron In their en-
tirety. During my whole term of serv-
ice. never learned what vessel the
other dummies represented and in war
time curiosity Is regarded as unbefit-
ting. Both officers and men were al
most prisoners. being allowed shore
leave only at the little home port,
where no one was allowed outside the
reservation. It was a tiny town OF
exactly 10 houses.
The British Warships Fled"
But some of our movements were
reported in Berlin, altho our identity
or fraudulent appearance was not
known or disclosed. German official
communicates, containing only victo-
ries and sops to German national vaf1i-
ty, have become proverbial for their
usual manipulation OF facts OF these
ends. SO, when the German admiralty
frequently announced during the sum
mer OF 1915; Our naval scouts sighted
Il squadron Of British warships which
fled at our approach the neutral world,
smiled at Teutonic simplicity. This
was regarded as merely one OF the
many circulated by official Germany
for home consumption. a recognized
part Of tho political program.
But 1t was probably true, altho the
Germans themselves knew no more
than the rest OF the world. that those
British vessels declined battle because
they couldn't fight, and were 'warshlps'
only to the eye. We on the dummy
fleet felt amply justified in our rough
handling OF the naval tradition for
reasons more obvious to ourselves than
to tho Germans. Our commodore un-
doubtedly had orders to that effect.
For when we saw smoke on the hori-
zon. we took no chances, and went
about our business with full steam
ahead
In tho battle Of Doggerbank we did
not take a very heroic part, so our
deeds were not included In the admir-
atty report OF the engagement
David Beatty's famous squadron of
battlecruisers led by the Lion, at that
time the last word in naval achieve
ment. was inside Harwich or there
abouts and not discernable to scouts
in or over the North sea. The dummy
fleet was maneuvering about 100 miles
north of that point, in easy view, and
experts deduce that the German scouts
saw us and reported the way clear for
another raid on the English coast. And
when the Germans came out bent upon
the manly pastime OF shooting from
their iron ships into the wooden
houses OF women and children. Beatty
at uncomfortable close quar-
tiers and offered them better sport
But for this they seemed to have little
relish. And in the running fight that
followed, the Butcher made port IN
Dayy Jones' locker before the discom-
fitted visitors reached their mine fields.
'"rhat was the last experiment at