Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1918-08-23
Rizzo Describes HoW Two Motor
Boats Sank Two Austrian
BattIeShipS.
MOST DARING FEAT OF WAR
Whole Thing Didn't Take More Than
Quarter of an Hour-Motor Boats
Crew Go Mad With Joy Over
Their Success.
BY BEATRICE BASKERVILLE.

lin the New YORK WORLDLY
ona.-Commandant Rizzo, who
has performed the most daring naval
feat of the war, began his sea career
as officer in the Italian merchant serv-
ice. Not till Italy entered the war
was he acquainted with the royal
navy. He is under thirty, dark-eyed,
quiet, has largish features which look
as though they We're cut out of steel,
u square jaw and a slower manner of
speaking than most Italians.
When / first asked him, during
his short stay in Ancona port, for
particulars of his sinking of the st.
Stephen and the Prince Eugene, Aus
tria's two largest ships, he modestly
replied that he was no talker, and
that for the rest he had to start of
for Genoa in very short while. But
when he learned that The World cor
respondent had Travelled from Rome
to hear him talk and that it would
not take long, he yielded.
"ln the Creeping Dawn"
at was ON the 10th of this month"
he said. II was returning to port
after one of those humble and hard
missions which we sailors have had
to perform all the while these three
years. l had made up my mind to
leave the enemy's coast, when, in the
creeping dawn. saw the smoke COM
ing out of tunnels, about 5000 yards
off. | thought we were found out
and being chased by the enemy. 1t
was hopeless to try to run away, so
turned my two motor boats, the sec
ond being commanded by Head Steers
man (now LieutenanO Aonzo, and
made for the enemy.
"As the dawn grew | saw we were
in for large convoy of destroyers
escorting two floating cyclops, of the
Viribus Units type, which is the larg-
est dreadnaught type in the Austrian
navy. They had FOUR at the begin
ming of the war; on the 9th of June
they had three. Now they have only
oEe left.
-'Here we are at last, said to my
meg. This is a holidayp
I'VE had not much in the way of
arlns-two torpedoes on each boat,
eight, small enough to be thrown by
hand, between us, and two machine
guns. But this was a chance we would
never get again If we waited thou
sand years, SO / took 1t.
Three Clean Hits.
"Aonzo was to slip around to the
left and attack the Viribus Units
Hreadnaught that made up the rear,
and which we now know was the
Prince Eugene. l was to make for
the sister ship, which we now know
was the ST. Stephen. 1 slowed down
to silence my motors. but as soon as
/ was well within the line of conveys
1 went forward at full speed. Our
men held their breath. My motorist
had a quiet fit every time the engine
made q little noise. Another moment
ana the enemy saw Us. Then began
furious cannonade.
"ACnzo sent his first torpedo, but it
did rot work. His second hit the
giant full in her poop. Then | fol-
lowed with my two biscuits, precise.
obedient and sure. The first landed
between the st. Stephens tunnels, in
the boiler compartment; the second
under her tower"
"After That II Was HE'LL"
The commandment paused, evidently
reviewing events. then went on:
after that it was hell. There was
storm from their guns and mud
died crowd OF destroyers encircled the
two giants. which were beginning to
sink. Some chased my boat. saw
must either get out into the open like
a dart or perish. With violent Jerk
we turned our boat on herself and
made for it. But a destroyer baked
our path. So l jerked round to the
eft anu rushed right under the prov
Of the st. Stephen, now almost swaI-
lowed by the sea. Aonzo took the
easnSs he got By their attacking me