The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1918-09-20

for periscope-tins, barrels, spars.
Dead horses generally float In the
water with one foot sticking up, and
we gave the alarm many time when
II was only some old nag on his way 60
sDayy's locker.
On the Cassard the Old Man posted
a reward of 90 francs for the first man
who sighted periscope. This was
good idea, but believe me he would
have had trouble making the award,
for every man on the ship would be
sure TO see 1t at the same time. Each
man felt sure he would be the man to
get the reward. The A-pounders were
loaded and ready for action on sec
ond's notice. But the reward was
never claimed.
During our eighth trick of Cape
Helles l was amidshlps in the galley
when heard our two 14-pounders go
of almost mt the same time. Every
body ran for his station. Going up
the main deck to my turret a man told
Inc 1t was sub on the port bow, but
] only caught glimpse of the little
whirlpool where her periscope sub
merged. l do not know why she did
not let loose torpedo at us. The
officers said she was trying to make
the entrance TO the Dardanelles and
came up blind among our ships and
was SCARED Off by our guns, but j
thought we had just escaped by the
skin OF our teeth. Later on our de-
stroyers claimed to have sighted her
or Gaba Tepe.
At noon we were Mt mess when one
Of the boys yelled, "She's hit" and we
NIL rushed on deck. There was the
British ship, Triumph, torpedoed and
listing away over 10 starboard. She
was ready to turn over In few min
utes. One battleship IL not supposed
TO go TO the assistance Of another one
that has been torpedoed, because the
chances are the sub is still In the
nelghborhood laying for the second
ship with another torpedo. But one
OF the British trawlers went to the
assistance of the Triumph to pick up
the crew.
We could see the crew jumping into
the water. Then we breezed out
toward the horizon, full speed ahead.
All about the Triumph was cloud of
black smoke, but when we looked
through the glass we could see she was
going down. Then our guns began TO
lombard the Turkish positions and
had to get busy. When ! saw the
Triumph again she was bottom up.
She must have floated upside down
for almost half an hour, then she went
down as though there was somebody
on thesbottom pulling her.
When she went our Old Man banged
hIa telephone on the bridge rail NJ d
swOre Mt the Huns and Turks nj d
broke his telescope lens to bits. About
fifty from the Triumph were lost.
II was decided that the place was
too hot for us with that sub running
loose, and when they reported that
afternoon that she was making her
way south from Gaba Tepe to Cape
Helles all of the fleet but the Majestic
got under way, and the Majestic was
the only ship left Off the cape.
They said the Majestic was then the
oldest of the ships In that campaign,
hut she was the pride of the British
fleet just the same. She was torpedoed
OF Cape Helles later on; when there
Were number OF men-of-war off the
cape The sea was crowded with men
swimming and drowning, ] saw life
boat crowded with men and other men
in the water hanging onto her, and
there were so many hanging on that
they started to pull her under. OF
their own accord the men in the water
let go to save those In the boat. Most
Of them were drowned.
The Majestic listed so that the men
could not stand on deck, and the sides
were covered with men hanging on
TO ropes and not knowing whether
to jump into the sea or not. We low
cred all our lifeboats and steam
launches, and so did the other ships.
We picked up number of the crew
and were pretty close to the Majestic
when she went down like rock. As
she went down she turned over and
a garby ran along her side to the ram
at her bow and got on II without even
being wet. A boat picked him up off
the ram, which stuck out Of the water
after the ship had ceased to settle.
She had torpedo nets on her sides,
and many of the crew were unable tic
GET clear Of the nets and went down
with her. Quite lot were caught
below decks and had no possible
chance to escape. There was big
explosion as she went under-probably
the boilers bursting. Thousands of
troops on shore and thousands Of
sailors on the ships saw the final
plunge, and 1t was sight to remem-
Der. When the ship started to go, the
Old Man rushed back to his cabin,
got the signal book and destroyed it.
Also, he saved the lives of two of his
men.
We gave dry clothes and brandy and
coffee to the Limeys we rescued, and
though they had just come through
something pretty tough, they We're
calm and cool and started talking right
away about what ship they would
probably be assigned to next.