Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-30
U-BOAT AND DECOY SHIP
IN GREAT SEA DUEL
British Government Just Dis
closes Thrilling Story of the
L Elnraven's Loss in 1917.

London, Dec. Corresponds &C of
the Associated Press)-The loss Of the
British decoy ship Dunraven in n desper-
ate battle with q German submarine, the
story of which has now been made public
BY the British Admiralty, cunstitutues
one OF the most daring and heroic cpl
sodes of the antl-submarine war With
their vessel ablazc, and boxes of cordlte
and shells exploding every few minutes,
the after gun crew stuck to their gun until
the magazine exploded and blew them
and their gun into the air Meanwhile the
battle with the submarine was herccly
waged.
This action took place in August, 1917.
The vessel was one of the decoys which
was commanded by Captain Gordon
Campbell, who had previously won the
Victoria cross by heroic and successful
work in decoying submarines 10 their de-
struction In her role of an armed British
merchant ship, the Dunraven was zig
Tagging her course in the lanes haunted
by the submarines when U-boat opened
fire upon her at 5000 yards The Dun
raven returned the fire with her merchant
ship gun and reduced her speed TO enable
the Hun to overtake her. To coax him on,
wireless signals were sent out reading:
Help Come quickly. Submarine chas-
ing and shcling me
Finally when the submarines shells
began falling close, the Dunraven stopped
and the usual ''panic party abandoned
ship. The Dunravcn was then on fire
aft and the submarine closed IN To dis
tance of 400 Yards, but WAS parti Y oh
scured from view by dense clouds of
smoke issuing from the Dunraven' $
stern.
Although he knew that the magazine
must explode il he waited, and that a
gun and guns crow lay concealed over
the magazine, Captain Campbell re-
served his fire until the submarine had
passed clear Of the smoke a moment later
there was r heavy explosion and the Dun
raven gun and its crew were blown INTO
the air. The conclusion started the firc
gongs at the remaining gun positions
The screens hiding the guns were dropped
and the only gun that could be brought to
bear, opened fire. The submarine com
menced TO submcrgc knowing that tor
pedo would surely follow, Captain Camp
bell had all the wounded brought up and
concealed in cabins The after part Of the
Dunravcn was mass Of flame but the
crew fought the fire with hose while wire
less signals were sent ont. warning all
tNtti Nt%Stt% W httI JtlRN AtlF iiNt lAtln ~
as not to interrupt the final phase Of the
fight
Twenty minutes later another torpedo
struck the ship abaft the engine room. An
other panic party was sent away in the
boats leaving the ship apparently com
pictcly abandoned with tho British flag
living and her guns Inmaskcd, but Cap
tam Campbell and a handful Of officers
and men had remained on board and lay
hidden for nearly an hour while the sub
marine commander held off watching the
burning ship through hls pcriscope
During oil that time boxes Of cordltc
and shells werc exploding every few min
utcs and the tire WAS blazing furouslv
Eventually the submarine emerged astern
where no guns could he brought 10 bear
upon her and shellcd the Dunravcn for
20 minutes The If-bnat then steamed
past the ship $50 yards off and Campbell
fired one OF his torpedoes at her but mis-
sed by few inches. A second torpedo also
missed. The submarine saw il and sub
merged 4 third panic party was plan
ing To jump overheard and leave ono gun
crew for a final attempt to sink the t-boat
when British and American dcstroycrs
arrived on the scene The Dunraven' {
wounded were transferred her guns re-
called and the fire eXtinguishcd The Dun
raven. IN a sinking condition was taken in
tow. but ttr weather grew worse and on
the following morning She sank with her
colurS flying.