Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1918-10-11
THROWS ''BABYi''
At SUBMARINE
<Woman" on British Decoy Sh;.
Decorated for 0utWitting
Germans.
BLOWS r THE U. BOAT
Interesting Revelations Made Regard
Ing Work Of British Mystery Ships
Which Play Important Part In
Anti.Submarine Warfare.

Which Play Important Part In
Anti.Submarine Warfare.
. misunderstanding revelations re-
garding the work of British mystery
ships which have played an important
part in antisubmarine warfare are
made by the naval correspondent of
the Times. They chow how British
seamen have met German craft and
cunning with British craft and cum
ming. .sas.S No..
Until this week the public has known
/ nothing about the mystery ships,
known in the navy as the 20" ships,
although several officers, notably Capt.
Gordon Campbell, have been decorated
for their services on these vessels. De-
tails now can be made public, as the
Germans are becoming aware through
bitter experience of the methods used
against them.
"Baby" Blows Up Diver.
: How woman and baby" accounted,
for U.boat is told by the correspon-
dent. The submarine ordered ves-
Sci to surrender and fred a few shells
into 1t. The boats then left the ship,
leaving on board a woman who ran up
and down the deck with baby in her
arms, as If mad. ,..-t
{ The U.boat came alongside the YES
sci and the woman hurled the "baby"
into the. open hatch. The "baby" ex-
ploded and blew out the bottom of the
submarine. The woman" was deco
rated with the Victoria cross.
The correspondent says that the first
mention of a mystery ship was in the
case Of the Baralong, which on August
10, 1915, sank a U-boat after the tor.
pedoing Of the British liner Arabic. )
1t will be remembered, he says, that
the German government protested that
there was nothing to indicate the Bara-
longs warlike character. The Bara-
long case was probably not the first
In which ruse was used, and since
then the Disgusting of armed vessels as
innocent merchantmen for dealing with
submarines has attained considerable
dimensions.
'Howls and moans," adds the naval
correspondent, ''went up In Germany
about the treachery Of British seamen,
but the German allegations curiously
ceased at the beginning Of 1916. These
allegations afforded typical, example
iof German mentality. for they ignored
the fact that in every case the U.boat
was an actual or potential assailant
and any ruse Of war is considered legit.
innate by them except when employed
against Germany" ]
It should not be forgotten, he con-
unues, that the Germans designed
mystery ships for commerce destruc-
tion. The British commanders showed
much ingenuity in devising plans for
trapping submarines.
Haystaek 10 Floating Fort.
IN addition to the 'woman and baby"
case, the correspondent mentions the
story of q retired admiral, serving as
captain, who placed haystack on
board an ancient.looking craft. When
the U.boat ordered her to surrender
the Germans were astonished to re-
ceive q broadside from the haystack.
On another occasion q sea-worn
tramp steamer was crossing the North
sea when a submarine ordered the
crew to abandon ship. So sure was
the German of his prey that the bombs
with which he intended to sink the YES
sci were brought on deck around the
coming tower.
The commander of the tramp steam
err by careful mareuvering brought the
submarine within range Of his conceal
ed armament SO that it required only
shell or two to explode the bombs
and blow the U-boat out Of the water.
Capt. Gordon o. L. Campbell, then
a commander, was decorated with the
Victoria cross and the D. S. o. In 1916,
being the first to receive these. orders
without the nature of his heroic deed
being made public. II was announced
early In 1917 that the reason for his
decorations would be made public af-
ter the war. He was given special pro-
motion over the heads of about 700 off,
GERS, and current rumor in London in
July. 1917, ascribed his rapid rise to
work against the submarine. Captain
Campbell gained the military cross for
bravery in handling tank when that
weapon was first used by the British
In the summer, Of 1916.
Never TAROY IN so YEARS