The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-09-11
Rizzo Describes How Two Motor
Boats Sank Two Austrian
Batticships. (
MOST alnal TEXT Of WAR
Whole Thing Didn't Take More Than
Quarter Of an Hour-liotor Hoat's
G, sw O. Mad With Joy Over !.
81 Their Success.
BY BEATRICE BASKERVILLE,

as officer in the Italian merchant serv
ice. Not till Italy entered tae wal
was he acquainted with the roya
navy He is under thirty, Gu-k-eyed
| quiet, has largish feat lures which look
rs though they We're cut out IF steel
81 square jaw and a slower manner OF
speaking than most Italians.
When first asked him, during
his short stay in Ancona ep0rt, for
particulars Of tis sinking of the St
Stephen and the Prince Eugene, Aus
tria's two largest ships, he nodestly
replied that he was NJ. talker, and
that for the rest lie haG to start OF
for Genoa in very sEo,t while. But
when he learned that The World cor
respondent hard travelled from Rome
TO hear him talk aud that it would
not take long, he yielded. -. +.
= "In the Creeping Dawn"
1T was or the 10th Of this month";"
he said. II was returning to port
after cue Of those humble and hard
missions whichS we sailors have had
to perform all the while these three
years. had made up my mind to
leave The eaeny's coast, when, in the
creeping dawn, saw the smoke COM
ing out of tunnels, about 5000 yards
off. l thought we were found out
and being chased by the enemy. It
was hopeless to try to run away, SO I
turned my two motor boats, the Sec
ond being commanded by Head Steers
man (now Lieutenant) Aonzo, and
made for the enemy.
GAS 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
one left. f:r
."'Here we are at last said to my
men. This IS a hOlidayv e..
I 1--WE had not much in the way of
arlns-two torpeloes /, on each boat.
eight, small enough to be thrown by
hand. between us, aand two machine
guns. But this was chance we would
never get again if We waited q tho1-
sand years, SO took 1t. .,-j;a'
Thres Clean Hits.
'Aonzo was ito slip around to the
left and attack the Viribus Units
dreadnaught that made up the rear,
and which We now know w"s the
Prince Eugene. Twas to make for
the sister ship, which we now know
was the st. Stephen. l slowed down
to silence my motors, bat as s)On as
was well within the-line OF conveys
I went forward at full speed. Our
men held their breath. My moterist
had a quiet fit every time the engine
made little noise. Another moment
and the enemy saw us. Then began
furious cannonade. :.
"Aonzo sent his first torpedo but it
did not work. His second hit the
giant full in her poop. Then fol-
lowed with my two biscuits, precise.
obedient and .sure. The fifSt landed
between the st. Stephens tunnels, in
the boiler compartment the second
antler her tower"
., "After That II Was HE'LL"
p The commandant paused, evidently
reviewing events, then went on:
"After that it was hell. There was
storm from their guns and a mud
died crowd Of destroyers encircled the
two giants, which We're beginning to
sink. Some chased my boat. I saw l
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:1 jorked round to the
left and rushed right under the prov
Of the St. stephen, now almost swal-
lowed by the sea. Aonzo took the
chance he got by their, attacking me
and made. of too. The same destroy.
er that Barred his way went for me.
sour motor boats were only hun
bred yards apart. It was just as ii
we were trying to escape from q loco
motive by running along the railroad.
The cannons buzzed and roared round
our heads. thought dose of the
machine gun would do them good, but
It didn't. They were very close and
our mclnent seemed to have come.
Like angry mustiffsS they rushed after
us, their prows looming over us from
above. Then tried them with two
torpedoes. The first fell foul, but the
second lit it's mark. There was Z
terrific explosion and the, destroyer
wobbled ard began to turn ~ver.
made for safety as hard as l knew
how.
;.The whole thing, from the time
We attacked till 1 fired that second
torpedo against the chasing destroyer
didn't take more than . quarter Of
an hogf 4
criks Mad with Joy.
s. hen We got into the open, safe
ard Snppd lNas able to smile IN
| Ny ~ ladS we're still astOun - ~ -
the Slpldlty Of events. Then ~ .
them cried. We've been il hell! Ant
they went mad With joy, huggins
cheering, kissing, crying; in . I'M
frenzy Of glory ut what We HAD done
they hoisted our biggest nag an,
tleeked the boat in bunting, like
q ~