Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-07-19
CHASING THE U.BOATS
British And American DestroyefS
& Have Exciting Game.
POINTERS FROM OFFICIAL RECORDS

Grim Game From Details Of Few
Encounters Officially Reported
Thrilling Story Of Rescue Of Crew
!. From Burning Oil Ship by British
J Destroyer.
The destruction OF n German sub
marine Is never announced by the
British admiralty except upon the
strongest possible eTidence. which Is
often provided by the destroyers that
are engaged in a long game Of hide
and seek with the elusive U-boats un-
der conditions Of varying excitement.
The landsman may obtain some idea
Of this grim game from the details OF
| official recordssof q few encounters as
TO the result Of which there Is no room
for doubt.
| A convoy OF merchant vessels was
being escorted by British and Ameri-
can destroyers. A submarine attempt
ed to attack the convoy. but al
though 1t maneuvered from one po-
sition to another the destroyers were
too quick for 1t and every time 1t at
tempted and came to the surface its
presence was detected.
II Finally an American destroyer
bighted the periscope in a favorable
position and headed for 1t, with the
Intention of ramming. A depth charge
was dropped directly over the U-boat,
which was still visible under water
from the American ship. The result
was an upheaval of black-colored
water. two broken pieces of spar
and some small pieces Of wreckage.
Nothing more of the enemy was seen.
Early one winters day a destroyer
| sighted an enemy submarine on the
surface and steered for II at full
speed. So swiftly was the maneuver
| carried out that the German had no
time to suLmerge. Within thirty Sec
onds Of the sighting the destroyer
had rammed the enemy, tearing a
great rent in the hull of the U-boat.
At the same time a bomb, (which"
said the commanding officer. 'explod-
ed satisfactorily" was dropped. After
this the destroyer wheeled back over
the spot and dropped another bomb.
Large quantities of oil rose to the
surface, but no other sign of the
enemy's presence could be detected,
and when the position was swept later
the submarine was located, still ly-
ing on the spot where she had sunk.
Submarine Cut in Two.
A merchantmen which had fallen
hebind the main body of the convoy
to which she belonged was escorted
back to- her position by a destroyer.
Just then another. Of the merchant
(SSen was torpedoed. Immediately the
1k*upysf swung round ana headed
hit for the enemys positicSr~A As
she passed over the SPOT a severe
shock wes felt throughout the de-
stroyer. and just afterward the Ger
mans periscope was sighted by the
destroyer's sister ship which hasten
ed to drop a bomb on the U-boat. A
heavy explosion resulted. and the
submarine came up right astern of
her pursuers. Helm was put hard
over and fire opened by both British
ships, three hits being registered In
quick succession. Escort No. had
now come round, and, being nearest
the enemy. went straight for him and
succeeded In cutting the submarine
clean in half. Both halves appeared
on the surface for a few seconds be-
fore plunging finally from view.
A destroyer hunting for submarines
observed two periscopos about eight
feet apart on her starboard bow. The
destroyer managed to get within so
yards before the U-boat submerged: !:
then depth charge was dropped over
the submarines course. After the ex-
plosion Of the charge n second and
much louder explosion was heard and
felt by everyone on board the destroy
er. and a column of black -colored
water was thrown to height OF
about 80 feet. A Aim OF light oil
then spread over the water. and in
the next two hours had increased to
considerable extent.
| Sighting the wake of q submarine, O
destroyer dropped a depth charge and
oil rose to the surface. Later a peri
scope appeared. Another depth charg,
was dropped. and more oil was seen
When darkness fell q large and con-
81 icuous patch Of oil was observed
and vas still very clearly marked
next morning. Another depth charg'
was dropped in the middle Of tho
patch, whereupon more oil and bub-
bles rose and continued rising for the
next two hours. Sweeping operations
were then undertakar, and an obstruc-
tlon VAS located on the bottom. More
oil rose to the surface.
Rescued From Burning Ship.
A lieutenant in command of a de-
stroyer discovered that a British oiler
had been torpedoed and set on fire
Il one WdS burning IuTlOuSly anu WIZ
out Of control, although her engines
were still running. A continuous
stream Of oil fed the flames, which
prevented anyone from entering the
engine room. Her peak was not yet
alight. and crouched up there were
thirty Cinnamon. the remainder of the
crew.
To extinguish the fire was beyond
the power Of the destroyer's crew, but
her captain determined to make an at
tempt to rescue the survivors in the
peak. although 1t was obviously a diff
ficult undertaking. He ran his vessel
closer past the oilers stern. and as she
passed RATS, lifeboats and life buoys
were pitched overheard. This maneu-
yer was carried out three times
BY now all the destroyers boats had
been lowered to pick up the men In the
water, while all her available loose
life- saving. gear had been thrown
overheard. However. there still re-
manned nine men in the peak Of the
| ofler The concluding mart Of the one