Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-12-26
LOSS,OF DEC0Y
SHIP.PUBLISHED
Fight the Dunraven Put Up
Was One of Most Daring
of Anti-Sub War.

London, Nov. Observation-Disclosures
of the Associated Press)-The loss Of
the British decoy. ship Dunraven in
a desperate battle with a German
now been made public by the British
admiralty, constitutes one Of the most
daring and heroic episodes Of the anti
submarine war. With their vessel
ablaze, and boxes of cordite and. shells
exploding every few minutes, the aft
er gun crew stuck to their gun until
the magazine exploded and blew, them.
and their CUR into the air. Mean
while the battle with the submarine
was fiercely waged.
This action took place in August,
1917. h vessel was one of the de-
coys which was commanded by Cap
tain Gordon Campbell, who had pre-
viously won the Victoria Cross by
heroicland successful work in decoy-
In her role of an armed British mer-
chant ship, the Dunraven was. Zig
tagging her course in the lanes haunt
ed by the submarines when a U-boat
opened fire upon her at 5000 yards.
The Dunraven returned the fire with
her merchant ship gun and reduced
her speed to enable the Hun to over
take her. To coax him on. wireless
signals were sent out reading: Help.
Come quickly. Submarine chasing
and Smelling me-"
Finally when the submarines shells
began falling close, the Dunraven
stopped and the usual panic party
abandoned its ship. The b%unraven
was then on fire aft and the subma-
rine closed in to a distance Of 400
yards, but was partly obscured from
view by dense clouds of smoke issu-
ing from the Dunraven's stern.
Although he knew that the maya
zine must explode If he waited, and
that a u and a guns crew lay con-
cealed over the magazine, Captain
Campbell reserved his fire until the
submarine had passed clear of the
smoke. A moment later there was a
gun and it's crew were blown into the
air. The conclusion started the fire
gongs at the remaining u positions
The screens hiding the guns were
dropped and the only u that could
be brought. to bear opened fire. The
submarine commenced to submerge,
Knowing that a torpedo would sure.
" follow, Captain Campbell had all
the wounded brought up and conceal
ed in cabins. The after part of the
Dunraven was a mass of flame 'but
the crew fought the fire with hoa<
while wireless signals were SEM GU
warning all other vessels to keep be.
low the horizon so as not to interrupt
the final phase Of the fight.
Twenty minutes later another tor.
pedo struck the ship abaft the engine
room. Another panic party was
sent away in the boats, leaving tbs
ship apparently completely abandoned
with the British flag flying and>he,
guns ,unmasked. but Captain Camp
bell and a handful of officers anc
men had remained On board and la,
hidden for nearly an hour while the
submarine commander held of
watching the burning ship through
his p%eriscope.
During all that time boxes of cor
dite and shells were exploding ever,
few minutes and the fire was bla4nt
I%furiously. Eventually the submarine
emerged astern where no gum coult
be brought to bear upon her, ant
shelled the Dunraven for twent!
minutes. The U-boat then steamed
past the ship $50 yards off and Camp
bell fired one of his torpedoes at he
but missed by a few inches. A secont
torpedo also missed. The submarine
saw it and. submerged. thirs
't'parie"parts''. was plallf1ing to jun1l
overheard and leave gun crew
for a final attempt to sink the U
boat when British. and American de
stroyers arrived on the scene. TIL
lD%unraven's wounded were trans
ferred, her guns recalled and the fir
ex~tinguished. The Dunraven. in
sinking condition, was taken in tow
but the weather grew worse and OF
the following morning she sank witt
her colors flying.