The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-20
IN A U-BOAT FIGHT
Francis Willard of Topeka, Ma
val Ensign, Tells of Battle.
In Convoy Attacked at Sea by
Two Hun Submarines.
ONE U. S. TRANSPORT IS SUNK
1t Tried To Limp to Port but
FOundered on the Way.
Band Plays "Onward Christian
Soldiers" After the Fight.

and Pelham bay naval training school,
the son of Mr.. and Mrs. Frank C. Will
lard of Topeka, has written his par
ents a number of interesting letters
at sea. One. dated June 16, was writ
ten on an eastward bound ship, TWEEN
ty-four hours out, and tells of some
U-boat excitement He writes:
Had a little excitement this morn
ing at 1880 during my watch on
the bridge. Two hours ago our convoy
was attacked by U-boats. two of them
1t is thought. No ships were sunk but
We believe we got one of them.
Every ship in the convoy fired
number of shots apiece and went thru
submarine maneuvers for an hours or
So All that we saw of the subs was
an unmistakable periscope on our port
quarter and a submarine or torpedo
wake on our starboard bow. Our escort
flew about dropping depth charges and
firing at every opportunity. The cap
tain came on the bridge, directed the
firing and gave me general orders as
regards battle signals and coming the
ship. I was lucky in having it come
during my watch on the bridge.
Il must confess that during the first
few seconds my first sight of an enemy
submarine had me a little bit up in
the air, but everything l did happened
to be just right-gave right rudder,
sounded torpedo defence alarm and
called the captain. But in second
everything appeared to me just as ii
was-there are lifeboats and RATS
enough for all. 1 had the feeling of
just going into "a football game more
than anything else-I wanted to ram d
submarine. Together with watching
the sudden swerves and turns of the
other ships in formation, tending our
own, watching signals, etc, the Jr. o.
D. and myself had our hands busy.
About fifteen minutes after it was
all over, we had resumed regular for
nations, etc, the big fifty piece army
band on board struck up Onward
Christian Soldiers and considering
the fact that most of US on board had
been a little closer to the sky above
than we ever had been before and be-
ing Sunday morning it wasn't far from
being darned appropriate"
Attacked on Another Trip.
Another letter written by Willard
July 2, two-days westbound from
France on the return voyage, tells of
another attack from submarines. He
says:
II came off watch on the bridge at
4 p. m. and took a little snooze before
going on again at midnight, after sup
per continuing same.
The Cdeleted) was stationed on
the right flank of the formation and
we headed southwest by west, so that
threw the light side of the sky on our
starboard (righ) hand at dusk-the
point being that the subs attack from
the dark side, thereby rendering them
selves more invisible.
About 9:15 p. m. the abandon
ship alarm gong put me on my feet
in hurry and as I had been sleeping
in my clothes, l soon had on my belt
with revolver and canteen attached
and life preserver and was standing by
lifeboat No. s (my boaO preparing
for sea, etc. But to get to the point
before 1 ever got outside 1 could feel
the shocks of depth bombs, one after
another, and sometimes two together.
It was late dusk but all ships were
plainly visible. When I stepped out
on deck ] saw the (deleted) cd larg-
est transporD had been torpedoed and
was dropping back and four destroy
ers were darling all around it, drop
ping one depth bomb after another,
which we could plainly feel and see
geysers of water spouting up every
place when they exploded. But the
pretty part of it was to see the ode
leted), the (deleted) and the (de-
1eted) open up with their inch
guns at another sub farther to the
left. The flash of flame from one of
them probably exceeds so feet and to
see these spurts of fire from each of
these three ships on the left as they
fired one shot after another was a
great sight. We all went full speed
and spread out little, those of US on
the right considering ourselves pretty
darned luck. when all of a sudden
the (deleted) directly astern of US
opened up with a shot off her star
board quarter and changed her course
40 degrees to the left again--another
sub on our right. Whewi Well, we
followed suit and from then on MOTH
ing happened and there was nothing
TO do except keep going full speed
zig-zag and watch poor old (deleted)
drop astern with big hole rent in her
bottom, helpless. Three destroyers
dropped astern with her to protect her
against further shots and pick up crew
should she sink. Thirty minutes later
we received word from her by radio
that apparently she was not sinking
and following messages to the same
effect and was being lowed back to
(deleted) GOO miles away but at $3.50
this evening she finally had to give up
the fight to keep afloat and sue
cumbed to German kultur and re-
finement, every soul on board being
saved, however. Well, it's getting
dusk agafn-the second day out-and
we have only (deleted) destroyers to
protect the remainder of US. Another
attack is quit likely, but lifeboat No.
is in fine working order, so let 'em
come. 1t strikes me that it is best to
let you know that we are getting the
worst the Huns are dealing out over
here, and it's not bad at all. Loss of
ships is not unlikely, but loss of life
is very improbable"
Sees Topeka Boys.
A third letter gives some details of
the seaman'S life not connected with
the perilous adventures with raiders.
and tells of some Topeka men ''over
there" Willard writes from an
American port, July IL:
''Well, we had another excellent trip
good weather with the exception of
three days of wind and sea. Two days
out of the states one of the other
senior wa CHI officers was taken off
that detail and given another per-
manently, so the other two senior
watch officers and myself stood a
watch in three over and back. So
you may .sst assured have not been