Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1918-08-22
.Rizzo Describes How Two Motor
Boats Sank Two Austrian
BattIeships.
MOST DARING FEAT or WAR
Whole Thing Didn't Take More Than
Quarter of an Hour-Motor Boats
Crew Go Mad With Joy Over
Their Success.
BY BEATRICE BASKERVILLE.

Qn the New York WORLDLY
Ancona.-Commandant RizzO, who
has performed the most daring naval
feat of the war. began his sea career
as officer in the Italian merchant serv-
ice. Not till Italy entered the war
was he acquainted with the royal
navy. He is under thirty, dark-eyed,
quiet, has largish features which look
IS though they were cut out of steel,
square jaw and slower manner Of
speaking than most Italians.
When I first asked him. during
his short stay in Ancona port, for
particulars Of his sinking of the st.
Stephen and the Prince Eugene. Aus
tria's two largest ships, he modestly
replied that he was no talker, and
that for the rest he had to start of
for Genoa In q very short while. But
when he learned that The World cor
respondent had travelled from Rome
to hear him talk and that it would
not take long, he yielded.
"In the Creeping DAWN
'It was on the 10th of this month"
he said. II was returning to port
after one Of those humble and hard
missions which we sailors have had
to perform all the while these three
years. had made up my mind to
leave the enemy's coast, when, in the
creeping dawn. saw the smoke COM
ing out Of tunnels. about 5000 yards
OF. / thought we were found out
and being chased ~ the enemy. It
was hopeless to try to run away. SO ]
turned my two motor boats. the sec;
ond being commanded by Head Steers
man CHOW Lieutenant) Aonzo. and
made for the enemy.
"As the dawn grew I saw we were
in for a 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.
Here we are at last said to my
men. This is holidayr
eve had not much in the way Of
arms-two torpedoes on each boat
eight, small enough to be thrown by
hand, between us, and two machine
guns. But this was chance we woulG
never get again If we waited thou
sand years, so l took 1t.
Three Clean Hits.
"Aonzo was to slip around to the
left and attack the Viribus Units
dreadnaught that made up the rear
and which we now know was thu
Prince Eugene. was to make TO
the sister ship, which we now know
was the st. Stephen. slowed dowI
to silence my motors, but as soon al
I was well within the line of convoy
I went forward at full speed. Gu
men held their breath. My motoris
had quiet At every time the engin,
made little noise. Another momen
1 and the enemy saw US. Then begal
/ furious cannonade.
"Aonzo sent his first torpedo, but
did not work. His second hit tn
giant full in her poop. Then fol
lowed with my two biscuits, precise
obedient and sure. The first lande
between the st. Stephens tunnels, i
the boiler compartment; the secon
under her tower"
"After That 1t Was He'll"
The; commandant paused, evidentl
reviewing events, then went on:
after that it was hell. There wa
storm from their guns and a mut
died crowd Of destroyers encircled tn
two giants, which We're beginning t
sink. Some chased my boat. saw
must either get out into the open lik
dart or perish. With a violent jer
we turned our boat on herself an
made for it. Bat destroyer bake
our path. So j jerked round to I'll
left and rushed fright under the pro
| of the st. Stephen, now almost swa
! lowed by the SEA. Aonzo took IL
chance he got by their attacking n