Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1919-07-17
Shepherdston Jefferson County, Virginia. Thursday July H. 1919
Sinking an Austrian Dreadnaught.


At one o'clock in the afternoon Of
October 81, 1918, the torpedo boat
65 P. N. weighed anchor at Venice,
says Capt. Paolucci in his account n
the London Graphic, and started on
the voyage to Pola Harbor. Never,
can that moment be forgotten. Ii was
the most glorious and the most solemn
of my life, for | fully realized that |
and my companion, Mai. Rossetti, were
embarking upon a most hazardous en-
terprise.
Our intention was to enter Pola Har-
Dor, the greatest Of the Austrian naval
base, and to blow up one or more OF
the battleships that were anchored
there. The torpedo boat was to carry
us as near as she could with safety;
thence we were to be taken still closer
by motor launch, and then we were
to swim right into the enemy's lair
under cover of darkness. We had two
torpedoes of my special design.
We found many and unexpected OBJ
stacles to be surmounted. There were
no less than seven barriers, CON-
posed in some cases of beams Of
wood and in others of nets, that We
had to overcome before We reached the
open water of the harbor. 1t was then
three o'clock in the morning Of No
vember I, and, although il was raining
heavily, and therefore favorable to us,
we realized that dawn would break
before we could accomplish our mis-
sion and escape.
An hour and half later we had to
come TO our destination, but the cur
rent was running out to sea so strongly
that il was very difficult TO manage our
machine. Again and again the raft
was overturned, and it is wonder
that we were not discovered. When at
last we saw the great dreadnaught
close ahead of us, Maj. Rossetti went
forward to attach the torpedo while
| waited on the raft. At last, to my
relief, the neck of bottle bobbing to-
ward me told me that Rossetti had ac-
complished his task. We had started
to blow up another ship when the
searchlight OF the Viribus Units was
suddenly turned upon US. Every mo-
ment We expected to be blown TO pieces
by gun fire; but nothing happened un-
til we saw motor launch coming to-
ward us at full speed.
We were taken on board the Viri'
Units. 1t was then five minutes OF
six o'clock, and in half an hour the ship
would be blown up. Fifteen minutes
before the explosion was due, Major
Rossetti told the captain that his ship
was doomed, and he advised him to or
der his men to save themselves before
it was too late.
A sharp order was given, and then
there was stampede for the water.
Dressed and undressed, men jumped
overheard and swan for their lives.
The captain told us to save ourselves,
but before We had gone far boat
overlook us. We were picked up and
taken back to the ship, for some of the
officers thought that we had told a lie
in order to make our escape during the
confusion. 1t was twenty-seven min
utes past six o'clock when we stepped
en- board the Viribus Units for the
second time, and in three minutes the
explosion was due to take place. How
slowly those three minutes passed!
Then there was dull roar, and a great
column Of water shot high into the air.
Once more the captain gave us leave
TO save ourselves. He stayed on the
sinking ship until she went down, and
then he was killed by a spar that hit
him on the head while he was trying
to escape from the whirlpool. He was
brave man! After some trying ex-
periences we were taken on board the
hospital ship Hapsburg, where we
were kindly treated, and five days later
we saw the Italian warship Saint Bon
entering the anchorage. We were ia
ken on board, and on November 7 we
returned on a torpedo boat to Venice
which we had never expected to see
apain