Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-02-09

Accounts OF the e2ploiu or Blush ae~
coy ships or 90 boats. as they are called
were forbidden publication BY the CEN
sor until now. The sailors faithfully
withheld information regarding 70"
boat exploits. and these hidden dramas Of
the high seas we're known TO but few out
aide the British navy.
London, Feb. Sit is now per-
mitted to relate some of the stories,
repIete with thrills, of the bravery
and high efficiency of the men on
some Of Britain's 20" boats. Know
ing the Germans preference for an
easy mark,p the 20" boats were
sent out as decoys. In appearance
they were innocent merchantmen.
In reality they were heavily armed
and we're manned by some of the
most intrepid seamen of England's
navy.
1t was a summer evening, with
calm sea and a setting sun, and just
sufficient breeze to fill the sails of
clumsy-looking old British sailing
ship, apparently coasting.
The galley fire was going and
the scene was one of many which
were to be seen in British waters
prior to the opening Of the U-boat
campaign.
Suddenly some three miles off ia
German submarine broke water.
manned her forward gun and
opened fire. Four shots fell danger
ously near the sailing ship, which
at once hove to and lowered a boat,
the occupants of which commenced
pulling as for dear life out of the
radius Of the enemy's fire. The u
boat continued firing. at the same
time approaching at about 10 knots,
until dead astern of the sailing ship.
Thought Her a Tramp.
German officers examined her
carefully through their glasses. She
was apparently not worth wasting
a torpedo upon. When about 100
yards away the submarines helm
was put over, and she came up on
the ships port beam at distance Of
about 20 yards. n
Evidently it was the intention Of
the German commander to sink her
by gun FIRE; in fact. he had just Civ
en- the order to FIRE at her water line,
when he saw the white ensign run
up.
The numbering old craft got in
the first shot in the resumed en-
counter. There was nothing to be
done now but fight. The Germans
first impulse was to ram, and with |
his helm hard aport he went full !
speed ahead. But the sailing ship
was not in his turning circle.
Then he came about and tried to
manoeuver to escape the British |
gunhre. The decoy ship-for such !
was the real business of the sailing |
vessel-had been perilously close
with is first shot. It's second was
more successful, and made a nasty
mess of the base of the U-boa, $
coming tower. so that the sub
marine could not dive.
"Got" the Submarine.
The British gunners' aim was ex-
cellent, as the third shot shove.
for it completely carried away the
foremost gun and killed the whole
OF the guns crew. The submarine
cndeavored to show as small a tar
get as possible, keeping stern on to |
The British ship, which, however,
still continued to get in several hits |
with its larger guns and Lewis |
guns, causing a number of casual
ties to the enemy. The submarine,
apparently badly mauled, proceeded |
for about 1000 yards, when sudden
ly its engines stopped and it sank |
With an explosion, and amidst a
c.oNd Of black dense smoke.
When the smoke had cleared
away thfee German sailors were
seen struggling in the water, ana
were picsed up. They were badly
wounded, but, thanks to first aid,
were got ashore and taken to 4
naval hospital. The casualties TO
tho British crew were slight.
Trieking the Pirates.
Another decoy slnp, to all intents
and purposes a British merchant
man, armed with an anti-submarile
gun. was making its way on a-cec- !