Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1919-01-17


During our eighth trick of Cape
Helles I was amidships in the galley
when heard our two 14-pounders go
or almost at the same time. Every
body ran for his station. Going up
the main deck to my turret a man told
me it was sub on the port bow, but
] only caught glimpse Of the little
whirlpool where her periscope sub
merged. l do not know why she did
not let loose a torpedo at us. The
officers said she was trying to make
the entrance to the Dardanelles and
came up blind among our ships and
was scared of by our guns, but
thought we had just escaped by the
skin of our teeth. Later on our de-
stroyers claimed to have sighted her
or Gaba Tepe.
At noon we were at mess when one
Of the boys yelled. "She's hit," and we
all rushed ON deck. There was the
British ship, Triumph. torpedoed and
listing away over to starboard. She
was ready to turn over in q few min
utes. One battleship is not supposed
to go to the assistance Of another one
that has been torpedoed, because the
chances are the sub is still in the
neighborhood laying for the second
ship with another torpedo. But one
OF the British trawlers went to the
assistance of the Triumph to pick up
the crew.
We could see the crew jumping into
the water. Then we breezed out
toward the horizon, full speed ahead.
All about the Triumph was a cloud of
black smoke, but when we looked
through the glass we could see she was
going down. Then our guns began to
bonlhard the Turkish positions and
'had to get busy. When I saw the
Trtuinph again she was bottom up.
sshe rnust have fioated upside down
for almost half an hour, then she went
IOWA ais though there was somebody
son he bottom pulling her.
Wha she went our Old Man banged
. SIS telephone on the bridge rail and
. swnfe ct me Huns and Turks and
broke ms telescope lens to bits. About
fifty from the Triumph were lost.
1t was decided that the place was
too hot for us with that sub running
loose, and when they reported that
Afternoon that she was making her
way south from Gaba Tepe to Cape
|Helles all of the feet but the Majestic
lgot under way. and the Majestic was
1.-THE only ship left of the cape.
They said the Majestic was then the
oldest 81 the ships in that campaign,
but she yas the pride of the British
feet JUST he same. She was torpedoed
lOff Cape aelles later on, when there
were Il ~ mber Of men-of-war or the
cnpe. TIE sea was crowded with men
swimming and drowning. ] saw life
boat crow ed with men and other men
IN he W ter hanging onto her. and
fhei ware so many hanging on that
they . arted to pull her under. OF
Itheir Fyn accord the men In the water
net ge to save those in the boat. Most
lot them were drowned
TIE Majestic listed so that the men
Icop aot stand on deck, and the sides
IKere covered with men hanging on
no ropes and not knowing whether
ito jump Into the sea or not. We low
Tered all our lifebuats and steam
llaunches and so did the other ships.
I'VE picked up q number of the crew
Iand were pretty clsse to the Majestic
when she went down like rock. A
The went down she turned over and
y garby ran along her side to the ram
~ her bow and got on It without even
being wet. A boat picked him up Of
me ram. which stuck out Of the water
Inter the ship had ceased to settle.
She had torpedo nets on her sides,
land many Of the crew were unable to
net clear Of the nets and went down
with her. Quite 4 lot were caught
below decks and had no possible
I<hance to escape. There was q big
loxplosion as she went under probably
lohe boilers bursting. Thousands Of
troops on shore and thousands Of
sailors on the ships saw the final
lD1unge. and it wasSa sight to remem-
Der. When the ship started to 60. the
|O1d Man rushed back TO his cabin.
Iept the signal book and destroyed 1t.
Also. be saved the lives Of two Of his
1oon.
We gave dry clothes and brandy and
)ro11oe 70 the L!meys we rescued, and
ncngh they had Just come through
one<htng pretty tough. they were