The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-01-07
DEC0Y SHIP Vases
DESPERATE FIGHT
WITH SUB MARINE

London. Jan. e,-The loss of the
British decoy shop Dunrayen In des-
perate battle with German SUBJ
marine. the story Of which has now
been made public by the British adj
miralty, constitutes one of the most
daring and heroic espisodes of the
anti-suhmaripe war. With their ves-
sci ablaze. and boxes Of eordite and
shells exploding every few minutes,
until the magaxiHe exploded and blew
them and their gun into the air. Mean
while the battle with the submarine
was freely waged.
This action took place in August.
1917. The vessel was one of the de-
eeys which, was commanded by Cap
tain Gordon Compbeli, who had prev
iousiy won the Victoria Cross by
heroic and successful work in de-
coyins submarines to their destruc-
ton. In her role Of an armed British
merchant ship. the Dunraven was ziz-
Tagging her course in the lanes
haunted by the submarines when a
U-boat opened fire upon her at 5000
yards. The DunFaven returned the
fire with her merchant ships gun and
reduced her speed to enable the Hun
to overtake her. To coax him on,
wireless signals were sent out read
ing; Help. Come quickly. Sub
marine chasing and Smelling me-"
Finally when the submarines shells
began falling close, the Dunraven
stopped and the usual panic party
abandoned the ship. The Dunraven
was then on fire aft and the sub
marine closed in to distance OF 400
yards, but was partly obscured from
view by dense clouds of smoke issu-
ing from the Dunravsn's stern.
Although he knew that the maya
zine must explode IL he waited, and
that q gun and q guns Grew lay con-
ceaisd over the magazine, Captain
Campbell reserved his fire until the
submarine had passed clear of the
smoke. A moment later there was
heavy explosion and the Lunrayen's
gun and its crew were blown into the
air. The conclusion started the fire
gongs at the remaining gun positions
The screens hiding the guns were
dropped and theonly gun that gould
be brought to bear opened fire. The
submarine commenced to submerge.
Knowing that torpedo would surely
fellev, Captain Campbell had all the
wounded brought up and concealed in
cabins. The after part Of the Dun
raven was q mass Of flame but the
crew fought the fire with hose while
ing all other vessels to keep below the
horizon SO as not to interrupt the
final phase OF the fight.
Twenty minutes later another tor
pedo struck the ship abaft the en-
CINE room. Another panic party"
was sent away in the boats, leaving
the ship APPARENTLY completely aban-
doned with the British flag flying and
her guns unmarked, but Captain
Campbell and handful OF officers
and men had remained on board and
lay hidden for nearly an hour while
the submarine commander held off
watching the burning ship through his
periscope.
During all that time boxes Of cor
dfte and shells were exploding every
few minutes and the fire was blazing
furteQsiy, Eventually the submarine
emerged astern where no guns could
he brought to bear upon her, and
shelied the Dunravep for twenty min
Htes. The. U-beat then steamed past
the ship 1900 yards off and Campbell
fired one Of his torpedoes at her blu.
muissed by q few inches. A second
torpsde also missed. The submarine
saw it and Submerged. A third pan
&c party was planning to jump over
board and leave one gun crew for
final attempt to sink the U-beat when
British and American destreyers ar
rived on the scene. The Dunrayen's
wounded were transferred, her guns
recalled and the fire extinguished.
The DuaHaven, in a sinking condition,
was taken in tow, but the weather
grew worse and on the following
ing.