The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-05-22
HOW PATIA WAS SUNK.
Unseen Submarine Attacked Cruiser
ONLY Few Miles From Port.

are no greater tragedies than those
effected by the submarine. 1t is diff
ficult to imagine a sadder and more
impressive sight than the sinking OF
a great ship.
It was the 18th day of June, 1918
"a glorious afternoon at sea, with
the fresh southwest wind blowing
Just strongly enough to color the
blue surface of the water with a few
white caps. We were zig-zagging
back and forth about 500 yards on
the port bow of the British auxiliary
cruiser, Patia. On the starboard bow
about 1000 yards away was another
destroyer.
1t was one of those bright and
cheerful afternoons which made one
feel at sea in wartime was not such
a hardship as many people imagine.
Three days before we had set out
from Queenstown, had gone out to
meet a convoy of 35 merchant ships,
and had escorted them in almost to
the Scilly Islands.
The II. NJ. S. Patia was the ocean
escort of this convoy from the States.
Although she was an auxiliary cruis-
er, even she was loaded with cargo,
and was carrying enough meat and
sugar to feed 100000 soldiers in
France for one day.
This very morning the convoy had
split up. Eight F"itish destroyers
had taken over the ships bound for
English channel ports; six of the
American destroyers were escorting
the remainder of the convoy to Brest
and Bordeaux, while the Patia and
two American destroyers headed up
toward the Bristol channel, their
destination being Avonmouth.
We we're just entering the Bristol
channel, and hed only about 100
miles to go before we should be
through the danger zone with anoth-
er duty done. Fifteen minutes ear
lier the Patia had increased speed
from 1875 to 13 knots and ceased
tzig-zagging preparatory to changing
the base course. 1t had been several
months since the Patia had visited
England, and the men were already
counting the hours before they
would be in "blighty' again.
Suddenly our white ship shivered,
and there was violent explosion
like the firing Of a depth charge
aboard, only sharper, louder and
more cracking noise.
{ Dense yellow smoke was pouring
from the hold of the Patia, and
great burst of flame shot up as high
as the mast: At the same time the
figure of man was seen to rise from
the gun deck aft, slowly turning
somersets and describing an arc
through the air, catapulted over
board by the explosion.
"Both engines ahead full-hard
right rudder!" we're the commands
given. The depth charges were set
at fire." ready to drop on signal,
and all hands were at their battle
stations. No one had seen the sub
marine, but it was obvious the tor
pedo had been fired from the star
board side and must have been fair
ly close to make such a perfect hit.
We were cutting close across the
stern of the Patia. @'Stand by the
depth charge signal" the. . captain
called. "We'll start laying a 10-sec-
ond barrage just abeam of that piece
of wreckage. He probably dove
straight ahead, and that ought to get
him.
The other destroyer had also
swung back, and together we laid
heavy pattern of charges around a
wide radius. The Hun couldn't be
far away, and from the amount of
oil and bubbles that was brought to
the surface in one spot he was either
fooling US or we had surprised him.
''She's done for" some one cried
as we swung back toward the Patia.
She was listing quite badly to
starboard and settling aft. Her
stern was almost awash. She ap-
peared like some stricken animal
with it's hind leg broken, limping
along, pitifully dragging the injured
limb after it. She was gradually
veering her course to starboard and
losing headway.
The lifeboats were lowered smart
" and were all clear of the ship 18
minutes after she was struck. By
this time she lost all headway, the
list was very decided and she was
A.