The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-01-04
The Case Of the Tanning


axnectedness of real drama. For the
greater part of the time the destroy
ers were engaged in battle with oil
slieks. wakes, tide rips, streaks of
suds. and suspicious disturbances on
the water; yet now and then there
we're engagements with actual boats.
and flesh-and- blood human beings To
spend weeks at sea with no force more
substantial than an occasional foamy
excresence on the surface was the
fate Of most sailormen in this war:
vet few exciting moments. when they
finally came. more than compensated
for long periods of monotony.
one afternoon in November, 1919. an
American destroyer division. COM
nlanded BY Commands Frank Berrien.
with the Nicholson as it's flagship, put
out of Queenstown on the usual mis-
sion of taking westbound convoy to
its rendezvous and bringing in one
that was bound for British ports. This
outward convoy was the OQ20 and con-
sisted of eight fine ships. After the
usual preliminary scouting the vessels
passed through the net in single file,
sailed about ten niles to sea, and be-
gan to take up the stipulated forma-
ton, four columns of two ships each
The destroyers were moving around;
they were even mingling ia the con-
voy, carrying messages and giving in
structions; by a quarter past four all
the ships had attained their assigned
positions, except one, the Rene, which
was closing up to its place as the rear
ship of the first column. Meanwhile
the destroyer Tanning was steaming
rapidly to its post on the rear flank
Suddenly there came a cry from the
bridge of the flaming, where Coxs-
vain Daxid d. Loenis was on look
out:
ePeriscope."
Off the starboard side of the Fam
ming, glistening in the smooth water. a
periscope of the finger variety, one
so small that it could usually elude
all but the sharDest eyes. had darted
for a few seconds above the surface
and had then Just as suddenly disap-
peared. Almost directly ahead lay the
Welshman, splendid British merchant
ship; the periscope was so close that
a torpedo would almost inevitably
have hit this vessel in the engine room.
The haste with which the German had
withdrawn his periscope, after taking a
hurried glance around, was easily ex-
planned; for his lens had revealed not
only his tempting bait but the de-
stroyer Tanning close aboard and bear
ing down on him. Under these circun-
stances it was not surprising that no
torpedo was fired; it was clearly mill
tary wisdom to beat quick retreat
rather than attempt TO attack the mer-
chairman. Lieut.. Walter S. Henry.
who was the officer Of the deck, acted
with the most commendable despatch.
1t is not the simplest thing. even when
no slJf af11a Y-ira is oh w fad
as this one apparently was, to reach
tie spot accurately.
The destroyer has to make wide
and rapid turn, and there is every
danger, in making this naanoeuvre, that
the location will be missed. SUISSE
quent events disclosed that the Fam
ming was turned with the utmost ac-
curacy. As the ship darted by the
spot at which the periscope had been
sighted, a depth charge went over the
stern, and exploded so violently that
the main generator of the Tanning it
self was temporarily disabled. Mean
while the Nicholson had dashed
through the convoy. made a rapid de-
depth charge a short distance ahead
of the Tanning.
"Kamerad! KanneradED
The disturbances made on the water
by these lash cans gradually sub
sided; to all outward appearances the
submarine had escaped unharmed The
flaming and the Nicholson completed
their circles and came back to the
danger spot, the officers and crew
eagerly scanning the surface for the
usual oil patch and air bubbles even
hoping that a few pieces of wreckage
those splintered remnants of the
submarines wooden deck that almost
invariably indicated a considerable
amount of damage. But none of these
evidences of success, or half-success,
rose to the surface; for ten or fifteen
minutes everything was as quiet as the
grave Then something happened
which happened only few times IN
this strange war. The stern OF a SUD-
marine appeared out of the water. tilt
ed at about thirty degrees, clearly re-
veaIing its ugly torpedo tubes. Then
came the coming tower and finally
the entire boat, The whole hull taking
its usual position on the surface as
neatly and unconcernedly as though
no enemies were near. So far as
could be seen the U-boat was in per-
fec condition. Its hull looked intact
showing not the slightest indication or
injury; the astonished officers and
men on the destroyers could easily
understand now why no oil or wreck
age had risen to the top. for the U-58-
they could now see this inscription
plainly painted on the coming tower
was not leaking, and the deck show
cd no signs Of having come into con-
tact even remotely with depth
charge The Tanning and the Nichoi-
son began firing shells at the unex-
pected vlsitant, and the Nicholson ex-
Lenoed an additional welcome in the
form q q hastily dropped ash cam
suddenly the coming tower OF the
submarine opened and out popped the