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diff --git a/old/54338-0.txt b/old/54338-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 0a75507..0000000 --- a/old/54338-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,9026 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, Q-Ships and Their Story, by E. Keble (Edward -Keble) Chatterton - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - - -Title: Q-Ships and Their Story - - -Author: E. Keble (Edward Keble) Chatterton - - - -Release Date: March 10, 2017 [eBook #54338] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK Q-SHIPS AND THEIR STORY*** - - -E-text prepared by MWS, Brian Wilcox, and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made -available by Internet Archive (https://archive.org) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original illustrations. - See 54338-h.htm or 54338-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/54338/54338-h/54338-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/54338/54338-h.zip) - - - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - https://archive.org/details/qshipstheirstory00chat - - -Transcriber’s note: - - Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). - - Text enclosed by equal signs is in bold face (=bold=). - - See transcriber’s note at the end of the book. - - - - - -Q-SHIPS AND THEIR STORY - - - * * * * * * - - BOOKS ON THE SEA BY - E. KEBLE CHATTERTON - - -_HISTORICAL_ - - SAILING SHIPS AND THEIR STORY - - SHIPS AND WAYS OF OTHER DAYS - - FORE AND AFT: THE STORY OF THE FORE AND AFT RIG - - STEAMSHIPS AND THEIR STORY - - THE ROMANCE OF THE SHIP - - THE STORY OF THE BRITISH NAVY - - KING’s CUTTERS AND SMUGGLERS - - THE ROMANCE OF PIRACY - - THE OLD EAST INDIAMEN - - -_CRUISES_ - - DOWN CHANNEL IN THE “VIVETTE” - - THROUGH HOLLAND IN THE “VIVETTE” - - * * * * * * - - -[Illustration: Q-SAILING SHIP “MITCHELL” - -This was one of the most famous of all the Q-ships and rendered -splendid service. The dummy deck-house on the poop concealed the after -gun (see p. 67). - -_Frontispiece._] - - -Q-SHIPS AND THEIR STORY - -by - -E. KEBLE CHATTERTON - -Author of “Sailing Ships and Their Story,” -Late Lieutenant-Commander R.N.V.R. - - - - - - -London -Sidgwick and Jackson, Ltd. -3, Adam Street, Adelphi, W.C. -1922 - - - - -TO - - ADMIRAL SIR LEWIS BAYLY, - C.V.O., K.C.B., K.C.M.G., - - - COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE IRISH COAST DURING THE STRENUOUS YEARS OF - THE SUBMARINE CAMPAIGN, WHO BY HIS ENCOURAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF - THE Q-SHIP SERVICE DID SO MUCH TO THWART THE OPERATIONS OF THE ENEMY - AND TO PROTECT OUR MERCANTILE MARINE - - - - -PREFACE - - -The wonderful and brave story of ships and men here presented needs -but the briefest introduction. The deeds will forever remain one of -the most glorious chapters in the chronicles of the sea. No excuse is -offered for adding another volume to the literature of the war, for -the subject is deserving of greater attention than has hitherto been -possible. Lord Jellicoe once remarked that he did not think English -people realized the wonderful work which these mystery ships had done -in the war, and that in these vessels there had been displayed a spirit -of endurance, discipline, and courage the like of which the world had -never before seen. - -To few naval historians, I believe, has it ever been permitted to -enjoy such complete opportunities for acquiring authentic information -as is here presented. Unquestionably the greatest sphere of Q-ship -operations was off the south-west coast of Ireland, owing to the fact -that the enemy submarines from the summer of 1915 to 1918 concentrated -their attacks, with certain intervals, on the shipping in the western -approaches to the British Isles. It was my good fortune during most of -this period to be at sea patrolling off that part of Ireland. These -Q-ships were therefore familiar in their various disguises at sea or -in harbour at Berehaven and Queenstown during their well-earned rest. -Throughout this time I kept a diary, and noted down much that would -otherwise have been forgotten. Many of the Q-ship officers were my -personal friends, and I have enjoyed the hospitality of their ships. -Valuable data, too, were obtained from officers of merchant ships who -witnessed Q-ships engaging submarines. - -A considerable number of authentic manuscripts has been examined. By -the courtesy of commanding officers I have been lent documents of -priceless historical value, such as copies of official reports and -private diaries, plans, sketches, photographs, and so on. All this -information has been further augmented by personal conversation, -correspondence, and valuable criticism. I submit, therefore, that with -all these sources of information available, and with knowledge of much -that has been published from the German side, it is possible to offer a -monograph that is at once accurate in detail and correct in perspective. - -‘With respect to single-ship actions,’ wrote James in his monumental -Naval History a hundred years ago, ‘the official documents of them -are also very imperfect. The letters are generally written an hour or -so after the termination of the contest, and, of course, before the -captain has well recovered from the fatigue and flurry it occasioned. -Many captains are far more expert at the sword than at the pen, and -would sooner fight an action than write the particulars of one.’ -That statement is true to-day of the Q-ships, and it would have been -negligent not to have availed oneself now of the calm and considered -version of the chief actors in the great mystery-ship drama while they -are still alive. Although the time for secrecy has long since passed, -nothing has here been included of a confidential nature that can be of -assistance to enemies past or potential. In one instance, for political -reasons and in the interests of the service, I have made a certain -omission. Those concerned will recognize this and understand: the rest -will not notice it. - -Among those who have rendered me the greatest assistance in regard to -information, advice, criticism, the loan of manuscripts, illustrations, -and in other ways, I desire especially to return thanks to Admiral Sir -Lewis Bayly, C.V.O., K.C.B., K.C.M.G., and Miss Voysey, C.B.E.; to -Captain F. H. Grenfell, D.S.O., R.N., Captain Gordon Campbell, V.C., -D.S.O., R.N., Captain W. C. O’G. Cochrane, R.N., Commander Godfrey -Herbert, D.S.O., R.N., Commander Stopford C. Douglas, R.N., and to -Lieutenant G. H. P. Muhlhauser, R.N.R. - - E. KEBLE CHATTERTON. - _March, 1922._ - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - - I. THE HOUR AND THE NEED 1 - - II. THE BEGINNING OF SUCCESS 13 - - III. Q-SHIP ENTERPRISE 26 - - IV. THE STORY OF THE ‘FARNBOROUGH’ 39 - - V. THE ‘MYSTERY’ SAILING SHIPS 52 - - VI. THE ‘MARY B. MITCHELL’ 67 - - VII. MORE SAILING SHIPS 77 - - VIII. SUBMARINES AND Q-SHIP TACTICS 92 - - IX. THE SPLENDID ‘PENSHURST’ 109 - - X. FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS 132 - - XI. THE GOOD SHIP ‘PRIZE’ 143 - - XII. SHIPS AND ADVENTURES 158 - - XIII. MORE SAILING-SHIP FIGHTS 177 - - XIV. THE SUMMIT OF Q-SHIP SERVICE 192 - - XV. LIFE ON BOARD A Q-SHIP 213 - - XVI. Q-SHIPS EVERYWHERE 228 - - XVII. SHIPS OF ALL SIZES 242 - - XVIII. THE LAST PHASE 255 - - INDEX 273 - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - Q-Sailing-Ship _Mitchell_ _Frontispiece_ - - TO FACE PAGE - - An Early Q-Ship (_Antwerp_) 6 - - Q-Ship _Antwerp_ 6 - - Commander S. C. Douglas, R.N. 8 - - Commander G. Herbert, D.S.O., R.N. 8 - - Q-Ship _Antwerp_ 12 - - Gun’s Crew of Q-Ship _Antwerp_ 12 - - Q-Ship _Redbreast_ 22 - - Q-Ship _Baralong_ 22 - - Q-Ship _Baralong_ (Two Illustrations) 28 - - Officers of Q-Ship _Farnborough_ 42 - - Captain Gordon Campbell and Lieutenant C. G. Bonner 42 - - Q-Sailing-Ship _Mitchell_ 68 - - Q-Ship _Penshurst_ 114 - - Q-Ship _Penshurst_ (Two Illustrations) 116 - - Q-Ship _Penshurst_ (Two Illustrations) 120 - - Captain and Officers of Q-Ship _Penshurst_ 124 - - Men of Q-Ship _Penshurst_ 124 - - Q-Ship _Tulip_ 138 - - Q-Ship _Tamarisk_ 138 - - Q-Ship _Candytuft_ 174 - - Q-Ship _Candytuft_ 176 - - Q-Sailing-Ship _Fresh Hope_ 188 - - Q-Ship _Record Reign_ 188 - - Q-Sailing-Ship _Rentoul_ 190 - - Q-Sailing-Ship _Rentoul_ (Gun Crew) 190 - - The Master of the Collier _Farnborough_ 192 - - Q-Ship _Farnborough_ 192 - - Q-Ship _Farnborough_ 194 - - Q-Ship _Farnborough_ 196 - - S.S. _Lodorer_ 196 - - Q-Ship _Pargust_ 198 - - Q-Ship _Sarah Jones_ 198 - - Q-Ship _Dunraven_ 200 - - Bridge of Q-Ship _Dunraven_ 202 - - After the Battle 204 - - _Dunraven_ Doomed 206 - - Q-Ship _Dunraven_ 208 - - Q-Ship _Dunraven_ 212 - - Q-Ship _Dunraven_ 214 - - Officers and Crew of the Q-Ship _Dunraven_ 216 - - Q-Ship _Barranca_ (Two Illustrations) 220 - - Q-Ship _Barranca_ (Two Illustrations) 222 - - Q-Ship Transformation 234 - - Q-Ship _Barranca_ at Sea 234 - - -DIAGRAMS, ETC., IN THE TEXT. - - FIG. PAGE - - 1. Action of _Baralong_ on August 19, 1915 21 - - 2. Action of _Baralong_ on September 24, 1915 27 - - 3. Action of _Margit_ on January 17, 1916 34 - - 4. Action of _Werribee_ on February 9, 1916 37 - - 5. Action of _Farnborough_ on April 15, 1916 45 - - 6. Action of _Helgoland_ on October 24, 1916 63 - - 7. Action of _Salvia_ on October 20, 1916 99 - - 8. Action of _Saros_ on November 3, 1916 103 - - 9. Action of _Penshurst_ on November 29, 1916 110 - - 10. Action of _Penshurst_ on November 30, 1916 113 - - 11. Action of _Penshurst_ on January 14, 1917 118 - - 12. The Humorous Side of Q-Ship Warfare 127 - - 13. _Farnborough’s_ Farewell 196 - - 14. Action of _Pargust_ on June 7, 1917 201 - - 15. The Great Decision 208 - - 16. Letter from the First Lord of the Admiralty - to Captain Gordon Campbell 210 - - - - - ‘The necessitie of a Historie is, as of a Sworne Witnesse, to say the - truth (in just discretion) and nothing but the truth.’ - - SAMUEL PURCHAS in ‘_Purchas His Pilgrimes_,’ 1625. - - - - -Q-SHIPS AND THEIR STORY - - - - -CHAPTER I - -THE HOUR AND THE NEED - - -All warfare is merely a contest. In any struggle you see the clashing -of will and will, of force against force, of brain against brain. For -the impersonal reader it is this contest which has a never-ending -interest. A neutral is just as keenly entertained as the playgoer who -sits watching the swaying fortunes of the hero in the struggle of the -drama. No human being endowed with sympathetic interest, who himself -has had to contend with difficulties, fails to be moved by the success -or disaster of the contestants in a struggle of which the spectator -has no part or lot. If this were not so, neutral newspapers would -cease to chronicle the wars of other nations, novels would cease to be -published, and plays to be produced. - -Human nature, then, being what it is, man loves to watch his fellow-man -fighting, struggling against men or fate or circumstances. The harder -the fight and the nearer he is to losing, so much the more is the -spectator thrilled. This instinct is developed most clearly in youth: -hence juvenile fiction is one mass of struggles, adventures, and narrow -escapes. But the instinct never dies, and how few of us can resist -the temptation to read the exciting experiences of some entirely -fictional character who rushes from one perilous situation to another? -Is there a human being who, going along the street, would not stop to -watch a burglar being chased over roofs and chimney-pots by police? If -you have once become interested in a certain trial at the law courts, -are you not eager to know whether the prisoner has been acquitted or -convicted? You despise him for his character, yet you are fascinated -by his adventures, his struggles, his share in the particular drama, -his fight against heavy odds; and, contrary to your own inherent sense -of justice, you almost hope he will be acquitted. In a word, then, we -delight in having before us the adventures of our fellow humanity, -partly for the exciting pleasure which these arouse in us, but partly -also because they make us wonder what we should have done in a similar -set of circumstances. In such vital, critical moments should we have -played the hero, or should we have fallen somehow a little short? - -The following pages are an attempt to place before the reader a series -of sea struggles which are unique, in that they had no precedent in -naval history. If you consider all the major and minor sea fights -from the earliest times to the present day; if you think of fleet -actions, and single-ship contests, you cannot surpass the golden story -of the Q-ships. As long as people take any interest in the untamed -sea, so will these exploits live, not rivalling but surpassing the -greatest deeds of even the Elizabethan seamen. During the late war -their exploits were, for very necessary reasons, withheld from the -knowledge of the public. The need for secrecy has long since passed, -and it is high time that a complete account of these so-called ‘mystery -ships’ should be published, not merely for the perpetuation of their -wonderful achievements, but for the inspiration of the new race of -seamen whose duty it will be to hand on the great tradition of the sea. -For, be it remembered, the Q-ship service was representative of every -species of seamen. There were officers and men of the Royal Navy both -active and retired, of the Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Naval Volunteer -Reserve, and men from the Royal Fleet Reserve. From warship, barracks, -office, colony, pleasure yacht, fishing vessel, liner, sailing ship, -tramp steamer, and elsewhere these seafarers went forth in unarmoured, -slow-moving, lightly-armed vessels to perform the desperate adventure -of acting as live-bait for a merciless enemy. It was an exploit -calling for supreme bravery, combined with great fighting skill, sound -seamanship, and a highly developed imagination. The successes which -were attained were brought about by just this combination, so that -the officers, especially the commanding officers, and the men had -to be hand-picked. The slow-reasoning, hesitating type of being was -useless in a Q-ship; equally out of place would have been the wild, -hare-brained, dashing individual whose excess of gallantry would -simply mean the loss of ship and lives. In the ideal Q-ship captain -was found something of the virtues of the cleverest angler, the most -patient stalker, the most enterprising big-game hunter, together with -the attributes of a cool, unperturbed seaman, the imagination of a -sensational novelist, and the plain horse-sense of a hard business man. -In two words, the necessary endowment was brains and bravery. It was -easy enough to find at least one of these in hundreds of officers, but -it was difficult to find among the many volunteers a plucky fighter -with a brilliant intellect. It is, of course, one of the happy results -of sea training that officer or man learns to think and act quickly -without doing foolish things. The handling of a ship in bad weather, -or in crowded channels, or a strong tideway, or in going alongside -a quay or other ship—all this practice makes a sailor of the man, -makes him do the one and only right thing at the right second. But it -needed ‘something plus’ in the Q-ship service. For six months, for a -year, she might have wandered up and down the Atlantic, all over the -submarine zone, with never a sight of the enemy, and then, all of a -sudden, a torpedo is seen rushing straight for the ship. The look-out -man has reported it, and the officer of the watch has caused the man at -the wheel to port his helm just in time to allow the torpedo to pass -harmlessly under the ship’s counter. It was the never-ceasing vigilance -and the cool appreciation of the situation which had saved the ship. - -But the incident is only beginning. The next stage is to lure the -enemy on, to entice him, using your own ship as the bait. It may be -one hour or one day later, perhaps at dusk, or when the moon gets up, -or at dawn, but it is very probable that the submarine will invisibly -follow you and attack at the most awkward time. The hours of suspense -are trying; watch has succeeded watch, yet nothing happens. The weather -changes from good to bad; it comes on thick, it clears up again, and -the clouds cease to obliterate the sun. Then, apparently from nowhere, -shells come whizzing by, and begin to hit. At last in the distance -you see the low-lying enemy engaging you with both his guns, firing -rapidly, and keeping discreetly out of your own guns’ range. Already -some of your men have been knocked out; the ship has a couple of bad -holes below the water-line, and the sea is pouring through. To add -to the anxiety a fire is reported in the forecastle, and the next -shell has made rather a mess of the funnel. What are you going to do? -Are you going to keep on the bluff of pretending you are an innocent -merchantman, or are you going to run up the White Ensign, let down the -bulwarks, and fire your guns the moment the enemy comes within range -and bearing? How much longer is it possible to play with him in the -hope that he will be fooled into doing just what you would like him -to do? If your ship is sinking, will she keep afloat just long enough -to enable you to give the knock-out blow as the inquiring enemy comes -alongside? These are the crucial questions which have to be answered by -that one man in command of the ship, who all the time finds his bridge -being steadily smashed to pieces by the enemy’s fire. - - ‘If you can keep your head when all about you - Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; - If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, - But make allowance for their doubting too; - If you can wait and not be tired by waiting ...’ - -then, one may definitely assert, you have in you much that goes to the -making of an ideal Q-ship captain and a brave warrior. As such you -might make a first-class commanding officer of a destroyer, a light -cruiser, or even a battleship; but something more is required. The -enemy is artful; you must be super-artful. You must be able to look -across the tumbling sea into his mind behind the conning tower. What -are his intentions? What will be his next move? Take in by a quick -mental calculation the conditions of wind, wave, and sun. Pretend to -run away from him, so that you get these just right. Put your ship -head on to sea, so that the enemy with his sparse freeboard is being -badly washed down and his guns’ crews are thinking more of their -wet feet and legs than of accurate shooting. Then, when you see him -submerging, alter course quickly, reckon his probable position by the -time you have steadied your ship on her course, and drop a series of -depth-charges over his track. ‘If you can fill the unforgiving minute -with sixty seconds’ worth of distance, run’; if you have acted with -true seamanship and sound imagination, you will presently see bits of -broken wreckage, the boil of water, quantities of oil, perhaps a couple -of corpses; and yours is the U-boat below, my son, and a D.S.O.; and a -thousand pounds in cash to be divided amongst the crew; and you’re a -man, my son! - -That, in a few phrases, is the kind of work, and shows the -circumstances of the Q-ship in her busiest period. As we set forth -her wonderful story, so gallant, so sad, so victorious, and yet so -nerve-trying, we shall see all manner of types engaged in this great -adventure; but we cannot appreciate either the successes or losses -until we have seen the birth and growth of the Q-ship idea. As this -volume is the first effort to present the subject historically, we -shall begin at the beginning by showing the causes which created -the Q-ship. We shall see the consecutive stages of development and -improvement, the evolution of new methods, and, indeed we may at once -say it, of a new type of super-seamen. How did it all begin? - - -[Illustration: AN EARLY Q-SHIP - -Q-ship “Antwerp” entering Harwich harbour.] - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “ANTWERP” - -Commander Herbert is on the port side of the bridge, the Mercantile -Chief Officer and Quartermaster being in the foreground. - - To face p. 6] - -Turn your attention back to the autumn of 1914. It was the sinking of -the three _Cressys_ on September 22 by U 9 that taught Germany what a -wonderful weapon of offence she had in the submarine. Five days later -the first German submarine penetrated the Dover Straits. This was -U 18, who actually attacked the light cruiser _Attentive_. But it -was not until October 20 that the first merchant ship, the British -S.S. _Glitra_ in the North Sea, was sunk by a submarine. Six days -later the French S.S. _Amiral Ganteaume_, with Belgian refugees, was -attacked by a German submarine. A month passed, and on November 23 -the S.S. _Malachite_ was attacked by U 21, and after being on fire -sank. Three days later the S.S. _Primo_ was sunk also by U 21. It was -thus perfectly clear that we had before us a most difficult submarine -campaign to contend with, and that merchant ships would not be immune. -On the last day of October H.M.S. _Hermes_ was torpedoed off Calais, -and on November 11 H.M.S. _Niger_ had a similar fate near Deal. - - -[Illustration: COMMANDER S. C. DOUGLAS, R. N. - -When serving in the Q-ship “Antwerp,” wearing a false moustache and -disguised as an English commercial traveller.] - -[Illustration: COMMANDER G. HERBERT, D.S.O., R.N. - -Taken on the bridge of the Q-ship “Antwerp,” disguised as a Dutch pilot -with a wig. - - To face p. 8] - -What was to be done? The creation of what eventually became known as -the Auxiliary Patrol, with its ever increasing force of armed yachts, -trawlers, drifters, and motor craft; the use of destroyers and our own -submarines formed part of the scheme. But even at this early stage -the Q-ship idea came into being, though not actually under that name. -Officially she was a special-service ship, whose goings and comings -were so mysterious that even among service men such craft were spoken -of in great secrecy as mystery ships. This first mystery ship was the -S.S. _Vittoria_, who was commissioned on November 29, 1914. She had -all the appearance of an ordinary merchant ship, but she was armed, -and went on patrol in the area where submarines had been reported. It -was an entirely novel idea, and very few people knew anything about -her. She never had any luck, and was paid off early in January, 1915, -without ever having so much as sighted a submarine. The idea of decoy -ships suggested itself to various naval officers during December, -1914, and their suggestions reached the Admiralty. The basic plan -was for the Admiralty to take up a number of merchantmen and fishing -craft, arm them with a few light quick-firing guns, and then send them -forth to cruise in likely submarine areas, flying neutral colours. -This was perfectly legitimate under International Law, provided that -before opening fire on the enemy the neutral colours were lowered and -the White Ensign was hoisted. Seeing that the enemy was determined -to sink merchantmen, the obvious reply was to send against them -armed merchantmen, properly commissioned and armed, but outwardly -resembling anything but a warship. Thus it came about that on January -27, 1915, the second decoy ship was commissioned. This was the Great -Eastern Railway S.S. _Antwerp_ (originally called _Vienna_), which -operated in the English Channel. She was placed under the command of -Lieut.-Commander Godfrey Herbert, R.N., one of the most experienced and -able officers of our submarine service. The choice was a happy one, for -a submarine officer would naturally in his stalking be able to realize -at once the limitations and possibilities of his opponent. It was a -most difficult task, for the U-boats at this time were still very shy, -and only took on certainties. Neither in boats nor in personnel had -Germany yet any to spare, and there were periods when the submarine -campaign fluctuated. Thus, day after day, week after week, went by, -and _Antwerp_ never had any chance. The enemy was now beginning to -operate further afield, and at the end of January, 1915, for the first -time, a U-boat made its way up the Irish Sea as far as off Liverpool, -and then, on February 18, was inaugurated the German Submarine -Blockade. Shipping began to be sunk in various places, but the western -end of the English Channel was now a favourite zone, especially in the -neighbourhood of the Scillies; and it was with the hope of being taken -for a merchant ship that _Antwerp_ had come out from Falmouth and made -her way westward. Thus, on March 12, we see her, about three o’clock -in the afternoon, twelve miles north of the Bishop Rock Lighthouse. -A submarine[1] was sighted steering in a northerly direction for a -steamer on the horizon. Here, at length, was a chance. Twenty minutes -later, _Antwerp_ came up to a sailing ship, and found she had on -board the officers and crew of the Ellerman liner _Andalusian_, which -had been captured and scuttled 25 miles W.N.W. of the Bishop Rock. -_Antwerp_ continued her chase, and got within four miles of the -_Andalusian_, still afloat, but then the submarine dived and was never -sighted again. So _Antwerp_ was never able to sink a submarine, and she -was paid off on April 5, 1915. - -During the summer of 1915 there was a small steamer called the _Lyons_, -which one used to see in various naval ports, and under various -disguises. Her primary object was to carry naval stores from one port -to another, but it was always her hope to fall in with a submarine. -I remember seeing her one day alongside Pembroke Naval Dockyard, -painted a certain colour and with one funnel. A little later I saw -her elsewhere with a different coat of paint and a dummy funnel added -to her, so that she resembled an ocean-going tug. _Lyons_ also was -unable to entrap the enemy, and terminated her decoy-ship period at the -beginning of November of the same year. - - -Thus the war had gone on for several months, and an apparently sound -idea had failed to produce a single good result. All kinds of shipping -were being sunk, and yet the German submarines somehow could not be -persuaded to attack these disguised ships. How was it? Was there -something in the disguise which gave the steamers away? Was it purely -hard luck? We cannot say definitely, but the fact remained, and it -was rather disappointing. Of course the idea of disguise had been -employed almost from the very first days of the war; for, in August, -1914, Admiral Jellicoe had requested that the armed trawlers, though -commissioned, should not be painted grey like other warships, but -retain their fishing numbers and funnel markings just as in peace time. -In the early summer of 1915, a number of disguised armed trawlers -were also sent out to the Dogger Bank in the hope of catching an -unsuspecting submarine, who might think they were fishing. The idea had -been further developed by a clever scheme involving the co-operation of -a disguised armed trawler towing a submerged British submarine. This -began in May; on June 23 it was the means of sinking U 40, and on July -20 it brought about the loss of U 23; but a few months later this idea -was thought to be played out, and came to an end in October, 1915, -though it was eventually revived in the following summer. - -Another variation of the decoy-ship principle at this time was that -employed by Admiral Startin, who was in charge of the naval base at -Granton. In view of enemy submarines having recently held up neutral -merchant steamers in the North Sea, he disguised two big trawlers so -as to resemble small neutral merchant ships. This was in July, 1915. -So successfully was this done that one of them actually deceived -British destroyers, who took her for a Danish cargo steamer. The -next development was further to disguise them by adding a false deck -cargo of timber, boats, and other details, so as to resemble closely -a Norwegian cargo ship, with Norwegian colours hoisted at the mizzen, -two derricks placed on the trawler’s foremast, and Norwegian colours -painted on prepared slips of canvas placed on each side of the hull -amidships. Those who were at sea in those days will recollect that -it was customary for neutral ships to have their national colours -painted on each side of the hull in the hope that the enemy would -not mistake the ships for Allies’. Thus cleverly disguised, the two -Granton trawlers _Quickly_ and _Gunner_ went into the North Sea, armed -with nothing more powerful than a 12-pounder, Admiral Startin being -himself aboard one of the ships. A large submarine was actually sighted -on July 20, and at 1,000 yards the enemy began the action. _Quickly_ -thereupon lowered her Norwegian flag, ran up the White Ensign, removed -the painted canvas, replied with her 12-pounder, and then with her -6-pounder. A fine, lucky shot was seen to strike the submarine, and -much smoke was seen to issue. Although the enemy made off and was not -sunk, yet it showed that it was possible to fool German submarines by -this disguise. The decoy-ship idea was not merely sound in principle, -but it was practicable and was capable of being used as a valuable -offensive weapon. Most of a year had passed since the beginning of -war, and there were no decoy ship results to show except those which -had been obtained by British submarines working in conjunction with -disguised trawlers. However, just as the seaman often finds the dawn -preceded by a calm and followed by a breeze, so it was to be with -the decoy ships. The dawn of a new period was about to take place, -and this was followed by such a wind of events that if anyone had -dared to doubt the value of this specialized naval warfare it was not -long before such hesitation vanished. Disguised trawlers had in the -meantime been further successful, but there were obviously greater -possibilities for the disguised merchant ship, the collier and tramp -types especially. But this all depended on three things: First, the -right type of ship had to be selected very carefully and with regard to -the trade route on which she would normally in the present conditions -be likely to be found. For instance, it would have been utterly foolish -to have sent a P. and O. liner to cruise up and down the waters of the -Irish Channel or an Atlantic liner up and down the North Sea. Secondly, -having once selected the right ship, much depended on the dock-yard -authorities responsible for seeing that she was fitted out adequately -as to her fighting capabilities, yet externally never losing any of -her essential mercantile appearance. This meant much clever designing, -much engineering and constructive skill, and absolute secrecy. Thirdly, -the right type of keen, subtle, patient, tough officer had to be -found, full of initiative, full of resource, with a live, eager crew. -Slackers, ‘grousers,’ and ‘King’s-hard-bargains’ were useless. - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “ANTWERP” - -Showing the collapsible dummy life-raft which concealed the two -12-pounders.] - -[Illustration: GUN’S CREW OF Q-SHIP “ANTWERP” - -Gun’s crew of “Antwerp” ready to fire on a submarine. The sides of the -dummy life-raft have been collapsed to allow gun to come into action. - - To face p. 12] - - -[Footnote 1: This was U 29, which on March 18 was sunk in the North -Sea by H.M.S. _Dreadnought_.] - - - - -CHAPTER II - -THE BEGINNING OF SUCCESS - - -We turn now to the northern mists of the Orkneys, where the comings -and goings of the Grand Fleet were wrapped in mystery from the eyes -of the world. In order to keep the fleet in stores—coal, oil, gear, -and hundreds of other requisite items—small colliers and tramp -steamers brought their cargoes northward to Scapa Flow. In order to -avoid the North Sea submarines, these coal and store ships used the -west-coast passage as much as possible. Now, for that reason, and also -because German submarines were already proceeding in earnest, via the -north-west of Scotland, to the south-west Irish coast, ever since the -successful sinking of the _Lusitania_, it was sound strategy on our -part to send a collier to operate off the north-western Scottish coast. -That is to say, these looked the kinds of ships a suspecting U-boat -officer would expect to meet in that particular locality. - -Under the direction of Admiral Sir Stanley Colville, a handful of -these little ships was, during the summer of 1915, being fitted out -for decoy work. One of these was the collier S.S. _Prince Charles_, a -little vessel of only 373 tons. In peace-time she was commanded by her -master, Mr. F. N. Maxwell, and manned by five deckhands, two engineers, -and two firemen. These men all volunteered for what was known to be -a hazardous job, and were accepted. In command was placed Lieutenant -Mark Wardlaw, R.N., and with him went Lieutenant J. G. Spencer, R.N.R., -and nine active-service ratings to man the guns and use the rifles. -She carried the weakest of armament—only a 3-pounder and a 6-pounder, -with rifles forward and aft. Having completed her fitting out with -great secrecy, the _Prince Charles_ left Longhope in the evening of -July 21 with orders to cruise on routes where submarines had recently -been seen. Proceeding to the westward at her slow gait, she saw very -few vessels until July 24. It was just 6.20 p.m. when, about ten miles -W.N.W. of North Rona Island, she sighted a three-masted vessel with one -funnel, apparently stopped. A quarter of an hour later she observed a -submarine lying close to the steamer. Here was the steel fish _Prince -Charles_ was hoping to bait. - -Pretending not to see the submarine, and keeping on her course like a -real collier, Lieutenant Wardlaw’s ship jogged quietly along, but he -was closing up his gun’s crews behind their screens and the mercantile -crew were standing by ready to hoist out the ship’s boats when -required. The German now started up his oil-engines and came on at full -speed towards the _Prince Charles_. It had just gone seven o’clock and -the submarine was 3 miles off. The collier had hoisted her colours and -the enemy was about five points on the bow when a German shell came -whizzing across. This fell 1,000 yards over. Lieutenant Wardlaw now -stopped his engines, put his ship head on to the Atlantic swell, blew -three blasts, and then ordered the crew to get the boats out, in order -to simulate the movements of an ordinary merchant ship in the presence -of an attacking submarine. - -In the meantime the enemy was approaching rapidly and fired a second -shot, which fell between the funnel and the foremast, but landed 50 -yards over. When the range was down to 600 yards the enemy turned her -broadside on to the collier and continued firing; and this was now -the time for the Q-ship’s captain to make the big decision. Should he -maintain his pretence and continue to receive punishment, with the -possibility of losing ship and lives in the hope that the submarine -would come nearer? Or should he reveal his identity and risk everything -on the chance of winning all? This was always the critical moment when -the Q-ship captain held in his judgment the whole fate of the fight, of -the ship, and his men. - -Lieutenant Wardlaw, seeing that the enemy could not be enticed to -come any nearer, took the second alternative, and opened fire with -his port guns. The effect of this on the German was remarkable and -instantaneous; for her gun’s crew at once deserted the gun and darted -down into the conning-tower. But whilst they were so doing, one of -_Prince Charles’s_ shells struck the submarine 20 feet abaft the -conning-tower. The enemy then came round and showed her opposite -broadside, having attempted to dive. She now began to rise again as the -collier closed to 300 yards, and frequent hits were being scored by -the British guns. By this time the surprised Germans had had more than -enough, and were observed to be coming out of the conning-tower, whilst -the submarine was settling down by the stern. Still the British fire -continued, and when the submarine’s bows were a long way out of the -water, she took a sudden plunge and disappeared. A large number of men -were then seen swimming about, and the _Prince Charles_ at once made -every effort to pick them up, fifteen officers and men being thus saved -out of thirty-three. - -So ended the career of U 36. She had left Heligoland on July 19 for -a cruise of several weeks via the North Sea, and, up till the day of -meeting with _Prince Charles_, had had a most successful time; for she -had sunk eight trawlers and one steamer, and had stopped the Danish -S.S. _Louise_ when the _Prince Charles_ came up. It was not until the -submarine closed the latter that U 36 saw the Englishmen clearing away -some tarpaulins on deck, and the next moment the Germans were under -fire, and the captain gave orders to dive. By this time the submarine -had been hit several times, and as she could not be saved, she was -brought to the surface by blowing out her tanks. The crew then took to -the sea, and the engineer officer opened the valves to sink her, and -was the last to leave. Inside, the submarine was wrecked by _Prince -Charles’s_ shells and three men were killed, the accurate and rapid -fire having immensely impressed the Germans. Thus the first Q-ship -engagement had been everything that could be desired, and in spite -of the submarine being armed with a 14-pounder and carrying seven -torpedoes, the U-boat had been beaten in a fair fight. Lieutenant Mark -Wardlaw received a D.S.O., two of the crew the D.S.M., and the sum of -£1,000 was awarded to be divided among the mercantile crew. - -Another of the ships fitted out under similar auspices was the _Vala_, -who commissioned on August 7, 1915. She was of 609 tons, and could -steam at nothing better than 8 knots. In March of the following year -she was transferred from Scapa to Pembroke, and her career was long and -eventful. In April of 1917 she was in action with a submarine, and she -believed that one shell hit the enemy, but the latter then submerged. -One day in the middle of August _Vala_ left Milford Haven to cruise -between the Fastnet and the Scillies, and was last heard of in the -early hours of the following day. She was due to arrive at Queenstown, -but, as she did not return, the Q-ship _Heather_ was ordered to search -for her in the Bay of Biscay. For a whole week there had been a series -of gales, and it was thought that the little steamer had foundered in -the bad weather, but on September 7 the German Government wireless -announced that ‘the U-boat trap, the former English steamer _Vala_,’ -had been sunk by a U-boat. - -Besides the _Vala_ and _Prince Charles_, three other Q-ships were -fitted out in the north. These were the _Glen Isla_, of 786 tons; the -_Duncombe_, 830 tons; and the _Penshurst_, 740 tons, and they all -performed excellent work. But before we go any further we have to -consider still another novelty in naval warfare, or rather a strange -revival. Who would have thought that the sailing-ship would, in -these days of steam, steel, and motor, come back in the service as a -man-of-war? At first it seems almost ludicrous to send sail-driven -craft to fight against steel, mechanically propelled vessels. But, as -we have seen, this submarine warfare was not so much a matter of force -as of cleverness. It was the enemy’s unimaginative policy which brought -about this reintroduction of sail into our Navy, and this is how it all -happened. - -During the summer of 1915 German submarines in the North Sea had either -attacked or destroyed a number of neutral schooners which used to come -across with cargoes of pit-props. One used to see these fine little -ships by the dozen arriving in the Forth, for the neutral was getting -an excellent return for his trading. It annoyed the enemy that this -timber should be able to enter a British port, and so the submarines -endeavoured to terrorize the neutral by burning or sinking the ships -on voyage. It was therefore decided to take up the 179-ton schooner -_Thirza_, which was lying in the Tyne. Her purchase had to be carried -out with great secrecy, lest the enemy should be able to recognize her -at sea. She was an old vessel, having been built as far back as 1865 -at Prince Edward Island, but registered at Whitstable. She changed her -name to _Ready_, and began her Q-ship service at the end of August, -1915, when soon after midnight she sailed down the Forth. Armed with -a couple of 12-pounders, having also a motor, carrying a small deck -cargo of pit-props, and suitably disguised to resemble a neutral, this -schooner, manned by a hardy volunteer crew, used to pretend she was -coming across the North Sea, though at first she never went many miles -away from the land. Under the various aliases of _Thirza_, _Ready_, -_Probus_, _Elixir_, and Q 30, this old ship did splendid work, which -did not end until Armistice. We shall have occasion to refer to her -again. - -Who can avoid a feeling of intense admiration for the men who, year -after year, were willing and eager to roll about the sea in a small -sailing ship looking for the enemy, well knowing that the enemy had -all the advantage of speed, handiness, and armament? Even the motor -was not powerful, and would give her not much more than steerage way -in a calm. The submarine could always creep up submerged, using his -periscope but now and then: the schooner, however, was a conspicuous -target all the time, and her masts and sails advertised her presence -from the horizon. These Q-ship sailing men deserve much for what -they voluntarily endured. Quite apart from the bad weather, the -uncomfortable quarters on board, the constant trimming of sheets -and alteration of course off an unlit coast, there was always the -possibility that some U-boat’s crew would, after sinking the schooner, -cut the throats of these British seamen. The Q-ship crews knew this, -and on certain occasions when U-boat prisoners were taken by our ships -the Germans did not conceal this fact. Life in these sailing craft -was something quite different from that in a battleship with its -wardroom, its cheery society, and a comfortable cabin to turn into. -In the latter, with powerful turbines and all the latest navigational -instruments, bad weather meant little inconvenience. After all it -is the human element which is the deciding factor, and the Q-ship -service certainly wore out officers and men at a great pace. It is -indeed difficult to imagine any kind of seafaring more exacting both -physically and nervously. - -But the Navy pressed into its use also sailing smacks, and sent -them out to sea. This began at Lowestoft in August, 1915. In that -neighbourhood submarines had been doing a great deal of damage to the -local fishing ketches, so it was decided to commission four of these -smacks, arm them, strengthen their fishing crew with a few active -service ratings for working the gun, and let the craft resume their -fishing among the other smacks. With any luck at all a German submarine -should come along, and then would follow the surprise. The original -fishermen crews were only too delighted to have an opportunity of -getting their own back, and these excellent fellows certainly were -afforded some good sport. So well did the idea work that within a -very few days the smack _G. and E._ engaged one submarine, and the -_Inverlyon_ sank UB 4. During the same month the smack _Pet_ fought a -submarine, and on September 7 _Inverlyon_ had a fight with another. - -And still the Admiralty were not over optimistic as to the capabilities -of the decoy ship, and had to be convinced of the real worth of this -novel idea. However, an incident happened on August 19 which was so -successful and so significant that it entirely changed the official -mind, and all kinds of craft were suggested as suitable decoys. Some -thought that oil-tankers would have made ideal bait: so they would, -but such ships were few in number and too valuable. Others suggested -yachts, and actually these were used for intelligence work in the Bay -of Biscay. Many other schemes, too, were brought forward, but they were -not always practicable, or had to be discarded for particular reasons. - - -[Illustration: - - FIG. 1.—DIAGRAM TO ILLUSTRATE APPROXIMATE MOVEMENTS OF ‘BARALONG’ - WHEN SHE SANK U 27 ON AUGUST 19, 1915. THE NUMERALS INDICATE - SIMULTANEOUS POSITIONS OF DECOY AND SUBMARINE.] - - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “BARALONG” - -Heroine of two famous victories over submarines. Photograph taken in -Malta harbour after the ship had been transferred to the Mediterranean.] - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “REDBREAST” - -This vessel was commissioned as a Q-ship at the end of March, 1916, but -six months later had concluded her service in this capacity. - - To face p. 22] - -In March, 1915, the Admiralty had taken up the S.S. _Baralong_, a -typical ‘three-island’ tramp, as a decoy. For nearly six months she had -been cruising about and had already steamed 12,000 miles, but during -the afternoon of August 19 she was at last to have her chance. This was -an historic day in the submarine campaign, for in that area between the -south-west coast of Ireland and the western end of the English Channel -eight British steamers were sunk, including the 15,801-ton White Star -liner _Arabic_. It is quite certain that there was more than one -submarine operating, and they had reaped a good harvest on the 17th. In -the hope of falling in with one of these U-boats, the _Baralong_ found -herself in Lat. 50.22 N., Long. 8.7 W. (that is, about a hundred miles -south of Queenstown), steering on an easterly course. She was disguised -as a United States cargo ship with American colours painted on boards -on her sides. These boards were made so that they could be hauled in, -and the ensign staff would fall away as soon as the ship should go -into action with the White Ensign hoisted. At three in the afternoon -_Baralong_ sighted a steamer manœuvring rather strangely, and almost -immediately picked up a wireless ‘S.O.S.’ signal from her. _Baralong_ -therefore now altered course towards her, and the two ships were soon -steering so that they would presently meet. Then a submarine was -sighted about seven miles off heading towards the steamer, whom she was -shelling. By this time the crew of the steamer, which was the Leyland -liner _Nicosian_, were rowing about in the ship’s boats, and towards -these the _Baralong_ was seen to be approaching, but the submarine U -27, which had a 22-pounder forward of the high conning-tower, and a -similar gun aft, steered so as to come along _Nicosian’s_ port side and -towards the latter’s boats, apparently to prevent _Baralong_ rescuing -the men. One who was present told me the full story, and I made notes -and a sketch at the time. This is what happened: - -As soon as the submarine was blanketed by _Nicosian_, the _Baralong_, -who was now roughly parallel with the other two craft, struck her -American colours, hoisted the White Ensign, and trained her guns -ready for the moment when the submarine should show herself ahead -of _Nicosian’s_ bows. In a few seconds U 27 came along, and had the -greatest of all surprises. The range was only 600 yards, and 12-pounder -shells, accompanied by rifle fire, came hurtling along, penetrating -the craft on the waterline below the conning-tower before the enemy -could reply. The conning-tower went up in the air, panic-stricken -Germans jumped into the sea, the submarine heeled over, and in about -another minute sank for good and all. The whole incident had happened -so quickly that _Nicosian’s_ people were as surprised as they were -amused. The whole of _Baralong’s_ tactics had been so simple yet so -clever and effective; deliverance from the enemy had followed the -sudden attack so dramatically, that it was not easy to realize quite -all that had happened. _Nicosian_ had been holed by the German shells, -but _Baralong_ took her in tow and headed for Avonmouth. She was down -by the head and the tow-rope parted during the night, but she managed -to get to port all right. - -The sinking of this U 27 was a most useful piece of work, for her -captain, Lieut.-Commander Wegener, was one of Germany’s best submarine -commanders; she had left Germany a fortnight before. This incident, -with many of its details, reached Germany via the U.S.A.; for -_Nicosian_ was carrying a cargo of mules from across the Atlantic to -be used by our army, and some of the muleteers were American citizens. -On their arrival back home the news came out, and was published in -the newspapers, causing considerable sensation. The German nation was -furious and made some bitter accusations, forgetting all the time that -on this very day they had fired on and killed fourteen of the crew of -the British submarine E 13, which had grounded on the Danish island of -Saltholm. All the officers, with one exception, and most of the crew of -_Baralong_ were of the Royal Naval Reserve. A number of decorations was -made and the sum of £1,000 was awarded. - -This great success in the midst of a terrible tale of shipping losses -finally convinced the authorities of the value of the Q-ship. There -was a great shortage of tonnage at this time, for ships were being -required for carrying mules and munitions from America, munitions to -Russia, and every kind of stores across to our armies. However, it was -decided to take up some more steamers as decoys and fit them out in a -similar manner. Thus the two tramp steamers _Zylpha_ (2,917 tons) and -the _Lodorer_ (3,207 tons) were assigned to Queenstown. The former, -after doing excellent work, was sunk on June 15, 1917; the latter, -commanded by the officer who eventually became Captain Gordon Campbell, -V.C., D.S.O., made history. Under the aliases of _Farnborough_ and Q 5 -she became the most famous of all the decoy ships. Tramp steamer though -she may be, she has a career which, for adventurous fights, honourable -wounds, and imperishable glory cannot be approached by any ship in the -world, with the solitary exception, perhaps, of the _Vindictive_, for, -in spite of everything, _Lodorer_ was able at the end of the war to -resume her work in the Merchant Service. In another place we shall soon -see her exploits as a warship. - -In addition to these two a few small coasting steamers were taken up -and a couple of transports, and the work of selecting officers of dash -and enterprise had to be undertaken with great secrecy and discretion. -Unquestionably the most suitable type of Q-ship was the tramp, and the -worst was the cross-Channel railway steamer. The first was slow, but -could keep at sea a long time without coaling; the latter was fast, -but wasteful of coal and had limited bunker space. Of these railway -steamers we have already mentioned the G.E.R. Co.’s S.S. _Vienna_ -(alias _Antwerp_). Another decoy ship was the L.& S.W.R. Co.’s S.S. -_Princess Ena_, which was built to run between the Channel Islands and -Southampton. She had been commissioned in May, 1915, armed with three -12-pounders, and could steam at 15 knots, but she ceased her decoy work -in the following August. The _Lyons_, already referred to, was really a -salvage steamer, but much resembled a tug, especially when she hoisted -her dummy funnel. She was of 537 tons, could steam at 11 knots, and was -armed with four 12-pounders. But it was the ‘three-island’ tramp type -of the _Baralong_ breed, which was so ordinary and seen at any time in -any sea, that made the ideal Q-ship. She was of 4,192 tons, built in -1901, speed 10 knots, armed with three 12-pounders, and fitted with a -single wireless aerial which could excite no suspicion. So skilfully -was the armament of these ships concealed that they frequently lay in -harbour close to foreign ships without revealing their true nature. I -have myself been all over such a ship, commanded by one of the greatest -Q-ship officers, and entirely failed to find where he mounted his -guns, and yet they were on board ready for immediate use. How much -more likely would the German submarine, lying lower down to the water, -be deceived! As time went on and these much-feared ‘trap-ships’ were -scrutinized more closely, several minor but fatal characteristics -had to be remembered; for instance, the crew sometimes would be too -smart or the signal-man was too good with his semaphore. But these and -similar points were rectified as soon as they were realized. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -Q-SHIP ENTERPRISE - - -Within five weeks of her victorious fight _Baralong_ had done it -again. After the war it was definitely announced in the public Press -that U 27 had been sunk by H.M.S. _Wyandra_ on August 19. Under this -name the ship’s crew were awarded the sum of £185 as prize bounty, and -in the same court _Wyandra_, her commanding officer this time being -Lieut.-Commander A. Wilmot-Smith, R.N., was awarded £170 prize bounty -for sinking U 41 on September 24, 1915. It was an open secret that -_Baralong_ and _Wyandra_ were one and the same ship, so we may as well -get this matter quite clear. Already we have seen the manner in which -this decoy sank U 27, and we shall now be able to note very similar -tactics in almost the same locality attaining a like result under her -new captain. - - -[Illustration: - - FIG. 2.—DIAGRAM TO ILLUSTRATE APPROXIMATE MOVEMENTS OF ‘BARALONG’ - WHEN SHE SANK U 41 ON SEPTEMBER 24, 1915. THE LETTERS INDICATE - SIMULTANEOUS POSITIONS OF DECOY AND SUBMARINE.] - -U 41 had left Wilhelmshaven on September 12, this being her fourth -trip. She was under the command of Lieut.-Commander Hansen, and on -the 23rd had sunk three British steamers, each of about 4,000 tons, -in a position roughly eighty miles south-east of the Fastnet. The -first of these ships was the _Anglo-Columbian_, which was sunk at 9.45 -a.m., followed by the _Chancellor_ at 3 p.m., and the _Hesione_ about -four hours later. The news of the first sinking reached _Baralong_ -(henceforth officially known as _Wyandra_) in Falmouth, so this decoy -put to sea, and after rounding the Lizard steered a course that would, -with luck, intercept the submarine if she were operating towards -Ushant, as seemed probable. So the night passed. About 9 o’clock next -morning the British S.S. _Urbino_ (6,651 tons), of the Wilson Line, was -attacked by this U 41 in a position roughly sixty-seven miles S.W. by -W. of the Bishop rock. At 9.45 a.m. up came the _Baralong_, and sighted -the _Urbino_ about eight miles ahead, on fire, stopped, with a heavy -list, and blowing off steam. It was a fine, clear morning; a steady -course was maintained, and the Q-ship made ready for action. Already -the _Urbino’s_ crew had been compelled to take to their boats, and the -submarine, at a range of 200 yards, had put five shells into her. - - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “BARALONG” - -Showing gun on port side of the poop and disguised crew.] - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “BARALONG” - -Showing disguised marines and method of concealing the gun. - - To face p. 28] - -_Baralong_ now sighted the submarine’s conning-tower, and when about -five miles away the submarine dived, so _Baralong_ altered course to -the southward, so as to compel the enemy, if she meant to attack, to -rise to the surface and use her oil-engines. This ruse succeeded, for -presently U 41 came to the surface and proceeded at full speed to head -the Englishman off. _Baralong_ now hoisted United States colours, -whereupon the German hoisted ‘Stop instantly!’ The former obeyed, but -by using the engines now and again cleverly manœuvred so as to close -the range. The next order from the enemy was for the Englishman to send -his papers aboard the submarine, the two craft being now about two and -a half miles apart. _Baralong_ answered the signal, steamed slowly -ahead, altering very gradually towards the enemy, and pretended to be -hoisting out a boat on the side visible to the submarine. On board -the latter the forward gun was already manned, Ober-Leutnant Crompton -being on deck in charge of the firing. But Hansen had already been -outmanœuvred by Wilmot-Smith, just as in the olden days the sailing -man-of-war sought to win the weather-gage. For, having got the -submarine 2 points on the starboard bow, _Baralong_ so steered as to -keep her in that position, and the two approached until the range was -down to 700 yards. - -All this time, though every man in _Baralong_ was at his station, -there was not a movement that in any way caused the enemy to suspect. -The latter was concerned rather with the details of making quite sure -she was a neutral. It was then that _Baralong_ starboarded her helm -so that it might appear as if she were just swinging in order to give -the ship’s boat a lee while being lowered, a perfectly natural and -sea-manlike piece of tactics. But when she had swung sufficiently -for the starboard and stern guns to bear, down came the disguise, up -went the fluttering White Ensign, and a heavy fire at only 500 yards -came pouring forth, accompanied by rifle fire from the marines in the -well-deck aft. The enemy was taken so completely by surprise that he -got off only one round, and this was a long way out. So smartly had -_Baralong’s_ men begun the attack that the second round scored a direct -hit at the base of the conning-tower, and several other shells got home -with deadly precision. The Germans on deck became panic-stricken, left -their guns, and made for the conning-tower hatch, but whilst they were -doing this another direct hit struck the conning-tower, blowing Hansen -and six men to pieces. After several more hits, U 41 listed to port -with a heavy inclination and dived. This submersion was useless, as she -was leaking very badly, and the main bilge-pump ceased to function. -Down she dropped to a terrible depth, the diving tanks were blown by -the compressed air, and with a great sense of relief the Germans who -were still alive found their craft coming to the surface. First came -the bows, and then the top of the conning-tower showed above water, a -large volume of smoke and steam escaping, and then she disappeared for -the last time very rapidly, stern first, Ober-Leutnant Crompton and the -helmsman escaping through an open hatchway. - -After she had sunk finally a large burst of air and oil-fuel rose to -the surface, the submarine’s bulkheads having apparently burst owing -to the pressure due to the deep water, which here was 75 fathoms. -Only Crompton and the helmsman were saved, the former having been -badly wounded whilst entering the conning-tower. All the others, -consisting of five officers and twenty-five men, were lost. In the -meantime _Urbino_ had sunk, too, from her shell-holes, and _Baralong_ -picked the whole crew up from their boats to the number of forty-two -officers and men, her master, Captain Allanson Hick, stating that his -ship was on her way from New York to Hull. _Baralong_, conscious of -having obtained another brilliant and brave victory, now proceeded with -her survivors to Falmouth, where she arrived in the early hours of -the following morning. Lieut.-Commander Wilmot-Smith was awarded the -D.S.O., and Temporary Engineer J. M. Dowie, R.N.R., received a D.S.C., -a well-deserved decoration; for much depended on the engineers in these -ships, and they had much to suffer. Two of the crew received a D.S.M. -each, and the sum of £1,000 was also awarded, this being additional to -the bounty subsequently awarded in the Prize Court. - -At this stage in the world’s history there is no intention of exulting -in the discomfiture and pain of the enemy. Day after day during this -period the writer used to see the sad sight of our survivors without -ship or belongings other than the clothes on their backs. It is -difficult altogether to forget these incidents or the unchivalrous -behaviour of the enemy. Without wishing to be vindictive, it is well -to place on record that the nineteen German sailors on the deck of -U 41 all jeered at Captain Hick in his distress, and yet although a -callous enemy had been sunk in a fair fight, this second _Baralong_ -incident aroused in Germany a wave of horrified indignation akin to the -decoy’s former exploit. The German Press referred to the sinking of -U 41 as a murderous act, but if this were so there were to be plenty -more to follow. Happily, at last, we had found a real, effective means -of grappling with the submarine problem. Against us were contending -the finest brains of the German Navy, and these determined officers -were not over anxious to save life, as we knew from their behaviour at -the sinking of _Falaba_ and _Lusitania_. Such craft as U 41, over 200 -feet long, with a maximum surface speed of 14 knots, but an endurance -of 5,500 miles at 10 knots, armed with a couple of guns and eight -torpedoes, were formidable foes, and any clever stratagem that could -be used against them, without infringing International Law, was surely -entirely justified. Thus, very wisely, four colliers were fitted -out that same autumn as Q-ships, these being the _Thornhill_ (alias -_Werribee_, _Wellholme_, and _Wonganella_); the _Remembrance_ (alias -_Lammeroo_); _Bradford City_ (alias _Saros_); and the _Penhallow_ -(alias _Century_). These, together with _Baralong_, were sent to -operate in the Mediterranean, for here the submarine campaign became -very serious just at the time when it temporarily died down in North -European waters. Diplomatic relations between Germany and the United -States, consequent on the sinking of the _Lusitania_ and then _Arabic_, -were becoming strained, so that Germany had to accept the American -demands for the limitation of submarine activity. The result was that -from September 24, 1915, up to December 20, 1915, no ships were sunk by -German submarines in North European waters, though the Mediterranean -had a different story to tell. At the end of December a short, sharp -submarine campaign was carried out off Ireland by U-boats, and then -there was quiet again until Germany began her extended submarine -campaign on March 1, 1916. This in turn lasted only to May 8, and was -not resumed until July 5, 1916. - -It is as well to bear these periods in mind, for otherwise we cannot -appreciate the dull, monotonous weeks and months of cruising spent -by the Q-ships when they saw no submarine, received nothing but -vague, inaccurate reports, and had to keep their crews from getting -disappointed or eventually wondering whether they were really doing -any good in this particular service. But as the winter passed and -the U-boats displayed their usual spring activity, the Q-ships had -their opportunities again. Before we come to see these, let us take a -glance at the work which they were performing during the winter in the -Mediterranean, where the enemy sought to cut our lines of communication -to the Dardanelles. - -In December, 1915, the steamship _Margit_ had been fitted out as a -decoy, and on January 17, 1916, in Lat. 35.34 N., Long. 17.38 E., -she was steering west for Malta, when she received S.O.S. signals on -her wireless. The time was 9.30 a.m., and presently shots were seen -falling close to the S.S. _Baron Napier_, who was about five miles to -the southward. The captain of the _Margit_ was Lieut.-Commander G. L. -Hodson, R.N., who then hoisted the Dutch ensign and altered course -towards the _Baron Napier_. The latter kept making signals that she was -being shelled and that the submarine was approaching; but when _Margit_ -got within a couple of miles the submarine transferred the shelling to -her. _Margit’s_ captain conned his ship, lying prone on the bridge and -peering through the chinks in the bridge screen. In order to lure the -enemy on he pretended to abandon ship, hoisted the international signal -‘I am stopped,’ and sent away the ship’s lifeboat with Sub-Lieutenant -McClure, R.N.R., in charge. The ship now had every appearance of -having been abandoned, but in addition to the captain lying unseen on -the bridge, the guns’ crews, under Lieutenant Tweedie, R.N.R., and a -sub-lieutenant, were remaining hidden at their stations. Riflemen were -similarly placed on the foredeck and aft. - -[Illustration: - - FIG. 3.—DIAGRAM TO ILLUSTRATE APPROXIMATE MOVEMENTS OF ‘MARGIT’ IN - HER ENGAGEMENT WITH SUBMARINE ON JANUARY 17, 1916.] - -After the ‘panic party’ had been sent away in the boat the enemy seemed -fairly satisfied, ceased shelling, dived, and then reappeared a quarter -of an hour later 800 yards away, with a couple of feet of his periscope -showing. He was now going to make quite sure this was no trap, so, -still submerged, he came within 50 yards of _Margit’s_ port side and -then right round the ship, scrutinizing her carefully. At length, being -apparently quite convinced that all was well, he steered for _Margit’s_ -boat about a thousand yards away and came to the surface. Three men -then appeared on the submarine’s deck, the German ensign was hoisted, -and one of them waved _Margit’s_ boat to come alongside. This was as -far as Lieut.-Commander Hodson deemed it advisable to let matters -go. Giving the orders to down screens, open fire, and hoist the White -Ensign, the enemy now came under attack. One shot seemed to hit abaft -the conning-tower, and the submarine submerged. so fire was ceased and -_Margit_ proceeded to pick up her boat. The davit-falls had only just -been hooked on when the submarine showed her conning-tower 70 yards -off, apparently in difficulties. The Q-ship therefore opened fire once -more, but the enemy again submerged. Unfortunately the submarine had -not been sunk, although no effort had been neglected. From 9.30 a.m. to -about midday officers and crew had been compelled to keep in cramped, -tiring attitudes, with very little knowledge of what was going on; -and after he had finally disappeared _Margit_ had remained for about -three hours in the hope that he might return. By a curious coincidence, -at the time when _Baron Napier_ was being attacked, another steamer, -the _Baron Ardrossan_, belonging to the same owners, happened to be -passing and saw the shells dropping around, but as she could steam -nothing better than 3 knots slower than _Baron Napier_ she could not go -to her assistance. However, if the submarine had not been destroyed, -_Margit_ had saved the _Baron Napier_ and caused the enemy to break off -the engagement. - -Mention was made just now of the _Werribee_ (alias _Wonganella_, etc.). -On February 3, 1916, this ship, which had been fitted out at Gibraltar, -under the command of Lieut.-Commander B. J. D. Guy, R.N., left Port -Said to cruise on the Malta to Egypt trade route. She was a steamer -of 3,848 tons, and had taken in 2,600 tons of sand as ballast. About -9 o’clock on the morning of February 9, _Werribee_ was steaming along -when she picked up a signal on her wireless to the effect that the S.S. -_Springwell_, of 5,593 tons, was torpedoed and sinking by the head. -The vessel was soon sighted, and the last boats could be seen already -leaving the ship, the position being about sixty miles from Crete. The -weather was perfect, with a flat, calm sea and extreme visibility—an -ideal day, in fact, for good gunnery. - -But it was to be a most difficult experience, and the incident well -illustrates the problems which had to be dealt with. About 10.15 a.m., -as no submarine could be seen, _Werribee_ turned towards the four -boats already in the water, and hailed them for information, then -examined the condition of _Springwell_, and presently turned again. -All of a sudden, a great submarine, painted like the Mediterranean -pirate-ships of ancient times, a brownish green, emerged from the sea -about 5,000 yards away on _Werribee’s_ starboard bow, and came close -up to _Springwell_, possibly to prevent _Werribee_ from salving her. -Alarm stations were sounded in the Q-ship, but the submarine’s men -were already running to their two guns, and opened fire. _Werribee_ -then decided to haul round and pretend to run away. The third shot -from the enemy hit, and it was at first feared that the explosion had -disabled one gun’s crew, but fortunately the hit was a little further -aft. It was immediately evident to _Werribee’s_ captain that to-day the -enemy was not going to allow him to play the abandon-ship game, but -was intending to sink him straight away. The submarine’s accurate and -rapid fire was clearly aimed at _Werribee’s_ boats, and two of them -were soon riddled. It was for Lieut.-Commander Guy to make up his mind -quickly what tactics now to pursue, and he decided to reveal the ship’s -true character and open fire. This was done, and within ten seconds his -4-inch quick-firer was in action, range 4,000 yards. After six rounds -from the Q-ship the enemy ceased firing, and the eighth seemed to hit -abaft the conning-tower. Then she submerged in a cloud of smoke, about -11.10 a.m., this smoke screen being a favourite ruse for escaping, and -she was never seen again that day. _Werribee_ now turned her attention -to the torpedoed ship, but the latter was too far gone, and foundered -at 5.45 that afternoon. The men in _Springwell’s_ boats were then -picked up, and about 6 o’clock the ship made for Malta. It was again -sheer bad luck; a combination of difficult circumstances, and the -tactics of an astute German captain, had now prevented success coming -to the decoy. There was no question about her disguise, and the captain -of a merchantman who witnessed the fight accurately spoke of _Werribee_ -as ‘an old tramp with a few patches of paint, firing at the submarine.’ -Before the war we should have thought no ship in His Majesty’s Service -could possibly merit such a description as this, but strange things -were happening on the seas at this time, and it was the highest -compliment so to be described. - -[Illustration: - - FIG. 4.—DIAGRAM TO ILLUSTRATE APPROXIMATE MOVEMENTS OF ‘WERRIBEE’ IN - ACTION WITH SUBMARINE ON FEBRUARY 9, 1916.] - -With the experience which had been gained from all these engagements -in various areas it was possible to form some idea of the requisite -standardized equipment with which Q-ships should be supplied. First of -all, inasmuch as the enemy was being better armed, at least one modern -4-inch gun was necessary, in addition to any 12-pounder. Long-range -action, especially in the Mediterranean, was probable at times, for -the enemy would not always consent to engage close to. Secondly, -it was highly important that the ship should remain afloat, even -though seriously holed. It might happen—and later on it actually did -occur—that the enemy might suppose the ship was just about to founder, -thus making it quite safe to close her in order to read her name. Then -would come the one great chance for the Q-ship to destroy the enemy. -Therefore, to this end, it became certain that these ships should be -given cargoes of barrels, or timber, carefully stowed, so that it would -be no easy task to sink her, and she might perhaps even be salved. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -THE STORY OF THE ‘FARNBOROUGH’ - - -Two days before the end of February, 1916, I happened to be returning -from leave in England to my ship, which was in Queenstown for -boiler-cleaning. In the Holyhead-Kingstown steamer I found myself in -conversation with a junior lieutenant-commander, R.N., who also was -returning to his ship at Queenstown. We talked of many things all the -way down across Ireland, but this quiet, taciturn officer impressed -me less by what he said than by what he left unsaid, and it took me a -long time to guess the name of his ship. I thought I knew most of the -commanding officers of sloops and trawlers and drifters, and so on, at -work off the south and south-west coasts of Ireland, but I had neither -seen this officer nor heard his name before. At the beginning of the -war he was unknown to the public; in fact, not until three weeks after -the end of this February did he win distinction, but to-day his name -is known and respected in every navy of the world, and his career as a -naval officer is different from anything ever recorded in the pages of -history. - -This was Lieut.-Commander Gordon Campbell, who just before the -war was a lieutenant in command of an old-fashioned destroyer -based on Devonport. On October 21, 1915—the date is particularly -fortunate as having been the 110th anniversary of the Battle of -Trafalgar—Lieutenant Campbell commissioned the tramp steamer -_Lodorer_ at Devonport as a Q-ship, but on passage thence to Queenstown -changed her name to _Farnborough_, as it had become gossip that she had -been armed for special service. Through that trying winter the little -_Farnborough_ endured gale after gale, and her young captain, attired -in the rig of a typical tramp skipper, with his smart crew trained now -to look slovenly yet be mentally alert all the time, never for a moment -wavered in the belief that one day would come his opportunity. He had -organized his ship to a pitch of perfection, and nothing was lacking -except the appearance of a U-boat. - -On March 1, 1916, the enemy renewed its submarine campaign after lying -dormant since the day when _Baralong_ had sunk her U 41, except for -the Christmas-time temporary outburst. During the first three weeks of -March one, or more, submarine had sunk shipping off the Irish coast -to the extent of three steamers and one sailing craft. On the morning -of March 22, _Farnborough_, who had come from Queenstown, was now -cruising up the west coast of Ireland, the exact position being Lat. -51.54 N., Long. 10.53 W., and the time 6.40 a.m. Steaming along at 8 -knots, a submarine awash was suddenly sighted by one of the crew named -Kaye, an A.B. of the Royal Naval Reserve, about five miles away on the -port bow. After a few minutes it dived, and _Farnborough_ coolly took -no notice but kept jogging along the same course. The submarine had -evidently determined to sink the old tramp, for twenty minutes later -she fired a torpedo which passed so close ahead of _Farnborough_ that -bubbles were seen under the forecastle. Still she pretended to take -no notice, and a few minutes later the submarine broke surface about -1,000 yards astern, passing from starboard to port, then, having got on -the Q-ship’s port quarter, fired a shell across the latter’s bows and -partly submerged. - -_Farnborough_ now stopped her engines, blew off steam, and the panic -party, consisting of stokers and spare men, were ordered to abandon -ship; so away they rowed under Temporary Engineer Sub-Lieutenant J. -S. Smith, R.N.R. The enemy then came closer until he was but 800 -yards off. Not a human being was visible aboard the ‘abandoned’ -ship, but everyone was lying concealed in expectant readiness, yet -Lieut.-Commander Campbell was quietly watching every move of the enemy. -A few minutes later the latter, intending to sink the deserted ship, -fired a shell, but this fell 50 yards short. Here was _Farnborough’s_ -big opportunity that had been awaited and longed for ever since last -Trafalgar Day; now was the time—or never. Thus the collier tramp -declared herself a man-of-war, armed as she was with five 12-pounders, -two 6-pounders, and one Maxim gun. One of the two ships must certainly -go to her doom, and her fate would be settled in a few terrible -moments: there would be no drawn-out engagement, but just a violent -blow, and then finish. Lieut.-Commander Campbell, in his place of -concealment, knew that his men could be trusted to do the right thing, -knew that they were waiting only for the word from him. True, the -guns’ crews were not the kind of expert men you find in battleship or -cruiser. They had joined the Service after the declaration of war, -but had been trained up splendidly by one of the ship’s officers, -Lieutenant W. Beswick, R.N.R. On them much depended. If they fired too -soon, became excited, made a movement, or bungled their work, they -would give the whole show away, and the sinking ship would not be the -submarine. - -‘Open fire!’ came the order as the White Ensign was hoisted, and then -from the three 12-pounders which could bear came a hail of shells, -whilst Maxim and rifle fire also rained down. The light this morning -was bad, but the shooting from these newly trained men was so good -that the submarine was badly holed by the rapid fire; thus, slowly -the enemy began to sink. Observing this, Campbell then endeavoured -to give her the knock-out blow, so steamed full speed over the spot -and dropped a depth charge. This fairly shook the submarine, who next -appeared about ten yards away in an almost perpendicular position, that -portion of the craft from the bows to the conning-tower being out of -the water. A large rent was discerned in her bow; she was certainly -doomed, and one periscope had been hit. Wasting none of the golden -opportunity, _Farnborough_ reopened fire with her after gun, which put -five rounds into the base of the conning-tower at point-blank range, -so that the German sank for the last time. Again _Farnborough_ steamed -over the spot, and let go two more depth charges, and presently up -came a large quantity of oil and bits of wood which covered the sea -for some distance around. So quickly perished U 68, one of the latest -submarines—a 17-knot boat, armed with one 4·1-inch, one 22-pounder, -a machine gun, eleven torpedoes, and with a cruising radius of 11,000 -miles. - -[Illustration: OFFICERS OF Q-SHIP “FARNBOROUGH” - -Captain Campbell with his officers, disguised as a mercantile captain.] - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP HEROES - -Captain Gordon Campbell, V.C., D.S.O., R.N., and Lieutenant C. G. -Bonner, V.C., D.S.C., of Q-ship “Dunraven,” each wearing the Victoria -Cross, at the King’s Garden Party for V.C.’s. (see Chapter XIV.) - - To face p. 42] - -This brilliant success had a most cheering effect on all the patrol -vessels working off the Irish coast. With careful reserve the story was -breathed in wardrooms, and it percolated through to other stations, -inspiring even the most bored officer to go forth and do likewise. -This victory had a most important bearing on the future of the Q-ship -service, and officers and men were eager to take on a job which -afforded them so much sport. It meant something more, too. For, junior -though he was, Lieutenant-Commander became Commander Gordon Campbell, -D.S.O.; Lieutenant W. Beswick, R.N.R., who had trained the guns’ crew -so well, and the Engineer-Lieutenant Loveless received each a D.S.C., -and three of the crew the coveted D.S.M. There followed also the usual -£1,000 in addition to prize bounty. Of the ship’s complement seven -of the officers belonged to the Royal Naval Reserve, and many of the -ratings were either of that service or the Royal Naval Volunteer -Reserve. - -Adventures are to the adventurous. In less than a month from this -event _Farnborough_ was again engaged with a submarine, under -circumstances more difficult than the last. One who was present at -the engagement described it to me, and though the submarine managed -afterwards to reach Germany, she was wounded, and only just escaped -total destruction. However, this in no way detracts from the merits of -the story, which is as follows: The scene was similar to that of the -previous incident, the exact position being Lat. 51.57 N., Long. 11.2 -W.—that is to say, off the west coast of Ireland. The time was 6.30 -in the afternoon of April 15, 1916, and _Farnborough_ was proceeding -northward, doing 5 knots, for Commander Campbell was hoping to -intercept a German submarine which had been reported off the Orkneys on -the 13th, and was probably coming down the west Irish coast. - -At the time mentioned the sea was calm and it was misty, but about two -miles off on the starboard quarter could be seen a steamer. Suddenly, -without warning, between the two ships a submarine broke surface, -but Commander Campbell pretended to ignore her until she hoisted the -international signal TAF (‘Bring your papers on board’). Owing to -the mist it was impossible to distinguish the flags clearly enough -to read them. However, Commander Campbell stopped his ship like a -terrified tramp, blew off steam, but quietly kept her jogging ahead -so as to edge towards the enemy and avoid falling into the trough of -the heavy Atlantic swell. There was the submarine lying full length -on the surface, about 300 feet long, with a very large conning-tower -amidships, one gun forward, one aft, and most of the hull painted a -light grey. In reply to the German’s signal _Farnborough_ now kept -her answering pennant at the dip and hoisted ‘Cannot understand your -signal.’ All this delay was valuable to the Q-ship, for it allowed her -to close the range stealthily; and now the submarine also came closer, -with her foremost gun already manned. In the meantime, the ‘tramp’ did -what she was expected to do—hoisted the signal ‘I am sending boat with -ship’s papers,’ and at the same time the bridge boat was turned out -(again in command of Sub-Lieutenant J. S. Smith, R.N.R.), and Commander -Campbell was seen to hand his papers to this officer to take over to -the submarine. It was now 6.40 p.m., and the German fired a shot which -passed over the ship, doing no direct harm, but incidentally spoiling -the whole affair. The best laid schemes of Q-ship captains, and the -most efficient crews, occasionally go astray. One of _Farnborough’s_ -people, hearing this gun, thought that _Farnborough_ had opened fire, -so accordingly fired also. It was unfortunate, but there it was. This -mistake forced Commander Campbell’s hand; he at once hoisted the White -Ensign and gave the general order to fire. The range was now about -1,000 yards, and he proceeded at full speed so as to bring his after -gun to bear, the ships becoming about in this position: - -[Illustration: FIG. 5.—DIAGRAM TO ILLUSTRATE APPROXIMATE POSITIONS OF -‘FARNBOROUGH’ AND SUBMARINE IN THE ACTION OF APRIL 15, 1916.] - -The enemy had been about a point before the _Farnborough’s_ starboard -beam, but when the action commenced the former had been brought -successfully on the beam. The Q-ship’s 12-pounders quickly got off a -score of rounds, accompanied by the 6-pounder and the Maxim and rifles. -Quite early the enemy became damaged, and eventually she submerged -under the screen of smoke, a remarkably near escape which must have -made a great impression on her crew. After dropping depth charges, -_Farnborough_ closed the strange steamer which had been stopped about -500 yards off, and found her to be the Dutch S.S. _Soerakarta_. With -true seamanlike chivalry the Dutch captain, pitying the shabby-looking -tramp steamship, actually offered Commander Campbell assistance. -This neutral was bound from the Dutch East Indies to Rotterdam, via -Falmouth and Kirkwall, and on sighting him the submarine had hoisted -the usual ‘Bring your papers on board.’ The Dutchman had just lowered -his boat, and was about to row off to the German, when up came the -unkempt collier _Farnborough_ with a white band on her funnel, and -then, to the amazement of all beholders, from her blazed shell after -shell. It was a splendid free show, and one shell was distinctly seen -to hit the conning-tower. Two miles away from the scene was the armed -trawler _Ina Williams_ on patrol, and as soon as she heard the firing -she went to action stations and came along at full speed. Ten minutes -later she felt a couple of shocks, so that her captain thought she had -struck something. These were, in fact, the concussions of the two depth -charges which _Farnborough_ had dropped. - -If the submarine had escaped, at least he would be able to warn his -superiors at home that they could never tell the difference between a -‘trap-ship’ and a genuine merchantman, and it would be safer not to -attack steamers unless they were perfectly sure. During the rest of -that year Commander Campbell continued to cruise in _Farnborough_, but -the summer and autumn passed and no further luck offered itself. - -Winter followed and was almost merging into spring, and then again this -ship made history. In another chapter this thrilling episode will be -told. In the meantime much else had happened. - -One of the greatest enthusiasts of the Q-ship idea was Vice-Admiral -Sir Lewis Bayly, who was in command of the Irish coast. No Q-ship -officer serving under this admiral could ever complain that anything -was left undone by assistance that could have been performed by the -sagacity or advice of this Commander-in-Chief. It was he who made -repeated visits to the Q-ships as they lay in Haulbowline Dockyard, -in order to see that not the smallest important detail for efficiency -was lacking. The positions of the guns, the collapsing of the screens, -the erection of the dummy deckhouses concealing the guns, the comfort -of the personnel—nothing was too trivial for his attention provided -it aimed at the one end of sinking the enemy. As with ships, so with -officers. With his vast knowledge of human nature, and his glance -which penetrated into a man’s very soul, he could size up the right -type of volunteer for decoy work; then, having once selected him and -sent him to sea, he assisted him all the time whenever wireless was -advisable, and on their return to port encouraged, advised, and rested -the captains, while the Haulbowline Dockyard paid every attention to -improving the Q-ship’s fighting power. No keen, capable officer on -this station who did his job ever failed to get his reward; and the -result of all this, and the certain knowledge that if _in extremis_ -a Queenstown naval ship would at once be sent to his rescue, created -such a fine spirit that an officer would almost sooner die than -return to port after making a blunder of an engagement. By reason of -this, the Queenstown Q-ships became famous for their high standard -and achievements. In the spring of 1916 the four experienced decoys -_Farnborough_, _Zylpha_, _Vala_, and _Penshurst_, were operating from -that port. They cruised off the south and south-west Irish coasts; -between Milford Haven and the Scillies; off the western approach to -the English Channel; up the Irish Sea as far as the north of Ireland. -In a few weeks four more decoys were added to that station, so that -there were eight of them by July. They cruised along the merchant ship -courses as far out into the Atlantic as 17° W., as far south as the -middle of the Bay of Biscay, as far east as the Isle of Wight, and as -far north as the Hebrides—in other words, just where U-boats were -likely to attack. One of these eight was the S.S. _Carrigan Head_, -which was commanded by Lieut.-Commander Godfrey Herbert, D.S.O., R.N., -late in command of the _Antwerp_. _Carrigan Head_ was a fine ship of -4,201 tons, and, in order to make her practically unsinkable, she was -sent to Portsmouth, where she was filled with empty casks and timber. -As may be expected from her commander, this was a very efficient ship. -Below, the timber had been stowed in the holds with great cleverness -so that it would have been a considerable time before she could ever -founder. I well remember on one occasion wandering all over the decks -of this ship, but it was quite impossible to see where her big 4-inch -and two 12-pounders were located. - -That being so, it was not surprising that a submarine never suspected -on September 9, 1916, that this was another ‘trap-ship.’ It was just -before 6.30 in the evening that this steamer was sixty miles south-west -of the Lizard, when a submarine was sighted about 2,000 yards off on -the starboard bow. The enemy had hoisted some flag signals, but they -were too small to be read. It was presumed that it was the usual order -to stop, so the steamer hove-to and the captain called up the stokers -who were off watch to stand by the lifeboats, for all this time the -submarine, who had two guns, was firing at the ship. Having lowered -the starboard lifeboat halfway down to the water, the Q-ship pretended -to try and escape, so went full speed ahead, turned to port, and -brought the enemy right astern. The German maintained a rapid fire, -many shots coming unpleasantly across the bridge, one entering the -forecastle and wounding two men, of whom one afterwards died. Another -shell entered the engineers’ messroom and slightly injured Temporary -Engineer Sub-Lieutenant James Purdy, R.N.R. This same shell also cut -the leads to the wireless room just above. - -As several shells fell within a few feet of the ship, Commander Herbert -decided to feign surrender, hoisted the International Code pennant -close up, turned eight points to port, but with the real intention -of firing on the submarine, which had now risen to the surface with -complete buoyancy and presented a good target. But in turning to port, -_Carrigan Head_ was thus brought broadside on to the swell, so that -the ship began to roll heavily and helm had to be altered to get her -head on to the sea. At 6.50 p.m. the enemy was about 1,500 yards away, -and while both lifeboats were being lowered the submarine kept up an -intermittent fire. Three minutes later Commander Herbert decided to -reveal the character of his ship and attack; therefore, going full -speed ahead, he fired seven rounds, one of which seemed to hit. The -submarine was considerably surprised and at once dived, so having -arrived near the spot _Carrigan Head_ dropped depth charges. The enemy -was not sunk, but she did not reappear, such was her fright, until an -hour and a half later when she sank the Norwegian S. S. _Lodsen_ off -the Scillies. The enemy’s behaviour was typical: as soon as he was -attacked he broke off the engagement and took to flight by submerging, -and it was only on the rarest occasions that he was willing to fight, -as were the Q-ships, to a finish. - -By reason of their service, Q-ship officers became a race apart. Their -arrival and departure were kept a profound secret, night-time or early -morning being usually selected. The ships were worked as separate -units, not as squadrons, and their cruising ground was always being -changed. They went to sea in strange garments, and when they came -ashore they usually wore ‘plain clothes,’ the naval equivalent for -the soldiers’ expression ‘mufti.’ At a time when all the nation was -in arms and for a healthy man to be seen out of uniform was to excite -derisive anger, some of the Q-ship officers had amusing and awkward -experiences. Arrived in port at the end of a trying cruise, and rather -looking forward to a pleasant respite for a few days, they would run -against some old friend in a public place, and be greeted by some such -remark as, ‘Why aren’t you in uniform?’ or ‘What ship are you serving -in? I didn’t know _you_ were on this station; come and have a drink.’ -It was difficult to preserve secrecy when such questions were asked -direct by old shipmates. Who knew but that the man two paces away was a -spy, who would endanger the lives of the Q-ship and crew the next time -they put to sea? Surely, if there be occasions when it is legitimate to -tell a lie, this was a justifiable one. Thus the life in this special -service was one that called for all the ability which is usually latent -in any one man. I do not ever remember a Q-ship officer who was not -something more than able. Some were killed, some were taken prisoners -by submarines, some broke down in health; but in no case did you ever -find one who failed to realize the intense seriousness of his job or -neglected any means of keeping himself in perfect physical health and -the highest possible condition of mental alertness. Not once could he -be caught off his guard; the habit was ingrained in him. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -THE ‘MYSTERY’ SAILING SHIPS - - -Most people would have thought that the sail-driven decoys would have -had a very short life, and that they would speedily have succumbed. -On the contrary, though their work was more trying and demanded a -different kind of seamanship, these ‘mystery’ ships went on bravely -tackling the enemy. - -The Lowestoft armed smacks, for instance, during 1916 had some pretty -stiff tussles, and we know now that they thoroughly infuriated the -Germans, who threatened to have their revenge. Looked at from the -enemy’s aspect, it certainly was annoying to see a number of sailing -smacks spread off the coast, each obviously trawling, but not to know -which of them would in a moment cut her gear and sink the submarine -with her gun. It was just that element of suspense which made a -cautious German officer very chary of going near these craft, whereas -he might have sunk the whole fishing fleet if he dared. It was not -merely annoying; it was humiliating that a small sailing craft should -have the impertinence to contend with the super-modern ship of a German -naval officer. That, of course, was not the way to look at the matter; -for it was a contest, as we have seen, in which brains and bravery -were factors more decisive than anything else. The average British -fisherman is ignorant of many things which are learnt only in nautical -academies, but the last you could accuse him of being is a fool or a -funk. His navigation in these sailing smacks is quaint and primitive, -but he relies in thick weather chiefly on the nature of the sea-bed. He -can almost smell his way, and a cast of the lead confirms his surmise; -he finds he is just where he expected to be. So with his character. -Hardened by years of fishing in all weathers, and angered to extreme -indignation during the war by the loss of good ships and lives of his -relatives and friends, this type of man, so long as his decoy smack had -any sort of gun, was the keenest of the keen. - -One of these smacks was the _Telesia_, armed only with a 3-pounder, -and commanded by Skipper W. S. Wharton, who did extraordinarily well -in this dangerous service. On March 23, 1916, he was trawling roughly -thirty-five miles S.E. of Lowestoft, when about midday he sighted a -submarine three miles off, steering to the north-east. At 1.30 p.m. -the German, who was evidently one of the cautious type, and having -a careful scrutiny before attacking, approached within 50 yards of -the _Telesia’s_ starboard bow, and submerged with her periscope just -showing. She came back an hour later to have another look, and again -disappeared until 4.30 p.m., when she approached from the north-east. -Having got about 300 yards away she attacked, but she had not the -courage to fight on the surface a little sailing craft built of wood. -Instead, she remained submerged and fired a torpedo. Had that hit, -_Telesia_ and her men would have been blown to pieces; but it just -missed the smack’s bows by four feet. Skipper Wharton at once brought -his gun into action, and fired fifteen rounds at the periscope, which -was the only part of her that could be seen, and an almost impossible -target. The enemy disappeared, but arrived back in half an hour, -and this time the periscope showed on the starboard quarter, coming -straight for the smack, and rising out of the water at the same time. -Again she fired a torpedo, and it seemed certain to hit, but happily -it passed 40 feet astern. At a range of only 75 yards the smack now -fired a couple of shots as the enemy showed her deck. The first shot -seemed to hit the conning-tower, and then the fore part of the hull was -observed coming out of the water. The second shot struck between the -conning-tower and the hatch, whereupon the enemy went down by the bows, -showing her propeller. She was a big craft, judging by the size of -her conning-tower, and certainly larger than those which had recently -been sinking Lowestoft smacks. Skipper Wharton, whilst fishing, had -himself been chased, so he was fairly familiar with their appearance. -Whether the enemy was actually sunk is a matter of doubt. Perhaps she -was not destroyed, although UB 13 was lost this month; how and where -are unknown. One thing is certain, however, that the little _Telesia_ -caused her to break off the engagement and disappear. The smack could -do no more, for the wind had now died right away, and this fact -demonstrated the importance of these decoy smacks being fitted with -motors, so that the craft would be able to manœuvre in the absence of -wind; and this improved equipment was now in certain cases adopted. -Skipper Wharton well deserved his D.S.C. for this incident, and two of -the ship’s company also received the D.S.M. The whole crew numbered -eight, consisting of Skipper Wharton, a naval chief petty officer, a -leading seaman, a marine, an A.B., and three fishermen. - -On the following April 23 _Telesia_—this time under the name of -_Hobbyhawk_ and under the command of Lieutenant H. W. Harvey, -R.N.V.R.—together with a similar smack named the _Cheero_, commanded -by Lieutenant W. F. Scott, R.N.R., put to sea from Lowestoft. They -had recently been fitted with specially designed nets, to which were -attached mines. It had been found that with 600 yards of these nets -towing astern the smack could still sail ahead at a speed of 3 knots. -A bridle made out of a trawler’s warp was stopped down the towing wire -and from forward of the smack, so that she would look exactly like -a genuine smack when fishing with the ordinary trawl. All that was -required was that the submarine should foul these nets astern, when, if -everything worked as it should, destruction to the enemy would follow. - -At 5.45 that afternoon, when 10 miles N.E. of the Smith’s Knoll -Pillar Buoy, the nets were shot and the batteries connected up to -the net-mines. The wind was light, so _Cheero_, towing away to the -south-east, was going ahead very slowly. Each of these two smacks was -fitted with a hydrophone by means of which the beat of a vessel’s -engines could be heard, the noise of a submarine’s being very different -from that of reciprocating engines in a steamer. About 7 p.m. _Cheero_ -distinctly heard on her instrument the steady, quick, buzzing, -unmistakable noise of a submarine, and the noise gradually increased. -About three-quarters of an hour later the wire leading to the nets -suddenly became tight and stretched along the smack’s rail. The strain -eased up a little, became tight again, then an explosion followed in -the nets, and the sounds of the submarine’s engines were never heard -again. The sea was blown by the explosion 20 feet high, and as the -water was settling down another upheaval took place, followed by -oil. The crew remained at their stations for a few minutes awaiting -further developments, and then were ordered to haul the nets, but a -great strain was now felt, so that instead of two men it required -six. As the second net was coming in, the whole fleet of nets took a -sharp angle down, and a small piece of steel was brought on board. -Other pieces of steel came adrift and fell into the sea. As the third -net was being hauled in, the whole of the nets suddenly became free -and were got in quite easily, whilst the crew remarked on the strong -smell of oil. It was found that one mine had exploded, and when the -nets were eventually further examined ashore in Lowestoft there could -be no doubt but that a submarine had been blown up, and more pieces -of steel, some of considerable size, dropped out. Thus UC 3, with all -hands, was destroyed. She was one of the small mine-layers which used -to come across from Zeebrugge fouling the shipping tracks along the -East Anglian coast with her deadly cargoes, and causing the destruction -of merchant shipping, Allied and neutral alike. On May 18 of the same -year _Hobbyhawk_ (_Telesia_) and a similar smack, the _Revenge_ (alias -_Fame_), had a stiff encounter with a submarine in about the same -place, but there is reason to suppose that in this case the enemy was -not sunk. - -This idea of commissioning sailing smacks as Q-ships now began to be -adopted in other areas. Obviously only that kind of fishing craft could -be employed which ordinarily were wont to fish those particular waters; -otherwise the submarine would at once have become suspicious. Thus, at -the end of May, a couple of Brixham smacks, which usually fished out -of Milford, were fitted out at Falmouth, armed each with a 12-pounder, -and then sent round to operate in the Milford district. These were the -_Kermes_ and _Strumbles_ respectively. They were manned by a specially -selected crew, and the two commanding officers were Lieutenant E. L. -Hughes, R.N.R., and Sub-Lieutenant J. Hayes, R.N.R. But although they -were given a good trial, these craft were not suitable as soon as the -autumn bad weather came on. Their freeboard was too low, they heeled -over too much in the strong prevailing winds, so that it was difficult -to get the gun to bear either to windward or leeward; and, except when -on the top of a sea, their range of vision was limited, so before -November was out these ships ceased to be men-of-war and were returned -to their owners. - -Along the Yorkshire coast is found a type of open boat which is never -seen farther north than Northumberland and never farther south than -Lincolnshire. This is the cobble, a peculiar and rather tricky kind -of craft used by the fishermen of Whitby, Scarborough, Bridlington, -Filey, and elsewhere. They carry one lug-sail and can be rowed, a -single thole-pin taking the place of a rowlock. The smaller type of -cobble measures 28 feet long by 2-1/4 feet deep, but the larger type, -capable of carrying nine tons, is just under 34 feet long by 4-3/4 feet -deep. Here, then, was a boat which, with her shallow draught, could -with safety sail about in the numerous minefields off the Yorkshire -coast. No submarine would ever suspect these as being anything but -fishermen trying to snatch a living. In the early summer of 1916 two of -these boats, the _Thalia_ and _Blessing_, were commissioned. They were -sailing cobbles fitted with auxiliary motors, and were sent to work -south-east of the Humber in the Silver Pit area. Here they pretended -to fish, towing 300 yards of mine-nets, 30 feet deep, in the hope that, -as had happened off Lowestoft, the submarine would come along and be -blown up. However, they had no luck, and after a few months’ service -these boats also were returned to their owners. But in spite of this, -Q-sailing-ships were still being taken up, the difficulty being to -select the right type. Even in the Mediterranean the idea was employed. -Enemy submarines had been destroying a number of sailing vessels, so -the Admiralty purchased one local craft, gave her a small auxiliary -motor, and towed her to Mudros, where she could be armed and equipped -in secrecy. One day she set forth from Malta in company with a British -submarine, and two days later was off the coast of Sicily. Here the -sailing craft attracted a large enemy submarine, the British submarine -of course watching, but submerged. Unfortunately, just when the enemy -might have been torpedoed, the heavy swell caused the British submarine -to break surface. The enemy was quick to observe this, dived for his -life, and disappeared. The rest of the story is rather ludicrous. The -British submarine remained submerged in the hope that the enemy would -presently come to the surface, while the sailing craft lost touch -with her consort and turned towards Malta, using her motor. The next -incident was that she sighted 6 miles astern an unmistakable submarine, -which was at once taken for the enemy. Being without his own submarine, -the somewhat inexperienced R.N.V.R. officer in command made an error of -judgment, and, abandoning the ship, destroyed her, being subsequently -picked up by a Japanese destroyer. It was afterwards discovered that -this was our own submarine who had been working with the sailing -craft, and was now on her way back to Malta! - -The other day, laid up hidden away at the top of a sheltered creek -in Cornwall, I came upon an interesting brigantine. Somehow I felt -we had met before, but she was looking a little forlorn; there was -no life in the ship, yet she seemed in that curious way, which ships -have in common with human beings, to possess a powerful personality. -Freights were bad, the miners were on strike, and here was this good -little vessel lying idle, and not so much as noticed by those who -passed. Then I found out who she was. Here was an historic ship, the -famous _Helgoland_, which served right through to the end of the war -from the summer of 1916. Now she was back in the Merchant Service, and -no one seemed to care; yet hundreds of years hence people will write -and talk of her, as they still do of Grenville’s _Revenge_ or the old -clipper-ships _Cutty Sark_ and _Thermopylæ_. - -_Helgoland_ had been built in 1895 of steel and iron at Martenshoek -in Holland, where they specialize in this kind of construction, but -she was now British owned and registered at Plymouth. She measured 122 -feet 9 inches long, 23 feet 3 inches beam, drew 8 feet aft, and her -tonnage was 310 burthen and 182 net. In July, 1916, this ship was lying -in Liverpool undergoing an extensive overhaul, and here she was taken -over from her owners and sent to Falmouth, where she was fitted out -forthwith as a Q-ship. Armed with four 12-pounders and one Maxim, she -was known officially in future under the various names of _Helgoland_, -_Horley_, _Brig_ 10, and Q 17. Her crew were carefully chosen from the -personnel serving in Auxiliary Patrol vessels at Falmouth, with the -exception of the guns’ crews; the ship’s complement consisting of two -R.N.R. officers, one skipper, one second hand, two petty officers, six -Royal Navy gunnery ratings, eight deckhands of the Trawler Reserve, one -carpenter, one steward, and one cook, the last three being mercantile -ratings. Of her two officers one was Temporary Sub-Lieutenant W. E. L. -Sanders, R.N.R., who, by reason of his sailing-ship experience, was -appointed as mate. This was that gallant New Zealander who had come -across the ocean to help the Motherland, performed amazing service -in Q-ships, fought like a gentleman, won the Victoria Cross, and -eventually, with his ship and all his crew, went to the bottom like the -true hero that he was. The story must be told in a subsequent chapter. - -When we consider the actions fought by these topsail schooners and -brigantines in the Great War we appear almost to be dreaming, to be -sent right back to the sixteenth century, and modernity seems to have -been swept clean away. While the Grand Fleet was unable, these sailing -ships were carrying on the warfare for which they had never been -built. In the whole of the Royal Navy there were hardly any suitable -officers nowadays who possessed practical experience in handling -schooners. This was where the officer from the Mercantile Marine, the -amateur yachtsman, the coasting skipper, and the fisherman became so -invaluable. In these days of decaying seamanship, when steam and motors -are dominant, it is well to set these facts down lest we forget. The -last of the naval training brigs has long since gone, and few officers -or men, even in the Merchant Service, serve an apprenticeship under -sail. - -_Helgoland_ left Falmouth after dark, September 6, 1916, on her -first cruise as a man-of-war, and she had but a few hours to wait -before her first engagement took place. Commanded by Lieutenant A. D. -Blair, R.N.R., she was on her way to Milford, and at 1.30 p.m. on the -following day was only 10 miles south of the Lizard when she sighted -a submarine on the surface 3 points on the starboard quarter. There -was an alarm bell fitted up in _Helgoland_ which was rung only for -action stations, and, as it now sounded, each man crept stealthily to -his appointed place. Under the command of Lieutenant W. E. L. Sanders, -R.N.R., and following his example of perfect calmness, the guns’ crews -carried out their work without flurry or excitement. - -Within five minutes the enemy, from a distance of 2,000 yards, had -begun shelling the brigantine. The first shot fell 10 yards short, -but the second and third struck the foretopsail yard—how strange -it seems to use the time-honoured phrases of naval warfare for a -twentieth-century fight—one shell going right through the yard. It -happened that on this fine summer’s day there was no wind; so here was -the unlucky _Helgoland_ becalmed and unable to manœuvre so as to bring -her guns to bear as required. It seemed as if the enemy intended to lie -off and shell this perfect target with impunity, directing the fire -from ahead and astern, which was just the way the brigantine’s guns -would not bear. However, after the second shot from the submarine, the -_Helgoland’s_ guns would just bear, so Lieutenant Blair dropped his -screens and opened fire whilst still there was a chance. The fourth -round from the after gun seemed to hit the enemy, and she immediately -lurched and dived. Lieutenant Blair then sent two of his hands aloft -to look for periscopes, and in a few minutes one was sighted on the -starboard quarter 200 yards away and closing. Two rounds from each of -the starboard guns were therefore fired, one striking the water very -close to the periscope, which again disappeared. - -Nothing further happened until half an hour later, when a larger -submarine with sail set, about the size of a drifter’s mizzen, was -sighted right aft. As soon as this U-boat bore 3 points on the port -quarter, she also was attacked, and dived under cover of her smoke -screen. The afternoon passed, and at dusk (7 p.m.), when there was -still no wind, the sound of a submarine’s motors was heard as if -circling around the brigantine. An hour later _Helgoland_ bent her new -foretopsail, and just before 9.30 a submarine was seen right ahead, -so in the calm the Q-ship could not get her guns to bear. Half an -hour later, as there was still no wind, _Helgoland_ spoke an armed -trawler, who towed her back to Falmouth. Just as the two ships were -communicating, the enemy fired a couple of torpedoes which, thanks to -_Helgoland’s_ shallow draught, passed under her amidships. So ended the -brigantine’s first cruise. It was unfortunate that at long range she -had been compelled to open fire and disclose her identity, but that was -owing to the calm, and subsequently she was fitted with an auxiliary -motor. - - -[Illustration: FIG. 6.—DIAGRAM TO ILLUSTRATE APPROXIMATE MOVEMENTS OF -‘HELGOLAND’ AND SUBMARINE ON OCTOBER 24, 1916.] - -Her next fight was in much the same position, about 20 miles S.W. -of the Lizard. At 6.20 a.m. on October 24, 1916, _Helgoland_, now -commanded by Lieutenant G. G. Westmore, R.N.R., was on an E.S.E. -course, the wind being S.W., force 4, and there was a moderate sea. -About a mile off on the starboard bow was a large tramp steamer -steering a westerly course, and presently was seen a submarine -following astern of the tramp. Lieutenant Westmore at once sent his -crew to quarters, keeping all of them out of sight, with the exception -of the ratings who represented the watch that ordinarily would be seen -on the deck of such a coaster. In order to pass close to the German, -the brigantine hauled to the wind, and at 6.42 the submarine opened -fire on the steamer. As the enemy was now abeam, and only 1,000 yards -to windward of the _Helgoland_, Lieutenant Westmore determined that -this was the opportune moment. To wait longer would only have meant an -increase in the range; so down went the screens and fire was opened -with the starboard guns. The second and third shots seemed to strike -the enemy amidships, and she then dived, after firing only one round, -which passed well astern. Everything had worked well except that the -screen had jammed at the critical moment, but Lieutenant Sanders, -who was seeing that guns and crew were ready, soon cleared it. While -he was looking after his men, and Lieutenant Westmore was generally -looking after the ship, Skipper William Smith, R.N.R., was at the wheel -steering with marked coolness, and Skipper R. W. Hannaford, R.N.R., -was in charge of the sails, handling them and trimming the yards as -required. - -The first submarine was painted a dark colour, with a brown sail set -aft, so that at first she resembled one of our drifters. And now a -second U-boat, painted a light colour with no sail, was seen two -miles away heading for the tramp steamer. The latter happened to be -the Admiralty transport _Bagdale_, whose crew had by now abandoned -her, the ship’s boats being close to the submarine. _Helgoland_ went -about on the other tack and stood towards the enemy, so as to save the -_Bagdale_, and at 4,000 yards fired at the submarine. The latter was -not hit, dived, came to the surface and made off to the south-west, -not being seen after this. The brigantine stood by the abandoned -_Bagdale_, tacking ship at frequent intervals, so as to prevent the -submarine resuming her onslaught. Soon after nine two trawlers were -observed, and summoned by gunfire and rockets. They were sent to -pick up the crew and to tow the transport into Falmouth. Thus, if no -submarine had been sunk, this sailing ship had saved the steamer by -frightening away the enemy, and there were more engagements still to -follow. - -By this—October, 1916—the Q-ship service had increased to such an -extent that there were actually forty-seven decoy craft operating. -These comprised almost every kind of vessel, from motor drifters to -medium-sized steamers. Their success or failure depended partly on -captain and crew, but partly on luck. Some Q-ships, as we have seen, -never sighted a U-boat; others were in action as soon as they got out -of port. The advantage of these Q-sailing-ships was that they could -keep the sea independent of the shore for periods much longer than -the trawlers or tramps. Owing to their roomy decks, these coasters -were well suited for the erection of dummy deckhouses to conceal the -armament, and another advantage was that, not utilizing engines or a -propeller—except when used occasionally—there was no noise to prevent -constant listening on the hydrophones. There was always the chance that -during the dark hours, when the enemy on his hydrophones could not hear -the sailing ship approaching, the schooner or brigantine might suddenly -surprise and sink a submarine lying on the surface charging its -batteries. The result was that in the first week of November another -sailing craft was requisitioned. This was the three-masted barquentine -_Gaelic_, which was then lying at Swansea loaded with 300 tons of -coal. _Gaelic_, who was known officially afterwards also under the -names of _Gobo_, _Brig_ 11, and Q 22, was 126 feet 8 inches long and 21 -feet in the beam. She had been built of iron in 1898, was registered at -Beaumaris, and remained in service throughout the rest of the war. In -August, 1918, she was operating in the Bay of Biscay, and then returned -to Gibraltar. At the end of November she left ‘the Rock,’ reached -Falmouth by the middle of December, and then was towed to Milford to be -paid off, reconditioned, and returned to commercial work. But before -then, as we shall presently see, she was to carry out some first-class -work. - -There is no person more conservative than the seafaring man; the whole -history of the sailing ship shows this clearly enough, and it is -curious how one generation is much the same as another. It was Lord -Melville who, in the early years of the nineteenth century, stated -that it was the duty of the Admiralty to discourage, to the utmost of -their ability, the employment of steam vessels, as they considered -the introduction of steam was calculated to strike a fatal blow to -the naval supremacy of Great Britain. A hundred years later, although -the Q-sailing-ship had justified herself, yet there was a sort of -conservative prejudice against her development. ‘The small sailing -vessel,’ complained a distinguished admiral, ‘will develop into a -sailing line-of-battle ship with an electric-light party reefing -topsails and a seaplane hidden in the foretopmen’s washdeck locker, and -everybody seasick.’ - -Yes: there was much in common between this flag-officer and the noble -lord, in spite of the intervening century. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -THE ‘MARY B. MITCHELL’ - - -It was the activities and successes of the submarines in the western -end of the English Channel that had made these small Q-sailing-ships so -desirable. The first of these to be used in that area was the _Mary B. -Mitchell_. She was a three-masted topsail steel schooner owned by Lord -Penrhyn. Built at Carrickfergus in 1892 and registered at Beaumaris, -she was 129 feet in length, and of 210 tons gross. In the middle of -April, 1916, she happened to be lying in Falmouth with a cargo of china -clay, and it was decided to requisition her. The difficulty always was -to preserve secrecy during her fitting out, but in this case, luckily, -she had recently suffered some damage, and this afforded an excellent -excuse for paying off the mercantile crew. A new crew was selected for -her and was trained specially for the work while she was being got -ready for her special service. She was commissioned on May 5, and left -Falmouth for her first cruise on June 26, and then operated for a month -on end in the western approaches between Ushant, the Irish coast, and -Milford. - -Her captain was Lieutenant M. Armstrong, R.N.R., and she was known -officially as the _Mitchell_ and Q 9. During her cruising she sailed -also under three different neutral flags, as convenient. Armed with -three guns, her 12-pounder was hidden in a dummy collapsible house on -the poop, and under each of the two hatches was a 6-pounder mounted on -a swinging pedestal. There were also a couple of Lewis guns, some small -arms and Mills hand-grenades. In spite of the thoroughness with which -the guns were concealed, the collapsible arrangements had been made -so ingeniously that all guns could be brought into action under three -seconds. Before leaving Falmouth she was painted black with a yellow -streak and bore the name - - MARY Y. JOSE - VIGO - -on her hull, so as to look like a neutral. But until she had got clear -of Falmouth this inscription was covered over with a plate bearing her -real name. In order to be able to pick up signals at sea she was fitted -with a small wireless receiving set, the wire being easily disguised in -the rigging. Rolling about in the swell of the Atlantic or the chops -of the English Channel for four weeks at a time is apt to get on the -nerves of a crew unable to have a stretch ashore: so in order to keep -everyone on board fit and cheery, boxing-gloves and gymnastic apparatus -were provided. - - -[Illustration: - - [_Photo, Opie_ - -Q SAILING-SHIP “MITCHELL” - -Notice the after gun disclosed on the poop. - - To face p. 68] - -No one could deny that she was an efficient ship. During her first -cruise she used to carry out gun-trials at night; hatches sliding -smoothly off, guns swinging splendidly into position, and a broadside -fired as soon as the bell for action sounded. Until that bell was -pressed, none of the crew was allowed to be visible on deck other than -the normal watch. One of the difficulties in these ships was that the -decks might be damaged with the shock of firing, but in the _Mitchell_ -they had been so strengthened that not a seam was sprung nor so -much as a glass cracked. You may guess how perfect was her disguise -from the following incident. Pretending she was a Spaniard, she was -one day boarded at sea and examined by some of the Falmouth patrol -trawlers. These were completely deceived, for even though their crews -had watched her fitting out, yet she had painted herself a different -colour the night before leaving that port. Even in the Bay of Biscay -several British transports on sighting the ‘Spaniard’ altered course -and steamed away, evidently suspecting she was co-operating with a -submarine. - -She was back from her first cruise on July 25 just before midnight -and left again at midnight on August 3-4. This time she impersonated -the French three-masted schooner _Jeannette_, a vessel of 226 tons, -registered at La Houle, for _Mitchell_ now made a cruise in the -neighbourhood of the Channel Islands and the western channel. During -the next few months she continued to sail about the last-mentioned -area, in the Bristol Channel near Lundy Island, and in the Bay of -Biscay, sometimes as _Jeannette_, sometimes as the _Brine_, of St. -Malo, and sometimes as the Russian _Neptun_, of Riga. - -It was in January, 1917, that she had an experience which showed the -fine seamanship and sound judgment which were essential in the captain -of such a secret ship. His name was Lieutenant John Lawrie, R.N.R., a -man of strong personality, a real sailor, and possessed of valuable -initiative. On the evening of January 7, _Mitchell_ was off Berry Head, -just east of Dartmouth, when bad weather came on, and this developed -into a strong winter’s gale. There was every reason why a Q-ship -should not run into the nearest port for shelter, as her presence -would lead to awkward questions, whereas secrecy was the essence -of her existence. The gale blew its fiercest, and by the following -night _Mitchell_ was having an alarming time. Just after 9.30 p.m the -foremast and spars crashed over the side, carrying away her mainmast -too. She then lay-to under close-reefed mizzen. A jurymast was rigged -on the stump of the foremast, and the wind, having veered from W. -through N.W. to N.E., she was able to set a reefed stay-sail. It was -still blowing a strong gale, with what Lieutenant Lawrie described -as a ‘mountainous sea’ running, and she drifted before the gale in a -south-west direction towards Ushant. - -In this predicament it was time to get assistance if possible, and -about 9.15 on the morning of the 9th she signalled a large cargo -steamer, who endeavoured to take _Mitchell_ in tow, but eventually had -to signal that this was impossible, and continued steaming on her way -up Channel. The schooner was now about ten miles north of Ushant, an -anxious position for any navigator going to leeward, but Lieutenant -Lawrie considered she would drift clear. The north-east gale showed -no sign of easing up during that evening. Signals of distress were -made, a gun being fired every few minutes as well as rocket distress -signals, and flares were kept burning; but no answering signal came -from the shore. By this time the schooner was getting dangerously -near to Ushant, and it could not be long before she and her crew -would inevitably perish. However, she never struck, and at 9.30 p.m. -the Norwegian S.S. _Sardinia_ spoke her and stood by throughout the -terrible night until 7 a.m. of the 10th. Then ensued a nice piece -of seamanship when the steamer lowered into the sea a buoy with a -small line attached. This _Mitchell_ managed to pick up, and the -tow-line was made fast. _Sardinia_ then went ahead and towed her from -a position 10 miles west (True) of Creach Point until 11.15 a.m. when -near Les Pierres Light. Here a French torpedo-boat came towards them, -so Lieutenant Lawrie hoisted the Red Ensign; but having done that he -was clever enough also to show the White Ensign over the stern and in -such a manner that the Norwegian was unable to see it. The captain of -the French torpedo-boat at once understood, signalled to the Norwegian -to cast off and that the torpedo-boat would take the schooner in tow. -This was done at noon, and the _Sardinia_ was informed that the name of -the ship was the _Mary B. Mitchell_ of Beaumaris, Falmouth to Bristol -Channel with general cargo. It was a clever, ready answer on the part -of the British captain. The torpedo-boat took the schooner into Brest, -and at length, after being remasted and refitted she went back to carry -on her work as a Q-ship. I submit that throughout the whole of that -gale it was a fine achievement, not merely to have brought her through -in safety, but without revealing her identity as a warship. - -A different kind of adventure was now awaiting her. During June, 1917, -she cruised about first as the French _Marie Thérèse_, of Cette, then -as the French _Eider_, of St. Malo, her sphere of operation being, -as before, in the western end of the English Channel, the Bay of -Biscay, and near the Channel Islands. _Mitchell_ was now fitted with a -motor, but this was never used during daylight except when absolutely -necessary. It was on the twentieth of that month, at 11.30 a.m., that -she was in a position Lat. 47.13 N., Long. 7.23 W., when she sighted -the conning-tower of a submarine 3 miles away on the port bow. The -German began firing, so _Mitchell_ was run up into the wind, hove-to, -and ‘abandoned.’ By this time the enemy was on the starboard bow and -continued firing for some time after the schooner’s boat had left the -ship. Unsuspectingly the submarine came closer and closer, and more -and more on the beam. Then after a short delay he proceeded parallel -with the ship, and, altering course, made as if to go towards the -_Mitchell’s_ boat lying away on the port quarter. Suddenly he began -to fire again, and being now not more than 800 yards off and in a -suitable position, the schooner also opened fire, the first round from -the 12-pounder appearing to hit. Altogether seventeen rounds were -fired, seven seeming to be direct hits. The enemy did not reply, and -within three minutes of being hit disappeared. Fortunately none of his -score of rounds had struck the schooner, though they burst overhead in -unpleasant proximity. - -A further engagement with what was probably the same enemy occurred -later on the same day. It was a favourite tactic for a submarine to -follow a ship after disappearing for a while, and then, having got her -hours later in a suitable position, to attack her again. I used to hear -commanding officers say that they had certainly noticed this in regard -to their own ships, and there are not lacking actual records of these -methods, especially in the case of the slow-moving sailing Q-ships who -could be seen across the sea for a long time; and it was part of these -tactics to carry out this second attack just before night came on. Thus -at 6.10 p.m., being now in Lat. 47.37 N., Long. 6.38 W., _Mitchell_ -again sighted a submarine, this time 4 miles away on the port quarter. -The schooner kept her course, the submarine overtook her, and at 6.35 -again shelled the ship. After the U-boat had fired half a dozen rapid -rounds, _Mitchell_ was hove-to and ‘abandoned,’ the enemy taking up a -position well out on the port beam and firing until the boat was quite -clear of the ship. Then the German stopped, exactly on the beam, 800 -yards away, and waited for a long time before making any move. Suddenly -he turned end on, came full speed towards the ship, dived, and when 400 -yards away showed his periscope on the port side. Having got to within -50 yards he went full speed ahead, starboarded his helm, and began to -rise quickly. As soon as the top of the conning-tower appeared and a -couple of feet of hull were showing _Mitchell_ cleared away and shelled -him with the after 6-pounder. This seemed to pierce the conning-tower, -a large blue flash and a volume of yellow vapour coming from the hole. -Almost simultaneously the 12-pounder hit the enemy in the bows, but -after this the enemy was too far forward for the schooner’s guns to -bear. In a cloud of black smoke, yellow smoke, steam, and spray, she -dived and was not seen again until 8.7 p.m. on the surface 5 miles to -the westward, just as the ‘panic party’ were coming back on board the -schooner. All speed was made, and the boat towed astern on an easterly -course for the French coast. For a time the submarine followed, but -then went off to the north-eastward and remained in sight until dark. -The reader may wonder how a submarine, having once been holed, could -remain afloat: but there are cases of undoubted authenticity where, -in spite of being seriously injured, the submarine did get back to -Germany. A remarkable instance of one thus damaged by a Q-sailing-ship -will be given in a later chapter. But in the present case of the -_Mitchell_, even if she had not sunk her submarine, she had fought two -plucky engagements, in the opinion of the Admiralty, and the captain, -Lieutenant John Lawrie, R.N.R., already the possessor of a D.S.C., was -now awarded the D.S.O.—his two officers, Lieutenant John Kerr, R.N.R., -and Lieutenant T. Hughes, R.N.R., being given each a D.S.C. - -On the following August 3, when 20 miles south of the Start, _Mitchell_ -had yet another engagement. She had left Falmouth two days before as -the _Arius_, of Riga, then as the French _Cancalais_, of La Houle, -and cruised between the Lizard and the Owers, to Guernsey, and in the -neighbourhood of Ushant. At 1.45 p.m. she was sailing close-hauled on -the starboard tack, steering west; there was a fresh breeze, rather -a rough sea, and a slight haze. Three miles away on the starboard -beam appeared a submarine, who five minutes later began shelling the -schooner. Lawrie let his ship fall off the wind, and the shells came -bursting around, passing through sails and rigging, so after ten -minutes of this the schooner hove-to and ‘abandoned’ ship. Slowly and -cautiously the submarine approached, and when about 3,000 yards off -stopped his engines, but continued to fire. Then he came up on the -decoy’s starboard beam, about 1,000 yards away; but after fifteen -minutes of shelling from this position, Lawrie decided that he could -tempt the enemy no nearer. It was now 4 p.m., so _Mitchell_ started -her motor, cleared away all disguises, put the helm hard aport, and so -brought the enemy well on the beam, allowing all four guns to bear. -Over twenty shells were fired, of which three or four hit the base of -the conning-tower; but the submarine, having replied with four shots, -dived, and made off. For two hours and a quarter had this engagement -been prolonged, and the enemy must have been considerably annoyed to -have wasted seventy of his shells in this manner. There was every -reason to suppose that he had received injuries, and though there were -no fatalities aboard the schooner, yet the latter’s windlass, sails, -rigging, and deck fittings had been damaged, and two of her men had -been wounded. Lieutenant Lawrie received for this gallant fight a bar -to his D.S.C., and a similar award was made to Lieutenant T. Hughes. - -Such, briefly, was the kind of life that was spent month after month -in these mystery sailing ships. It was an extraordinary mixture of -monotony and the keenest excitement. From one hour to another no -man knew whether he would be alive or dead, and the one essential -thing consisted in absolute preparedness and mental alertness. To -be surprised by the enemy was almost criminal; to escape narrowly -from shipwreck, to remain unmoved under shell-fire, to see the spars -crashing down and your shipmates laid out in great pain, to be hit and -yet refusing to hit back until the right moment, to keep a clear head -and a watchful eye, and all the time handle your ship so that the most -was got out of the wind—all this was a part of your duty as a Q-ship -man. Officers and men believed that if their Q-ship were torpedoed and -any of them were captured, they would be shot as _francs-tireurs_. -German prisoners had not hesitated to make this statement, although I -do not remember an instance where this was carried out. - -There can be no doubt but that these sailing ships had the most -strenuous and arduous task of all. They suffered by being so useful, -for the Q-steamships, as a rule, did not spend more than eight days -at sea out of twelve, and then they had to come in for coal. The -schooners, as we have seen, could keep the sea for a month, so long -as they had sufficient water and provisions. Several more were added -to the list during 1917 and 1918, and there was never any lack of -volunteers for them. The only difficulty was, in these days of steam, -in choosing those who had had experience in sailing craft. The revival -of the sailing man-of-war was certainly one of the many remarkable -features in the naval campaign. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -MORE SAILING SHIPS - - -During the ensuing months many demands were made on the sailing-ship -man-of-war. There were pressed into the service such vessels as the -schooner _Result_, the 220-ton lugger _Bayard_, the three-masted -schooner _Prize_, the motor drifter _Betsy Jameson_, the ketch _Sarah -Colebrooke_, the auxiliary schooner _Glen_ (alias _Sidney_), the -brigantine _Dargle_, the _Brown Mouse_ yacht, built on the lines of a -Brixham trawler, and so on. The barquentine _Merops_, otherwise known -as _Maracaio_ and Q 28, began decoy work in February, 1917. She was -fitted out in the Firth of Forth with a couple of 12-pounders and -a 4-inch gun. At the end of May she had a severe engagement with a -submarine, and was considerably damaged aloft. In March the 158-ton -Rye motor ketch _Sarah Colebrooke_ was requisitioned, and sent to -Portsmouth to be fitted out, appearing in May as the _Bolham_. A -month later, 20 miles south of Beachy Head, she fought a submarine, -and had quite an unpleasant time. One of the enemy’s shells exploded -under the port quarter, lifting the ketch’s stern high out of the -water, another exploded under the port leeboard, sending a column of -water on board, and swamping the boat; whilst a third burst on board, -doing considerable damage. She fought the submarine until the latter -disappeared, but the _Bolham’s_ motor was by this time so choked with -splinters and glass that she could not proceed to the spot where the -submarine had last been seen, and of course it so happened that there -was no wind. - -On June 8 four fishing smacks were captured and sunk off the Start in -full view of the Q-smack _Prevalent_, a Brixham trawler armed with -a 12-pounder. Again it happened to be a calm, so _Prevalent_, being -too far away, was unable to render assistance. After this incident -it was decided to fit an auxiliary motor in the trawler-yacht _Brown -Mouse_, which was doing similar service and was specially suitable -for an engine. On the following day our friend _Helgoland_ had -another encounter, this time off the north coast of Ireland, the -exact spot being 8 miles N. by W. of Tory Island. The fight began at -7.25 a.m., and half an hour later the submarine obtained a direct hit -on the after-gun house of the brigantine, killing one man, wounding -four ratings, and stunning the whole of the after-guns’ crews. But -_Helgoland_, with her charmed life, was not sunk, and she shelled the -submarine so fiercely that the U-boat had to dive and disappear. - -Even a private yacht was taken up for this work in June. This was the -116-ton topsail schooner _Lisette_, which had formerly belonged to -the Duke of Sutherland. She had been built as far back as 1873 with a -standing bowsprit and jibboom. She was taken from Cowes to Falmouth, -where she was commissioned in August, and armed with three 6-pounders. -But this old yacht was found to leak so much through her seams, and -her construction was so light, that she was never a success, and -was paid off in the following spring. In April, 1917, the auxiliary -schooner _Sidney_ (alias _Glen_) began service as a decoy, having been -requisitioned from her owners and fitted out at Portsmouth. A crew was -selected from the Trawler Reserve, but the guns’ crews were naval. -Armed with a 12-pounder and a 3-pounder, she was fitted with wireless, -and cruised about in the English Channel, her complement consisting -of Lieutenant R. J. Turnbull (R.N.R.), in command, one sub-lieutenant -(R.N.R.), one skipper (R.N.R.), two R.N.R. seamen, one R.N.R. stoker to -run the motor, a signal rating, a wireless operator, four R.N. ratings -for the big gun, and three for the smaller one. During the afternoon of -July 10, 1917, _Glen_ was in combat with a submarine of the UC type, -and had lowered her boat in the customary manner. A German officer from -the conning-tower hailed the boat, and in good English ordered her to -come alongside. This was being obeyed, when something seemed to startle -the officer, who suddenly disappeared into the conning-tower, and the -submarine began to dive. _Glen_ therefore opened fire, and distinctly -saw two holes abaft the conning-tower as the UC-boat rolled in the -swell. She was not seen again, and the Admiralty rewarded _Glen’s_ -captain and Sub-Lieutenant K. Morris, R.N.R., with a D.S.C. each. - -During the month of January, 1917, the naval base at Lowestoft called -for volunteers for work described as ‘dangerous, at times rather -monotonous, and not free from discomfort.’ Everyone, of course, knew -that this meant life in a Q-ship. The vessel selected was the 122-ton -three-masted topsail schooner _Result_, which was owned at Barnstaple, -and had in December come round to Lowestoft from the Bristol Channel. -Here she was fitted out and commissioned at the beginning of February, -being armed with a couple of 12-pounders, but also with torpedo-tubes. -As a sailing craft she was slow, unhandy, and practically unmanageable -in light winds. At the best she would lie no nearer to the wind than -5-1/2 points, and in bad weather she was like a half-tide rock. True, -she had a Bolinders motor, but the best speed they could thus get out -of her was 2-1/2 knots. The result was that her officers had great -difficulty in keeping her out of the East Coast minefields, and did -not always succeed. She took in 100 tons of sand as ballast, and a -rough cabin was fashioned out of the hold for the two officers. In -command was appointed Lieutenant P. J. Mack, R.N. (retired), a young -officer who had seen service at the Dardanelles in the battleship -_Lord Nelson_ and in the historic _River Clyde_, whence he had been -invalided home. As he was not an expert in the art of sailing, there -was selected to accompany him as second in command Lieutenant G. -H. P. Muhlhauser, R.N.R., who was not a professional seaman, but a -keen amateur yachtsman of considerable experience, who had made some -excellent cruises in his small yacht across the North Sea and had -passed the Board of Trade examination as master of his own yacht. The -sailing master who volunteered was an ex-schooner sailor, and her mate -also was an old blue-water seaman. The motor man was a motor mechanic -out of one of the Lowestoft M.L.’s, and there was a trimmer from the -Trawler Reserve. She carried also a wireless operator, a cook, a -chief petty officer, deckhands, and some Royal Naval ratings for the -armament. All the crew, consisting of twenty-two, had seen considerable -service during the war in various craft, and one of the deckhands -was in the drifter _Linsdell_, which was blown up on an East Coast -minefield at the commencement of the war. He had been then picked up -by H.M.S. _Speedy_, who in turn was immediately blown up. This man -survived again, and was now a volunteer in a Q-ship. _Result’s_ crew -were trained to go to their ‘panic stations’ at the given signal, when -the bulwarks were let down and the tarpaulins removed from the guns, -the engineer on those occasions standing at the hatchway amusingly -disguised as a woman passenger, arrayed in a pink blouse and a -tasselled cap which had been kindly provided by a lady ashore. - -On February 9 _Result_ was all ready as a warship, and motored out -of Lowestoft. She then disguised herself as a neutral, affixed Dutch -colours to her topsides, and proceeded via Yarmouth Roads to the -neighbourhood of the North Hinder, the other side of the North Sea, -where the enemy was very fond of operating. On the fifteenth of the -following month _Result_ was cruising off the south-west end of the -Dogger Bank when she encountered UC 45 in the morning. Lieutenant -Muhlhauser, who was kind enough to give me his account of the incident, -has described it with such vividness that I cannot do better than -present the version in his own words. It should be added that at the -time _Result_ was steering E.S.E., and was now in the position Lat. -54.19 N., Long. 1.45 E. The submarine was sighted 2-1/2 miles astern, -the wind was northerly, force 5 to 6, the sea being 4 to 5 and rapidly -rising. In other words, it was a nasty, cold North Sea day, and one in -which it would have been most unpleasant to have been torpedoed. The -engagement was a difficult one, as the ship had to be manœuvred so that -her guns would bear, and careful seamanship had to be used to prevent -her lying in the trough of the sea. As it was, with bulwarks down, the -decks and gun-wells were awash and frequently full of water, while the -submarine, being only occasionally visible when _Result_ was on the top -of the sea, made a target that was anything but easy. - -‘By 7 a.m.,’ says Lieutenant Muhlhauser, ‘we had got all the topsails -off her, and at this moment the C.O. appeared on deck and, looking -aft, said, “Why, there is a submarine!” and at the same moment it was -reported from aloft. Word was passed to the watches below to stand by. -In a few minutes came the report of a gun. I do not know where the -shell went. The men ran to their stations, or crawled there according -to what their job was, and the ship was brought on the wind. The -submarine continued firing at the rate of a shell every minute or -thereabouts. The C.O. then ordered the jibs to be run down, and while -this was being done a shell stranded the foretopmast forestay, but -luckily did not burst. It went off whistling. Some of the shells were -fairly well aimed, but the bulk were either 50 or 60 yards short or -over, and at times more than that. As the submarine kept about 2,000 -yards off, the C.O. ordered the boat away, with the skipper in charge. -Four hands went with him. He was reluctant to go, I think, though, as -a matter of fact, he ran quite as much risk as did those remaining -on board, if not more, as he would have been in an awkward position -if by any chance the ship worked away from him and the submarine got -him. It would have been a hard job to persuade the submariners that -he was anything but British. However, off he went in a nasty sea. -In lowering the boat we made efforts to capsize her, but she was -difficult to upset, and as the sub. was some way off and unlikely to -see the “accident,” we did not waste much time on it, but let her go -down right side up. Away went the skipper and his crew, and he admits -feeling lonely with a hostile submarine near by and the ship and her -guns working away from him. He says he was struck with the beauty of -her lines, and she never appeared more attractive to him. As a matter -of fact, his was a rotten position, which was not improved by the sub. -firing at him two or three shells, which went over and short. Evidently -the submarine, which by the way had closed to 1,000 yards as soon as -the boat left the ship, wanted him to pull towards it, instead of which -he was digging out after us manfully. Meanwhile the ship appeared quite -deserted. Everyone was concealed. The C.O. prowled around the deck on -his hands and knees, peering through cracks and rivet holes in the -bulwarks to see how the submarine was getting on. All I could see of -him was the stern position of his body and the soles of an enormous -pair of clogs. I sat on deck at the wheel, trying to get and keep the -ship in the wind, so as not to get too far from the boat. All this -time the submarine was firing steadily, and one shell went through the -mizzen, while others, as the C.O. reported from time to time, burst -short, some of them close. Splinters from the latter went through the -stay- and fore-sails. At 1,000 yards the ship is a fairly big target, -and the shooting of the Huns must be put down as bad. - -‘It is all very well serving as a target at 1,000 yards, but it is an -experience which must not be too long continued in case a lucky shot -disables one. In the present case, moreover, the wind and sea were -rapidly increasing, and we were leaving the boat in spite of all our -efforts to stop. The submarine seemed quite determined not to come any -nearer, and the C.O. decided that the moment had come for our side to -begin. Just before this one of the bulwarks, luckily on the side away -from the sub., had fallen down, and let a deluge of water on to the -decks, but this did not affect things as far as we know. - -‘At the word, down fell the bulwarks, round came the guns, and up -went the White Ensign. Only the after 12-pounder gun would bear. The -first shell struck the submarine at the junction of the conning-tower -and deck forward. The 6-pounder also fired one shell, and hit the -conning-tower. The second shell from the big gun burst short. By the -time the smoke had cleared away the submarine had disappeared. Had we -sunk her or had she dipped? This is the point which is exercising our -minds. The C.O. thinks the evidence of sinking her is not conclusive, -but most of us think she has gone down for ever. - -‘We then made for the boat, which was still labouring after us, and got -it hooked on and hoisted. There was quite a decent-sized sea, and the -hoisting process was not very pleasant for those left in to hook on, -not to mention that they got wet from the exhaust. - -‘At the time the sub. was firing, one of the officers or crew was -standing on the conning-tower rails, probably spotting for the -gunners. He was there when the first shell struck, but was not noticed -afterwards. Very likely he had fallen into the tower, but he may have -fallen into the water. - -‘We certainly gave them a lesson in gunnery, two hits out of three -shots. Compare that with their performance. Moreover, our guns had to -be swung into position, while theirs was already pointed. - -‘Having picked up the boat, we made for the spot where the sub. had -disappeared, but could not be sure that we had reached it. Anyway, we -saw no traces of it. We did not spend much time in searching, but put -the ship back on her course. The wind and sea were by this time strong -and heavy, and after running out for half an hour we turned and headed -west, with the idea of being near shelter if a north-east gale, which -I had predicted, came along. As a matter of fact it did not, and my -reputation as a weather-prophet is tarnished. Our alteration of course -was made solely from weather conditions, but it must have seemed very -suspicious to a second submarine which now arrived on the scene, and -which had probably been chasing us without our knowing it. Instead of -it chasing us, it suddenly found us coming to meet it, and must have -been puzzled. By way of clearing the air it fired a torpedo from a -distance of about 2,000 yards, and missed us by about 200 yards—a bad -effort. It then fired three shells at us, which also went wide. There -is no doubt that this was another, and smaller, submarine from the -first, but we did not grasp this at first, and so without more ado we -let drive at it, but unluckily the gun missed fire twice. Fleet then -opened the breech, at some risk to himself, and drew out the cartridge -and threw it away. But this wasted time, and when he did fire the shell -went short. The submarine had taken advantage of the pause to get ready -to dive, and did not wait for another shot, but went under as soon as -we fired. - -‘It was no use waiting about, as we should very likely have been -torpedoed, so we went on towards the land. - -‘And so ended what the skipper calls the “Battle of the Silver Pit,” -from the name of the fishing ground where it took place. As far as -it went it was satisfactory, but we should like to be sure that we -sank the first. The two engagements took about two hours. Possibly by -waiting we might have done better, but, on the other hand, we might -have done worse.’ - -It was eventually known that the first submarine was UC 45, who paid -the _Result_ the compliment of describing this ship’s gunfire as -well-controlled. She got back safely to Germany. For the manner in -which the fighting had been conducted, Lieutenant Mack and the skipper -were both mentioned in despatches. - -After the return to Lowestoft, _Result_ was altered in appearance and -was sent off to the area where this encounter had taken place. This -time she used Swedish colours, and called herself the _Dag_. On this -voyage, whilst in the vicinity north of the North Hinder Bank, on April -4, about 4 a.m., a submarine was seen on the port bow, but disappeared. -It was so big that at first it resembled a steamer or destroyer. -Presently a periscope was seen about 4 points on the bow, resembling -a topmast, as it had a rake. The lower portion was about 6 inches in -diameter, and a narrower stem protruded from this, terminating in a -ball, and whilst officers and crew watched it, wondering whether it was -the mast of a wreck or not, it slowly dipped and vanished. This was -the submarine in the act of taking a photograph. She then retired to a -distance convenient for shelling. There was a light westerly breeze, -and the enemy now bobbed up at intervals all round the _Dag_, examining -her very carefully. Lieutenant Muhlhauser writes of this incident: - -‘Then followed a pause of nearly half an hour without our seeing -anything of him. The cook was sent to the galley to get on with -breakfast and we started the engine. It is hardly necessary to say that -as it was particularly wanted it ran very badly, and, indeed, could -hardly be kept going at all. Suddenly a shell burst near us, followed -by another and another. We could not at first tell the direction from -which they came, and thought it was from astern, but found that the -submarine had cunningly moved away towards the sun, and had emerged in -the mist behind the path of the sun, where he was practically invisible -from our ship, while we were lit up and must have offered a splendid -target with our white hull and sails. His shooting was very good, -and none of the shells missed us by much. He fired rapidly, and was -probably using a 4·1-inch semi-automatic gun. The shells all burst on -striking the water, and the explosions had a vicious sound. They seemed -to come at a terrific speed, suggesting a high-velocity gun. The C.O. -calmly walked the deck, the skipper took the wheel, and I sat at the -top of the cabin hatchway and noted the times and numbers of shells -fired and anything else of interest. The rest of the crew were at their -stations, but keeping below the bulwarks, except those who launched the -boat and let it tow astern. The eleventh shell struck us just above -the water-line, and soused us all with spray which flew up above the -peak of the mainsail. It tore a hole in the side and burst in the sand -ballast, reducing the skipper’s cabin to matchwood, and destroying the -wireless instrument. It also knocked down the sides of the magazine and -set fire to the wood, starting some of the rockets smouldering. It also -smashed up the patent fire extinguishers, and possibly the fumes from -these prevented the fire from spreading. Anyway, it was out when we -had time to see what was happening. - -‘In the meantime we could not afford to be hit again, and the C.O. -gave the word to open fire. Down went the bulwarks and round swung the -guns, but where was the target? Hidden in the mist behind the sun’s -path it was invisible to the gun-layers looking through telescopes, -and they were obliged to fire into the gloom at a venture. The poor -little 6-pounder was quite outranged, and it is doubtful if the shells -went more than two-thirds of the way. The other guns had sufficient -range, but it was impossible to judge the distance or observe the fall -of the shots. However, they made a glorious and cheering noise, and -Fritz dived as soon as he could. There is not the least reason for -thinking that we hit him. The skipper, deceived by the low freeboard -revealed when the bulwarks were down, at this stage quickly announced -the conviction that she was sinking. Smoke was also pouring out of the -hatches, and we had two wounded men to see to: Ryder, who was in the -magazine and who was hit in the arm, sustaining a compound fracture, -and Morris, also in the magazine, bruised in the back and suffering -from shock. We were not, therefore, in a position to continue the -battle, and things looked a bit blue. Fritz might be expected to be -along in a few minutes submerged, and he would have little difficulty -in torpedoing us, as we were very nearly a stationary target. We had -no means of warding him off except by a depth charge. That might -inconvenience him, but it would hardly delay him long, and he could -then either torpedo us or retire out of range of our guns and pound us -to pieces, as his gun had a range of about 5,000 yards more than ours. -Sure enough he was soon after us, as we crawled along at our 4-knot -gait, and raised his periscope right astern about 200 yards off. - -‘We then slung over a depth charge, and had just got our 10-feet -clearance when it went off, and made quite a creditable stir for a -little ‘un. Fritz promptly disappeared to think things over, and we -were relieved of the sight of the sinister-looking periscope. But we -had only delayed things a little. He would soon recover and adopt fresh -tactics. Still, for ten minutes we should have peace to attend to our -wounded and the damage. The C.O. supervised the bandaging of Ryder, who -had been lying on deck since he had been drawn out of the magazine. -I had passed him—passed over him, in fact—once or twice in going -forward, and thought he was dead, as he lay so still. Then the hole -in the side wanted attention, and also the fire below. Just then the -look-outs reported the _Halcyon_[2] and two P-boats ahead coming our -way. We were extremely glad to hear them shout out, as it meant all the -difference between being sunk and not being sunk. When the skipper had -called out “She is sinking, sir,” I thought of the number our little -boat would hold, and the number of the crew, and had reflected that -my number was up. The arrival of the _Halcyon_ and her attendants put -a different complexion on things, and while efforts were being made -by guns to attract their attention, I set about plugging our hole and -trying to find the fire. - -‘Stringer warned me that he had tried to get below, but had found the -fumes too much. By the time I got there they must have cleared, as I -did not find them too bad. The place was full of smoke, but though -I pulled things about blindly, as it was impossible to see anything, -I could not see any glow to indicate a fire. Ultimately I did see a -light, but on making for it I found it was Dawes and an electric light. -He had entered from the mess-deck. There appearing to be no immediate -danger from fire, I crawled round to the shot-hole and found water -coming in through rivet holes. The main hole had been plugged from the -outside by two coal-bags and a shot-hole plug. I got tools and cut up -some wood, while Wreford cut up a coal-bag into 6-inch squares. These -Dawes and I hammered home, and made her fairly tight. - -‘Meanwhile great efforts were being made to communicate with the -_Halcyon_, to let them know that a submarine was about, and to ask for -a doctor. We could not get the _Halcyon_, but one of the P-boats came -rushing by at full speed, and asked where we were from! They had not -recognized us! We could get nothing out of these ships. They rushed -about the horizon at full speed and disappeared into the mist and came -out of it again somewhere else, but generally kept away from us, though -occasionally a P-boat tore past going “all out.” - -‘While this circus was going on, a number of T.B.D.’s were reported on -our starboard quarter, and three light cruisers and then T.B.D.’s swept -into sight and seemed to fill the whole horizon. They went on, ignoring -our request for a doctor, and disappeared in the mist, but their place -was taken by other T.B.D.’s. The place seemed full of them. Where they -all came from I do not know, or what they were doing, but everywhere -one looked one could see some of these beautiful vessels rushing along. -It was a fine, stirring sight. Finally we got one of them to stop and -lower a whaler with a doctor. While she was stopped her companion ships -steamed round to ward off attack. The doctor came on board, and decided -that Ryder ought to go in at once, and the T.B.D. _Torrent_ agreed to -take him in when asked by signal. So away went poor Ryder in great -pain, I fear, in spite of two morphia pills which we gave him. The C.O. -was afraid that we had given him too much, but one did not seem to do -him much good, so we gave him another one. - -‘While we were transshipping him, the _Halcyon_ came tearing past, and -shouted that there was a hostile submarine 3 miles to the southward. -This, however, did not worry us with all these T.B.D.’s around. We were -in a scene of tremendous, even feverish, activity. There were sweepers, -T.B.D.’s, P-boats, and our own submarines all about. At 6 a.m. the -world held us and a very nasty, large, hostile submarine, which could -both outrange and outmanœuvre us, and the game seemed up. At 6.30 a.m. -we were as safe as one could wish to be, with a considerable portion of -England’s light forces around us. “Some change!”’ - - -[Footnote 2: H.M.S. _Halcyon_, torpedo-gunboat, 1,070 tons.] - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -SUBMARINES AND Q-SHIP TACTICS - - -In order properly to appreciate the difficulties of the Q-ships, -it is necessary to understand something of the possibilities and -limitations of the U-boats. No one could hope to be successful with -his Q-ship unless he realized what the submarine could not do, and how -he could attack the U-boat in her weakest feature. If the submarine’s -greatest capability lay in the power of rendering herself invisible, -her greatest weakness consisted in remaining thus submerged for a -comparatively short time. On the surface she could do about 16 knots; -submerged, her best speed was about 10 knots. As the heart is the vital -portion of the human anatomy, so the battery was the vital part of the -submarine’s invisibility. At the end of a couple of hours, at the most, -it was as essential for her to rise to the surface, open her hatches, -and charge her batteries as it is for a whale or a porpoise to come up -and breathe. It was the aim, then, of all anti-submarine craft to use -every endeavour to keep the U-boat submerged as long as possible. Those -Q-ships who could steam at 10 knots and over had a good chance then of -following the submarine’s submerged wake and despatching her with depth -charges. If she elected not to dive, there was nothing for it but to -tempt her within range and bearing of your guns and then shell her. To -ram was an almost impossible task, though more than one submarine was -in this way destroyed. - -The difficulty of anti-submarine warfare was increased when the enemy -became so wary that he preferred to remain shelling the ship at long -range, and this led to our Q-ships having to be armed with at least one -4-inch against his 4·1-inch gun. The famous Arnauld de la Périère, who, -in spite of his semi-French ancestry, was the ablest German submarine -captain in the Mediterranean, was especially devoted to this form of -tactics. Most of the German submarines were double-hulled, the space -between the outer and inner hulls being occupied by water ballast and -oil fuel. The conning-tower was literally a superstructure imposed over -the hull, and not an essential part of the ship. That is why, as we -have already seen, the Q-ship could shell holes into the tower and yet -the U-boat was not destroyed. Similarly, a shell would often pierce the -outer hull and do no very serious damage other than causing a certain -amount of oil to escape. Only those who have been in British and German -submarines, and have seen a submarine under construction, realize what -a strong craft she actually is. - -The ideal submarine would weigh about the same amount as the water -surrounding her. That being a practical impossibility, before she -submerges she is trimmed down by means of water ballast, but then -starts her engines and uses her planes for descent in the same way -as an aeroplane. The flooding tanks, as we have seen, are between -the two hulls, and the hydroplanes are in pairs both forward and -aft. The U-boat has been running on the surface propelled by her -internal-combustion motors. Obviously these cannot be used when she -is submerged, or the air in the ship would speedily be used up. -When about to submerge, the German captain trimmed his ship until -just afloat; actually he frequently cruised in this trim when in the -presence of shipping, ready to dive if attacked. The alarm was then -pressed, the engineer pulled out the clutch, the coxswain controlling -the forward hydroplane put his helm down, the captain entered the -conning-tower, the hatch was closed, and away the steel fish cruised -about beneath the surface. - -The U-boat was now running on her electric batteries. By means of two -periscopes a view was obtained not merely of the sea above, but also -of the sky, so that surface craft and aircraft might be visible. The -order would be given to submerge to say 10 metres. Alongside each of -the two coxswains was a huge dial marked in metres, and it was the -sole duty of these two men to watch the dials, and by operating a big -wheel controlling each hydroplane maintain the submarine at such a -depth. Horizontal steering was done also by a wheel, and course kept -by means of a gyroscope compass, a magnetic compass in this steel ship -with so much electricity about being out of the question. The batteries -were charged while the submarine was on the surface by turning the oil -engines into a dynamo by means of the clutch, the hour before dawn and -the hour after sunset being favourable times for so charging. - -The reader will have noted the preliminary methods of attack on the -part of the submarine and his manner of varying his position. He -divided his attack into two. The first was the approach, the second -was the attack proper. The former was made at a distance of 12,000 -yards, and during this time he was using his high-power, long-range -periscope, manœuvring into position, and ascertaining the course and -speed of the on-coming Q-ship. The attack proper was made at 800 or -400 yards, and for this purpose the short-range periscope was used. -Now watch the U-boat in his attempt to kill. He is to rely this time -not on long-range shelling, but on the knock-out blow by means of his -torpedo: he has endeavoured, therefore, to get about four points on -the Q-ship’s bow, for this is the very best position, and he has dived -to about 60 feet. During the approach his torpedo-tubes have been got -ready, the safety-pins have been removed, and the bow caps of the tubes -opened. The captain has already ascertained the enemy’s speed and the -deflection or angle at which the torpedo-tube must point ahead of the -Q-ship at the moment of firing. When the enemy bears the correct number -of degrees of deflection the tube is fired, the periscope lowered, -speed increased, and, if the torpedo has hit the Q-ship, the concussion -will be felt in the submarine. This depends entirely on whether the -Q-ship’s speed and course have been accurately ascertained. The torpedo -has travelled at a speed of 36 knots, so, knowing the distance to be -run, the captain has only to look at his stop-watch and reckon the -time when his torpedo should have hit. If the German was successful -he usually hoisted his periscope and cruised under the stern of the -ship to obtain her name. If he were an experienced officer he never -came near her, after torpedoing, unless he was quite certain she was -abandoned and that she was not a trap. During 1917 and onwards, having -sunk the Q-ship, the submarine would endeavour to take the captain -prisoner, and one Q-ship captain, whose ship sank underneath him, found -himself swimming about and heard the U-boat’s officer shouting to the -survivors, ‘Vere is der kapitan?’ but the men had the good sense -to lie and pretend their skipper was dead. After this the submarine -shoved off, and my friend took refuge with others in a small raft. -But frequently a submarine would wait a considerable time cruising -round the sinking ship, scrutinizing her, examining the fittings, and -expecting to find badly hinged bulwarks, a carelessly fitted wireless -aerial, a suspicious move of a ‘deckhouse’ or piece of tarpaulin hiding -the gun. This was the suspense which tried the nerves of most Q-ship -crews, especially when it was followed by shelling. - -We have seen that the U-boat sought to disguise herself by putting -up a sail when in the vicinity of fishing craft or patrol vessels. -The submarine which torpedoed one ship disguised her periscope by -a soap box, so that it was not realized till too late that this -innocent-looking box was floating _against_ the tide. At the best the -submarine was an unhandy craft, and it took her from three to six -minutes to make a big alteration of course, inasmuch as she had to -dive deeper lest she should break surface or disturb the surface of -the water. Again, when running submerged, if she wished to turn 16 -points—_e.g._, from north to south—the pressure on her hull made it -very difficult. - -It may definitely be stated that those who went to their doom in -U-boats had no pleasant death. When the Q-ship caused the enemy to be -holed so that he could not rise and the water poured in, this water, -as it moved forward in the submarine, was all the time compressing -the air, and those of the crew who had not already committed suicide -suffered agonies. Moreover, even if a little of the sea got into -the bilges where the batteries were placed there was trouble also. -Sea-water in contact with the sulphuric acid generated chlorine, a very -deadly gas, which asphyxiated the crew. There is at least one case on -record of a U-boat surrendering to a patrol boat in consequence of -his crew having become incapacitated by this gas; and on pulling up -the floorboards of a British submarine, one has noticed the chlorine -smell very distinctly. The dropping by the decoy ship of depth charges -sometimes totally destroyed the submarine, but even if this was not -accomplished straight away, it had frequently a most salutary effect: -for, at the least, it would start some of the U-boat’s rivets, smash -all the electric bulbs in the ship, and put her in total darkness. The -nasty jar which this and the explosion gave to the submarine’s crew -had a great moral effect. A month’s cruise in a submarine in wintry -Atlantic weather, hunted and chased most of the way from Heligoland -to the Fastnet and back, is calculated to try any human nerves: but -to be depth-charged periodically, or surprised and shelled by an -innocent-looking tramp or schooner, does not improve the enthusiasm of -the men. Frequently it happened that the decoy ship’s depth charges -merely put the hydroplanes out of gear so that they jammed badly. -The U-boat would then make a crash-dive towards the bottom. At 100 -feet matters became serious, at 200 feet they became desperate; and -presently, owing to pressure, the hull would start buckling and -leaking. Then, by sheer physical strength, the hydroplanes had to be -coaxed hard over, and then up would come the U-boat to the surface, -revealing herself, and an easy prey for the Q-ship’s guns, who would -finish her off in a few fierce minutes. Life in a U-boat was no picnic, -but death was the worst form of torture, and such as could be conveyed -to the imagination only by means of a Théâtre Guignol play. - -It was the obvious duty of the Q-ships to make the life of a U-boat as -nearly as possible unbearable, and thus save the lives of our ships -and men of the Mercantile Marine. It was no easy task, and even with -perfect organization, well-thought-out tactics, and well-trained crews, -it would happen that something would rob the decoy of her victory. -On October 20, 1916, for instance, the Q-ship _Salvia_, one of the -sloop-class partially reconstructed with a false counter-stern to -resemble a 1,000-ton tramp, was off the west coast of Ireland when a -submarine appeared astern, immediately opened fire, and began to chase. -_Salvia_ stopped her engines to allow the enemy to close more rapidly, -but the U-boat, observing this, hauled out on to the Salvia’s starboard -quarter, and kept up her firing without shortening the range of 2,000 -yards. _Salvia_ next endeavoured to close the range by going slow ahead -and altering slightly towards the enemy, but the latter’s fire was -now becoming so accurate that _Salvia_ was soon hit on the starboard -side by a 4·1-inch high-explosive shell. This burst through in nine -places in the engine-room bulkhead, smashing an auxiliary steam-pipe -and causing a large escape of steam. The engines were now put full -ahead, and course was made for the enemy, who sheered away and shortly -afterwards dived. - -[Illustration: FIG. 7.—DIAGRAM TO ILLUSTRATE APPROXIMATE MOVEMENTS OF -‘SALVIA’ IN HER ACTION WITH SUBMARINE ON OCTOBER 20, 1916.] - -That being so, _Salvia_ deemed it prudent to pretend to run away, but -in the middle of the evolution her steering gear unfortunately broke -down, and before control was established again with hand-steering -gear, the ship had swung 90 degrees past her course, and the submarine -reappeared on the port beam about 1,500 yards away, but presently -disappeared. The breakdown had been most unfortunate, for otherwise -a short, sharp action at about 700 yards would have been possible, -followed by an excellent chance of dropping a depth charge very close -to the enemy. In that misty weather, with a rough sea and a fairly -strong breeze, it had been difficult to see any part of the U-boat’s -hull, for she had trimmed herself so as to have little buoyancy, and -only her conning-tower could be discerned. Below, in the Q-ship, the -engine-room staff found themselves up against difficulties; for it was -an awkward job repairing the leaking steam-pipe, as the cylinder tops -and the engine-room were full of live steam and lyddite fumes. The -chief artificer and a leading stoker were overcome by the fumes, but -the job was tackled so that steam could be kept up in the boilers. - -A few months later _Salvia_ (alias Q 15) ended her career. Just before -seven o’clock on the morning of June 20, 1917, when in Lat. 52.15 -N., Long. 16.18 W.—that is to say, well out in the Atlantic—she -was struck on the starboard side abreast the break of the poop by a -submarine’s torpedo. Troubles did not come singly, for this caused -the depth charge aft to explode by concussion, completely wrecking -the poop, blowing the 4-inch gun overboard, and putting the engines -totally out of action. Here was a nice predicament miles from the Irish -coast. At 7.15 a.m., as the after part of the ship was breaking up, -her captain sent away in the boats all the ship’s company except the -crews of the remaining guns and others required in case the ship should -be saved. The submarine now began to shell _Salvia_ heavily from long -range, taking care to keep directly astern. The shells fell close to -the boats, so these were rowed farther to the eastward. A shell then -struck the wheelhouse and started a fire, which spread rapidly to the -upper bridge. It was now time for the remainder of the crew to leave -in Carley rafts, and temporarily the submarine ceased fire; but when -one boat started to go back to the ship the enemy at once reopened his -attack. He then closed the rafts and took prisoner _Salvia’s_ captain, -who arrived safely in Germany, and was released at the end of the -war. At 9.15 a.m. the ship sank, and ten minutes later the submarine -disappeared. Thus _Salvia’s_ people were suddenly bereft of ship and -skipper, with the broad Atlantic to row about in, boisterous weather, -and a heavy sea. The boat which had endeavoured to return to the ship -then proceeded to search for the men in the Carley rafts, but could see -nothing of them. After about an hour this boat sighted what looked like -a tramp steamer, so hoisted sail and ran down to meet her. At 11.20 -a.m. this steamer picked them up: she happened to be another disguised -sloop, the Q-ship _Aubrietia_, commanded by Admiral Marx, a gallant -admiral who had come back to sea from his retirement, and as Captain, -R.N.R., was now taking a hand in the great adventure. Search was then -made, and within two hours the men in the rafts were picked up, and -a little later the other three boat-loads were located: but five men -had been killed, three by the first explosion in _Salvia_ and two by -shell-fire. It had been a sad, difficult day. - -In the Mediterranean the enemy was showing an increased caution against -likely decoys, and by the beginning of December, 1916, had already -sunk a couple of Q-ships. The Q-ship _Saros_ (Lieut.-Commander R. C. -C. Smart) was operating in this sea, and had an engagement on October -30, thirteen miles from Cape San Sebastian. The engine-room was ordered -to make smoke, as though the stokers were endeavouring to get the -utmost speed out of the ship: at the same time the engines were rung -down to ‘slow.’ But the enemy realized the ruse and slowed down, too. -Lieut.-Commander Smart endeavoured to make the enemy think a panic -had seized the ship. So the firemen off watch were sent below to put -on lifebelts and then to man the boats. Stewards ran about, placing -stores and blankets in the boats, but the enemy insisted on shelling, -so _Saros_ had to do the same, whereupon the submarine’s guns’ crews -made a bolt for the inside of the U-boat, and then made off. As soon -as she had got out of sight, _Saros_ changed her disguise, taking the -two white bands off the funnel, hoisting Spanish colours, and altering -course for the Spanish coast. - -[Illustration: FIG. 8.—DIAGRAM TO ILLUSTRATE APPROXIMATE MOVEMENTS OF -‘SAROS’ IN HER ACTION WITH SUBMARINE ON NOVEMBER 3, 1916.] - -Three days later _Saros_ was returning to the Gibraltar-Malta shipping -track, heading for the Cani Rocks, after carrying out firing exercises. -At half-past four in the afternoon, the officer of the watch heard a -shot, and saw a submarine 7,000 yards off on the starboard beam. She -was not trimmed for diving, and was apparently trimmed to cruise like -this during the night on the surface. She seemed quite careless and -slow about her movements, evidently never suspecting _Saros’_ true -character. _Saros_ altered course towards the enemy, who was firing -all the time, one round exploding and falling on board and several -coming close over the bridge. The U-boat, after going on an opposite -course, very slowly turned to starboard to get on a parallel course, -and men were seen hoisting up ammunition on deck. The light was bad, -and it was becoming late, but _Saros_ had manœuvred to get the German -in a suitable position as regards the sun, so at 5,500 yards range -opened fire with her 4-inch and 12-pounder at 4.44 p.m. This shocked -the Teuton, so that the crew which had been sitting around smoking, and -apparently criticizing the old ‘merchantman,’ suddenly became active, -lowered the wireless masts and disappeared below. By the tenth round, -the enemy, who appeared to have been hit, dived, and at 4.50 p.m. -_Saros_ ceased fire. Course was then altered to where she had last been -seen, and just before turning, the enemy for a moment showed himself, -but as the gun-layer was ready the German disappeared, and then -artfully cruised about submerged, so as to get in a good position. She -was never seen again, but at 5.15 p.m. a torpedo passed just ahead of -the _Saros_, and thereafter the latter zigzagged at her utmost speed. -During the night there was a moon until midnight, and an anxious time -was spent. Owing to the amount of sea, _Saros_ was not doing more -than 8-1/2 knots, but no further attack took place. It had been one -able captain against another, and no actual result had been made. So -the warfare went on in the Mediterranean. _Baralong_, now called -_Wyandra_, who had been sent to the Mediterranean, had an engagement -earlier in the year with a submarine, on the evening of April 13, 1916, -and probably hit the enemy. - -In the spring of 1917 three more Q-ships, Nos. 24, 25, and 26, had been -taken up to be fitted out and serve under Vice-Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly, -at Queenstown. These were respectively the _Laggan_ (alias _Pladda_), -_Paxton_ (alias _Lady Patricia_), and the _Mavis_ (alias _Nyroca_), -being small steamers of 1,200 or 1,300 tons, each armed with one 4-inch -and two 12-pounders. Q 18 (alias _Lady Olive_) had begun her work in -January. Now, of these four ships two had very short lives. On May 20 -Q 25 was sunk in the Atlantic, her commanding officer and engineer -officer being taken prisoners by the submarine. Twenty-two survivors -were picked up by a trawler, and four were picked up by an American -steamer and taken to Manchester. Three officers and eight men were -found by the United States destroyer _Wadsworth_, who had arrived only -a few days before from America. - -The fate of Q 18 was as follows: At 6.35, on the morning of February -19, 1917, she was at the western end of the English Channel, when she -was attacked by a submarine who was coming up from 3 miles astern -shelling her. After the usual panic party had been sent away and the -others had concealed themselves, the submarine came close under the -stern, evidently so as to read the ship’s name. At 7.10 _Lady Olive_ -opened fire, the first two shots hitting the base of the conning-tower, -the other shot putting the enemy’s gun out of action and killing the -man at the gun, the range being only 100 yards. Six more effectual -shots were fired, the man in the conning-tower being also killed. The -submarine then submerged. Lieutenant F. A. Frank, R.N.R., the captain -of the Q-ship, now rang down for full speed ahead, with the intention -of dropping depth charges. No answer was made to his telegraph, so he -waited and rang again. Still no answer. He then left the bridge, went -below to the engine-room, and found it full of steam, with the sea -rising rapidly. Engine-room, stokehold, and the after ’tween deck were -filling up, the dynamo was out of action, it was impossible to use the -wireless, and the steam-pipe had burst owing to the enemy having landed -two shots into the engine-room. - -As the ship was sinking, the only thing to do was to leave her. Boats -and rafts were provisioned, the steel chest, containing confidential -documents, was thrown overboard, the ship was this time _really_ -abandoned in earnest, and all took to the three boats and two rafts at -9.30 a.m. Thus they proceeded in single line. Fortunately the weather -was fine, and Lieutenant Frank decided to make for the French coast, -which was to the southward, and an hour later he despatched an officer -and half a dozen hands in the small boat to seek for assistance. So -the day went on, but only the slowest progress was made. At 5 p.m. -Lieutenant Frank decided to leave the rafts and take the men into -the boats, as some were beginning to faint through immersion in the -cold February sea, and it was impossible to make headway towing those -ungainly floats with the strong tide setting them at this time towards -the Atlantic. The accommodation in each boat was for seventeen, but -twenty-three had been crowded into each. - -With Lieutenant Frank’s boat leading, the two little craft pulled -towards the southward, and about 9 p.m. a light was sighted, but soon -lost through the mist and rain. An hour later another light showed up, -and about this time Lieutenant Frank lost sight of his other boat, but -at eleven o’clock a bright light was seen, evidently on the mainland, -and this was steered for. Mist and rain again obscured everything, -but by rowing through the night it was hoped to sight it by daylight. -Night, however, was followed by a hopeless dawn, for no land was -visible. It was heart-breaking after all these long hours. The men had -now become very tired and sleepy, and were feeling downhearted, as well -they might, with the cold, wet, and fatigue, and, to make matters no -better, the wind freshened from the south-west, and a nasty, curling -sea had got up. Lieutenant Frank put the boat’s head on to the sea, -did all he could to cheer his men up, and insisted that he could see -the land. Everyone did a turn at pulling, and the sub-lieutenant, the -sergeant-major of marines, the coxswain, and Lieutenant Frank each -steered by turns. Happily by noon of the twentieth the wind eased up, -the sea moderated, and Lieutenant Frank had a straight talk to his men, -telling them their only chance was to make the land, and to put their -hearts into getting there, for land in sight there was. Exhorting these -worn-out mariners to put their weight on to the oars, he reminded them -that everyone would do ‘spell about,’ for the land must be made that -night. - -Every man of this forlorn boat-load buckled to and did his best, -but, owing to the crowded condition, and the weakness of them all, -progress was pathetically slow. Thus passed another morning and another -afternoon. But at 5.15 p.m. a steamer was sighted. Alas! she ignored -them and turned away to the westward, and apparently was not coming -near them. Then presently she was seen to alter course to the east, -and began to circle towards them. This was the French destroyer, -_Dunois_, who had seen a submarine actually following this English -rowing boat. The destroyer, which had to be handled smartly, came -alongside the boat, and shouted to the men to come aboard quickly, as -she feared she might lose the submarine. Here was rest at last; but, -just as the boat had got alongside, _Dunois_ again caught sight of the -Hun, had to leave the boat and begin circling round and firing on the -pest. At six o’clock the destroyer once more closed the boat, and got -sixteen of the men out, when she suddenly saw the U-boat, fired on her, -and went full speed ahead, the port propeller guard crashing against -the boat, so that it ripped out the latter’s starboard side. - -There were still seven men in the boat, and it seemed as if they were -destined never to be rescued after their long vigil, and moreover the -boat was now nearly full of water. _Dunois_ came down again; some of -the Q-ship’s seven jumped into the water, the destroyer lowering her -cutter and picking up the rest. The submarine was not seen again; -the destroyer arrived safely in Cherbourg, where the Englishmen were -landed, and next morning they met a trawler with the crew of the second -cutter on board. - -Such, then, were action and counter-action of Q-ship and submarine; -such were the hardships and suffering which our men were called upon -to endure when by bad luck, error of judgment, or superior cleverness -of the enemy, the combat ended unfavourably for the mystery ship. Not -all our contests were indecisive or victorious, and some of these -subsequent passages in open boats are most harrowing tales of the sea. -Men became hysterical, went mad, died, and had to be consigned to the -depths, after suffering the terrors of thirst, hunger, fatigue, and -prolonged suspense. It was a favourite ruse for the U-boat, having seen -the survivors row off, to remain in the vicinity until the rescuing -ship should come along, so that, whilst the latter was stopped and -getting the wretched victims on board, Fritz could, from the other -side, send her to the bottom with an easily-aimed torpedo. There can be -no doubt that, but for the smartness of _Dunois’_ captain, she, too, -would have suffered the fate of the Q-ship, and then neither British -nor French would have survived. It is such incidents as these which -make it impossible to forget our late enemies, even if some day we -forgive. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -THE SPLENDID ‘PENSHURST’ - - -On November 9, 1915, the Admiralty, who had taken up the steamer -_Penshurst_ (1,191 gross tons), commissioned her at Longhope as a -Q-ship, her aliases being Q 7 and _Manford_. This inconspicuous-looking -vessel thus began a life far more adventurous than ever her designers -or builders had contemplated. Indeed, if we were to select the three -Q-ships which had the longest and most exciting career, we should -bracket _Penshurst_ with _Farnborough_ and _Baralong_. - -The following incidents illustrate that no particular rule could be -laid down as to when a Q-ship could get in touch with the enemy. We -have seen that _Baralong_ set forth for a particular locality to -look for a definite submarine and found her. Other decoys searched -for submarines but never so much as sighted one; others, again, when -everything seemed quiet, suddenly found themselves torpedoed and -sinking. Others, too, had an engagement to-day, but their next fight -did not come until a year later. The case of _Penshurst_ is interesting -in that on two consecutive days she fought a submarine, but she is -further interesting as having been commanded by an officer who, with -Captain Gordon Campbell, will always remain the greatest of all Q-ship -captains. - -[Illustration: FIG. 9.—DIAGRAM TO ILLUSTRATE APPROXIMATE MOVEMENTS OF -‘PENSHURST’ IN HER ENGAGEMENT WITH SUBMARINE ON NOVEMBER 29, 1916.] - -Commander F. H. Grenfell, R.N., was a retired officer who, like so many -others, had come back to the service after the outbreak of war. After -serving for a year in the 10th Cruiser Squadron as second-in-command -of _Cedric_, he was appointed to command _Penshurst_, cruised up and -down first off the north of Scotland, then off Ireland, and in the -English Channel for nearly a year without any luck. On November 29, -1916, a year after her advent into this special service, _Penshurst_, -who, with her three masts, low freeboard, and funnel aft, resembled -an oil-tanker, was steaming down the English Channel at 8 knots. The -time was 7.45 a.m., and her course was S. 81 W. (Mag.), her position -at this time being Lat. 49.45 N., Long. 4.40 W. She was definitely on -the look-out for a certain submarine which had been reported at 4.30 -the previous afternoon in Lat. 50.03 N., Long. 3.38 W. As _Penshurst_ -went jogging along, picture a smooth sea, a light south-west wind, -and the sun just rising. Fine on the port bow 7 miles away was the -British merchant steamer _Wileyside_, armed, as many ships were at this -time, defensively with one gun aft; while hull down on _Penshurst’s_ -starboard bow was a sailing ship of sorts. Then, of a sudden, a small -object was sighted on the port beam against the glare of the horizon, -so that it was difficult to make out either its nature or its distance. -However, at 7.52 a.m. this was settled by the object firing a shot and -disclosing herself as a submarine. The shot fell 60 yards short, but a -few minutes later came another which passed over the mainmast without -hitting. The range was about five miles, but owing to the bad light -Captain Grenfell could not see whether the enemy was closing. In order -to induce her so to do, at 8 a.m. he altered course to N. 45 W. - -This brought the enemy nearly astern, and at the same time _Penshurst_ -slowed down to half speed. By this time the sun was above the horizon, -and the light was worse than before, but the submarine was apparently -altering course to cut off the _Wileyside_, and ignoring _Penshurst_. -Therefore, at 8.6 a.m. the latter altered course so as again to bring -the submarine abeam. This had the desired effect, for at 8.10 a.m. -the submarine fired a third shot, which fell about 200 yards short of -_Penshurst_, and this proved that Q-ship and submarine were closing. -Two minutes later _Penshurst_ stopped her engines and the usual ‘panic’ -evolution was carried out, by which time the submarine had closed to -within 3,000 yards, and turned on a course parallel with the Q-ship, -reducing to slow speed and being just abaft the _Penshurst’s_ port beam -and silhouetted against the glare of the sun, three Germans being -seen standing in the conning-tower. In order to spin out the time, -the Q-ship’s boats were being turned out and lowered as clumsily as -possible, and now the U-boat sent along a couple more shots, one of -which fell over and the other short. - -Thus far it had been a contest of brain, and Captain Grenfell had -succeeded in making the enemy conform to the British will. At 8.20 -a.m., as there seemed no possibility of inducing the submarine to come -any closer, _Penshurst_ opened fire, but there was time to fire only -a couple of rounds from the 12-pounder and 6-pounder and three rounds -from the 3-pounder before the German hurriedly dived, for all three -guns had dropped their shots pretty close to the target. The shooting -had been done under difficult circumstances, for it was at a black spot -against a strong glare. When once the enemy submerged, _Penshurst_ went -full speed to the spot and dropped a depth charge, but the German had -escaped, and she would live to warn her sister submarines about the -Q-ship which had surprised her. - -For this U-boat had had a careful look at _Penshurst_, and Captain -Grenfell could hardly hope to surprise the submarine again and bring -her to action, so he altered course to the eastward with the object of -intercepting another U-boat, whose presence had been reported at 11.15 -that forenoon 5 miles north of Alderney. Very likely the submarine -with whom he had just been engaged would send out by her _telefunken_ -wireless a full description of the Q-ship, so, as she steamed along, -_Penshurst_ now altered her appearance by painting herself a different -colour and by lowering the mizzen-mast during the night. Thus, when the -sun rose on November 30, on what was to be _Penshurst’s_ lucky day, she -seemed to be a totally different ship. - -[Illustration: FIG. 10.—DIAGRAM TO ILLUSTRATE APPROXIMATE MOVEMENTS OF -‘PENSHURST’ IN HER ACTION WITH SUBMARINE ON NOVEMBER 30, 1916.] - -During the forenoon of November 30 we should have seen this transformed -_Penshurst_ going down Channel again well south of the Dorset chalk -cliffs. At noon she was in the position Lat. 50.11 N., Long. 2.31 W. -(see track chart), steering N. 89 W., when she intercepted a wireless -signal from the Weymouth-Guernsey S.S. _Ibex_ that a submarine had been -seen at 11.44 a.m. 20 miles N.W. of the Casquets; so the Q-ship altered -course towards this position, and at 1.50 p.m. the conning-tower -of a submarine was observed 5 miles to the southward, apparently -chasing a steamer to the westward. A few minutes later the German -turned eastward and then submerged. It was then that _Penshurst_ saw -a seaplane, which had come across the Channel from the Portland base, -fly over the submarine’s position and drop a bomb without effect. This -caused Captain Grenfell to reconstruct his plans, for it was hopeless -now to expect that the submarine would engage on the surface. On the -other hand, the Q-ship with her speed would be superior to this type -of submarine, which, when submerged, could not do better than 6 knots -at her maximum, but would probably be doing less than this. The weapon -should, therefore, be the depth charge, and not the gun. He decided to -co-operate with the seaplane, and ran down towards her. - - -[Illustration: Q SHIP “PENSHURST” - -Showing bridge-screen dropped on port side and bridge gun ready for -action. - - To face p. 114] - -It was necessary first to get in touch with the airman and explain who -the ship was, so at 2.22 p.m., being now in Lat. 50 N., Long. 2.48 -W., Captain Grenfell stopped his engines, and after some attempts at -communication by signal, the seaplane alighted on the water alongside. -Captain Grenfell was thus able to arrange with the pilot to direct -the Q-ship and fire a signal-light when the ship should be over the -submarine; a depth charge could then be let go. But the best-laid -schemes of seamen and airmen sometimes went wrong: for, just after the -seaplane had risen into the air, she crashed on to the water, broke a -wing, knocked off her floats and began to sink. This was annoying at a -time when the Q-ship wanted to be thinking of nothing except the enemy; -but _Penshurst_ lowered her gig and rescued the airmen, then went -alongside the injured seaplane, grappled it, and was preparing to hoist -it on board when at 3.14 p.m. a shell dropped into the sea 200 yards -ahead of the ship. Other shots quickly followed, and then the submarine -was sighted about 6,000 yards on the port quarter. How the enemy must -have laughed as, through his periscope, he saw the aircraft which so -recently had been the aggressor, now a wreck! How certain a victim the -innocent-looking steamer seemed to him! - -Captain Grenfell, by change of circumstances, had once more to modify -his plans, stop all salvage work, cast off the seaplane and swing in -his derrick, which was to have hoisted the latter in. The men in the -gig could not be left, and he was faced with two alternatives. Either -he could hoist the gig on the port quarter in full view of the enemy, -or he could tow her alongside to starboard, and risk her being seen. He -chose the latter, and at 3.24 p.m. proceeded on a south-westerly course -at slow speed. The submarine now came up right astern, so course had to -be altered gradually to keep the German on the port quarter and out of -sight of the gig. - -Slowly the submarine overhauled the Q-ship, firing at intervals, and -at 4.12 p.m., when she was within 1,000 yards, _Penshurst_ stopped -her engines, the panic party ‘abandoned’ ship, and the two boat-loads -pulled away to starboard. The German now sheered out to port, swept -round on _Penshurst’s_ port beam, and passed close under the stern of -her with the object of securing the ship’s papers from the captain, -whom the enemy supposed to be in the boats. A party of Germans -would then have boarded the ship and sunk her with bombs. But these -intentions were suddenly frustrated at 4.26 p.m., when, the submarine -being on _Penshurst’s_ starboard quarter and all the latter’s guns -bearing, the British ship opened fire at the delightfully convenient -range of only 250 yards. This was the last thing the enemy was -expecting. No one was standing by her 8·8-centimetre gun forward of the -conning-tower, the attention of all the Germans on deck being directed -towards the Q-ship’s boats rowing about. Thus completely and utterly -surprised, the Germans never made any attempt to return the fire. The -second shot, fired from _Penshurst’s_ starboard 3-pounder, penetrated -right through into the engine-room and prevented the submarine from -submerging. At this ridiculous range the British guns were able to be -worked at their maximum rapidity, so that over eighty rounds were fired -and almost every shot took effect. Very soon the submarine’s hull was -fairly riddled with holes, and large parts of the conning-tower and -hull plating were blown away by the shells from the 12-pounder. - - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “PENSHURST” - - This shows a dress rehearsal. The “panic party” are seen rowing away - in one of the ship’s boats, the White Ensign is being hoisted on the - foremast and the guns are about to open fire. In this picture she has - her mizzen mast up.] - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “PENSHURST” AT SEA - - Seen with only two masts, the mizzen having been lowered. The crew’s - washing is displayed as in a tramp steamer. The funnel has been - painted a different colour. But behind the white wind screen on the - lower bridge is a 6-pounder gun—one each side—which can fire from - ahead to astern. Inside the boat on the main hatch just forward of - the funnel is the dummy boat in which a 12-pounder is concealed. Two - 3-pounders are in the after deck-house. Depth charges were released - through ports in the counter. - - To face p. 116] - -After only ten minutes’ engagement the submarine foundered, bows -first, but not before _Penshurst’s_ boats had taken off the survivors -and also those who had leapt into the sea. These survivors included -Ober-Leutnant Erich Noodt, Leutnant Karl Bartel, Ingenieur-Aspirant -Eigler, and thirteen of the crew; but seven had been killed. Thus -perished UB 19, who had left Zeebrugge on November 22, having come via -the Straits of Dover. She was about 118 feet long, painted grey, had -the one gun, two periscopes, and had been built the year previous. -She was of the smaller class of submarines belonging to the Flanders -flotilla which operated for three weeks on end in the waters of the -English Channel, carrying only three torpedoes, one of which had -already been used to sink a Norwegian ship. It was learned from her -crew that her submerged speed was about 4 knots; so Captain Grenfell, -but for the accident to the sea-plane, would have been able to get -right over her and destroy her by depth charge. - -Thus, at length, after a year of hard work, disappointment, and all -kinds of weather, Commander Grenfell, by his doggedness and downright -skill, had scored his first success. The King rewarded him with a -D.S.O., another officer received the D.S.C., and one of the crew the -D.S.M. The ship’s complement consisted of Commander Grenfell, three -temporary (acting) R.N.R. lieutenants, and one assistant paymaster, -who was engaged during the action in taking notes. The crew numbered -fifty-six, which included R.N.R. and R.N.V.R. ratings. The sum of -£1,000 was awarded to the ship, and, after the war, Lord Sterndale in -the Prize Court awarded a further sum as prize bounty. - -The gallant _Penshurst_ had not long to wait for her next adventure. -December passed, and on January 14, 1917, there was another and newer -UB boat ready for her. It was ten minutes to four in the afternoon, -and the Q-ship was in Lat. 50.9 N., Long. 1.46 W.—that is to say, -between the Isle of Wight and Alderney, when she saw a submarine -heading towards her. Five minutes later, the German, when 3,000 yards -off, fired, but the shot fell short. The Q-ship then stopped her -engines, went to ‘panic’ stations, and sent away her boats with the -‘abandon ship’ party. _Penshurst_ then gradually fell off to port, -and lay with her head about W.N.W., bringing the submarine on the -starboard bow. Closing rapidly on this bearing, the UB boat kept firing -at intervals, and when about 700 yards off turned as though to cross -Captain Grenfell’s bows. The latter withheld his fire, thinking the -enemy was going round to the boats on the port quarter, and he would -be able to get her at close range. But the German stopped in this -position, exposing her broadside, and quickened her rate of fire, -hitting the steamer twice in succession. It was this kind of experience -which always tested the discipline and training of the Q-ship, as a -well-trained boxer can receive punishment without losing his temper, -knowing his chance will come presently. - -[Illustration: FIG. 11.—DIAGRAM TO ILLUSTRATE APPROXIMATE MOVEMENTS OF -‘PENSHURST’ IN HER ACTION WITH SUBMARINE ON JANUARY 14, 1917.] - -The first hit broke an awning ridge-pole on _Penshurst’s_ bridge, -the second shell struck the angle of the lower bridge, severing -the engine-room telegraph connections and the pipe connecting the -hydraulic release gear, by means of which the depth charge aft could -be let go from the bridge. This shell also killed the gun-layer and -loading-number of the 6-pounder, wounding its breech-worker and the -signalman who was standing by to hoist the White Ensign. So at 4.24 -p.m. _Penshurst_ opened fire, her first shot from the 12-pounder -hitting the base of the enemy’s conning-tower and causing a large -explosion, as though the ammunition had been exploded. Large parts of -the conning-tower were seen to be blown away, and a big volume of black -smoke arose. The second British shot from this gun hit the enemy a -little abaft the conning-tower and also visibly damaged the hull. The -starboard 3-pounder hit the lower part of the conning-tower at least -four times, and then the enemy sank by the stern. _Penshurst_ wanted to -make sure, so steamed ahead and dropped depth charges over her, then -picked up her boats and made for Portland, where she arrived at ten -o’clock that evening and sent her wounded to the Naval Hospital. It -had been another excellent day’s work, for UB 37, one of those modern -craft fitted with net-cutters forward for the purpose of cutting a -way through the Dover Straits barrage, had been definitely destroyed -without a single survivor. More rewards followed, and, later on, more -prize bounty. - -_Penshurst_ resumed her cruising, and just about a month later she -was in the western approach to the English Channel, the exact date -being February 20, and the position Lat. 49.21 N., Long. 6.16 W. At -12.36 p.m. a German submarine rose to the surface, and a quarter of -an hour later began firing at a range of 3,000 yards. _Penshurst_ -then ‘abandoned’ ship, and at 1.4 p.m. opened fire and scored a hit -with her 6-pounder. At 100 yards range the other guns came into -action, and the enemy was hit above the waterline in the centre of the -conning-tower and abaft this superstructure. She then submerged and was -depth-charged; yet this submarine, in spite of all this, was not sunk. -This again illustrated the statement already made that a submarine -could be severely holed and yet be able to get back home. A still more -illuminating example is to be found in the following incident. - -Only two days had elapsed and _Penshurst_ was again busily engaged. It -was at 11.34 a.m., February 22, and the ship was off the south coast -of Ireland, the exact position being Lat. 51.56 N., Long. 6.46 W. -_Penshurst_ was steering S. 89 W. when she saw a submarine steering -west. The steam-ship therefore steamed at her utmost speed, but could -not get up to her, for we may as well mention that this was U 84, a -very up-to-date submarine which had a surface speed of 16 knots and -could do her 9 knots submerged for a whole hour. It is not to be -wondered, therefore, that she could run away from this slow steamer and -at 11.55 a.m. disappear. At this time there was in sight 8 miles away -H.M.S. _Alyssum_, one of Admiral Bayly’s sloops based on Queenstown, -who was escorting the large four-masted S.S. _Canadian_. As _Penshurst_ -proceeded, she sighted at 12.18 p.m. a boat with men in it, these being -from the torpedoed sailing ship _Invercauld_, which had been sunk 22 -miles S.E. of Mine Head, Ireland, that same day. A few minutes later -and _Penshurst_ observed the keel of this ship floating bottom up. At -12.35 the periscopes of U 84 were seen to emerge 400 yards on the port -beam, and the track of a torpedo making straight for the midships of -_Penshurst_. By at once starboarding the helm, disaster was avoided, -but the torpedo passed as close as 15 feet. - - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “PENSHURST” - -In this dummy boat mounted on the main hatch is seen hidden the -12-pounder gun. The sides of the boat were movable. The voice pipe from -the bridge to the two after guns was lashed to the derrick and thus -hidden from the enemy.] - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “PENSHURST” - -This shows how the concealed 12-pounder gun could be brought into -action by removing the boat’s sides. The bow end of the boat has been -moved to the far side of the gun, where Captain Grenfell, attired in -his “mystery” rig of a master mariner, is seen standing. As will be -seen from the other photograph, the sides of the boat when in position -were a perfect fit. The coil of rope was intended to hide the gun’s -pedestal from observation by the enemy. - - To face p. 120] - -The Q-ship then altered course to E. 1/2 S. as though running away, -and reduced to half speed to allow the enemy to come up. Boats were -turned out, the panic party stood by with lifebelts on, and just after -one o’clock, at 3,500 yards range, the U-boat opened fire, whereupon -the Q-ship ‘abandoned’ ship. Then the enemy closed to 1,500 yards on -the starboard bow, but cautiously submerged, and then, closely and -leisurely, inspected the ship from the periscope. Having done that, -and apparently been quite satisfied that this was no trap-ship, the -submarine emerged on the port quarter, 600 yards away and broadside on. -One German officer then came out of the conning-tower and two other -men looked out of the hatch. The first then shouted for the captain to -come alongside with the ship’s papers, but the British petty officer in -charge of the boat party, in order to gain valuable time, ingeniously -pretended not to understand. The German then repeated his order, so -the petty officer replied he would bring the boat round by the stern, -the intention, of course, secretly being for the purpose of affording -_Penshurst_ a clear range. - -The petty officer’s crew had not rowed more than three strokes when -bang went _Penshurst’s_ guns, at which the German officer leapt through -the hatch of his conning-tower, a shot hitting the after part of -this superstructure just as the officer disappeared. Two more shells -got home in the centre, another hit the hull abaft the conning-tower -and burst, one holing the hull below the conning-tower’s base. The -submarine dived, but after a few minutes her bows came up out of the -water at a steep angle. Fire was then reopened at her, and one shot -was seen to go through her side, and then once more she submerged. Two -depth charges were dropped near the spot and exploded, and then again -the bows of the enemy broke surface at a steep angle, but 3,000 yards -to the westward. Next the after deck came to the surface, and all the -crew came out and lined the deck. _Penshurst_ resumed shelling, hit -her again, but U 84 now returned the fire. She was a big submarine, -230 feet long, armed with a 4·1-inch and a 22-pounder, and a dozen -torpedoes which could be fired from six tubes. - -But now approached H.M.S. _Alyssum_ from the north and began to shell -the enemy, so that the latter made off to the southward. The speed of -_Penshurst_ was 8 knots—that is to say, about half that of the enemy. -Nor could the sloop overtake the latter, who, after being chased for -three hours, disappeared at 5.12 p.m. These sloops had been built -for mine-sweeping work, and not as anti-submarine ships, and it was -only because of the shortage of destroyers—thanks largely to the -demands in this respect by the Grand Fleet—that these single-screwed, -comparatively slow vessels were engaged on escort and patrol duties. - -In this engagement between the Q-ship and submarine everything had -been done that could have been brought about by a most experienced, -skilful, and determined British officer. His guns had kept on hitting, -and yet the enemy had escaped. Fortunately we now know the story -from the enemy’s side, as an account of this incident was published -in the German Press, and bears out all that has been said above. The -German version mentions that U 84 took the British ship for a tank -steamer. This is not in the least surprising, for the _Penshurst_ was -one of those small ships with her engines aft just as you see in an -‘oil-tanker,’ and such a craft was sure enough bait for any submarine. -The Germans say the torpedo was fired at 765 yards range, and missed -because the British ship was going ‘faster than we supposed.’ The -Q-ship’s disguise was perfect, for it was not until she opened -fire that she was suspected of being a ‘trap.’ As to the latter’s -shelling, the German account admits that the superstructure abaft the -conning-tower was at once penetrated, and that hardly had the hatch -been closed than ‘there is a sharp report in the conning-tower, a -yellow flash, and explosive gases fill the air. A shell has penetrated -the side of the conning-tower and exploded inside.’ The result was -that one man was injured. She then dived, and at 65·6 feet they felt -the two depth charges, which made the boat tremble and put out some of -the electric lights. The forward hydroplane jammed, and this was the -reason she came to the surface at such a steep angle. The gyro compass, -the main rudder, the trimming pump, and all the control apparatus also -broke down. But what about the leaks made by the shells? These were -plugged, the tricolour flag of the French sailing ship _Bayonne_, which -they had sunk on February 17 in the English Channel, being also used -for that purpose. - -The German account goes on to say this submarine was now compelled to -proceed on the surface and run away, and the numerous men then seen on -her deck were engaged in bringing up ammunition, ‘all the men who are -not occupied below’ being thus employed. The submarine at first took -_Alyssum_ for a destroyer, and certainly bow on she was not unlike -one. It needs little imagination to realize how narrowly the enemy had -escaped, and the moral effect which was made on the German crew. We -know now that a German petty officer was killed and an officer wounded. -It mattered little that the conning-tower was holed, for, as has been -already pointed out, this is not an essential part of the submarine’s -construction. By closing the hatch on deck no water could get down -into the hull from here; and the other holes being also plugged, U 84 -could thus get back home by keeping out to sea during daylight hours, -avoiding our patrols, and passing headlands under cover of night. - -A month later _Penshurst_ again fought a sharp action under Commander -Grenfell at the eastern end of the English Channel, the position being -in Lat. 50.28 N., Long. 0.12 W. In this engagement she did not sink the -enemy, but was herself badly damaged and so seriously holed that she -had to be towed to Portsmouth the following day. Here she underwent -a long refit, and then went forth to fight again and to fight, as -ever, splendidly. She had a new commanding officer, Lieutenant Cedric -Naylor, R.N.R., who had been second-in-command to Captain Grenfell, now -invalided ashore, and this lieutenant well maintained the traditions -of the Q-service, and added to the distinctions won by this wonderful -ship. Oft in danger, but always emerging from the tightest of corners, -leaving the enemy seriously wounded, the gallant _Penshurst_ carried -on. - - -[Illustration: THE GALLANT CAPTAIN AND OFFICERS OF Q-SHIP “PENSHURST” - -From left to right: Paymaster-Lieut. W. R. Ashton, R.N.R.; Lieut. S. P. -R. White, R.N.R.; Sub-Lieut. J. R. Stenhouse, R.N.R. (in command of the -“Aurora” in Sir E. Shackleton’s Antarctic Expedition, 1914-15); Captain -F. H. Grenfell, R.N.; Lieut. C. Naylor, R.N.R. (First Lieut.); and -Lieut. W. S. Harrison, R.N.R. (Navigating Officer).] - -[Illustration: MEN OF THE Q SHIP “PENSHURST” - -The ship’s gunlayers and carpenter. The man in the centre wearing -service uniform was the gunlayer of the bridge 6-pounder who was killed -in the action of January 14, 1917. The others are wearing their Q-ship -“rig.” - - To face p. 124] - -On July 2 she was steaming her 8 knots, as usual, and was in the -western approaches (Lat. 49.10 N., Long. 8.25 W.), when at 1.30 p.m. a -submarine was seen crossing the ship’s bows 6,000 yards away. She dived -and waited for _Penshurst_ to approach in the manner of attack outlined -in a previous chapter as being the tactics of a submarine. Then, after -a while, the periscope was sighted 500 yards away on the port beam, so -_Penshurst_, knowing a torpedo was imminent, waited, and, the torpedo -having been sent, altered course to avoid it, just missing by a matter -of 10 feet. The ship’s company then went to ‘panic’ stations and the -ship was ‘abandoned.’ At 3.35 p.m. the enemy came to the surface -5,000 yards away on the starboard quarter, at 3.39 p.m. opened fire -and continued until 4.13 p.m., when _Penshurst_ herself started firing -at 4,500 yards, succeeding in hitting the enemy sixteen times, and -undoubtedly seriously damaging him. The submarine managed to pass out -of range and was not sunk. Three destroyers now came on the scene and -gave chase, but the German got away. For this engagement Lieutenant -Naylor received the D.S.O. - -In accordance with _Penshurst’s_ previous experience, not many weeks -elapsed before she was again in combat. It was the following August 19, -and she was cruising again in the western approaches. That morning a -steamship had sighted a submarine, and _Penshurst_, who was now in Lat. -47.45 N., Long. 8.35 W., was steering S. 50 W., doing 8 knots, when she -saw the enemy 6 miles ahead steering across the bows, evidently making -the ‘approach’ in his tactics. There was little north-west wind, a -moderate westerly swell, and the sky was clear, but there was a strong -glare from the sun. At 5.8 p.m. the enemy dived, and Lieutenant Naylor -estimated that she would probably attack with torpedo about 5.45 p.m. -Exactly at 5.44 a torpedo was observed to break water 1,000 yards from -the ship, 3 points on the starboard bow, just forward of the sun’s -rays. _Penshurst_ put her helm hard aport, and at 5.45 the torpedo -struck her—but fortunately it was only a glancing blow immediately -below the bridge. The smart handling of the ship had thus saved her -from being struck further aft, where the consequences would have been -even more serious. As it was, the explosion caused a high volume of -water to rise in such quantities that upper and lower bridges and after -deck were flooded, overwhelming the gun’s crew concealed there, and -filling the starboard boat hanging in the davits over 70 feet away from -the point of impact. Furthermore, it caused the ship to take a heavy -list to starboard so that the sea poured in over the bulwarks, and she -afterwards rolled to port, the water then pouring in on this side also. - -Some of the crew were hurled with force against the ceiling of the -cabins, but perfect discipline still continued, as might well be -expected with such a well-tried crew. She had been torpedoed in No. 2 -hold, the starboard side of the lower bridge had been stripped, and -unfortunately the 12-pounder there kept screened was thus exposed. -Unfortunately, too, the sides of the dummy boat amidships, which hid -another 12-pounder, were thrown down by the explosion, thus exposing -this gun, flooding the magazine, putting out of action all controls -from the bridge as well as the ship’s compasses and so on. What was to -be done now? Lieutenant Naylor wisely decided not to ‘abandon’ ship -since the guns had been disclosed; the ship could not be manœuvred so -as to hide this side, and the enemy would probably make another attack. -She was therefore kept under way, the steering gear was connected up -with the main steering engines, the wireless repaired, and at 5.58 a -general signal was sent out to H.M. ships requesting assistance. - - -[Illustration: FIG. 12.—THE HUMOROUS SIDE OF Q-SHIP WARFARE. - - This amusing sketch of _Penshurst_, by one of her officers, shows - her being shelled by a submarine and the panic party in two boats - rowing off. In the bows of each boat one of the crew is semaphoring. - BILL (_in boat No. 1_): ‘’Arry!’ ’ARRY (_in boat No. 2_): ‘What?’ - BILL (_anxiously_): ‘Did yer make the tea afore we left ‘er?’ ’ARRY: - ‘Nar!’ BILL (_much relieved_): ‘Good!’] - -At five minutes past six the submarine showed herself on the port -quarter 6,000 yards away. This made things better, for if the enemy -had not already observed the exposed guns she could still be kept -in ignorance, as the sides of the false boat had in the meantime -been replaced in position. Therefore the 3-pounder on the top of the -gunhouse aft opened fire at 5,000 yards. This was quite a normal -happening, for many a small mercantile steamer was thus armed -defensively. The enemy replied, and at 6.21, as the latter showed no -intention of decreasing the range, _Penshurst_ opened fire with all -guns on the port side, and appeared to hit, so that at 6.24 the enemy -submerged. Meanwhile the _Penshurst_ was not under control and steamed -round in circles, but help was approaching, for at 6.50 p.m. H.M.S. -_Leonidas_ wirelessed saying she would reach _Penshurst_ at 7.30 p.m. -At 7.5 the submarine was 7 miles astern, waiting stationary to see -what would happen, but at 7.26 she dived on observing the approaching -destroyer. Nightfall came, and as the water was still gaining in -the Q-ship, all the men who could be spared were transferred to the -_Leonidas_. _Penshurst_ then shaped a course E.N.E. for Plymouth, and -next day at 1.30 p.m. was taken in tow by a tug which had been sent out -with two armed trawlers from the Scillies Naval Base. Thus, wounded yet -not beaten, she passed through Plymouth Sound, and on August 21 made -fast to a Devonport jetty, happily having suffered no casualties to any -of her personnel. Lieutenant Naylor received a bar to his D.S.O., the -ship had a thorough refit, and in place of a 12-pounder she was now -given a 4-inch gun, which would enable her to fight the 4·1-inch U-boat -gun on more equal terms. - -Then, still commanded by Lieutenant Naylor, she went forth again. We -can pass over the intervening weeks and come to Christmas Eve, 1917. At -a time when most non-combatants ashore were about to take part in the -great festival, this most gallant ship, heroine of so many fights, was -in the direst straits. At midday she was approaching the southern end -of the Irish Sea, shaping a course to intercept a submarine operating -off the Smalls, when ten minutes later she sighted a U-boat two points -on the port bow, in Lat. 51.31 N., Long. 5.33 W., about 5 miles ahead, -steering at right angles to _Penshurst_ and beginning the ‘approach’ of -her attacking tactics. _Penshurst_ was making her usual 8 knots, and at -12.12 p.m. the enemy, as was expected, submerged. Although the Q-ship -zigzagged and tried to make the enemy break surface astern and attack -by gunfire, the German was too good at his own job, and at 1.31 p.m. -came the torpedo, fired from 300 yards away, half a point forward of -the port beam. Only the track of the torpedo was seen, the ship’s helm -was put hard aport, but the torpedo could not be avoided and struck the -ship between the boilers and engine-room. - -Violent was the explosion, great was the damage, so that the ship -stopped dead and began to settle by the stern. The sides of the dummy -boat amidships had fallen down, thus exposing the midships 4-inch gun, -and the after gunhouse had also collapsed, revealing the guns here -placed, though the 12-pounder guns on the bridge remained intact and -concealed, with the guns’ crews close up and out of sight. The ship was -now ‘abandoned,’ and panic parties were sent away in the one remaining -boat and two rafts. The enemy, still submerged, proceeded to circle the -ship, inspect her closely, approach the boat and rafts, and then at -2.40 p.m. rose to the surface on the port bow 250 yards off and began -shelling _Penshurst_ with her after gun. The Q-ship was about to open -fire, but, owing to having settled down so much by the stern, the gun -there could not be sufficiently depressed to bear. It was only when -the ship rolled or pitched enough that advantage was taken of such -movement and the enemy fired at. Six rounds were fired, the second -hitting the submarine on the starboard side of the deck forward, the -fourth hitting abaft the conning-tower. The enemy dived, and at 3.47 -p.m. reappeared on the starboard beam 5 miles away. But now one of H.M. -P-boats, those low-lying, specially constructed anti-submarine craft, -rather like a torpedo-boat, arrived on the scene, so that the submarine -was frightened away and not sighted again on that day, though she was -probably the one sunk by a P-boat on Christmas Day. - -As for _Penshurst_, help had come too late. The crew were saved, but -the ship herself sank at 8.5 p.m. on December 24, 1917. Lieutenant -Cedric Naylor, who already possessed the decorations of D.S.O. and bar -and D.S.C., and had for his gallantry been transferred from R.N.R. to -the Royal Navy, now received a second bar to his D.S.O., and Lieutenant -E. Hutchison, R.N.R., received a D.S.O. Thus after two years of the -most strenuous service, full of honours, this _Penshurst_ ended -her glorious life as a man-of-war. Wounded, scar-stained, repaired -and refitted, her gallant crew, so splendidly trained by Captain -Grenfell, had kept taking her to sea along the lanes of enemy activity. -Insignificant to look at, when you passed her on patrol you would -never have guessed the amount of romance and history contained in her -hull. Naval history has no use for hysteria and for the sensational -exaggeration of ‘stunt’ journalism, but it is difficult to write calmly -of the great deeds performed in these most unheroic-looking ships. -To-day some Q-ship officers and men are walking about looking for jobs, -and there are not ships in commission to employ them. But yesterday -they were breaking the spirit of the U-boat personnel, risking their -lives to the uttermost limits in the endeavour to render ineffectual -the submarine blockade and the starvation of the nation. - -Bravery such as we have seen in this and other chapters was greater -than even appears: for, having once revealed the identity of your ship -as a man-of-war, the wounded submarine would remember you, however -much you might disguise yourself; and the next time he returned, as -he usually did, to the same station, he would do his best to get you, -even if he spent hours and days over the effort. That officers and men -willingly, eagerly, went to sea in the same Q-ships, time after time, -when they might have obtained, and would certainly have deserved, a -less trying appointment afloat or ashore, is surely a positive proof -that we rightly pride ourselves on our British seamanhood. Through the -centuries we have bred and fostered and even discouraged this spirit. -In half-decked boats, in carracks, galleons, wooden walls, fishing -boats, lifeboats, pleasure craft; in steam, and steel-hulled motor, -cargo ships, in liner and tramp and small coaster, this seamanlike -character has been trained, developed, and kept alive, and now in the -Q-ship service it reaches its apotheosis. For all that is courageous, -enduring, and inspiring among the stories of the sea in any period, can -you beat it? Can you even equal it? - - - - -CHAPTER X - -FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS - - -One of the great lessons of the Great War was the inter-relation of -international politics and warfare. It was an old lesson indeed, but -modern conditions emphasized it once more. We have already seen that -the torpedoing in 1915 of the Atlantic liners _Lusitania_ and _Arabic_ -caused pressure to be put on the German Government by the United States -of America. In the spring of 1916 the submarine campaign, for the -Germans, was proceeding very satisfactorily. In February they had sunk -24,059 tons of British merchant shipping, in March they sank 83,492 -tons, in April 120,540 tons; but in May this dropped suddenly to 42,165 -tons. What was the reason for this sudden fall? - -The answer is as follows: On March 24, 1916, the cross-Channel S.S. -_Sussex_ was torpedoed by a German submarine, and it happened that -many citizens of the U.S.A. were on board at the time and several were -killed. This again raised the question of relations between the U.S.A. -and Germany, the _New York World_ going so far as to ask, ‘Whether -anything is to be gained by maintaining any longer the ghastly pretence -of friendly diplomatic correspondence with a Power notoriously lacking -in truth and honour.’ On April 20, therefore, the U.S.A. presented -a very sharp note to the German Government, protesting against the -wrongfulness of the submarine campaign waged versus commerce, and -threatened to break off diplomatic relations. The result of this was -that Germany had to give way, and sent orders to her naval staff to -the effect that submarine warfare henceforth was to be carried on in -accordance with Prize Law: that is to say, the U-boats—so Admiral -Scheer interpreted it—were ‘to rise to the surface and stop ships, -examine papers, and all passengers and crew to leave the ship before -sinking her.’ - -Now this did not appeal to the German mind at all. ‘As war waged -according to Prize Law by U-boats,’ wrote Admiral Scheer,[3] ‘in the -waters around England could not possibly have any success, but, on the -contrary, must expose the boats to the greatest dangers, I recalled -all the U-boats by wireless, and announced that the U-boat campaign -against British commerce had ceased.’ Thus we find that after April -26 the sinkings of British merchant ships became low until they began -to increase in September, 1916, and then rapidly mounted up until in -April, 1917, they had reached their maximum for the whole war with -516,394 tons. It is to be noted that after May 8, until July 5, 1916, -no sinkings by U-boats occurred in home waters, although the sinkings -went on in the Mediterranean, where risk of collision with American -interests was less likely to occur. - -Having regard to the increasing utility and efficiency of the Q-ships, -we can well understand Admiral Scheer’s objection to U-boats rising -to the surface, examining the ship’s papers, and allowing everyone to -leave the ship before sinking her. This was the recognized law, and -entirely within its rights the Q-ship made full use of this until she -hoisted the White Ensign and became suddenly a warship. It shows the -curious mental temper of the German that he would gamble only when he -had the dice loaded in his favour. He had his Q-ships, which, under -other names, endeavoured and indeed were able to pass through our -blockade, and go raiding round the world; but until his submarines -could go at it ruthlessly, he had not the same keenness. It was on -February 1, 1917, that his Unrestricted Submarine Campaign began, -and this was a convenient date, seeing that Germany had by this time -109 submarines. We know these facts beyond dispute, for a year after -the signing of Armistice Germany held a ‘General National Assembly -Committee of Inquiry’ into the war, and long accounts were published -in the Press. One of the most interesting witnesses was Admiral von -Capelle, who, in March, 1916, had succeeded von Tirpitz as Minister -of Marine; and from the former’s lips it was learned that one of the -main reasons why Germany in 1916 built so few submarines was the -Battle of Jutland; for the damage inflicted on the High Sea Fleet -necessitated taking workmen away from submarine construction to do -repairs on the big ships. The number and intensity of the minefields -laid by the British in German waters in that year caused Germany to -build many minesweepers to keep clear the harbour exits. This also, -he says, took men away from submarine building. It needed a couple of -years to build the larger U-boats and a year to build the smaller ones; -and though at the beginning of the Unrestricted Campaign in February, -1917, there were on paper 109 German submarines, and before the end -of the war, in spite of sinkings by Allied forces, the number even -averaged 127, yet there were never more than 76 actually in service -at one time, and frequently the number was half this amount. For the -Germans divided the seas up into so many stations, and for each station -five submarines were required, thus: one actually at work in the area, -one just relieved on her way home for rest and refit, a third on her -way out from refit to relieve number one, while two others were being -overhauled by dockyard hands. Geographically Germany was unfortunately -situated for attacking the shipping reaching the British Isles from the -Atlantic and Bay of Biscay. Before the submarines could get into the -Atlantic they had either to negotiate the Dover Straits or go round the -North of Scotland. The first was risky, especially for the bigger and -more valuable submarines, and during 1918 became even highly dangerous; -but the second, especially during the boisterous winter months, knocked -the submarines about to such an extent that they kept the dockyards -busier than otherwise. - -All this variation of U-boat activity reacted on the rise, development, -and wane of the Q-ship. In the early part of 1917, when the submarine -campaign was at its height, the Q-ships were at the top of their -utility. It was no longer any hole-and-corner service, relying on a -few keen, ingenious brains at one or two naval bases, but became a -special department in the Admiralty, who selected the ships, arranged -for the requisite disguises, and chose the personnel. The menace -to the country’s food had by this time become so serious—a matter -of a very few weeks, as we have since learned, separated us from -starvation—that every anti-submarine method had to be carried out -with vigour, and at that time no method promised greater success than -these mystery ships. Altogether about 180 vessels of various sorts -were taken up and commissioned as Q-ships. Apart from the usual tramp -steamers and colliers and disguised trawlers, thirty-four sloops -and sixteen converted P-boats, named now ‘PQ’s,’ were equipped. The -P-boat, as mentioned on a previous page, was a low-lying craft rather -like a torpedo-boat; but her great feature was her underwater design. -She was so handy and had a special forefoot that if once she got near -to a submarine the latter would certainly be rammed; in one case the -P-boat went clean through the submarine’s hull. The next stage, then, -was to build a suitable superstructure on this handy hull, so that the -ship had all the appearance of a small merchant ship. Because of her -shallow, deceptive draught she was not likely to be torpedoed, whereas -her extreme mobility was very valuable. - -In every port all over the country numerous passenger and tramp -steamers and sailing ships were inspected and found unsuitable owing -to their peculiar structure or the impossibility of effective disguise -combined with a sufficient bearing of the disguised guns. All this -meant a great deal of thought and inventive genius, the tonnage as -a rule ranging from 200 to 4,000, and the ships being sent to work -from Queenstown, Longhope, Peterhead, Granton, Lowestoft, Portsmouth, -Plymouth, Falmouth, Milford, Malta, and Gibraltar. And when you ask -what was the net result of these Q-ships, the whole answer cannot be -given in mere figures. Generally they greatly assisted the merchantman, -for it made the U-boat captain very cautious, and there are instances -where he desisted from attacking a real merchant ship for the reason -that something about her suggested a Q-ship. In over eighty cases -Q-ships damaged German submarines and thus sent them home licking their -wounds, anxious only to be left alone for a while. This accounts for -some of those instances when a merchant ship, on seeing a submarine -proceeding on the surface, was surprised to find that the German did -not attack. Thus the Q-ship had temporarily put a stop to sinkings by -that submarine. But apart from these indirect, yet no less valuable, -results, no fewer than eleven submarines were directly sent to their -doom of all the 203 German U-craft sunk during the war from various -causes, including mines and accidents. - -But as time went on it became inevitable that the more a Q-ship -operated the more likely would she be recognized and the less useful -would be her work. By August, 1917, Q-ships were having a most -difficult time, and during that month alone six Q-ships were lost. -By September their success, broadly speaking, was on the wane. This, -however, does not mean that their service had ceased to be productive -or that they were no longer deemed worth while. On the contrary, as -we shall see presently, they were to perform more wonderful work, and -the number of Q-ships was actually increased, especially in respect -of sailing ships in home waters; but those which happened to make an -unsuccessful attack were at once ordered to return to their base and -alter both rig and disguise. Similarly, in the Mediterranean, where -the submarines were doing us so much harm, the number of Q-ships was -increased, and one was cleverly included in the outward-bound convoys, -to drop astern as soon as in the danger zone, after the manner of many -a lame-duck merchantman whose engines had caused him to straggle. Then -would come the Q-ship’s chance, when she revealed herself as a warship -and fooled the submarine from attacking the convoy, which had just -disappeared over the horizon in safety. - -The converted ‘flower’ class sloops, originally built as minesweepers, -but by the able work of the naval dockyard staff now made to resemble -little merchantmen, were having a busy time. _Tulip_ (Q 12), for -instance, which had begun her Q-ship service at the end of August, -1916, was sunk eight months later by a submarine in the Atlantic and -her captain taken prisoner, though eighty survivors were picked up by -the British destroyer _Mary Rose_ and landed in Queenstown.[4] The -sloop _Viola_ began this special work towards the end of September, -1916, and a month later was shelled by a submarine, who suddenly gave -up the attack and made off to the northward, having evidently realized -the sloop’s disguise, which none but an expert seafarer could have -penetrated. Now, in each submarine there was usually carried as warrant -navigating officer a man who had served in German liners and freighters -and would be familiar with the shipping normally to be found in the -area to which each U-boat was assigned. In this particular incident -his practised eye had evidently been struck by the position of the -above-water discharge being vertically under the imitation cargo hatch -and derrick forward of the mainmast. These were important details which -had to be watched if the disguise was to be successful. - - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “TULIP” - -This vessel was originally built as a sloop, but was given a false -stern and generally altered to resemble a merchantman.] - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “TAMARISK” - -Like the “Tulip,” this vessel was originally built as a warship. She -was cleverly altered so that both in hull and upperworks she resembled -a merchant steamer. - - To face p. 138] - -Another converted sloop was _Tamarisk_, who began that rôle at the end -of July, 1916, and was commanded by Lieutenant John W. Williams, R.N.R. -Towards the end of November she was shelled by a submarine at long -range, so that the Q-ship had to declare herself and reply, whereupon -the enemy beat a retreat and dived. Hitherto the excellent Q-ship -gunnery had depended on the fact that first-class men had been selected -who would be able at short range to score hits with the first or second -rounds. But this incident of the _Tamarisk_, involving at least 6,000 -yards range, showed that a small range-finder would be very useful, and -this was accordingly supplied. Other sloops thus converted to resemble -merchantmen were the _Begonia_, _Aubrietia_, _Salvia_, _Heather_, and -so on. - -The Q-ships operated not merely in the North Atlantic, English Channel, -North Sea, and Mediterranean, but in such areas as off Lapland and the -other side of the North and South Atlantic. For instance, the S.S. -_Intaba_ (Q 2), under Commander Frank Powell, on December 8, 1916, was -in action with a submarine not far from the Kola Inlet, and had been -sent to these northern latitudes inasmuch as German submarines for -some time had been sinking our merchant ships off that coast. Another -Q-ship operated with a British E-class submarine near Madeira and the -Canaries; and another Q-ship was in the South Atlantic looking for a -German raider, At other times there were the ocean-going submarines -_Deutschland_ and _Bremen_ to be looked out for. There was thus plenty -of work to be carried out by these decoy vessels in almost every sea. - -But it was especially those Q-ships based on Queenstown who had to -bear the brunt of the submarine warfare. Strategically, Queenstown -was an outpost of the British Isles, and there was scarcely a day in -the week when one Q-ship was not leaving or entering Queenstown, or in -the Haulbowline Dockyard being got ready for her next ‘hush’ cruise. -Bearing in mind that this base was in a country whose inhabitants -were largely anti-British, that there had been a great rising in -Dublin at Eastertide, 1916, and that the German disguised S.S. _Aud_ -had made an ineffectual attempt to land a cargo of arms, and that -Sir Roger Casement had arrived, it may well be realized how great -was the responsible task of enshrouding these decoys in secrecy. -Perhaps for weeks a recently requisitioned ship would be alongside -the dockyard quay having her necessary disguises made, and yet the -enemy knew nothing about it until he found himself surprised, and -forced to keep at long range or hide himself in the depths of the sea. -Sound organization, constant personal attention on the part of the -Commander-in-Chief, and loyal, enthusiastic co-operation on the part -of the officers and men, achieved the successes which came to this -difficult work of Q-ships. It was all such a distinctly novel kind -of sea service, which was of too personal and particular a kind to -allow it to be run by mere routine. During the whole of its history -it was experimental, and each cruise, each engagement, almost each -captain added to the general body of knowledge which was being rapidly -accumulated. It seemed for the professional naval officer as if the -whole of his previous life and training had been capsized. Instead of -his smart, fast twin-screw destroyer, he found himself in command of an -awkward, single-screw, disreputable-looking tramp, too slow almost to -get out of her own way. On the other hand, officers of the Mercantile -Marine, fresh from handling freighters or liners, in whom throughout -all their lives had been instilled the maxim ‘Safety first,’ now found -they had to court risks, look for trouble, and pretend they were not -men-of-war. Q-ship work was, in fact, typical of the great upheaval -which had affected the whole world. - -In some cases the transition was gradual. Some officers, having come -from other ships to command sloops, found their aspirations satisfied -not even in these ships, whose work went on unceasingly—escorting all -but the fastest Atlantic liners, patrolling, minesweeping, picking up -survivors or salvaging stricken ships, or whatever duty came along. -Transferring as volunteers from sloops to sloops rebuilt as Q-ships, -they had to forget a great deal and acquire much more. One of such -officers was Lieut.-Commander W. W. Hallwright, R.N., who, after doing -very fine work as captain of one of H.M. sloops based on Queenstown, -took over command of the disguised sloop _Heather_ (Q 16). One April -day in 1917, while cruising in the Atlantic about breakfast time, -_Heather_ was suddenly attacked by a submarine, whose sixth shot killed -this keen officer, a piece of shell passing through his head whilst he -was watching the movements of the German through a peep-hole on the -starboard side of the bridge. Lieutenant W. McLeod, R.N.R., then took -command, opened fire, but the submarine dived and made off as usual. - -Other Q-ship captains perished, and that is all we know. On a certain -date the ship left harbour; perhaps a couple of days later she had -reported a certain incident in a certain position. After that, silence! -Neither the ship nor any officers or crew ever returned to port, and -one could but assume that the enemy had sent them to the bottom. In -spite of all this, the number of volunteers exceeded the demand. From -retired admirals downwards they competed with each other to get to sea -in Q-ships. Bored young officers from the Grand Fleet yearning for -something exciting; ex-mercantile officers, yachtsmen, and trawler men, -they used every possible means to become acceptable, and great was -their disappointment if they were not chosen. - - -[Footnote 3: ‘Germany’s High Sea Fleet in the World War,’ p. 242.] - -[Footnote 4: _Tulip_ was sunk by U 62, whose captain reported that she -was a very well-disguised trap, having the appearance of a medium-sized -cargo steamer. Suspicion was aroused by the way the merchant flag was -hoisted, and the fact that she appeared to have no defensive gun.] - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -THE GOOD SHIP ‘PRIZE’ - - -In the summer of 1914 I happened to be on a yachting cruise in the -English Channel. In July we had seen the Grand Fleet, led by _Iron -Duke_, clear out from Weymouth Bay for Spithead. In single line ahead -the battle squadrons weighed and proceeded, then came the light -cruisers, and before the last of these had washed the last ounce -of dirt off her cable and steamed into position, the _Iron Duke_ -and _Marlborough_ were hull down over the horizon: it was the most -wonderful sight I had ever witnessed at sea. A week or two later I had -arrived in Falmouth, the war had begun, and yachting came to a sudden -stop. One morning we found a new neighbour had arrived, a typical, -foreign-built, three-masted schooner, who had just been brought in and -anchored. She was destined to be an historic ship in more ways than -one. Actually, she was the first prize to be captured from Germany, and -it was a unique sight then to see the White Ensign flying over German -colours. Within four or five hours of declaration of war this craft had -been captured at the western entrance of the English Channel, and she -never became German again. - -But she was to be historic in quite another way. Of all the splendid -little Q-ships during the war, not excepting even the _Mitchell_ -mentioned in another chapter, no sailing craft attained such -distinction, and her captain will be remembered as long as British -naval history has any fascination. This German schooner was named the -_Else_, and had been built of steel and iron in 1901 at Westerbrock, -by the firm of Smit and Zoon, but registered at Leer, Germany. She was -112 feet 6 inches long, her net tonnage being 199. I can still see her -disconsolate German skipper standing aft, and it must have grieved -him that his ship was about to be taken from him for ever. For she -was afterwards put up for auction and sold to the Marine Navigation -Company, who, because of her experience already mentioned, changed her -name from _Else_ to _First Prize_. In November, 1916, she was lying in -Swansea, and as the Admiralty was looking out for a suitable vessel to -carry out decoy work after the manner of _Mitchell_ and _Helgoland_, -she was surveyed, found suitable, and requisitioned. A few weeks later -the Managing Director of the Company patriotically decided to waive all -payment for hire, and lent her to the Admiralty without remuneration. - -By February, 1917, this auxiliary topsail schooner was ready for sea -as a disguised man-of-war, with a couple of 12-pounders cleverly -concealed on her deck. She had changed her name from _First Prize_ -to _Prize_, alias Q 21, and in command of her went Lieutenant W. E. -Sanders, R.N.R., whom we saw behaving with distinction when serving in -the Q-sailing-ship _Helgoland_. No better man could have been found -than this plucky New Zealander, and he had already shown that he had -a genius for this extra special type of Q-ship work. _Prize_ had -been sent to work in the western waters, and on April 26, 1917, she -left Milford Haven for a cruise off the west coast of Ireland, this -being the month when, of all months in the war, German submarines -were the most successful. At 8.35 on the evening of April 30, _Prize_ -was in Lat. 49.44 N., Long. 11.42 W. It was fine, clear, spring-like -weather, with a light N.N.E. wind, calm sea, and good visibility. -_Prize_ was under all sail, steering on a north-west course, and -making about 2 knots. Two miles away on her port beam, and steering a -parallel course, was sighted a big submarine. This was U 93, a most -modern craft, commanded by one of Germany’s ablest submarine officers, -Lieut.-Commander Freiherr von Spiegel. She was a powerful vessel, -who had relieved U 43 on this station, and was over 200 feet long, -armed with two 10·5-centimetre guns, 500 rounds of ammunition, and -18 torpedoes, her complement consisting of 37 officers and men. This -latest submarine was on her maiden trip in the Atlantic, having left -Emden on Friday, April 13. For those who are superstitious the day and -the date will be interesting. She had had a most successful cruise, -having sunk eleven merchantmen, and was now on her way back to Germany. -Von Spiegel was anxious to be back home as soon as possible, for, be it -said, he was certainly a sportsman, and he happened to have a couple of -horses running in the Berlin races in the second week of May. - -The sighting of this little topsail schooner made him avaricious. He -had sunk eleven: why not make the number a round dozen? So, at 8.45 -p.m., he altered course towards the _Prize_, and ordering on deck to -see the fun all his men who could be spared, he opened fire with both -guns. Lieutenant Sanders therefore brought _Prize_ into the wind, and -sent his panic party to row about. This party consisted of six men -in charge of Skipper Brewer, of the Trawler Reserve, who had been -intentionally visible on deck, and now launched their small boat. In -the meantime, at the sounding of the alarm, Lieutenant Sanders and -Skipper Meade (also of the Trawler Reserve) had concealed themselves -inside the steel companion-cover amidships, and the rest of the crew -were hiding under the protection of the bulwarks or crawling to their -respective stations. _Prize’s_ two guns were placed one forward, -concealed by a collapsible deckhouse, and one aft, on an ingenious -disappearing mounting under the hatchway covers of the after hold, -and she carried also a couple of Lewis guns. Lieutenant W. D. Beaton, -R.N.R., who was second in command of the ship, was in charge of the -gunnery forward, and lay at the foot of the foremast with his ear to a -voice-pipe which led back to where Lieutenant Sanders was conning the -ship. - -The contest could not fail to be interesting, for it resolved itself -into a duel between one ‘star-turn’ artist and another. Neither was a -novice, both were resourceful, plucky men, and the incident is one of -the most picturesque engagements of all the Q-ship warfare. Taking it -for granted that this little trader out in the Atlantic was what she -appeared to be, von Spiegel closed. _Prize’s_ head had now fallen off -to the eastward, so the submarine followed her round, still punishing -her with his shells, to make sure the abandon-ship evolution had been -genuine. Two of these shells hit _Prize_ on her waterline—you will -remember she was built of iron and steel—penetrating and bursting -inside the hull. One of them put the auxiliary motor out of action and -wounded the motor mechanic: the other destroyed the wireless room and -wounded the operator. That was serious enough, but cabins and mess-room -were wrecked, the mainmast shot through in a couple of places, and the -ship now leaking. Such was the training, such was the discipline of -these men under their gallant New Zealand captain, that, in spite of -this nerve-wracking experience, they still continued to remain on deck, -immobile, unseen, until Lieutenant Sanders should give the longed-for -word. They could see nothing, they could not ease the mental strain by -watching the enemy’s manœuvres or inferring from what direction the -next shot—perhaps the last—would come. This knowledge was shared only -by Lieutenant Sanders and Skipper Meade as they peeped through the -slits of their lair. Several times Sanders crept from this place on -hands and knees along the deck, encouraging his men and impressing on -them the necessity of concealment. - -Meanwhile, closer and closer drew the submarine, but the latter -elected to remain dead astern, and this was unfortunate, for not one -of _Prize’s_ guns would thus bear. Then there was a strange sound aft. -Everyone knows that the inboard end of a patent log fits into a small -slide, which is screwed down on to the taffrail of a ship. Suddenly -this slide was wrenched and splintered, for the enemy had got so -close astern that she had fouled and carried away the log-line in her -endeavour to make quite sure of her scrutiny. U 93 then, apparently -convinced that all was correct, sheered out a little and came up on the -schooner’s port quarter only 70 yards away, being about to send her -quickly to the bottom. - -Thus had passed twenty long, terrible minutes of suspense on board -the Q-ship, and it was five minutes past nine. But patience, that -great virtue of the really brave, had at length been rewarded. Through -his steel slit Sanders could see that his guns would bear, so ‘Down -screens!’ ‘Open fire!’ and up went the White Ensign. Covers and false -deckhouses were suddenly collapsed, and the _Prize’s_ guns now returned -the fire, as the pent-up feelings of the crew were able to find their -outlet in fierce activity. But even as the White Ensign was being -hoisted, the submarine fired a couple more shots, and the schooner was -twice hit, wounding one of the crew who had rushed below to fetch from -the bottom of the ladder a Lewis gun. Von Spiegel was now evidently -very angered, for putting his helm hard aport he went full speed ahead -to ram the schooner, and with that fine bow he might have made a nasty -hole at the waterline, through which the sea would have poured like -a waterfall. But he realized that he was outside his turning circle, -so put his helm the other way and tried to make off. It was then that -a shell from the _Prize’s_ after gun struck the forward gun of the -submarine, blowing it to pieces, as well as the gun’s crew. The second -shot from the same British gun destroyed the conning-tower, and a -Lewis gun raked the rest of the men on the deck. The third shot from -_Prize’s_ after gun also hit so that she stopped, and as she sank shell -after shell hit, and the glare was seen as of a fire inside the hull. -At 9.9 p.m., after the _Prize_ had fired thirty-six rounds, the enemy -disappeared stern first. Lieutenant Sanders could not use his engines -as they were already out of action, and there was practically no wind, -so he could not go to the spot where she had last been seen. - -The darkness was fast falling, and the panic party in the boat rowed -over the scene to search for any survivors, and picked up three. These -were Von Spiegel, the submarine’s captain, the navigating warrant -officer, and a stoker petty officer. Covered by Skipper Brewer’s -pistol, these were now taken on board the schooner. But _Prize_ herself -was in a bad way. Water was pouring through the shell-holes, and, in -spite of efforts to stop it, the sea was gaining all the time. Had it -not been calm, the vessel would certainly have gone to the bottom. -Von Spiegel, on coming aboard, offered his word of honour to make no -attempt to escape, and undertook that he and his men would render all -assistance. His parole being accepted, captors and captives set to work -to save the ship. There was a possibility that another submarine known -to be in the area would come along and finish off the sinking _Prize_, -so all had more than an interest in the proceedings. - -As the ship was leaking so badly, the only thing to do was to list her. -This was done by swinging out the small boat on the davits filled with -water; by passing up from below both cables on deck and ranging them -on the starboard side; by shifting coal from port to starboard and by -emptying the port fresh-water tanks. By this means the shot-holes were -almost clear of the water, though the crew had to continue baling night -and day. Troubles never come singly. Here was this gallant little ship -lying out in the Atlantic night, crippled and becalmed. An attempt was -made to start the engines, but owing to sparks from the motor igniting -the oil which had escaped from a damaged tank, a fire broke out in the -engine-room. This was prevented from reaching the living quarters and -magazine, and was eventually put out. Meanwhile, the German navigating -warrant officer had dressed the wounds of _Prize’s_ wounded crew, and -now, at 11.45 p.m., _Prize’s_ wounded stoker petty officer, assisted by -the second motor-man and the German stoker petty officer, succeeded in -starting one engine, and course was shaped for the Irish coast, all -sail being set; but the nearest land was 120 miles to the north-east. - -That night passed, and the next day, and the forenoon of the day -following; but on the afternoon of May 2 the Irish coast was sighted, -and _Prize_ was picked up 5 miles west of the Old Head of Kinsale by -H.M.M.L. 161 (Lieutenant Hannah, R.N.V.R.), who towed her into Kinsale, -where the wounded were disembarked. On May 4—that notable sunny -day when the first United States destroyers reached Queenstown from -America—_Prize_, still with her three German prisoners on board, left -Kinsale Harbour, towed by H.M. Drifter _Rival II._, who took her to -Milford. But on the way _Prize_ sighted a German mine-laying submarine -on the surface 2 miles away to the southward. The crew therefore went -to action stations, and for an hour the enemy steered on a parallel -course, but finally the latter drew ahead and disappeared. Arrived in -Milford the prisoners were taken ashore, and the _Prize_ at length came -to rest. - -It has been told me by one who ought to know, that when Von Spiegel -came aboard _Prize_, after being picked up out of the water, he -remarked to Sanders: ‘The discipline in the German Navy is wonderful, -but that your men could have quietly endured our shelling without -reply is beyond all belief.’ Before leaving the _Prize_ he said -good-bye to Sanders and extended an invitation to stay with him on -his Schleswig-Holstein estate after the war. No one will deny the -extraordinary gallantry of _Prize’s_ crew and the heroic patience in -withholding their fire until the psychological moment, though the -temptation was very trying. To Lieutenant W. E. Sanders was awarded -the Victoria Cross, and he was promoted to the rank of Temporary -Lieut.-Commander, R.N.R. To Lieutenant W. D. Beaton, R.N.R., was -awarded a D.S.O.; the two skippers each received a D.S.C., and the rest -of the brave ship’s company the D.S.M. - -But the ending of this story is yet to be told. U 93 was not sunk, -but got safely back to Germany! Von Spiegel had thought she was sunk, -and the crew of _Prize_ were not less certain. She had been holed -in her starboard ballast tank, in her starboard fuel tank, and her -conning-tower, and she was assuredly in a very bad way. If it had been -daylight she would most certainly have been finally destroyed; as it -was she was unable to dive, and escaped in the darkness deprived of -her wireless. Sub-Lieutenant Ziegler took over the command, with one -of his crew killed, three wounded, and three already taken prisoners. -With the utmost difficulty, and compelled to navigate all the time -on the surface, he managed to get his craft home. It was certainly a -fine achievement; the Kaiser was much impressed, and promoted him to -lieutenant. But, at the time, we in this country had never supposed -that any submarine could stand so much battering. It is interesting to -bear this incident in mind when reading other accounts in this book, -where it seemed so sure that the submarine must have been sunk: yet -the greatest care has been taken to verify every enemy submarine sunk, -and in each case the number has been given. But U 93 was doomed, and -had not much longer to live after her refit. Early in the following -January, one fine clear morning at a quarter past four, the time when -human nature is at its weakest and most collisions occur at sea, this -submarine was rammed by a steamer and sunk for the last time. - -After her very necessary refit, Lieut.-Commander Sanders still remained -in the _Prize_. Admiral Jellicoe, First Sea Lord, had sent for him and -offered him command of another ship: he could have had a destroyer, a -P-boat, or any ship within reason, but his undaunted spirit, to which -Lord Jellicoe on arriving in New Zealand after the war paid such high -tribute, refused a safer appointment, and preferred to carry on. I have -been told by an officer who enjoyed Sanders’ friendship and confidence -at this time, that he went out to sea again with the consciousness that -before long he would have played the live-bait game too far, and that -the fish would get away with the bait. If that is true, then we must -admire Sanders still more for his heroism in his devotion to duty. It -is surely of this stuff that the great martyrs of Christendom have been -made. - -On June 12, 1917—that is, six weeks after the previous incident, just -time enough to give leave to all the crew, get the ship refitted and -sailed to her new area—_Prize_ left Killybegs (Ireland) to cruise -to the westward of the Irish coast. At 11 a.m. on this day she was -under all sail on a N.N. W. course, doing not more than a knot through -the water, when she sighted a submarine 1-1/2 miles to the E.S.E. -proceeding slowly on the same course as _Prize_. The movements of -this submarine thereafter are worth noting. It is only reasonable to -suppose that on his return to Germany in U 93 Ziegler would give a -full description of the trap-ship which had so nearly destroyed him. -This information would, of course, be passed on to the other submarine -captains who frequented this Irish area, and we may be quite certain -that they would be on the look-out for her, anxious to revenge their -service. Now, in these modern times, and in any twenty-four hours, you -will see far more steamers of all sorts than 200-ton sailing craft: it -certainly was so during the war off the west and south-west coast of -Ireland. During the years I was on patrol there, with the exception -of quite small local fishing craft and an occasional full-rigged ship -making the land after her voyage across the Atlantic, one scarcely -ever sighted a sailing vessel of any kind. Ziegler would have reported -in effect: ‘Look out for a three-masted topsail schooner of about -200 tons. She has a bow like this..., her stern is like this..., and -her sheer is so.... You will probably find she has a dummy deckhouse -placed here...;’ and a rough sketch would afford his comrades a pretty -accurate idea. You cannot ever disguise the appearance of such a -sailing ship altogether, no matter what name you give her, nor what -colour you paint her hull. A three-masted topsail schooner is that -and nothing else, and would henceforth be regarded with the utmost -suspicion. Then, on comparing her with the sketch and examining her -with the eye of seamanlike experience, no astute submarine officer -could have had much doubt in his mind. A British officer who knew this -ship well has told me that in his opinion there was one small detail, -in respect of the wireless, which, to a careful observer, would always -give her character away. This may be so: at any rate, the following -incidents seem to indicate that the enemy were on the look-out for her -during the rest of her career, and persistently attacked her. - -On the occasion of June 12, as soon as the submarine came to the -surface and opened fire, _Prize_ as usual, after the necessary -intentional bungling, sent away her boat, which took up a position half -a mile away on the starboard bow. The enemy kept on firing, and at -11.30 the schooner was hit twice, so three minutes later, as the enemy -was turning away to increase the range, Sanders ordered the screens to -be lowered, and opened fire from both starboard guns at 1,800 yards. -One shell seemed to hit, and the enemy immediately dived. But two hours -later a submarine was seen on the surface 4 miles away on the starboard -quarter, and remained in sight for a quarter of an hour. Then next -morning at 6.30 a submarine was sighted stopped, 1-1/2 miles ahead -on the surface. Five minutes later he dived, but came up after four -minutes 1,500 yards off on the starboard bow. At 6.43 he again dived, -and was not seen again. Probably each of these three appearances was -the same submarine. On the first he was repulsed, on the second he -would have a perfect opportunity of making a detailed sketch, on the -third he may have been intending to attack by torpedo, but the westerly -swell from the Atlantic possibly interfered with accurate firing. But, -apart from all surmise, it is absolutely evident that the enemy was -able to obtain a picture of the schooner, which beyond all doubt would -establish her identity on a future occasion. The importance of this -will presently be seen. - -For this action of June 12 Lieut.-Commander Sanders was given a D.S.O. -to wear with his V.C. He had had a very trying time. When, at 11.30, -the German shells had hit, the falls of the port davit had been shot -away, and another shot had struck the ship on the starboard side -amidships just on the top of the sheer strake plate. This shell had -exploded and caused the ship to leak. Lieut.-Commander Sanders, who -was lying concealed between the mast and the hatch, put up his arms -to shield his face from the burst fragments and so received a piece -of shell in his right arm above the wrist. In addition, the force -of the explosion knocked him over and hurled him to the other side -of the deck, where he was picked up by Skipper Mead. In spite of the -pain and the shock, Sanders was just sufficiently conscious to give -the order ‘Action’ at 11.33, when screens were downed, White Ensign -run up, and fire was returned. The schooner came back to her base, -her gallant captain recovered from his wound, and two months later we -find her operating in the Atlantic again to the north-west of the N.W. -Irish coast. On this occasion she was cruising with one of our D-class -submarines, the idea being that when the enemy came along _Prize_ would -be attacked and heave-to in the customary manner, while the British -submarine would stealthily make for the enemy and torpedo him whilst, -so to speak, he was not looking. - -On the forenoon of August 13, imagine this schooner with her -newly-painted black topsides and red boot-topping, flying the Swedish -flag and heading east. Suddenly UB 48 was sighted to the north, so -Sanders hove-to and signalled the British submarine that there was a -German submarine to port. Shells began to be fired from the enemy, who -closed. The British submarine saw the shots falling but could not see -the enemy until 4.10 p.m., when the German was descried to starboard of -the _Prize_. There was a considerable lop on at the time, and _Prize_ -was seen with White Ensign flying at the peak, and her guns manned. -Five hours later the British submarine came to the surface and spoke -_Prize_, who stated that she had opened fire on the enemy at 200 yards, -and had hit him. This we now know from another source was perfectly -true, but the hits were not in a vital part of the German. During the -dark hours UB 48 bided his time, and at midnight fired two torpedoes, -the second of which hit, causing a terrific explosion, so that nothing -more was seen, and the good ship _Prize_, with her gallant captain and -all his brave men, ended her career after one of the most brilliant -periods that can be found in the records of sea achievement. UB 48 was -on her maiden voyage from Germany via the north of Scotland and N.W. -of Ireland to Cattaro in the Adriatic, where she arrived on September -2, sinking merchantmen on the way. This modern type of submarine, with -her 4·1-inch gun and her ten torpedoes, was a difficult craft to sink. -Her second officer had been taken from the German Mercantile Marine, -so we can assume that his critical eye would scrutinize the schooner -and detect something which convinced his captain that this was really -a trap-ship. That the submarine should have been content, whilst on a -long passage, to waste so many hours over a mere sailing craft of quite -small tonnage would have been doubtful; but the _Prize_ having once -shown her White Ensign and used her guns to effect decided the German -that she must be settled with after dark, when she would be a good -target in that August night. It was a fair fight, but the chances were -all in favour of the German, since it is practically impossible to see -a periscope at night, whereas the Q-ship’s sails would loom up and show -in which direction the target was heading; and, further, the submarine -had the advantage of mobility all the time. - -The facts which have just been stated are authentic, and it is as well -that they should now be made known. Ignorance always breeds falsehood, -and after the loss of _Prize_ there were all sorts of wild stories -going about both in the Service and in the Mercantile Marine. Some of -them are too ghastly to be related, but a favourite version was that -the brave Sanders had been taken prisoner and lashed to the submarine’s -periscope, which then submerged and so drowned him. Another story, -which was very prevalent, was that he had been cruelly murdered. There -is not a word of truth in these suggestions. Lieut.-Commander Sanders -died as he would have wished, aboard his ship with his men. His body -rests in the Atlantic where the remains of his glorious _Prize_ sank: -but his memorial, unveiled by Lord Jellicoe as Governor of New Zealand, -will inspire generations who come after. - -For dogged devotion to dangerous duty, for coolness in peril, for real -leadership of men, for tenacity in ‘sticking it,’ this hero among -those great and gallant gentlemen of the Q-ship service will remain -as a model of what a true British sailor should be. Had he lived, his -influence would have been tremendous, but by his refusing a safe billet -when he was fully entitled to it, and preferring deliberately to court -death because that way duty and honour pointed, his example should be a -great source of strength to every young apprentice beginning his life -in the Merchant Service, every midshipman of His Majesty’s Navy, and -every young man content to learn the lessons which are taught only by -the sea. On land, for their historic exploits at the Dardanelles and -in France we gratefully remember the Australians and New Zealanders. -It is fitting that one of the latter should have bequeathed to us such -distinction on the sea: it is characteristic of the great co-operation -when the children of the Empire flocked to help their mother in her -throes of the World War. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -SHIPS AND ADVENTURES - - -Independence of character is a great asset in any leader of men, but it -is an essential, basic virtue when a man finds himself in command of a -ship: without such an attribute he is dominated either by his officers, -his own emotions, or the vagaries of chance. In the case of a Q-ship -captain, this aloofness was raised to a greater degree of importance -by reason of the special nature of the work. Can you think of any -situation more solitary and lonely than this? There are, of course, -all kinds and conditions of loneliness. There is the loneliness of -the airman gliding through celestial heights; there is the loneliness -of the man in the crowd; there is the loneliness of the sentry, of -the hermit, of the administrator in the desert. But I can conceive of -nothing so solitary as the Q-ship captain lying alone on the planking -of his bridge, patiently waiting and watching through a slit in the -canvas the manœuvres of an artful U-boat. - -Such a figure is morally and physically alone. He is the great brain -of the ship; at his word she is transformed from a tramp to a warship. -It is he who has to take the fateful, and perhaps fatal, decision; -and to none other can he depute this responsibility as long as life -lasts. Only a big character, strong and independent, can tackle such a -proposition. Alone, too, he is physically. Most of his men have left -the ship and are over there in the boats, sometimes visible on the -top of the wave, sometimes obliterated in the trough. The rest of his -crew are somewhere below the bridge, under the bulwarks, at their guns, -crouching out of sight. His officers are at their respective stations, -forward, aft, and amidships, connected to him by speaking-tubes, but -otherwise apart. He himself, arbiter of his own fate, his men, and his -ship, has to fight against a dozen contending impulses, and refuse -to be panic-stricken, hasty, or impetuous. This much is expected of -him; his crew are relying on him blindly, absolutely. However, by -long years of experience and moulding of character he has learnt the -power of concentration and of omitting from his imagination the awful -possibilities of failure. Before putting to sea, and whilst on patrol, -he has envisaged every conceivable circumstance and condition likely -to occur. He has mentally allowed for every move of the submarine, for -the wounding of his own ship: and he has had the ship’s action stations -thus worked out. Accidents will, of course, occur to spoil any routine, -though some of these, such as the breakdown of the wireless and the -bursting of a gun, or the jamming of a screen, may be foreseen and -allowed for. - -But after all that could be prepared for has been done, there -always remains some awkward possibility which the wit of man can -never foresee. Take the incident of the Q-ship _Ravenstone_, which -was commissioned as a Q-ship on June 26, 1917, under the name of -_Donlevon_. A month later she was torpedoed one afternoon in the -Atlantic, 40 miles south of the Fastnet. Fortunately there were no -casualties, and fortunately, too, the ship did not straight away -founder. There was a heavy sea running, and she was soon down by -the head; but she was also prevented from using her engines, for the -torpedo had struck her in No. 2 hold, and the force of the explosion -had lifted and thrown overboard from the fore well-deck a 7-inch hemp -hawser. This had fallen into the sea, floated aft, and there fouled -the propeller so effectually that the ship could go neither ahead -nor astern. It was a most annoying predicament, but who could have -foreseen it? The submarine apparently ‘hopped it,’ for she made no -further attack, and one of Admiral Bayly’s sloops, H.M.S. _Camelia_, -stood by _Donlevon_, and from Berehaven arrived the tug _Flying Spray_, -who got her in tow. Another sloop, the _Myosotis_, had her in tow for -thirty-one hours, handling her so well in the heavy sea that, in spite -of _Donlevon_ being down by the head and steering like a mad thing, -she safely arrived in Queenstown, and was afterwards paid out of the -Service. Ten thousand pounds’ worth of damage had been done. - -In the early summer of 1917, at a time when the United States Navy had -just begun to help us with their destroyers and the enemy was hoping -very shortly to bring us ‘to our knees,’ we had thirteen different -Q-ships based on Queenstown. There was the converted sloop _Aubrietia_, -commanded by Admiral Marx, M.V.O., D.S.O., who, in spite of his years, -had come back to the Service and accepted a commission as captain -R.N.R. For a time he was in command of H.M. armed yacht _Beryl_, -owned by Lord Inverclyde. From this command he transferred to the -more exciting work of decoying submarines, and it is amusing when one -thinks of an admiral pretending to be the skipper of a little tramp. Of -this thirteen there was Captain Grenfell’s _Penshurst_, about which -the reader has already been informed. Captain Gordon Campbell was in -_Pargust_, and Commander Leopold A. Bernays, C.M.G., was in _Vala_. The -latter was one of the most unusual personalities in a unique service. -Before the war he had left the Navy and gone to Canada, where he had -some pretty tough adventures. On the outbreak of war he joined up, and -crossed to England as a soldier, but managed to get transferred quite -early to a mine-sweeping trawler, where he did magnificent work month -after month; first in sweeping up the mine-field laid off Scarborough -at the time of the German raid, December, 1914, and afterwards in -clearing up the difficult Tory Island minefield, which had been laid by -_Berlin_ in October, 1914, but was not rendered safe for many months -afterwards. When in the summer of 1915 a British minesweeping force was -required for Northern Russia, Bernays was sent out with his trawlers. -Here, with his usual thoroughness and enthusiasm, he set to work, and -again performed most valuable service, and buoyed a safe channel for -the ships carrying munitions from England to voyage in safety. - -But Bernays was no respecter of persons, especially of those who were -not keen on their job. With Russian dilatoriness and inefficiency, -and in particular with the Russian admiral, he soon found himself -exasperated beyond measure. His own trawlers were working in the most -strenuous fashion, whereas the Russians seemed only to be thwarting -instead of helping, and at any rate were not putting their full weight -into the contest. I do not know whether the yarn about Bernays in -exasperation pulling the beard of the overbearing Russian admiral is -true, but there was a big row, and Bernays came back to England, -though for his good work he received the coveted British order C.M.G. -After further minesweeping off the Scotch coast, where once more he -distinguished himself, he came to Queenstown to serve in his Q-ship. -Here he went about his job in his usual fearless manner, and on one -occasion had played a submarine as he used to play a fish. He had -slowed down, and the U-boat was coming nicely within range, when just -as everything was ready for the bait to be swallowed, up came a United -States destroyer at high speed to ‘rescue’ this ‘tramp.’ The submarine -was frightened away, and _Vala_ lost her fish. Then one day Bernays -took _Vala_ on another cruise. What happened exactly we do not know, -but evidently a submarine got her, and sank her without a trace, for -neither ship nor crew was ever heard of again. - -Bernays was just the man for Q-ship work. He was one whom you would -describe as a ‘rough customer,’ who might have stepped out of a Wild -West cinema. A hard swearer in an acquired American accent, in port -also a hard drinker; but on going to sea he kept everything locked up, -and not even his officers were allowed to touch a drop till they got -back to harbour. The first time I met him was at 3 o’clock one bitterly -cold winter’s morning in Grimsby. It was blowing a gale of wind and -it was snowing. Some of his minesweepers had broken adrift and come -down on to the top of my craft, and were doing her no good. There was -nothing for it but to rouse Bernays. His way of handling men, and these -rough North Sea fishermen, was a revelation. It was a mixture of hard -Navy, Prussianism, and Canadian ‘get-to-hell-out-of-this-darned-hole.’ -There was no coaxing in his voice; every syllable was a challenge to -a fight. On the forebridge of his trawler he used to keep a bucket -containing lumps of coal, and in giving an order would at times -accentuate his forcible and coloured words by heaving a lump at any of -his slow-thinking crew. - -Having said all this, you may wonder there was never a mutiny; but -such a state of affairs was the last thing that could ever happen in -any of Bernays’ ships. From a weak man the crew would not have stood -this treatment a day, but they understood him, they respected him, -they loved him, and in his command of the English tongue they realized -that he was like unto themselves, but more adept. Follow him? They -followed him everywhere—through the North Sea, through Russian and -Irish minefields, and relied on him implicitly. And this regard was -mutual, for in spite of his rugged manner Bernays had a heart, and he -thought the world of his crew. I remember how pleased he was the day -he was ordered to go to the dangerous Tory Island minefield. ‘But I’m -not going without my old crew; they’re the very best in the world.’ -Bernays, as an American officer once remarked, ‘certainly was some -tough proposition,’ but he knew no cowardice; he did his brave duty, -and he rests in a sailor’s grave. - -Another of these thirteen was the converted sloop _Begonia_, commanded -by Lieut.-Commander Basil S. Noake, R.N., an officer of altogether -different temperament. Keen and able, yet courteous and gentle of -manner, tall, thin, and suffering somewhat from deafness, this gallant -officer, too, paid the great penalty. For _Begonia_ was destined to -have no ordinary career. Built as a minesweeping sloop, she carried -out escort and patrol work until one day she was holed, but managed -to get into Queenstown. Here she was repaired and transformed into a -decoy, with a counter added instead of her cruiser stern, and with -the addition of derricks and so on she was a very clever deception. -During one cruise she was evidently a victim to the enemy, for she -disappeared, too. - -The remaining ships of this thirteen were the _Acton_ (Lieut.-Commander -C. N. Rolfe, R.N.), _Zylpha_ (Lieut.-Commander John K. McLeod, -R.N.), _Cullist_ (Lieut.-Commander S. H. Simpson, D.S.O., R.N.), -_Tamarisk_ (Lieut.-Commander John W. Williams, D.S.O., R.N.R.), -_Viola_ (Lieut.-Commander F. A. Frank, D.S.O., R.N.R.), _Salvia_ -(Lieut.-Commander W. Olphert, D.S.O., D.S.C., R.N.R.), _Laggan_ -(Lieutenant C. J. Alexander, R.N.R.), and _Heather_ (Lieutenant Harold -Auten, R.N.R.). In this list there is scarcely a name that did not -receive before the end of the war at least one D.S.O., while two of -them received the Victoria Cross. - -_Acton_ had an indecisive duel with a submarine on August 20, 1917. It -was a fine day with a calm sea when the enemy was sighted, and on being -attacked _Acton_ abandoned ship. In order to make this doubly real, -fire-boxes were started in the well-deck, and steam leakage turned on, -which made the ship look as if she were on fire. The enemy inspected -the ship closely, so closely in fact that he actually collided with -_Acton_, shaking the latter fore and aft. But after he had come to the -surface and _Acton_ opened fire, hitting, loud shouts came from the -conning-tower, and he submerged, thus escaping. _Acton_ went on with -her work until the end of hostilities. - -_Zylpha_ and _Cullist_ both had tragic ends to their careers. _Zylpha_ -was a 2,917-ton steamer, built at Sunderland in 1894, and had been -commissioned as a Q-ship as far back as October, 1915. Early in June, -1917, she steamed along the south Irish coast and then out into the -Atlantic, as if bound for New York. On June 11, at 9.45 a.m., when -about 200 miles from the Irish coast, she was torpedoed by a submarine -that was never seen again, and totally disabled. Her engines had -stopped for the last time, and the sea had poured in, though her -closely-packed cargo of wood was at present keeping her afloat. Having -‘bleated’ with her wireless, one of the United States destroyers, based -on Queenstown, proceeded to her assistance. This was the _Warrington_, -and she stood by the ship for a whole twenty-four hours—from 2 p.m. of -the eleventh until 2.30 p.m. of the twelfth. By the time _Warrington_ -had arrived _Zylpha’s_ engine-room and boiler-rooms were already awash, -Nos. 2 and 3 holds flooded, the wireless out of action, and one man -killed. The _Warrington_ kept patrolling round her, requested a tug by -wireless, and went on zigzagging through the long hours. By the evening -_Zylpha_ was in a bad way, and the Atlantic swell was seriously shaking -the bulkheads, but she was still afloat next morning. By this time the -_Warrington_, who had been some time on patrol, was running short of -oil, so, at 2.30 p.m., regretfully had to return to harbour for fuel. - -This was a sad blow to the _Zylpha_ people, but whilst waiting for the -arrival of the U.S. destroyer _Drayton_ and two Queenstown tugs which -were being sent to her, _Zylpha_ actually made sail with what little -canvas she had, and made good at 1-1/2 knots. At noon of the fourteenth -she was picked up by H.M. sloop _Daffodil_, and was then taken in tow. -Next day, at 1 p.m., tugs reached her, but she could not last out -the night, and, after having been towed for most of 200 miles, she -gradually sank when quite near to the west coast, finally disappearing -at 11.20 p.m. near the Great Skelligs. So ended _Zylpha_. - -_Cullist_ was commanded by an officer who had served a long time off -this coast in a sloop. Her real name was the _Westphalia_, but she was -also known as the _Jurassic_, _Hayling_, and _Prim_. She was of 1,030 -gross tons, and in the spring of 1917 was lying at Calais, when she was -requisitioned and sent to Pembroke Naval Dockyard to be fitted out. She -was commissioned on May 12 by Lieut.-Commander Simpson, and Admiral -Bayly then sent her to cruise along certain trade routes. She was -capable of steaming about 10 knots, and was armed with a 4-inch and two -12-pounder guns, as well as a couple of torpedo-tubes, and all these -had been well concealed. A few weeks later, on July 13, _Cullist_ was -between the Irish and French coasts, and it was just after 1 p.m. when -a submarine appeared on the horizon. - -About two minutes later the enemy from very long range opened fire, -but as his shots were falling about 3,000 yards short, he increased -speed towards the _Cullist_. By 1.30 a large merchant ship was seen -coming up from the south, so _Cullist_ hoisted the signal ‘You are -standing into danger,’ whereupon the big steamer altered course away. -_Cullist_ then zigzagged, keeping always between sun and enemy, and by -dropping eight smoke-boxes at various intervals succeeded in enticing -the submarine down to a range of 5,000 yards, a distance which was -maintained for the rest of the action. From 1.45 the enemy continually -straddled _Cullist_ so that the decks were wet with the splashes, and -shell splinters were rattling on masts and deck. By 2.7 the enemy -had fired sixty-eight rounds, but had not hit once. _Cullist_ now -decided to engage, and her third round was seen to hit just below the -submarine’s gun, the remainder hitting regularly along the deck and on -the conning-tower, causing bright red flames which rose higher than -the conning-tower. Three minutes after _Cullist_ had opened fire the -enemy sank by the bows in flames, and then the ship steamed to the spot -and dropped a depth charge. Three of _Cullist’s_ crew saw a corpse -dressed in blue dungarees, floating face upwards, but the submarine was -never seen again. By 3.30 H.M.S. _Christopher_ arrived on the scene -and both ships searched for the enemy. He was evidently seriously -damaged, but he had made his escape. Lieut.-Commander Simpson, for -this engagement, was awarded a D.S.O; Lieutenant G. Spencer, R.N.R., a -D.S.C.; Sub-Lieutenant G. H. D. Doubleday, R.N.R., also a D.S.C.; while -two other officers were ‘mentioned.’ - -_Cullist’s_ next adventure was on August 20 in the English Channel, -when she was shelled for most of two and a half hours at long range, -during which the submarine expended over eighty rounds with only one -hit. This, however, had penetrated the waterline of the stokehold, -injuring both firemen who happened to be on watch, and causing a large -rush of water into the stokehold. By plugging the hole and shoring it -up this defect was for the present made good. At 7.25 p.m., inasmuch as -the light was fading and the enemy declined to come nearer than 4,000 -yards, _Cullist_ started shelling and seemed to make two direct hits on -the base of the conning-tower. This was enough for the German, who then -dived very rapidly and made off. _Cullist_ was practically uninjured, -for the only other hits on her had been that the port depth charge had -been struck with shell splinters and the patent log-line had been shot -away. - -But on the eleventh of the following February a much more serious -attack was made, and this illustrates the statement that suddenly -without the slightest warning a Q-ship might find herself in the -twinkling of an eye changed from an efficient man-of-war into a mere -wreck. _Cullist_ at the time was steaming on a southerly course -down the Irish Sea, Kingstown Harbour being to the westward. The -officer of the watch and the look-out men were at their posts, -and Lieut.-Commander Simpson was walking up and down the deck. -Suddenly, from nowhere, the track of a torpedo was seen approaching, -and this struck the ship between the engine-room and No. 3 hold. -Lieut.-Commander Simpson was hurled into the air and came down on to -the edge of the deck with a very painful arm. Realizing the condition -of the _Cullist_, he ordered his men to abandon ship, but such was the -zeal of the crew in remaining at action stations until the last moment -that many of them were drowned: for in less than two minutes _Cullist_ -had gone to the bottom. This part of the Irish Sea then consisted of -a number of Englishmen swimming about or keeping alive on a small -Carley float. The submarine when half a mile astern of where _Cullist_ -sank, came to the surface and rapidly approached. Then she stopped, -picked up two men, inquired for the captain, examined survivors through -glasses, and having abused them by words and gestures, made off to -the southward. After swimming about for some time, Lieut.-Commander -Simpson was then pulled on to the Carley float, which is a special -kind of raft, very shallow, painted Navy grey, and usually supplied -with a paddle such as you find in a Canadian canoe. It was a bleak -February afternoon, and here were a few men able to keep from death by -joining hands on this crowded raft. As the hours went on, the usual -trying thirst assailed them and the fatal temptation to drink the -sea-water, but the captain wisely and sternly prevented this. How long -they would be left crowded in this ridiculous raft, cold and miserable, -no one knew: it was obvious that human strength could not last out -indefinitely. - -But just as it was getting dusk, about 6 p.m., a trawler was seen. -Relief at last! Someone who held the Canadian paddle kept it high to -make it more easy for the trawler to recognize them. It was a patrol -trawler, for the gun was visible; in a few moments they would be -rescued. But just then these sopping-wet survivors were horrified to -see the trawler manning her gun and laying it on to the raft. What -hideous mistake was this? ‘Sing at the top of your voices.’ So they -sang ‘Tipperary’ with all the strength they had left. Then a slight -pause was followed by the trawler dismissing the gun’s crew and coming -towards them as quickly as her engines would go round. The survivors -were picked up and taken into Kingstown, where they landed about 10 -p.m., and none too soon for some of them. By the time they were in -hospital they were almost done. But what was the trawler’s explanation? -She had sighted something in the half-light which resembled a -submarine, and on examining it again it still more resembled such a -craft. There was the conning-tower painted grey, and there was the -periscope too. It was only when the unmistakable sound of British -voices chanting ‘Tipperary’ reached their ears that they looked again -and found that the ‘periscope’ was the Canadian paddle, and the -‘conning-tower’ was the men linked together imposed on the grey Carley -float. - -But it had been a near thing! - -Even more varied was the career of the _Privet_ (alias _Island Queen_, -Q 19, _Swisher_, and _Alcala_). This was a small steamer of 803 tons, -which had begun her service in December, 1916, her captain being -Lieut.-Commander C. G. Matheson, R.N.R. On the following twelfth of -March she was on passage from Land’s End to Alderney, and was steaming -at 9 knots, when just before three in the afternoon a torpedo was seen -to pass under the ship at the engine-room. _Privet_ was presently -shelled by the submarine, who rose to the surface on the starboard -side aft, the first nine rounds hitting _Privet_ five times. One -of these rounds burst among the ‘abandon ship’ party, causing many -casualties and destroying the falls of both boats. _Privet’s_ hull -had been badly holed, and she was compelled to send out a wireless -S.O.S. signal, stating that her engines were disabled, but two minutes -later she opened fire with her port battery—she was armed with four -12-pounders—and during the first seven rounds the enemy received -punishment, being hit abreast the fore part of the conning-tower, and -twice well abaft the conning-tower. The German now tried to escape -by submerging, but evidently he found his hull leaking so badly that -he was seen trying to reach the surface again by using his engines -and hydroplanes. Thus _Privet_ managed to get in a couple more hits -and then the U-boat disappeared stern first at an angle of forty-five -degrees. _Privet_ in this manner had definitely sunk U 85, belonging to -the biggest U-class submarines, 230 feet long, armed with two guns and -twelve torpedoes. The whole incident, from the moment the torpedo was -fired to the destruction of the attacker, had covered forty minutes; -but now, ten minutes later, _Privet’s_ engine-room was reported to be -filling up with water owing to one of the enemy’s shells getting home. -Twenty minutes later the chief engineer reported that the water was now -over the plates and rising. Efforts were made to plug the hole with -hammocks and timber, but this was found impossible, and this small -ship, in spite of her victory, was in great peril. After another few -minutes the men and wounded were ordered into the lifeboat and skiff, -for the engine-room was full of water and the after bulkhead might give -way suddenly any minute. Half an hour later this actually happened, but -by this time the two British destroyers _Christopher_ and _Orestes_ had -arrived on the scene. - -_Privet_ was in a pitiable condition, and, after throwing overboard -confidential books and rendering the depth charges safe, she was -finally abandoned, though she did not at once sink. In fact, an hour -and a half later she was still afloat; so Lieut.-Commander Matheson, -his officers, a seaman, and a working party from _Orestes_ went back -on board her, and within an hour _Orestes_ had begun to tow her -under great difficulties. However, everything went fairly well until -they were approaching Plymouth Sound, when _Privet’s_ last bulkheads -collapsed, and she started now to settle down quickly. This was rather -hard luck, having regard to what she had gone through, but there was no -mistake about it, she was sinking fast. Those in charge of her are to -be congratulated, for they were able just in time to get her into shoal -water, and she sank in only 4-1/2 fathoms opposite the Picklecomb Fort, -and that closed chapter one in her not uninteresting career. - -From this position she was very soon raised, taken into Devonport, and -recommissioned at the end of April. Thus, having sunk a submarine and -herself being sunk, she returned to the same kind of work, and actually -succeeded in sinking another submarine on the night of November 8-9, -1918, this being the last to be destroyed before Armistice. The -incident occurred in the Mediterranean and the submarine was U 34. -Truly a remarkable career for such a small steamer, but a great tribute -to all those brains and hands who in the first instance fitted her out, -fought in her, got her into Plymouth Sound, salved her, fitted her out -again, took her to sea, and undauntedly vanquished the enemy once more! -In the whole realm of naval history there are not many ships that can -claim such a record against an enemy. - -Another trying incident was that which occurred to the 1,295-ton -steamer _Mavis_ (alias Q 26 and _Nyroca_), armed with a 4-inch and two -12-pounders. This vessel had been fitted out at Devonport, her Merchant -Service cranes being landed and replaced by dummy derricks. The hatches -to her holds were plated over, access to the same being provided by -manholes. In order to give her the maximum chance should she ever be -torpedoed, she was ballasted with closely packed firewood; and only -those who have seen torpedoed ships carrying a cargo of timber can -realize for what a long time such an apparently sinking ship will keep -afloat, though necessarily deep in the water. I remember, during the -war, the case of a steamer torpedoed off Brow Head (south-west Ireland) -after she had just arrived from across the Atlantic. She was deserted -by her crew, the sea was over the floors of her upper-deck cabins, and -she was obviously a brute to steer in such an unseaworthy condition, -but with great difficulty and some patience we managed to tow her -into port, where, owing to her sinking condition, she drew so much -water that she touched the ground every low tide. But she was salved -and eventually patched up. It was her timber cargo which had kept her -afloat just long enough, and inasmuch as ship and freight were worth -no less than £250,000, this was more than worth while. So it was with -_Mavis_. - -On the last day of May, 1917, under command of Commander Adrian Keyes, -R.N., this Q-ship had left Devonport to cruise in the Atlantic. At -6.45 a.m. on June 2 she sighted a ship’s lifeboat coming along under -sail and found it contained three men who were in a very exhausted -condition. These were the survivors from the Greek S.S. _N. Hadziaka_, -which had been torpedoed and sunk a little further to the westward. -This torpedoing had occurred in a heavy sea, and in lowering away the -boats, one of them had been smashed and the other swamped. The captain -and twenty-two men had clung to the wreckage when the German submarine -broke surface, approached, but made no attempt at rescue, and then went -away. For forty-eight hours these wretched men kept more or less alive -in the water and then gradually dropped off one by one until only three -remained. These then managed to patch one boat, upright her, bale her -out, and make sail. They had been sailing for ten hours during the -night when they had the good luck to be picked up by _Mavis_, having -been fifty-eight hours without food or water. - -Having rescued them, _Mavis_ continued on her western course, but -after dark turned east, setting a course to pass 10 miles south of -the Lizard. During the following day she passed through considerable -wreckage. At 9.45 p.m. she was 20 miles south of the Wolf Rock when -a torpedo was seen to break surface 40 yards from the ship on the -starboard beam. It struck _Mavis_ abreast of the engine-room and -penetrated the side, so that the ship stopped at once, and both -engine-room and boiler-room were flooded. It was impossible to send out -a wireless call, as the emergency apparatus had been wrecked too, but -three rockets were fired and eventually the destroyer _Christopher_ -came up, followed later by the trawler _Whitefriars_ and several tugs. -Then began the difficult and slow process of towing, and they got her -just inside Plymouth Sound, but by this time she was in such a crank -condition that it was feared she might capsize, so they managed to -beach her in Cawsand Bay on the west side of the Sound. It was her -ballast of firewood that had saved her from total loss, and for this -both British and Greeks must have felt more than thankful. - - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “CANDYTUFT” - -This Q-ship had the misfortune to be attacked by a submarine who -used torpedoes to blow both the bow and stern off the Q-ship. The -“Candytuft” was afterwards beached on the North African coast. - - To face p. 174] - -Another incident, which well illustrates the risks run by these -Q-ships, is now to be related. Among those officers who had retired -from the Service and come back after the outbreak of war was Commander -W. O’G. Cochrane, R.N., who for part of the war was captain of one -of the sloops off the south of Ireland. In the spring of 1917 I well -remember the very excellent sport we had in company, but in separate -ships, exploring and destroying the mine-fields laid by the enemy -submarines right along the whole south coast from Cape Clear to the Old -Head of Kinsale. At the beginning of the following November, Commander -Cochrane left Devonport in command of the Q-ship _Candytuft_, together -with a convoy of merchant ships bound for Gibraltar. _Candytuft_ was -disguised to represent a tramp steamer, and on the eighth, when in -the vicinity of Cape St. Vincent, had an encounter with a submarine, in -which the usual tactics were employed. One of the enemy’s shells struck -the Q-ship’s bridge, exploding under the bunk in Captain Cochrane’s -cabin, wrecking the wireless and steering-gear. _Candytuft_ was able to -fire three shots, but the enemy disappeared, made off, and was never -seen by the Q-ship again. - -After having been repaired at Gibraltar, _Candytuft_ left in company -with the merchant ship _Tremayne_ for Malta. This was on November -16. Two days later they were off Cap Sigli, when a torpedo crossed -_Tremayne’s_ bows, but struck _Candytuft_ on the starboard quarter, -entirely blowing off the ship’s stern and killing all the officers -excepting Captain Cochrane and Lieutenant Phillips, R.N.R., who was on -the bridge, but very badly wounding Lieutenant Errington, R.N.R. - -With sound judgment and true unselfishness Captain Cochrane now ordered -_Tremayne_ to make for Bougie as fast as she could, and in the meantime -the Q-ship hoisted her foresail to assist the ship to drift inshore. -Most of the ship’s company were sent away in boats, only sufficient -being kept aboard to man the two 4-inch guns, and everyone kept out of -sight. Within half an hour a periscope was seen by Captain Cochrane, -concealed behind the bridge screens. A periscope is a poor target, but -it was fired at, though ineffectually. On came the torpedo, striking -_Candytuft_ just foreward of the bridge, completely wrecking the fore -part of the ship. This explosion wounded several men in a boat, covered -the bridge with coal barrows and other miscellaneous wreckage, blew a -leading-seaman overboard—happily he was picked up unhurt—blew Captain -Cochrane up also, but some of the falling wreckage struck him on the -head, knocked him back inboard, and left him staggering off the bridge. - -Presently the ship gave a sudden jerk, and rid herself of her bow, -which now floated away and sank. _Candytuft_ drifted towards the -African shore, and after the captain and one of his crew had gallantly -closed the watertight door at the foreward end of the mess-deck, up to -their middles in water and working in almost complete darkness, with -tables and other articles washing about, it became time for these last -two to leave the ship. They were taken off by a French armed trawler -and landed at Bougie. _Candytuft_, minus bow and stern, drifted ashore -on to a sandy beach, and eventually the two 4-inch guns were salved. -Lieutenant Errington had died before reaching land, and the wounded -had to be left in hospital. But afterwards some of _Candytuft’s_ crew -went to sea in another Q-ship, and so the whole gallant story went on. -Ships may be torpedoed, but, like the soldiers, sailors never die. They -keep on ‘keeping on’ all the time, as a young seaman once was heard to -remark. - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “CANDYTUFT” - -This shows some of the damage done by the enemy submarine’s torpedo. -She is lying beached and one of the guns is being salved and lowered -down the side. - - To face p. 176] - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -MORE SAILING-SHIP FIGHTS - - -If, in accordance with the delightful legend, Drake during the -recent war had heard the beating of his drum and had ‘quit the port -o’ Heaven,’ come back to life again in the service of his Sovereign -and country, he would assuredly have gone to sea in command of a -Q-sailing-ship. His would have been the Victoria Cross and D.S.O. with -bars, and we can see him bringing his much battered ship into Plymouth -Sound as did his spiritual descendants in the Great War. And yet, with -all the halo of his name, it is impossible to imagine that, great -seaman as he was, his deeds would be more valiant than those we are now -recording. - -If we had, so to speak, put the clock back by the re-introduction -of the fighting sailing ship, it was an anachronism that was well -justified by results. More of these craft and various rigs were still -being taken up. In the spring of 1917 the topsail schooner _Dargle_ was -requisitioned, fitted out at Granton with a 4-inch and two 12-pounders, -and then sent to Lerwick, whence she operated. Similarly the ketch -_George L. Muir_ (alias _G. L. Munro_, _G.L.M._, and _Padre_), which -was accustomed to trade between Kirkwall and the Firth of Forth, was -chartered and armed with a 12-pounder. - -On April 22, 1917, the 174-ton auxiliary barquentine _Gaelic_ -(otherwise known as _Brig 11_, _Gobo_, and Q 22), which had been taken -up at the end of 1916, and was armed with a couple of 12-pounders, had -a very plucky fight. She had left Falmouth on the nineteenth under -the command of Lieutenant G. Irvine, R.N.R., and at 6.30 p.m. was now -48 miles south of the Old Head of Kinsale, steering S.E. under all -fore-and-aft sail. It was a fine, clear day, the sea was calm, there -was little wind, but the ship was making about 2 knots under sail and -starboard motor. It was a quiet Sunday evening: one of those gentle -spring days which came gladly to the Irish coast after the long nights -and continuous gales of the dark winter. The watch, consisting of four -men, were all aloft getting in the square sails, when one of them -hailed the deck that he could see a submarine about four points on the -starboard bow. She was distant about 5,000 yards to the southward and -steering to the N.W. at slow speed. - -Hands were called down from aloft immediately, and action stations -sounded on the alarm gong. The enemy began the tactics of keeping -well away from the ship and firing shell after shell, of which six -hit the _Gaelic_, killing two of the deckhands and wounding four, -besides putting the port motor out of action and seriously damaging the -rigging. For a time both vessels maintained their respective courses, -and when the enemy was bearing a couple of points abaft _Gaelic’s_ -starboard beam, the sailing ship unmasked her guns and opened fire. It -was now 6.50; the enemy had already fired twenty rounds, but as soon -as the attack was returned he altered course and despatched a torpedo -at 4,000 yards. This luckily _Gaelic_ was able to avoid in time by -starboarding her helm so that the torpedo missed by about 150 yards, -passing parallel along the starboard side. _Gaelic’s_ forward gun had -now fired three shots, but her fourth hit the submarine. By a piece -of bad luck, soon after this, the firing pin of the port forward gun -broke and the gun was temporarily out of action, so _Gaelic_ had to -be brought round until the starboard guns would bear. Thus the fight -went on until 7.20 p.m., when the enemy came round under port helm -and started to move slowly away to the S.W., still firing. Another -trouble now occurred in the barquentine. One of the shells had caused -the fresh-water tank on deck to leak. This water then came through a -hole in the deck on to the starboard engine, putting it out of action, -and so with both engines useless and no wind the unfortunate _Gaelic_ -could not be manœuvred, though the guns continued to bear. Firing was -maintained and two more hits were scored on the German target. About -eight o’clock the submarine ceased fire, ported his helm, headed -towards the barquentine, and ten minutes later, the range being still -4,000 yards, _Gaelic_ hit him again. This was the end of the action, -each craft having fired about 110 rounds. It seems pretty certain -that though the submarine was not sunk she was badly knocked about, -for she broke off the engagement and dived. A hand was sent aloft who -reported that he could distinctly see the submarine below making to the -south-east. _Gaelic_ did her best to follow, but by this time darkness -was rapidly setting in, so with both motors useless, sails and rigging -also in a dreadful condition, she set a course for the Old Head of -Kinsale, and at daybreak, when 10 miles short of that landfall, was -picked up by H.M. sloop _Bluebell_ and towed into Queenstown. She was -then refitted and eventually went out to the Mediterranean, being based -on Gibraltar. - -Allusion has been made in another chapter to the auxiliary schooner -_Glen_ (alias _Sidney_ and _Athos_), which began her special service -on April 5, 1917, under Lieutenant R. J. Turnbull, R.N.R. On May 17 -she had a most successful duel, in which she managed to sink the small -UB 39, one of those submarines about 121 feet long, and possessing -extreme surface speed of 8-1/2 knots, which, armed with one gun and -four torpedoes, used to come out from Zeebrugge, negotiate the Dover -Straits—for which she was fitted with a net-cutter at the bows—and -then operate in the English Channel. The enemy’s gun was a 22-pounder; -_Glen_ carried a 12-pounder and a 3-pounder. It was six o’clock in the -evening, and _Glen_ was about 35 miles south of the Needles, steering -north-east, close hauled on the starboard tack, the wind being E. by -S., force 4. There was a moderate sea on, and the ship was bowling -along under all sail. Suddenly out of nowhere a shot was heard, and -five minutes later could be seen the flash of a second, and UB 39 was -sighted to the southward, 2-1/2 miles away. _Glen_ therefore backed -her fore-yard, and eased away all sheets, so as to check her way. The -submarine then ceased firing, but her captain must have been one of -those less experienced men, who were characteristic of the later stages -of the war, and did foolish things; for he was indiscreet enough in -this case to close schooner, who then ‘abandoned ship.’ On came the -German and submerged when 800 yards off until only her periscope and -part of her bridge dodger were showing. Still she approached until now -she was only 200 yards distant, steering a course parallel with the -schooner on the latter’s starboard side. All this happened so quickly -that the ‘panic party’ were just leaving the ship, when UB 39 rose to -the surface just abaft the schooner’s beam, and now only 80 yards off. -For such temerity the German, who must have been amazingly credulous, -paid with his life. Lieutenant Turnbull gave the order for ‘action,’ -and within five seconds the first shot from the 12-pounder was fired, -which fell over the submarine abaft the conning-tower. The enemy was -evidently quite surprised, for the hatch in the conning-tower was now -opened, and there appeared the head and shoulders of a man who seemed -dazed, and as the second 12-pounder shell came bursting on the hull -under the conning-tower this man apparently fell back down the hatch. - -The submarine now commenced to dive, and as the stern rose out of the -water the third and fourth shots from the same gun burst on the after -part of the hull in the middle line, the holes made by these three -shots being plainly visible to those in the schooner. The 3-pounder had -also come into action, and out of six rounds the second shot had hit -the hull on the water-line forward of the conning-tower, the third had -hit her on the water-line under the gun, the fourth and fifth bursting -on the after part of the hull just as she was sinking, and the sixth -bursting on the water as her stern disappeared. Badly holed, leaking -from all these holes, UB 39 listed over to port towards the schooner, -vanished from sight for evermore, and then a large quantity of oil and -bubbles came to the surface. There were no survivors. - -Having definitely disposed of the enemy, it would be reasonable for -the crew of the _Glen_ to feel elated; but just as UB 39 was finally -disappearing, another submarine was seen approaching about 4,000 yards -off on the starboard bow. _Glen_ opened fire and the enemy submerged, -only to reappear about 600 yards away on the port bow. _Glen_ fired -once more, and next time the submarine appeared a few minutes later on -the port quarter 1,000 yards off. This was happening while the ‘panic -party’ were being got on board again, and thus there was every risk of -being torpedoed; but _Glen_ then proceeded on a northerly course under -sail and motor, and at 7.30 p.m. a very large submarine was observed 2 -miles away on the starboard beam, heading in about the same direction. -After ten minutes this submarine opened fire, then turned to pass -astern, and continued firing with both her guns, which _Glen_ answered -with both of hers. About 8 p.m. the duel ceased; the enemy disappeared -to the west on the look-out evidently for a less obstinate ship. If -you examine the positions on the chart you will realize that the enemy -submarines were evidently concentrated in mid-Channel in order to -entrap shipping coming up and down and across the English Channel. They -were so placed as to cut the lines of communication to Cherbourg and at -the same time have a good chance of bagging some liner bound up along. - -This concentration at important centres was noticeable during the -submarine campaign; in fact, but a few weeks later _Glen_ was again -engaged with an enemy in the same vicinity. This was on June 25, the -exact position was 14 miles S. by W. of St. Catherine’s Point, and -the schooner was sailing close hauled on the starboard tack, heading -S.W. by S., doing her 2 knots, when she sighted a vessel apparently -under sail on her port quarter 4 miles distant. Presently this vessel -fired at her, the shot falling 1,000 yards short. This, of course, -was a submarine, and it was a not unusual thing to attempt disguise -by this means; for obviously a low-lying craft on the surface viewed -from a distance would create suspicion. But, parenthetically, it may -be mentioned that this sail device was not always carried out with -common sense, and I remember on one occasion a submarine giving himself -hopelessly away by motoring at good speed in the eye of the wind with -his sail of course shaking wildly. Such an unseamanlike act was at -once spotted by the nearest patrol, and the submarine had to dive so -hurriedly that she left the sail on the water. - -In the case of _Glen_ the recognition was obvious as soon as the first -shot was fired. Several minutes later came another, which fell only -60 yards short, so _Glen_ hove-to and ‘abandoned’ ship, the enemy -continuing to fire every few minutes, but the shots fell just over. Her -seventh and eighth shots fell much closer, in fact so near that their -splash flooded the schooner’s deck, and shell splinters struck the -sails and bulwarks. _Glen_ then opened fire with both guns, but this -was a more cautious submarine, who declined to approach nearer than -4,000 yards, fired three more rounds, then submerged and made off. - -The activity of the submarines during this week in the neighbourhood -of Portland Bill was most noticeable. Submarines were also stationed -in the western approaches of the English Channel. The reason for this -is not hard to appreciate, for it was on June 26, the day after the -above engagement, that the first contingent of U.S.A. troops landed in -France on the western coast. Whether the transports would be bound up -Channel to Cherbourg or Southampton, the enemy submarines were lying -in wait ready for them. And it is significant that also on June 26 the -Q-sailing-ship _Gaelic_ sighted a submarine at the western entrance of -the English Channel and had a short duel with her. - -On July 2 _Gaelic_ had another indecisive duel, and on the tenth _Glen_ -(now commanded by Sub-Lieutenant K. Morris, R.N.R.) once more was in -action. This time she was further down Channel, about 45 miles S.W. of -Portland Bill. In this incident the enemy fired several rifle-shots -at the panic party rowing in the boat. An officer appeared at the -conning-tower presently, hailed this rowing boat, and in good English -ordered her to come alongside. The boat began to do so, but just then -something seemed suddenly to startle the officer, and he disappeared -into the conning-tower. _Glen_ opened fire, and the submarine—one of -the UC type—submerged. She was not sunk, but she had been damaged, and -Sub-Lieutenant Morris was awarded the D.S.C. - -We saw just now that submarines were very fond of hanging about on -the approach to Cherbourg. There was a sound reason for this. The -coal-fields of France were in the hands of the enemy, consequently -it fell to us to keep France supplied. From February, 1917, a system -was organized which was the real beginning of the convoy method soon -afterwards adopted with such beneficial results to our shipping. This -embryonic organization was known as the ‘F.C.T.’—French Coal-Trade -Traffic. The ships would load coal up the Bristol Channel and then -sail independently round to Weymouth Bay. Having thus collected, they -were sailed across to Cherbourg together in a group, protection being -afforded by trawlers during daylight and moonlight hours only. As one -looked at this heterogeneous collection of craft, some of them of great -age, lying at anchor off Weymouth Harbour, they seemed distinctly a -curious lot; but there was a great dearth of shipping at that time, and -any old vessel that could carry coal and go ahead was worth her weight -in gold. The system was found most successful, and other group sailings -on definite routes, such as Falmouth-Brest and Dover-Dunkirk, were -instituted. - -The next development was to have one or two Q-ships among the convoys, -for the most obvious of reasons, and especially well astern of the -convoy, so that the enemy might take them for stragglers and sink them -before any of the escort could turn back and help. Then came a still -further development, which had been in the minds of many naval officers -for a long time. Since there was such a scarcity of tonnage available -for general purposes, why not let the Q-ship, instead of carrying -ballast, be loaded with a proper cargo? She could easily carry this -without interfering with her fighting ability: in fact, she would be -trimmed more normally, and rather increase than decrease her power of -deception. As to the possibility of secrecy being lost whilst loading -in port, the armament was very cleverly concealed and only a little -organization was necessary to prevent her true character being bruited -about. The main difficulty would be when in the presence of neutral -shipping in that particular harbour, but this problem was capable of -solution. - -Thus it happened now that in many cases the Q-ship became also a -trader. Be it noted, her character was not that of an armed merchant -ship which is armed only defensively, but a properly commissioned -warship carrying cargo as well as her offensive armament. Now, one of -these craft was the two-masted 179-ton brigantine _Probus_ (alias Q 30, -_Ready_, _Thirza_, _Elixir_). She had been purchased by the Admiralty -in 1915, and fitted with an auxiliary motor. Then, based on Granton, -she had worked as a decoy in the North Sea. - -In May, 1917, having done excellent work as a pure decoy, we find her -as a decoy-trader. Having loaded up with coal at Granton, she left -there on May 4, and duly arrived at Treguier. From there she proceeded -to Swansea with a cargo of pit-props, which were much needed by the -Welsh coal mines, seeing that our customary supply from Scandinavia, -via the North Sea, was so endangered at that time. From Swansea -_Probus_, who was armed with two 12-pounders and two 6-pounders, sailed -round to Falmouth, and at 3.30 on the afternoon of June 20 she set sail -for Morlaix in company with twelve sailing ships and the one steamship -escort, the armed trawler _Harlech Castle_. Think of it in these modern -days: a dozen sailing vessels coming out past St. Anthony’s Lighthouse! -Truly this war has shown how history goes on repeating itself. Who -would have thought that sailing-ship convoys, which in other wars used -to assemble and leave Falmouth, would ever be witnessed again? - -Now, to control a dozen sail you must have sea-room, so the convoy -was arranged thus: A mile ahead of the first sailing ship steamed the -trawler, then came the twelve ships spread over 3 miles, and then 4 -miles astern of the last ship, and looking just as a straggler would -be, sailed the _Probus_. There was thus a distance of 8 miles between -her and the escort trawler. Most of a day passed before anything -occurred. At 2.15 p.m. on June 21 _Probus_, still astern of the convoy, -was about 23 miles south-west of the Start and heading on a course S.E. -by S. The wind was S.W., force 3, and she was doing about 4 knots -through the water, when she observed what appeared to be a ketch-rigged -vessel, steering the same course, 4 miles away on the starboard -quarter; but from the rapidity with which the bearing altered, it was -soon obvious that the ketch was not under sail alone. At 2.30 p.m. -the ‘ketch’ proved her submarine identity by opening fire, the first -shot falling 10 yards clear of the brigantine’s beam. _Probus_ then -hove-to, the crew went to action stations, and the boat was got ready -to be launched, while the submarine kept up a rapid fire from about -4,000 yards, shells falling unpleasantly close. By now _Probus_ was -heading about S.W. with fore-yards aback, and, owing to the light -wind, was making a stern board. Then her head fell round slowly to the -west. The enemy was now bearing about W. to W.S.W., firing rapidly, -and heading to the south-east so as to cross the brigantine’s bows. -It was a beautifully clear summer’s afternoon, and you could see the -convoy and the smoke from the escorting trawler quite easily. After the -submarine had maintained a continuous long-range fire for ten minutes, -_Probus_ ran up the White Ensign, and at 3,500 yards opened fire with -her starboard 12-pounder. The first round fell 500 yards short, but the -crew of the submarine’s gun hurriedly left their station and made for -the conning-tower. The second shot seemed to be a hit, for the enemy, -lying across the brigantine’s bows, stopped, and a large cloud of smoke -went up, and he temporarily ceased fire. - -_Probus_ then went about on the other tack, and the enemy took -advantage of this to resume firing, while shots began to fall all -round; but the port 12-pounder of the British ship now came into -action, and the fourth shot was certainly another hit, for it -dismantled the German’s sails and mast, and raised a cloud of smoke -from the fore part of the conning-tower. Shelling continued, and the -enemy was compelled to submerge, _Probus’s_ parting shot hitting him -on the top of the conning-tower. It was now about 3.30 p.m., and -nothing was seen of the German until a quarter of an hour later, when -he was sighted 6 miles away approaching _Probus_. He had probably been -stopping his shell-holes, and was now ready to give the sailing ship -the knock-out blow; but the armed trawler, with its fishermen crew -eager to have a hand in the fight, was by this time making towards the -submarine, and this compelled the German to break off the engagement -and scurry to the north-east. - -Unfortunately this duel demonstrated yet again the great weakness -of the sailing ship as a man-of-war. In the olden days, when the -swift-moving galley fought the sailing carrack or caravel, the galley -was able to press home her attack if the weather fell light, and left -the other ship rolling helpless in the calm, with yards and tackle -grievously creaking and chafing. The submarine is the modern galley, -and the Q-sailing-ship is the carrack’s counterpart. As long as there -was a good breeze she could be manœuvred, and if there was a hard -breeze it would make it difficult for the enemy’s gunnery. _Probus_ -was practically becalmed, so the submarine could run rings round her, -and the sailing ship could not be worked up to windward. Of course, -on these and similar occasions troubles seldom come singly; for when -the brigantine _Probus_ made a stern board her starboard propeller -had fouled the log-line, so this was out of action. However, _Probus_ -resumed her original course, followed the convoy, and in spite of the -light airs duly arrived at Morlaix on June 25. - -[Illustration: Q-SAILING SHIP “FRESH HOPE” - -This was a 900-ton three-masted schooner which was requisitioned in the -last year of the war. She had previously been the United States “Edith -E. Cummins.”] - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “RECORD REIGN” - -This apparently peaceful ketch was one of those armed mystery sailing -ships which came into service during the last year of the war. - - To face p. 188] - -Although the submarine escaped, _Probus_ had succeeded in luring him -from the convoy, and had sent him right away. These sailing Q-ships -became, in fact, one of the best types of escort for other sailing -vessels in convoy, and thus allowed armed steam patrol vessels to -be employed elsewhere. Looking in no way different from the rest of -the convoy, but fitted with concealed wireless and, later, even with -howitzer armament, they had a much better chance than the armed trawler -or destroyer of enticing the submarine. Apart altogether from these -important considerations, the scheme of carrying freights was a big -financial success, and _Probus_ paid for herself over and over again. -It was nothing unusual for her to earn over £1,000 a month. Naturally -enough, then, we find other sailing ships being taken up for this dual -work. In November, 1917, the 900-ton three-masted fore-and-aft schooner -_Fresh Hope_, lying at Granton, was requisitioned. She had formerly -been the United States’ _Edith E. Cummins_, and in a fresh breeze could -log her 12 knots. Known also as the _Iroquois_, she was fitted out -and commissioned by the first week of April, 1918, and served until -the Armistice. Other sailing vessels were thus commissioned in 1918, -specially selected as being able to carry each at least one 4-inch and -two 12-pounders, and to be fitted with auxiliary engines. These were -the _Rentoul_, _Imogene_, _Viola_, _Cymric_, and _Elizabeth_. They were -actually armed with a 7·5-inch howitzer, in addition to the three guns -just mentioned. _Imogene_ was a barquentine, and had been carrying -china clay from Fowey to St. Malo. _Rentoul_ was also a barquentine, -_Viola_ was a schooner; _Cymric_ was a three-masted schooner. - -By the end of September there were no fewer than nineteen decoy ships -which had been fitted out in the one port of Granton, and nine of -these were sailing ships. It will therefore be of interest to show how -in this month such vessels were being employed in their double capacity -of warship plus freighter. The barquentine _Merops_ was discharging a -cargo at Runcorn preparatory to loading coal for Cherbourg. The topsail -schooner _Dargle_ was discharging a cargo at Lerwick, and then loading -herrings for Farnborough. The _Fresh Hope_ was about to leave Liverpool -for Belfast, where she would load with cork ballast for Halifax, Nova -Scotia. The _Baron Rose_, another 900-ton schooner, was about to leave -Newcastle with cork ballast for Halifax also. The barquentine _Rentoul_ -was on her way with coal to Cherbourg, the barquentine _Imogene_ -was on her way with coal for Lerwick. The topsail schooner _Viola_ -(alias _Vereker_) left Granton with coal for St. Valery-en-Caux. The -iron schooner _Cymric_ was taking coal from Granton to Cherbourg. -Another three-masted schooner was carrying coal from Granton to St. -Valery-en-Caux. In addition, there were a dozen steam craft from this -same port acting as Q-ships. In another part of the British Isles our -old friend _Helgoland_ had yet another fight with a submarine. This -was on July 11, 1917, in the neighbourhood of the Scillies, and this -was another occasion when two ships with sails shelled each other, -but unfortunately it was another of those calm days, and hazy. At the -outset the enemy’s shells passed over the _Helgoland’s_ fore-t’gallant -yard as the latter was just drifting with the tide. Then the motors -were started, and at 500 yards both guns and the Lewis guns gave the -submarine a warm time, so that she was seriously damaged and had to -escape by submerging. - -[Illustration: Q-SAILING SHIP “RENTOUL” - -This barquentine was commissioned as a Q-ship in March, 1918, was well -armed, but was also employed simultaneously in carrying coal to France.] - -[Illustration: Q-SAILING SHIP “RENTOUL” - -The crew of the 4-inch gun. - - To face p. 190] - -Thus, all round our coasts, in the North Sea, English Channel, Irish -Sea, and Atlantic: from as far north as the Orkneys and Shetlands to -as far south as the Bay of Biscay, and as far west as the coast of -North America, these Q-sailing-ships were doing their job of work. The -fitting out, the manning of these craft and of their guns, put a great -strain on our manhood, already greatly diminished by the demands of our -Armies abroad and munition makers at home. Nor could the Navy proper -and the Auxiliary Patrol Force afford to be weakened. On the contrary, -destroyers and light cruisers were being built and commissioned at -a rapid rate: whilst more minesweepers, more trawlers and drifters, -were daily consuming scores of men. Add to this the fact that other -men as gunners were required in great numbers—for practically every -British merchant ship became defensively armed—and one can see how -important to our island nation and the overseas Empire is the existence -of peace-time shipping, with all that it connotes—steamships, liners, -tramps, colliers, trawlers, drifters, yachts, fishing smacks, it does -not matter. From all these, and from the few full-rigged ships and -sailing coasters, we had to draw our supplies of personnel, and it -still takes longer to train a man into a sailor than into a military -unit. - -Never before, not even in Armada days, and probably never again, could -such a call come from the fleet in being to the fleet of merchantmen. -The sailing ship has had many centuries of usefulness as a fighting -ship and a cargo carrier, and if she is being gradually killed by the -mechanical ship she is dying hard. Apparently in neither capacity has -she quite finished her fascinating and illustrious history. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -THE SUMMIT OF Q-SHIP SERVICE - - -It was on February 17, 1917, that Commander Gordon Campbell, still -in command of _Farnborough_, now named Q 5, again sank a submarine, -but in circumstances which, hid from publication at the time, sent a -thrill through the British Navy and especially among those who had the -good fortune to be serving in that area. The scene was again off the -south-west Irish coast, and the enemy at the beginning of the month -had commenced the unrestricted warfare portion of their submarine -campaign. The Germans, as we have since learned, possessed at this -date ninety-five submarines in addition to eight in the Baltic and -thirty-one in the Mediterranean. The orders to their submarine captains -were very drastic and left no uncertainty, and one of these commanding -officers informed one of my friends after the war that unless they were -successful in sinking plenty of shipping they soon were removed from -their command. - - -[Illustration: THE MASTER OF THE COLLIER “FARNBOROUGH” - -Commander Gordon Campbell, V.C., D.S.O., R.N., taken on the bridge of -the “Farnborough” (Q-5), disguised as a master mariner.] - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “FARNBOROUGH” - -The above picture shows her just as she appeared when she destroyed the -U-83. The position of the after gun’s crew can just be seen abaft of -where the sea is breaking over the stern. - - To face p. 192] - -Every Allied merchant ship was to be attacked without delay. ‘This form -of warfare is to force England to make peace and thereby to decide -the whole war. _Energetic_ action is required, but above all rapidity -of action.’ ‘Our object is to cut England off from traffic by sea, -and not to achieve occasional results at far-distant points. As far -as possible, therefore, stations must be taken up near the English -coast, where routes converge and where divergence becomes impossible.’ -If ever there was a chance of attacking by night, this was to be done. -When a ship had been abandoned by her crew the submarine was to sink -her by gunfire, and approach the ship from aft. Owing to the activity -of the British Q-ships, every ship, even sailing vessels, should be -suspected, and both captain and engineer of merchant ships were to be -taken prisoners. - -Of the above numbers of submarines available this month not less than -twenty-five and not more than forty-four could actually be at work on -any given date, for the reasons given in another chapter. The first -stages of this unrestricted warfare were most marked, for whereas -the number of merchant ships sunk by submarines in all waters during -December and January had been respectively thirty-six and thirty-five, -in February the total suddenly rose to eighty-six—these sinkings -occurring in the western approaches, especially off the south coast -of Ireland. On February 14 the sailing ship _Eudora_ (1,991 tons) had -been sunk 30 miles S.S.W. of the Fastnet, and three days later the -S.S. _Iolo_ 40 miles S. by W. of the Fastnet, so orders from Germany -were being carried out to the letter. The seventeenth of February was -the Saturday before Ash Wednesday, and Captain Campbell had taken -_Farnborough_ into the locality just mentioned, the exact position -being Lat. 51.34 N., Long. 11.23 W. It was a quarter to ten in the -forenoon and the steamer was steering an easterly course at 7 knots, -when a torpedo was seen approaching. And then occurred a supreme -instance of Q-ship bravery. In his Order Book Captain Campbell had laid -it down that ‘Should the Officer of the Watch see a torpedo coming, he -is to increase or decrease speed as necessary to ensure it hitting.’ -This order was read and signed by all his officers, so that there could -be no misunderstanding. The intention was deliberate, premeditated -self-immolation for the greater object of fooling the submarine and -then sinking him. The Q-ship’s company had all been warned that the -intention would be thus, and every man was given an opportunity to -leave the ship before sailing. Not one man left. Therefore to-day, when -a long way off the torpedo was seen approaching, it could easily have -been avoided, but instead, the helm was put hard aport only at the last -minute, and only so that it should strike the ship elsewhere than in -the engine-room. On came the steel fish and struck the ship abreast -of No. 3 hold, wounding an Engineer Sub-Lieutenant, R.N.R., causing a -terrific explosion, and making a huge hole in the ship’s side. - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “FARNBOROUGH” - -With White Ensign still flying, after her arrival at Berehaven in a -sinking condition. - - To face p. 194] - -In the meantime ‘Action’ had been sounded and all hands went to their -stations, the ship being abandoned by every available man with the -exception of those required on board. Thus two lifeboats and one dinghy -full of men were sent to row about, and the fourth boat was partially -lowered. Captain Campbell was lying concealed at one end of the bridge, -watching and waiting in his great isolation. Up through the voice-pipe -came the chief engineer’s report that the engine-room was filling: back -came the captain’s orders that he was to hang on as long as possible -and then hide. This was done. In the meantime _Farnborough’s_ captain -saw the submarine appear on the starboard quarter a couple of hundred -yards away, submerged, but cautiously making a thorough scrutiny of the -ship through his periscope. Then the German—U 83 was her name—came -past the ship on the starboard side only 13 yards away and about 5 -yards from the boats. She was so close, in fact, that Captain Campbell, -looking down, could see the whole shape of the submarine below the -water quite distinctly. - -Here was the big crisis. Was this the psychological moment? Was this -the right time to make the final gamble? For Captain Campbell the -temptation to open fire was almost unbearable, yet the opportunity was -not yet: he must wait a little longer and live minutes which were like -days. The submarine passed along, then close round _Farnborough’s_ -bows, finally breaking surface about 300 yards on the port bow. It was -now five minutes past ten and U 83 motoring along the surface came -past the port side, continuing the scrutiny with less caution born -of satisfaction. The concealed figure on _Farnborough’s_ bridge was -waiting only until all his guns would bear, and as soon as the enemy -thus bore came the great onslaught. It was point-blank range, and the -6-pounder opened the battle, whose first shot hit the conning-tower and -beheaded the German captain. - -[Illustration: FIG. 13.—‘FARNBOROUGH’S’ FAREWELL. - - When Q 5 (_Farnborough_) had succeeded in sinking U 83, but was - herself in a sinking condition and apparently doomed, Captain - Campbell despatched the above wireless signal to Vice-Admiral Sir - Lewis Bayly, Commander-in-Chief, Queenstown. It was one of the - most pathetic and dramatic messages which ever flashed out of the - Atlantic, but happily Q 5 was salved.] - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “FARNBOROUGH” - -Brought safely into Berehaven after her famous fight and beached in -Mill Cove, with a heavy list.] - -[Illustration: S.S. “LODORER” - -Having served magnificently as a warship under the names of -“Farnborough” and Q-5, and having been salved, this ship is here seen -ready to be returned to her owners. - - To face p. 196] - -The surprise had been instant and effective, for the submarine -never recovered from the shock, but remained on the surface whilst -_Farnborough’s_ guns shattered the hull to pieces, the conning-tower -being continually hit, and some of the shells going clean through. -Over forty rounds had thus been fired, to say nothing of the Maxim -gun. U 83 was beaten, finished, smashed: and she finally sank with her -conning-tower open and her crew pouring out. About eight of her crew -were seen in the water, and one of _Farnborough’s_ lifeboats went to -their assistance and was in time to pick up one officer and one man, -and then rowed back to the ship through sea thick with oil and blood -and bubbles. U 83 was satisfactorily disposed of, but what about the -decoy ship herself? It was now time to inspect her, and she was clearly -in a stricken state. The engine-room and boiler-rooms and both Nos. -3 and 4 after holds were all filling rapidly, and she was sinking by -the stern: the end could not be far away. Captain Campbell therefore -sent a wireless signal for assistance and placed nearly all his hands -in the boats, keeping only a few men on board, and destroying all -confidential books and charts. His signal was picked up, and before -noon a British destroyer arrived, and as by this time _Farnborough_ was -in a critical condition most of the crew were transferred to her.[5] -Presently H.M. sloop _Buttercup_ steamed up, and as there seemed a -chance of saving the ship Captain Campbell with twelve officers and men -then went back on board his ship. She seemed now to have settled to a -definite position, and the water, though rising, was gaining but slowly. - -At length _Buttercup_ got her in tow, but there is nothing so hard -to steer as a sinking ship, and the tow parted. At 5 p.m. the sloop -again got her in tow, but it was a disappointing business with the -water steadily gaining below and the Atlantic swell breaking over the -after deck, and thus the ships went on through the night. At 2 a.m. on -the Sunday _Farnborough_ suddenly took an alarming list and the water -gained rapidly, so the crew had to be ordered into the boats once -again. The sloop _Laburnum_, which had also arrived, was ordered to -close her an hour and a half later, but just as Captain Campbell was -walking aft off went one of the depth charges with such an explosion -that _Buttercup_, thinking it was a submarine’s torpedo, slipped her -tow. After remaining aboard _Laburnum_ until daylight, Captain Campbell -went back to his ship, and then _Laburnum_ got her in tow. A course -had been set for Bantry Bay, and as she approached she was an amazing -spectacle, listing over to the extent of twenty degrees and her stern -nearly 8 feet under water. However, the armed trawler _Luneda_ and -the tug _Flying Sportsman_ had been sent out to her, and by their -assistance she was brought up the fjord and beached at Mill Cove, -Berehaven, by half-past nine that Sunday night. Next morning, and for -long after, this very ordinary-looking steamer lay among a number of -other wounded ships, a strange and impressive sight. _Farnborough_ had -fought both submarine and adversity, and had won both times: still, had -it not been for sound seamanship and her holds being packed with timber -she would never have been saved. - -There was much work to be done and there were too few salvage experts -and men to cope with the results of the submarines’ attacks: so for -the present _Farnborough_ had to remain idle. Months later she was -repaired temporarily, refloated, taken away from Berehaven and properly -reconditioned, but she had ended her days as a warship. She has now -gone back to the Merchant Service as a cargo carrier, and if you ever -go aboard her you will find a suitable inscription commemorating her -truly wonderful career. As for Commander Campbell, as soon as he -had got his ship safely into Berehaven he was summoned to see his -Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly. After that he was received -by the King, who conferred on him the highest of all awards for heroes. -No details appeared in the Press; only this announcement from the -_London Gazette_: - -‘The King has been graciously pleased to approve of the grant of -the Victoria Cross to Commander Gordon Campbell, D.S.O., R.N., in -recognition of his conspicuous gallantry, consummate coolness and skill -in command of one of His Majesty’s ships in action.’ - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “PARGUST” - -One of Captain Gordon Campbell’s famous commands.] - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “SARAH JONES” - -This craft did not come into the service until about three months -before the end of the war. Her alias was “Margaret Murray.” - - To face p. 198] - -Press and public were greatly puzzled, but secrecy was at this time -essential. ‘This,’ commented a well-known London daily, ‘is probably -the first time since the institution of the V.C. that the bestowal of -this coveted honour has been announced without details of the deed for -which it was awarded.’ The popular press named him ‘the Mystery V.C.,’ -and the usual crop of rumours and fantastic stories went round. And -while these were being told the gallant commander was busy fitting -out another Q-ship in which to go forth and make his greatest of all -achievements. - -This ship was the S.S. _Vittoria_, a collier of 2,817 gross tons. She -was selected whilst lying at Cardiff, whence she was sent to Devonport -to be fitted out as a decoy. Commander Campbell superintended her -alteration, and she began her special service on March 28, 1917. She -was armed with one 4-inch, four 12-pounders, two Maxim guns, and a -couple of 14-inch torpedo tubes. She was a slow creature, 7-1/2 knots -being her speed, but she looked the part she was intended to play. When -Commander Campbell took over the command he was accompanied by his -gallant crew from _Farnborough_. She had been fitted with wireless, -and down in her holds the useful timber had been stowed. On leaving -Devonport she changed her name to _Pargust_, but she was variously -known also as the _Snail_, _Friswell_, and _Pangloss_ at later dates. - -She again came under the orders of Sir Lewis Bayly at Queenstown, and -then, being in all respects ready to fight another submarine, _Pargust_ -went cruising. She had not long to wait, and on June 7 we find her -out in the Atlantic again, not very far from the scene of her last -encounter. The month of April had been a terrible one for British -shipping; no fewer than 155 of our merchant craft had been sunk by -submarines, representing a loss of over half a million of tonnage. -In May these figures had dropped slightly, but in June they were up -again, though in no month of the war did our losses ever reach the -peak of April again. Nor was it only British ships that so suffered, -and I recollect the U.S.S. _Cushing_ two days previously bringing into -Bantry Bay thirteen survivors, including three wounded, from an Italian -barque. At this time, too, the enemy submarines were laying a number of -dangerous minefields off this part of the world, and as one patrolled -along the south-west Irish coast pieces of wreckage, a meat-safe or a -seaman’s chest, would be seen floating from some victimized steamer. - -On the morning, then, of the seventh, picture _Pargust_ in Lat. 51.50 -N., Long. 11.50 W., jogging along at her slow speed. At that time -there was scarcely a steamer that was not armed with some sort of a -gun; therefore, if a Q-ship did not display one aft, she would have -looked suspicious. _Pargust_ kept up appearances by having a dummy gun -mounted aft with a man in uniform standing by. I well remember that -day. There was a nasty sea running, and the atmosphere varied from the -typical Irish damp mist to heavy rain. At 8 a.m. out of this thickness -_Pargust_ descried a torpedo, apparently fired at close range, racing -towards her starboard beam. When about 100 yards off it jumped out of -the water and struck the engine-room near the waterline, making a large -tear in the ship’s side, filling the boiler-room, engine-room, and No. -5 hold, and blowing the starboard lifeboat into the air. - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “DUNRAVEN” - -Showing forward well-deck and bridge. - - To face p. 200] - -[Illustration: FIG. 14.—DIAGRAM TO ILLUSTRATE APPROXIMATE MOVEMENTS OF -‘PARGUST’ AND UC 29 ON JUNE 7, 1917.] - -Captain Campbell then gave the order to abandon ship, and the panic -party went away in three boats, and just as the last boat was -pushing off a periscope was sighted 400 yards on the port side forward -of the beam. It then turned and made for the ship, and submerged when -close to the lifeboat’s stern, then came on the starboard quarter, -turned towards the ship and, when 50 yards away, partially broke -surface, heading on a course parallel, but opposite, to that of -_Pargust_, the lifeboat meanwhile pulling away round the steamer’s -stern. The submarine followed, and a man was seen on the conning-tower -shouting directions. The lifeboat then rowed towards the ship, and -this apparently annoyed the Hun, who now began semaphoring the boats; -but at 8.36 a.m. the submarine was only 50 yards off, and was bearing -one point before the beam, so all _Pargust’s_ guns were able to bear -nicely. Fire was therefore opened, the first shot from the 4-inch gun -hitting the base of the conning-tower and removing the two periscopes. -Nearly forty more shells followed, most of them being hits in the -conning-tower, so that the submarine quickly listed to port, and -several men came out of the hatch abaft the conning-tower. She was -already obviously in a bad way, with her heavy list and her stern -almost submerged, and oil squirting from her sides. - -The Germans now came on deck, held up their hands, and waved; so -Captain Campbell ordered ‘Cease Fire.’ Then a typically unsportsmanlike -trick was played, for as soon as _Pargust_ stopped firing the enemy -began to make off at a fair speed. So there was nothing for it but to -resume shelling her, and this was kept up until 8.40 a.m., when an -explosion occurred in the forward part of the submarine. She sank for -the last time, falling over on her side, and 3 feet of her sharp bow -end up in the air, 300 yards off, was the last that was ever seen of -her. So perished UC 29, and thus one more submarine was added to the -score of this gallant captain and crew. One officer (a sub-lieutenant -of Reserve) and an engine-room petty officer were picked up. The former -had come on to the submarine’s deck with a couple of men to fire -the 22-pounder, but owing to the heavy sea knocked up by the fresh -southerly wind they had been all washed overboard before reaching the -gun. - -[Illustration: BRIDGE OF Q-SHIP “DUNRAVEN” - -Captain Gordon Campbell, V.C., D.S.O., R.N., inspecting the damage by -the submarine’s shells to his ship. - - To face p. 202] - -The captain of UC 29 had been killed by _Pargust’s_ fire. This class -of submarine carried besides her 22-pounder and machine-gun eighteen -mines and three torpedoes. She had left Brunsbüttel on May 25, calling -at Heligoland, and the routine was usually first to lay the mines and -then operate, sinking ships with gun or torpedo. As to her mines, it -is quite possible that she laid the three mines I recollect sinking on -June 12 in the approach to Valentia Harbour, Dingle Bay, and she may -have laid three others off Brow Head, one of which I remember on June -4, for it was customary for these craft to lay their ‘eggs’ in threes. -With regard to her three torpedoes we know that one had penetrated -_Pargust_, another had sunk a sailing ship—probably the Italian barque -already mentioned—and the third had been fired at a destroyer, but -passed underneath. - -As to _Pargust_, she fortunately did not sink, thanks to her cargo -of timber. At 12.30 p.m. another of Admiral Bayly’s alert sloops, -who always seemed to be at hand when wanted, arrived. This was -H.M.S. _Crocus_, who took _Pargust_ in tow. The sloop _Zinnia_ and -the United States destroyer _Cushing_ arrived also, and escorted -her to Queenstown, which she reached next afternoon. The prisoners -had been already transferred to _Zinnia_, and in _Pargust_ the only -casualties had been one stoker petty officer killed and the engineer -sub-lieutenant wounded. For _Pargust’s_ splendid victory further -honours were awarded. Captain Campbell, already the possessor of the -V.C. and D.S.O., now received a bar to his D.S.O. To Lieutenant R. N. -Stuart, D.S.O., R.N.R., was given the V.C., and Seaman W. Williams, -R.N.R., also received this highest of all decorations. These two, -one officer and one man, were selected by ballot to receive this -distinction, but every officer and every man had earned it. - -Before _Pargust_ could be ready for sea again much would have to be -done to her at Devonport, so Captain Campbell proceeded to look for a -new ship, and this was found in the collier _Dunraven_. She was fitted -out at Devonport under his supervision, just like her predecessor, and -her crew turned over _en bloc_ from _Pargust_. She was commissioned on -July 28, and within a fortnight Captain Campbell, now already promoted -to post-captain at an age which must certainly be a record, was engaged -in the most heroic Q-ship fight of all the long series of duels only a -few days after leaving Devonport. - -Just before eleven on the forenoon of August 8 _Dunraven_ was in the -Bay of Biscay, about 130 miles west of Ushant, doing her 8 knots and -disguised as a defensively armed British merchantman, for which reason -she had a small gun aft. In order to conform further with merchant-ship -practice of this time, she was keeping a zigzag course. On the horizon -appeared a submarine, about two points forward of _Dunraven’s_ -starboard beam. The German was waiting, you see, in a likely position -for catching homeward-bound steamers making for the western British -ports, and on sighting this ‘tramp’ he must have felt pretty sure she -was bringing home a cargo of commodities useful for winning the war. -Pursuing the more cautious tactics of the time, the enemy, having -apparently ascertained the ‘tramp’s’ speed and mean course, submerged, -but at 11.43 she broke surface 5,000 yards off the starboard quarter -and opened fire. In order to maintain the bluff, Captain Campbell -replied with his defensive gun, made as much smoke as possible, reduced -to 7 knots, and made an occasional zigzag in order to give the enemy -a chance of closing. _Dunraven_ was now steaming head to sea, and the -enemy’s shots were falling over, but after about half an hour of this -the submarine ceased firing, came on at full speed, and a quarter of an -hour later turned broadside on, and reopened fire. - -[Illustration: AFTER THE BATTLE - -Forebridge of Q-ship “Dunraven” and captain’s cabin as the result of -the submarine’s shells. - - To face p. 204] - -In the meantime the decoy was intentionally firing short, and sent -wireless signals _en clair_ so that the enemy could still further -be deceived. Such messages as ‘Submarine chasing and shelling me,’ -‘Submarine overtaking me, help, come quickly ... am abandoning ship,’ -were flashed forth just as were sent almost daily by stricken ships -in those strenuous days. _Dunraven’s_ next bluff was to pretend his -engines had been hit; so Captain Campbell stopped his ship, which now -made a cloud of steam. The next step was to ‘abandon ship,’ and the -‘tramp’ had enough way on to allow of her being turned broadside on -and let the enemy see that the vessel was being abandoned. Then, to -simulate real panic, one of the boats was let go by the foremost fall, -an incident that somehow seems to happen in every disaster to steamers. -Thus, so far, everything had been carried out just as a submarine would -have expected a genuine ‘tramp’ to behave. Not a thing had been omitted -which ought to have been seen by the enemy, who had already closed and -continued his shelling. From now ensued a most trying time. To receive -punishment with serene stoicism, to be hit and not reply, is the -supreme test; but these officers and men were no novices in the Q-ship -art, and none had had greater or more bitter experience. However, not -all the tactics and devices could prevent the enemy’s shells hitting if -the German insisted, and this had to be endured in order that at length -the submarine might be tempted inside the desired range and bearing. - -Thus it happened that one shell penetrated _Dunraven’s_ poop, exploding -a depth charge and blowing Lieutenant C. G. Bonner, D.S.C., R.N.R., -out of his control position. This was rather bad luck, and two more -shells followed, the poop became on fire, dense clouds of black smoke -issued forth, and the situation was perilous; for in the poop were -the magazine and depth charges, and it was obvious that as the fire -increased an explosion of some magnitude must soon occur. But the main -consideration was to sink the submarine, and it mattered little if -the Q-ship were lost; so Captain Campbell decided to wait until the -submarine got in a suitable position. It was exactly two hours to the -minute since the submarine had been first sighted when, just as he was -passing close to _Dunraven’s_ stern, a terrific explosion took place -in the poop, caused probably by a couple of depth charges and some -cordite. The result was that the 4-inch gun and the whole of its crew -were blown up into the air, the gun vaulting the bridge and alighting -on the well deck forward, while the crew came down in various places, -one man falling into the water, and 4-inch projectiles being blown -about the ship in the most unpleasant manner. - -[Illustration: “DUNRAVEN” DOOMED - -This picture shows the Q-ship in her last hours. She has been through -an historic duel, she has been torpedoed and shelled, her poop has been -blown up, and the Atlantic seas are breaking over her deck. - - To face p. 206] - -That this explosion should have happened at this moment was a -misfortune of the greatest magnitude, for it spoilt the whole tactics. -Captain Campbell was watching the enemy closely, and the latter was -coming on so nicely that he had only to proceed a little further and -_Dunraven’s_ guns would have been bearing at a range of not more -than 400 yards. As it was, the explosion gave the whole game away, -for firstly it frightened the submarine so that he dived, secondly -it set going the ‘open fire’ buzzers at the guns. Thus the time had -come to attack. The only gun in the ship that would bear was the one -on the after bridge, and this began to bark just as the White Ensign -was hoisted. One shot was thought to have succeeded in hitting the -conning-tower just as the enemy was submerging, but if he was damaged -it was not seriously, and Captain Campbell realized that the next -thing to expect was a torpedo. He therefore ordered the doctor to -remove all the wounded, and hoses were turned on to the poop, which -was now one mass of flames, the deck being red-hot. So gallant had -been this well-disciplined crew that even when it was so hot that they -had to lift the boxes of cordite from off the deck the men still had -remained at their posts.[6] - -The position now was this: a ship seriously on fire, the magazine -still intact but likely to explode before long with terrible effects, -a torpedo attack imminent, and the White Ensign showing that this -was a ‘trap-ship’ after all. The submarine would certainly fight -now like the expert duellist, and it would be a fight to the finish, -undoubtedly. Realizing all this, and full well knowing what was -inevitable, Captain Campbell made a decision which could have been made -only by a man of consummate moral courage. To a man-of-war who had -answered his call for assistance when the explosion occurred he now -sent a wireless signal requesting him to keep away, as he was already -preparing for the next phase, still concentrating as he was on sinking -the submarine.[7] - -[Illustration: FIG. 15.—THE GREAT DECISION. - -Captain Campbell’s famous wireless signal refusing assistance when the -Q-ship _Dunraven_ was already crippled and about to be attacked again.] - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “DUNRAVEN” - -Her duel with the submarine being ended, the crippled “Dunraven” is -taken in tow by H.M. Destroyer “Christopher,” who is seen endeavouring -to get her into port. - - To face p. 208] - -It was now twenty minutes since that big explosion, and the expected -torpedo arrived, striking _Dunraven_ abaft the engine-room. The enemy -was aware of two facts: he had seen the first ‘abandon ship’ party -and this he now knew was mere bluff, and that there were others still -remaining on board. In order, therefore, to deceive the German, -Captain Campbell now sent away some more of his crew in boats and a -raft. It would then look as if the last man had left the ship. From -1.40 to 2.30 p.m. followed a period of the utmost suspense, during -which the periscope could be seen circling around scrutinizing the -ship to make _quite_ sure, whilst the fire on the poop was still -burning fiercely, and boxes of cordite and 4-inch shells were going -off every few minutes. To control yourself and your men under these -circumstances and to continue thinking coolly of what the next move -shall be, this, surely, is a very wonderful achievement: more than -this could be asked of no captain. - -[Illustration: - - 22nd August, 1917. - - Dear Captain Campbell - - It is with very great pleasure that I convey to you, by the - directions of the War Cabinet, an expression of their high - appreciation of the gallantry, skill, and devotion to duty, which - have been displayed through many months of arduous service by - yourself and the officers and men of His Majesty’s ship under your - command. - - In conveying to you this message of the War Cabinet, which expresses - the high esteem with which the conduct of your officers and men is - regarded by His Majesty’s Government, I wish to add on behalf of the - Board of Admiralty, that they warmly endorse this commendation. - - Will you please convey this message to all ranks and ratings under - your command? - - closing and signature [see Transcriber’s Note] - - FIG. 16.—LETTER OF APPRECIATION FROM THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY - TO CAPTAIN GORDON CAMPBELL AFTER THE HISTORIC ACTION FOUGHT BY Q-SHIP - ‘DUNRAVEN.’] - -At half-past two the submarine came to the surface directly astern -(where _Dunraven’s_ guns would not bear) and resumed shelling the -steamer at short range, and used her Maxim gun on the men in the boats. -This went on for twenty minutes, and then she dived once more. Captain -Campbell next decided to use his torpedoes, so five minutes later one -was fired which passed just ahead of the submarine’s periscope as the -enemy was motoring 150 yards off on the port side; and seven minutes -afterwards _Dunraven_ fired a second torpedo which passed just astern -of the periscope. The enemy had failed to see the first torpedo, but -evidently he noticed the second. It was obvious that by now it was -useless to continue the contest any further, for the submarine would -go on torpedoing and shelling _Dunraven_ until she sank: so Captain -Campbell signalled for urgent assistance,[8] and almost immediately -the U.S.S. _Noma_ arrived and fired at a periscope seen a few hundred -yards astern of _Dunraven_. Then came the two British destroyers -_Attack_ and _Christopher_. _Dunraven_ then recalled her boats and -the fire was extinguished, but it was found that the poop had been -completely gutted and that all depth charges and ammunition had been -exploded. From _Noma_ and _Christopher_ doctors came over and assisted -in tending the wounded, a couple of the most dangerously injured being -taken on board _Noma_ to be operated on and then landed at Brest. - -At 6.45 p.m. _Christopher_ began towing _Dunraven_, but this was no -easy matter, for there was a nasty sea running, the damaged ship would -not steer; her stern went down, the sea broke over it and worked its -way forward. In this way the night passed, and at 10.15 the next -morning _Christopher_ was able to report that she was now only 60 miles -west of Ushant and bringing _Dunraven_ towards Plymouth at 4 knots. -By six that evening the ship was in so bad a condition that she might -sink any moment, so Captain Campbell transferred sixty of his crew -to the trawler _Foss_. About 9 p.m. two tugs arrived, took over the -towing, and carried on during the night until 1.30 a.m. of August 10. -It was time then for the last handful of men to abandon her in all -true earnestness, so the _Christopher_ came alongside, in spite of the -heavy sea running, and the last man was taken off. It was only just -in time, for almost immediately she capsized, and was finally sunk by -_Christopher_ dropping a depth charge and shelling her as a dangerous -derelict soon after 3 a.m. Thus the life of _Dunraven_ as a man-of-war -had been both brief and distinguished. - -As to the officers and men, it is difficult to imagine greater and -more persistent bravery under such adverse circumstances, and the King -made the following awards: Captain Gordon Campbell, V.C., D.S.O., -received a second bar to his D.S.O.; Lieutenant C. G. Bonner, D.S.C., -R.N.R., received a V.C., as also did Petty Officer E. Pitcher. To -Assistant-Paymaster R. A. Nunn, D.S.C., R.N.R., was awarded a D.S.O. -Three other officers received a D.S.C., whilst Lieutenant P. R. -Hereford, D.S.O., D.S.C., and two engineer officers, all received a bar -to their D.S.C. - -Such is the story of Captain Campbell’s last and greatest Q-ship -fight, for after this he was appointed to command a light cruiser -at Queenstown. In these duels we reach the high-water mark of sea -gallantry, and the incidents themselves are so impressive that no -further words are necessary. Let us leave it at that. - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “DUNRAVEN” - -This photograph was taken shortly before she finally sank. Already the -stern is awash. - - To face p. 212] - - -[Footnote 5: Twelve officers and men were selected from a host of -volunteers to try and get the ship in tow. These were placed in a -motor-boat, whilst the Captain boarded the escort to arrange for towage -if possible.] - -[Footnote 6: Captain Campbell has been good enough to furnish me with -the following details of this heroic episode: - -‘Lieutenant Bonner, having been blown out of his control by the first -explosion, crawled into the gun-hatch with the crew. They there -remained at their posts with a fire raging in the poop below and the -deck getting red-hot. One man tore up his shirt to give pieces to -the gun’s crew to stop the fumes getting into their throats, others -lifted the boxes of cordite off the deck to keep it from exploding, and -all the time they knew that they must be blown up, as the secondary -supply and magazine were immediately below. They told me afterwards -that communication with the bridge was cut off, and although they knew -they would be blown up, they also knew they would spoil the show if -they moved, so they remained until actually blown up with their gun. -Then, when as wounded men they were ordered to remain quiet in various -places during the second action, they had to lie there unattended and -bleeding, with explosions continually going on aboard and splinters -from the shell-fire penetrating their quarters. Lieutenant Bonner, -himself wounded, did what he could for two who were with him in the -wardroom. When I visited them after the action, they thought little of -their wounds, but only expressed their disgust that the enemy had not -been sunk. Surely such bravery is hard to equal. The strain for the men -who remained on board after the ship had been torpedoed, poop set on -fire, cordite and shells exploding, and then the enemy shell-fire, can -easily be imagined.’] - -[Footnote 7: See illustration above.] - -[Footnote 8: In the meantime he arranged for a further ‘abandon ship’ -evolution, having only one gun’s crew on board.] - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -LIFE ON BOARD A Q-SHIP - - -In history it is frequently the case that what seems to contemporaries -merely ordinary and commonplace is to posterity of the utmost value and -interest. How little, for example, do we know of the life and routine -in the various stages and development of the sailing ship! In a volume -entitled ‘Ships and Ways of Other Days,’ published before the war, I -endeavoured to collect and present the everyday existence at sea in -bygone years. Some day, in the centuries to come, it may be that the -historical student will require to know something of the organization -and mode of life on board one of the Q-steamships, and because it is -just one of those matters, which at the time seemed so obvious, I have -now thought it advisable here to set down a rough outline. As time goes -on the persons of the drama die, logs and diaries and correspondence -fall into unsympathetic hands and become destroyed; therefore, whilst -it is yet not too late, let us provide for posterity some facts on -which they can base their imagination of Q-ship life. - -Elsewhere in the pages of this book the reader will find it possible -to gather some idea of the types, sizes, and appearances of the ships -employed. The following details are chiefly those of one of the most -distinguished Q-ships, the famous _Penshurst_, and as such they have -especial interest as showing the organization of a tiny little tramp -into a valiant and successful man-of-war that sank several powerful -enemy submarines; and it is through the courtesy of her gallant late -commanding officer, Captain F. H. Grenfell, D.S.O., R.N., that I am -able to present these facts. - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “DUNRAVEN” - -Showing the damage done to her poop after the action with submarine. -The after-deck is already well awash and presently she foundered. - - To face p. 214] - -_Penshurst_ was a three-masted, single-funnelled, single-screw -steamer, owned by a London firm. She had been fitted out as a decoy at -the end of 1915 by Admiral Colville at Longhope. Her length between -perpendiculars was 225 feet, length over all 232 feet, beam 35 feet -2 inches, draught 14 feet 6 inches, depth of hold 13 feet 7 inches. -Her tonnage was 1,191 gross, 740 registered, displacement 2,035 -tons. Fitted with four bulkheads, the ship had the maximum amount of -hold, the engines being placed right aft. The crew were berthed in -the forecastle, the engineers’ mess and cabins being aft, whilst the -captain’s and officers’ mess and cabins were adjacent to the bridge -just forward of midships. The engine-room pressure was 180 pounds, and -the maximum speed, with everything working well and a clean bottom, was -10 knots. Her armament consisted of five guns. A 12-pounder (18 cwt.) -was placed on the after hatch, but disguised in the most ingenious -manner by a ship’s boat, which had been purposely sawn through so that -the detached sections could immediately be removed, allowing the gun -to come into action. Originally there were mounted a 3-pounder and -6-pounder on each side of the lower bridge deck. These were hidden -behind wooden screens such as are often found built round the rails -in this kind of ship. These screens were specially hinged so that on -going into action they immediately fell down and revealed the guns. -Thus it was possible always to offer a broadside of three guns. In -the spring of 1916 _Penshurst_ was transferred from Longhope to Milford -and Queenstown, and Admiral Bayly had the arrangement of guns altered -so that the 3-pounders were now concealed in a gunhouse made out of the -engineers’ mess and cabins, the intention being to enable both these -guns to fire right aft. The 6-pounders were then shifted forward into -the positions previously occupied by the 3-pounders on the lower bridge -deck. How successful this arrangement was in action the reader is able -to see for himself in the accounts of _Penshurst’s_ engagements with -submarines. The ship was also supplied with depth charges, rockets, and -Verey’s lights. - -The crew consisted of Captain Grenfell and three temporary R.N.R. -officers, an R.N.R. assistant-paymaster, thirteen Royal Navy gunnery -ratings, eight R.N.R. seamen, a couple of stewards, two cooks, a -shipwright, carpenter’s crew, an R.N.R. chief engine-room artificer, an -engine-room artificer, and R.N.R. stokers, bringing the company up to -forty-five. - -In arranging action stations in a Q-ship the difficulty was that -internally the vessel had to be organized as a warship, while -externally she must necessarily keep up the character of a merchantman. -In _Penshurst_ Captain Grenfell had arranged for the following signals -to be rung from the bridge on the alarm gong. One long ring meant that -a submarine was in sight and that the crew were to stand by at their -respective stations; if followed by a short ring it denoted the enemy -was on the starboard side; if two short rings the submarine was on -the port side. Two long rings indicated that the crew were to go to -panic stations; three long rings meant that they were to go to action -stations without ‘panic.’ ‘Open fire’ was ordered by a succession of -short rings and whistles. - -With regard to the above, in the case of action stations the look-out -men on the bridge proceeded to their gun at the stand-by signal, -keeping out of sight, while the crews who were below, off watch, went -also to their guns, moving by the opposite side of the ship. In order -to simulate the real mercantile crew, the men under the foc’s’le now -came out and showed themselves on the fore well deck. If ‘panic’ was to -be feigned, all the crew of the gun concealed by the collapsible boat -were to hide, the signalman stood by to hoist the White Ensign at the -signal to open fire, and the boat party ran aft, turned out the boats, -lowered them, and ‘abandoned’ ship, pulling away on the opposite bow. -The signal for standing-by to release the depth charge was when the -captain dropped a red flag, and all guns’ crews were to look out to -fire on the enemy if the depth charge brought the U-boat to the surface. - -[Illustration: - - [_Photo. Heath and Stoneman_ - -THE GALLANT OFFICERS AND CREW OF THE Q-SHIP “DUNRAVEN.” - -Captain Gordon Campbell is in the second row with Lieutenant C. G. -Bonner on his right. - - To face p. 216] - -Special arrangements had been made in the event of casualties. Thus, -if the captain were laid out a certain officer was to carry on and -take over command. Similar arrangements were made in the event of all -officers on the bridge becoming casualties, an eventuality that was -far from improbable. In fact, Captain Grenfell gave orders that if a -shell burst on or near the bridge a certain officer was to be -informed in any case; and if the latter did not receive word of this -explosion he was to assume that everyone on the bridge was a casualty -and he was to be ready to open fire at the right time. One of the -possibilities in the preliminary stages of these attacks was always -that owing to the hitting by the enemy’s shells, or, more likely -still, by the explosion of his torpedo against the side of the ship, -some portion of the screens or dummy deckhouses might have been -damaged, and thus the guns be revealed to the enemy. So, while -_Penshurst’s_ captain was busily engaged watching the movements of -the submarine, the information as to this unfortunate fact might have -been made known. It was therefore a standing rule that the bridge was -to be informed by voice-pipe of such occurrences. Damage received in -the engine-room was reported up the pipe to the bridge. Conversely -there were placed three men at the voice-pipes—one on the bridge, one -in the gunhouse aft, and one at the 12-pounder—whose duty it was to -pass along the messages, the first-mentioned passing down the varying -bearing and range of the submarine and the state of affairs on the -bridge, and when no orders were necessary he was to keep passing -along the comforting remark ‘All right.’ By this means the hidden -officers and guns’ crews were kept informed of the position of -affairs and able to have the guns instantly ready to fire at the very -moment the screens were let down. Obviously victory and the very -lives of every man in the ship could be secured only if the vessel -came into action smartly and effectively without accident or -bungling. - -Sometimes victory was conditional only on being torpedoed, so that -the enemy might believe he had got the steamer in a sinking condition -and the vessel was apparently genuinely abandoned. Inasmuch as the -submarine on returning home had to afford some sort of evidence, the -U-boat captain would approach the ship and endeavour to read her -name. It was then that the Q-ship’s opportunity presented itself, and -the guns poured shells into the German. Special drills were therefore -made in case _Penshurst_ should be hit by torpedo, and in this -eventuality the boat ‘panic party’ was to lower away and at once -start rowing off from the ship, whilst the remainder hid themselves -at their respective stations. As for the engineers, their duty was to -stop the engines at once, but to try to keep the dynamo running as -long as possible so that wireless signals could still be sent out. -The engine-room staff were to remain below as long as conditions -would allow, but if the water rose so that these were compelled to -come up, their orders were to crawl out on to the deck on the -disengaged side and there lie down lest the enemy should see them. As -these Q-ships usually carried depth charges and the latter exploded -under certain conditions of pressure from the sea, it was one of the -first duties on being torpedoed that these should be secured. - -Now, supposing the Q-ship were actually sunk and the whole crew were -compelled _really_ to abandon ship, what then? The submarine would -certainly come alongside the boats and make inquiries. She would want -to know, for instance, the name of the ship, owners, captain, cargo, -where from, where bound. That was certain. She would also, most -probably, insist on taking the captain prisoner, if the incident -occurred in the last eighteen months of the war. All these officers -and men would, of course, be wearing not smart naval uniform, but be -attired in the manner fitting the _personnel_ of an old tramp. The -captain would be wearing a peaked cap, with the house-flag of his -Company suitably intertwined in the cap badge, while the men would be -attired in guernseys, old suits, and mufflers, with a dirty old cloth -cap. Now, if the U-boat skipper was a live man and really knew his -work he would, of course, become suspicious on seeing so many hands -from one sunken tramp. ‘This,’ he would remark, ‘is no merchant ship, -but a proper trap,’ and would proceed to cross-examine the boats’ -crews. It was therefore the daily duty of Q-ship men to learn a -suitable lie which would adequately deceive the German. Here is the -information which _Penshurst_ was, at a certain period of her Q-ship -career, ready to hand out to any inquisitive Hun if the latter had -sunk the ship. - -In answer to questions the crew would reply: ‘This is the S.S. -_Penshurst_, owned by the Power Steam Ship Company of London. Her -master was Evan Davies, but he has gone down with the ship, poor man. -Cargo? She was carrying coal, but she was not an Admiralty collier.’ -Then the enemy would ask where from and to. If it happened that -_Penshurst_ was in a likely locality the reply would be: ‘From -Cardiff’; otherwise the name of a well distant coal port, such as -Newcastle or Liverpool, was decided upon. For instance, if -_Penshurst_ were sunk in the neighbourhood of Portland Bill whilst -heading west it would be no good to pretend you were from the Mersey -or Bristol Channel. When the German commented on the singularly large -number of the crew, he would get the reply: ‘Yes, these aren’t all -our own chaps. We picked up some blokes two days ago from a torpedoed -ship.’ Then in answer to further questions one of the survivors from -the latter would back up the lie with the statement that they were -the starboard watch of the S.S. _Carron_, owned by the Carron -Company, 2,350 tons, bound with a cargo of coal from Barry (or -Sunderland) to a French port. In this case Captain Grenfell would -pretend to be the master of the _Carron_, and of _Penshurst’s_ four -officers one would pretend he was the first mate of the Carron, -another the first mate of the collier _Penshurst_, another the -_Penshurst’s_ second mate, whilst the assistant-paymaster, not being -a navigator, passed as chief steward. Thus, every little detail was -thought out for every possible _contretemps_. To surprise the enemy -and yet not to let him surprise you was the aim. - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “BARRANCA” - -In one form of disguise. Hull painted a light colour, black boot-top -to funnel, funnel painted a light colour, alley ways open. She is here -seen in her original colour as a West Indian fruit-carrier.] - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “BARRANCA” - -Appearance altered by painting hull black and funnel black with white -band. She is here disguised as a Spaniard, with Spanish colours painted -on the ship’s side just forward of the bridge, though not discernable -in the photograph. - - To face p. 220] - -If, by a piece of bad luck, your identity as a Q-ship had been -revealed—and this did occur—so that the enemy got away before you had -time to sink him, there was nothing for it but to get the other side -of the horizon and alter the appearance of the ship. To the landsman -this may seem rather an impossible proposition. I admit at once that -in the case of the Q-sailing-ships this was rather a tall order, for -the plain reason that topsail schooners and brigantines in these modern -days of maritime enterprise are comparatively few in number. But the -greatest part of our sea-borne trade is carried on in small steamers -of more or less standardized type or types. Vessels of the type such -as _Penshurst_ and _Suffolk Coast_ are to be seen almost everywhere in -our narrow seas: except for the markings on their funnels they are as -much like each other as possible. In a fleet of such craft it would -be about as easy for a German to tell one from another as in a Tokio -crowd it would be for an Englishman to tell one Japanese from another. -The points which distinguish these craft the one from the other are of -minor consideration, such as the colour of the hull, the colour of the -funnel, the device on the funnel, the number of masts, the topmast, -derricks, cross-trees, and so on. Thus, in the case of _Penshurst_ -there were any amount of disguises which in a few hours would render -her a different ship. For instance, by painting her funnel black, with -red flag and white letters thereon, she might easily be taken for one -of the Carron Company’s steamers, such as the _Forth_. By giving -her a black funnel with a white =V= she might be the _Gloucester -Coast_ of the Powell, Bacon, and Hough Lines, Ltd.; by altering the -funnel to black, white, red, white, and black bands she might have -been the _Streatham_, owned by Messrs. John Harrison, Ltd. Other -similar craft, such as the _Blackburn_ and _Bargang_, had no funnel -marks; so here again were more disguises. _Penshurst_ further altered -her appearance at times by taking down her mizzen-mast altogether, -by filling in the well deck forward, by adding a false steam-pipe to -the funnel, by shortening and levelling the derricks, by removing the -main cross-trees, by painting or varnishing the wood bridge-screen, by -giving the deckhouses a totally different colour, by showing red lead -patches on the hull, and varying the colour of the sides with such hues -as black to-day, next time green or grey or black, and adding a sail on -the forestay. - -If you will examine the photos of Commander Douglas’s Q-ship -_Barranca_, you will see how cleverly, by means of a little faking, -even a much bigger ship could be disguised. In one picture you see -her alley-ways covered up by a screen, funnel markings altered, and -so on; whilst in another the conspicuous white upper-works, the white -band on the funnel, and the dark hull make her a different ship, so -that, he tells me, on one occasion after passing a suspicious neutral -steamer and not being quite satisfied, he was able to steam out of -sight, change his ship’s appearance, and then overtake her, get quite -close and make a careful examination without revealing his identity. -To the landsman all this may seem impossible, but inasmuch as the -sea is traversed nowadays by steamers differing merely in minute -details, distinguished only to the practised eye of the sailor, such -deception is possible. I remember on one occasion during the war a -surprising instance of this. Being in command of a steam drifter off -the south-west Irish coast, I obtained Admiral Bayly’s permission at -my next refit to have the ship painted green, the foremast stepped, -the funnel and markings painted differently, and a Dublin fishing -letter and number painted on the bows, a suitable name being found in -the Fisherman’s Almanack. The 6-pounder gun forward was covered with -fishing gear, which could be thrown overboard as soon as the ship -came into action. Discarding naval uniform and wearing old cloth caps -and clothes, we left Queenstown, steamed into Berehaven, and tied up -alongside a patrol trawler with whom we had been working in company for -nearly a year. The latter’s crew never recognized us until they saw our -faces, and even then insisted that we had got a new ship! In fact, one -of them asserted that he knew this Dublin drifter very well, at which -my Scotch crew from the Moray Firth were vastly amused. - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “BARRANCA” - -Disguised as a different ship with yellow funnel and black boot-top.] - -[Illustration: Q SHIP “BARRANCA” - -Appearance changed by closing up alley-ways, painting hull, ship’s -boats, and funnel so as to resemble a freighter of the P. & O. Line. - - To face p. 222] - -Routine at sea of course differed in various Q-ships, but it may -be interesting to set down the following, which prevailed in that -well-organized ship _Penshurst_: - - -SEA ROUTINE. - - Time as { Call guns’ crew of morning watch; 3-pounder crew - per Night { lash up and stow. Guns’ crew close up, uncover - Order { guns, unship 6-pounder night-sights. Gunlayers - Book. { report their crews closed up to officers of the - { watch. - - 5.30 a.m. Call cooks and stewards. - - 6.0 a.m. 12-pounder crew and one of 3-pounder crew to wash - down bridges and saloon-decks. - - 7.0 a.m. Call guns’ crews of forenoon watch, lash up and - stow hammocks. Hands to wash. - - 7.30 a.m. Forenoon watch to breakfast. - - 8.0 a.m. Change watches. Morning watch lash up and stow - hammocks. Breakfast. - - 9.0 a.m. Watch below clean mess-deck, etc. - - 11.30 a.m. Afternoon watch to dinner. - - 12.30 p.m. Change watches. Forenoon watch to dinner. - - 1.30 p.m. Cooks clean up mess-deck. - - 3.30 p.m. Tea. - - 4.0 p.m. Change watches. Afternoon watch to tea. - - 6.0 p.m. Change watches. - - 7.0 p.m. Supper. - - 8.0 p.m. Change watches. Watch below to supper. - - Sunset. Clean guns, ship 6-pounder night-sights. Cover - guns. Drill as required. - -A few weeks after the war, Lord Jellicoe remarked publicly that in -the ‘mystery ship’ there had been displayed a spirit of endurance, -discipline, and courage, the like of which the world had never seen -before. He added that he did not think the English people realized the -wonderful work which these ships had done in the war. No one who reads -the facts here presented can fail to agree with this statement, which, -indeed, is beyond argument. Discipline, of course, there was, even in -the apparently and externally most slovenly tramp Q-ship; and it must -not be thought that among so many crews of ‘hard cases’ all the hands -were as harmless as china shepherdesses. When ashore, the average -sailor is not always at his best: his qualities are manifest on sea and -in the worst perils pertaining to the sea. The landsman, therefore, -has the opportunity of observing him when the sailor wants to forget -about ships and seas. If some of the Q-ships’ crews occasionally kicked -over the traces in the early days the fault was partly their own, but -partly it was as the result of circumstances. Even Q-ship crews were -human, and after weeks of cruising and pent-up keenness, after being -battered about by seas, shelled by submarines while lying in dreadful -suspense, and then doing all that human nature could be expected to -perform, much may be forgiven them if the attractions of the shore -temporarily overpowered them. In the early stages of the Q-ship the -mistake was made of sending to them the ‘bad hats’ and impossible men -of the depots; but the foolishness of this was soon discovered. Only -the best men were good enough for this special service, and as the men -were well paid and well decorated in return for success, there was no -difficulty in choosing from the forthcoming volunteers an ideal crew. -Any Q-ship captain will bear testimony to the wonderful effect wrought -on a crew by the first encounter with an enemy submarine. The average -seaman has much in him of the simple child, and has to be taught by -plain experience to see the use and necessity of monotonous routine, -of drills and discipline; but having once observed in hard battle the -value of obedience, of organization and the like, he is a different -man—he looks at sea-life, in spite of its boredom, from a totally -different angle. Perfect discipline usually spelled victory over the -enemy. Presently that, in turn, indicated a medal ribbon and ‘a drop -of leaf’ at home, so as to tell his family all about it. Never again -would he overstay his leave: back to the ship for him to give further -evidence of his prowess. - -This was the kind of fellow who could be relied upon to maintain at -sea the gallant traditions of British seamanhood, and in their time -of greatest peril the true big-souled character manifested itself, as -real human truth always emerges in periods of crisis. I am thinking -of one man who served loyally and faithfully in a certain Q-ship. In -one engagement this gallant British sailor while in the execution of -his duty was blown literally to pieces except for an arm, a leg in a -sea-boot, and the rest a mere shattered, indescribable mass, his blood -and flesh being scattered everywhere by the enemy’s attack. And yet the -last words of this good fellow, spoken just before it was too late, did -much to help the Q-ship in her success. In a previous engagement this -man’s gun had the misfortune to start with seven missfires. This was -owing to ammunition rendered faulty by having been kept on the deck -too long as ‘ready-use.’ Consequently his gun did not come into action -as quickly as the others. This piece of bad luck greatly upset such a -keen warrior, and he was determined that no such accident should occur -again. Therefore, in the next fight, just as he was crouching with -his gun’s crew behind the bridge-screen, he was heard to say to his -mates: ‘Now, mind. We’re to be the _first_ gun in action this time.’ -Immediately afterwards a shell came and killed him instantaneously. - -Or, again, consider the little human touch in the case of the Q-ship -commanded by Lieut.-Commander McLeod, which had been ‘done in’ and was -sinking, so that she had really to be abandoned. When all were getting -away in the boats, Lieut.-Commander McLeod’s servant was found to be -missing. At the last moment he suddenly reappeared, carrying with him -a bag which he had gone back to fetch. In it was Lieut.-Commander -McLeod’s best monkey-jacket. ‘I thought as you might want this, sir, -seeing you’ll have to go and see the Admiral when we get back to -Queenstown,’ was his cool explanation. Nothing could crush this kind of -spirit, which prevailed in the trenches, the air, and on sea until the -Armistice was won. It is the spirit of our forefathers, the inheritance -of our island race, which, notwithstanding political and domestic -tribulations, lies silent, dormant, undemonstrative, until the great -hour comes for the best that is in us to show itself. Germany, of -course, had her disguised armed ships, such as the _Moewe_, the _Wolf_, -and so on, and with them our late enemies performed unquestionably -brilliant work all over the world. It is true, also, that a similar -achievement was attained in one disguised sailing ship; nor can we fail -to admire the pluck and enterprise which enabled them to get through -the British blockade. To belittle such first-class work would be to -turn one’s back on plain truth. - -But the Q-ship service was not a short series of three or four spasms, -but took its part in the persistent prosecution of the anti-submarine -campaign. It remained a perpetual thorn in the enemy’s side, and it -was a most dangerous thorn. Unlike the U-boat service in its later -stages, it continued to be composed of volunteers, and it was certainly -the means of bringing to light extraordinary talent and courage. -Like other children, the seaman loves dressing up and acting. In the -Q-ship he found this among the other attractions, of which not the -least was the conscious joy of taking a big share in the greatest of -all wars. In one Q-ship alone were earned no fewer than four D.S.O.’s -and three bars, five D.S.C.’s and seven bars, one Croix de Guerre, -and six ‘mentions’ among the officers. Among the men this ship earned -twenty-one D.S.M.’s and four bars, as well as three ‘mentions.’ To-day -as you pass some tired old tramp at sea, or watch a begrimed steamer -taking in a cargo of coals, you may be gazing at a ship as famous as -Grenville’s _Revenge_ or Drake’s _Golden Hind_. At the end of the war -the Admiralty decided to place a memorial tablet on board each merchant -vessel that had acted as a decoy during the war, the tablet being -suitably inscribed with details of the gallant ship’s service, together -with the names of the commanding officer and members of the crew who -received decorations. The first of these ships so to be commemorated -was the _Lodorer_, better known to us as Captain Campbell’s Q-ship -_Farnborough_. After hostilities, in the presence of representatives -of the owners and the Ministry of Shipping, Vice-Admiral Sir Alexander -Duff unveiled _Lodorer’s_ tablet, and those who read it may well think -and reflect. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -Q-SHIPS EVERYWHERE - - -In the spring of 1917 there was a 2,905-ton steamship, called the -_Bracondale_, in the employment of the Admiralty as a collier. It -was decided that she would make a very useful Q-ship, so at the -beginning of April she was thus commissioned and her name changed to -_Chagford_. She was fitted out at Devonport and armed with a 4-inch, -two 12-pounders, and a couple of torpedo tubes, and was ready for sea -at the end of June. Commanded by Lieutenant D. G. Jeffrey, R.N.R., she -proceeded to Falmouth in order to tune everything up, and then was -based on Buncrana, which she left on August 2 for what was to be her -last cruise, and I think that in the following story we have another -instance of heroism and pertinacity of great distinction. - -_Chagford’s_ position on August 5 at 4.10 a.m. was roughly 120 miles -north-west of Tory Island, and she was endeavouring to find two enemy -submarines which had been reported on the previous day. At the time -mentioned she was herself torpedoed just below the bridge, and in -this one explosion was caused very great injury: for it disabled -both her torpedo tubes and her 4-inch gun; it shattered the boats on -the starboard side as well as the captain’s cabin and chart room. -In addition, it also wrecked all the voice-pipe connections to the -torpedo tubes and guns, and it flooded the engine-room and put the -engines out of commission, killing one of the crew. Lieutenant Jeffrey -therefore ‘abandoned’ ship, and just as the boats were getting away -two periscopes and a submarine were sighted on the starboard side 800 -yards away. As soon as the enemy came to the surface fire was opened -on her by the two 12-pounders and both Lewis and machine-guns, several -direct hits being observed. The submarine then dived, but at 4.40 a.m. -she fired a second torpedo at _Chagford_, which hit the ship abaft the -bridge on the starboard side. - -From the time the first torpedo had hit, the enemy realized that -_Chagford_ was a warship, for the 4-inch gun and torpedo tubes had been -made visible, and now that the second explosion had come Lieutenant -Jeffrey decided to recall his boats so that the ship might genuinely -be abandoned. The lifeboat, dinghy, and a barrel raft were accordingly -filled, and about 5.30 a.m. the enemy fired a third torpedo, which -struck also on the starboard side. Having sent away in the boats and -raft everyone with the exception of himself and a lieutenant, R.N.R., -two sub-lieutenants, R.N.R., also an assistant-paymaster, R.N.R., and -one petty officer, Lieutenant Jeffrey stationed these in hiding under -cover of the fo’c’sle and poop, keeping a smart look-out, however, -through the scuttles. - -Here was another doomed ship rolling about in the Atlantic without her -crew, and only a gallant handful of British seamanhood still standing -by with but a shred of hope. To accentuate their suspense periscopes -were several times seen, and from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. a submarine -frequently appeared on the surface at long range, and almost every -hour a periscope passed round the ship inspecting her cautiously. -During the whole of this time _Chagford_ was settling down gradually -but certainly. At dark Lieutenant Jeffrey, fearing that the enemy -might attempt boarding, placed Lewis and Maxim guns in position and -served out rifles and bayonets to all. Midnight came, and after making -a further examination of the damage, Lieutenant Jeffrey realized that -it was impossible for the _Chagford_ to last much longer, for her main -deck amidships was split from side to side, the bridge deck was badly -buckled, and the whole ship was straining badly. Therefore, just before -half-past midnight, these five abandoned the ship in a small motor-boat -which they had picked up at sea some days previously, but before -quitting _Chagford_ they disabled the guns, all telescopic sights and -strikers being removed. - -Having shoved off, they found to their dismay that there were no tanks -in the motor-boat, so she had to be propelled by a couple of oars, and -it will readily be appreciated that this kind of propulsion in the -North Atlantic was not a success. They then thought of going back to -the ship, but before they could do so they were fortunately picked up -at 7.30 a.m. by H.M. trawler _Saxon_, a large submarine having been -seen several times on the horizon between 4 and 7 a.m. The trawler then -proceeded to hunt for the submarine, but, as the latter had now made -off, volunteers were called for and went aboard _Chagford_, so that -by 4 p.m. _Saxon_ had commenced towing her. Bad luck again overcame -their efforts, for wind and sea had been steadily increasing, and of -course there was no steam, so the heavy work of handling cables had all -to be done by hand. Until the evening the ship towed fairly well at 2 -knots, but, as she seemed then to be breaking up, the tow-rope had to -be slipped, and just before eight o’clock next morning (August 7) she -took a final plunge and disappeared. The _Saxon_ made for the Scottish -coast and landed the survivors at Oban on the morning of the eighth. In -this encounter, difficult as it was, _Chagford_ had done real service, -for she had damaged the submarine so much that she could not submerge, -and this was probably U 44 which H.M.S. _Oracle_ sighted in the early -hours of August 12 off the north coast of Scotland, evidently bound -to Germany. _Oracle_ chased her; U 44 kept diving and coming to the -surface after a short while. She had disguised herself as a trawler, -and was obviously unable to dive except for short periods. _Oracle_ -shelled and then rammed her, so that U 44 was destroyed and _Chagford_ -avenged. Nothing more was seen of _Chagford_ except some wreckage found -by a trawler on August 11, who noticed the word _Bracondale_ on the -awnings. - -After Lieutenant Jeffrey and crew had returned to their base they -proceeded to fit out the 2,794-ton S.S. _Arvonian_. This was to be a -very powerful Q-ship, for she was armed with three 4-inch guns instead -of one, in addition to three 12-pounders, two Maxim guns, and actually -four 18-inch torpedo tubes. She was, in fact, a light cruiser, except -for speed and appearance, but the _Chagford_ crew were destined to -disappointment, for this is what happened. The reader will recollect -that in her engagement of June 7, 1917, Captain Campbell’s famous ship -_Pargust_ received so much damage that she had to be left in dockyard -hands while he and his crew went to sea in the _Dunraven_. Now, at -the beginning of October Admiral Sims asked the British Admiralty for -a ship to carry out this decoy work, and to be manned by the United -States Navy. The Admiralty therefore selected _Pargust_, and Admiral -Sims then assigned her to the U.S.N. forces based on Queenstown. Her -repairs, however, took rather a longer time than had been hoped; in -fact, she was not finished and commissioned again until the following -May, so it was decided to pay off _Arvonian_ on November 26, 1917, -and she was then recommissioned with a United States crew under -Commander D. C. Hanrahan, U.S.N., and changed her name to _Santee_. -By the time she left Queenstown for her maiden cruise she was a very -wonderful ship. Her 4-inch guns had been disguised by being recessed, -and by such concealments as lifebuoy lockers, hatch covers, and so on. -The 12-pounder gun aft had a tilting mounting, as also had the two -12-pounders forward at the break of the fo’c’sle on either side. Thus -they were concealed, but could be instantly brought into position. -Her four torpedo tubes were arranged so that there was one on each -beam, one to fire right ahead, and one to fire right astern. She also -boasted of a searchlight, a wireless set, and an emergency wireless -apparatus. She had two lifeboats, two skiffs, two Carley floats, and -also a motor-boat. She was thus the last word in Q-ship improvements, -and embodied all the lessons which had been learnt by bitter and tragic -experience. Two days after Christmas, 1917, she left Queenstown at dusk -on her way to Bantry Bay to train her crew, but in less than five hours -she was torpedoed. It was no disgrace, but a sheer bit of hard luck -which might have happened to any other officer, British or American. -Commander Hanrahan was one of the ablest and keenest destroyer captains -of the American Navy, and no one who had ever been aboard his ship -could fail to note his efficiency. He had been one of the early -destroyer arrivals when the United States that summer had begun to send -their destroyer divisions across the Atlantic to Queenstown, and he had -done most excellent work. - -But on this night his Q-ship career came to a sudden stop, though not -before everything possible had been done to entrap the enemy. It was -one of those cloudy, moonlight, wintry nights with good visibility. -As might have been expected under such a captain there was a total -absence of confusion; all hands went to their stations, the ‘panic’ -party got away in accordance with the best ‘panic’ traditions, while -on board the crews remained at their gun stations for five hours, -hoping and longing for the submarine to show herself. No such good -fortune followed, for the submarine was shy; so just before midnight -Commander Hanrahan sent a wireless message to Admiral Bayly at -Queenstown, and very shortly afterwards the U.S. destroyer _Cummings_ -arrived. At 1 a.m. the tug _Paladin_ took _Santee_ in tow, escorted by -four United States destroyers and the two British sloops _Viola_ and -_Bluebell_. _Santee_ got safely into port and was sent to Devonport, -where she was eventually handed back by the U.S.N. to the British -Navy, owing to the time involved in repairs. On June 4, 1918, she -was once more recommissioned in the Royal Navy and took the name of -_Bendish_, the crew having come from the Q-ship _Starmount_. By this -date the conditions of submarine warfare had undergone a modification. -In home waters it was only the quite small Q-ships of the coaster -type, of about 500 tons, which could be expected to have any chance -of successfully engaging a submarine. This class would normally be -expected to be seen within the narrow seas, and the enemy would not -be so shy. But for such vessels as _Bendish_ and _Pargust_ the most -promising sphere was likely to be between Gibraltar and the Azores -and the north-west coast of Africa, where German so-called ‘cruiser’ -submarines of the _Deutschland_ type were operating. Therefore a -special force, based on Gibraltar but operating in the Azores area or -wherever submarines were to be expected, was organized, consisting -of four Q-ships. These were the _Bendish_ (late _Santee_), Captain -Campbell’s former ship _Pargust_ but now named the _Pangloss_, the -_Underwing_, and the _Marshfort_, the whole squadron being under -the command of Lieut.-Commander Dane in _Bendish_. After being at -last ready for sea in May, 1918, _Pangloss_, commanded by Lieutenant -Jeffrey, who for his fine work in _Chagford_ had received the D.S.O., -had then been assigned to serve under the Vice-Admiral Northern Patrols -until she was sent south. - - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP TRANSFORMATION - -Crew painting funnel while at sea (see pp. 220-1).] - -[Illustration: Q-SHIP “BARRANCA” AT SEA - -The look-out man aft is disguised as one of the Mercantile crew. The -dummy wheel, dummy sky-light, and dummy deck-house are seen. The latter -concealed a 4-inch gun and two 12-pounders. - - To face p. 234] - -Under the new scheme just mentioned these four Q-ships were so -worked that they always arrived and sailed from Gibraltar as part -of the convoy of merchant ships, from which class they could not be -distinguished. But already long before this date Q-ships had been -employed in such distant waters. For instance, in the middle of -November, 1916, the _Barranca_ (Lieut.-Commander S. C. Douglas, R.N.) -was sent from Queenstown via Devonport, and proceeded to operate in the -neighbourhood of Madeira and the Canaries, based on Gibraltar. This -ship, known officially as Q 3 (alias _Echunga_), had been taken over -from Messrs. Elders and Fyffes, Ltd. Her registered tonnage was 4,115, -and she had a speed of 14 knots, so she was eminently fitted for this -kind of work. She had been employed as a Q-ship since June, 1916, and -was armed with a 4-inch, two 12-pounders, and two 6-pounders, and -terminated her service in the following May. Her captain had been one -of the earliest officers to be employed in decoy work, having been -second in command to Lieut.-Commander Godfrey Herbert when that officer -commanded the _Antwerp_. Soon after this date the Q-ship _Dunclutha_ -left for that part of the Atlantic which is between the north-east -coast of South America and north-west coast of Africa. This ship, -together with _Ooma_, both of them being vessels of between 3,000 and -4,000 tons, had commenced their special service at the end of 1916 -and been sent to work under the British Commodore off the east coast -of South America in the hope of falling in with one of the German -raiders, such as the _Moewe_. In May, 1918, both these vessels had to -be withdrawn from such service, as the shortage of tonnage had become -acute, and were required to load general cargo in a Brazilian port. -Another of these overseas Q-ships was the _Bombala_ (alias _Willow -Branch_). She was a 3,314-ton steamer and had left Gibraltar on April -18, 1918, for Sierra Leone. A week later, off the West African coast, -she sighted a submarine off the port quarter, and a few minutes later a -second one off the starboard bow. Both submarines opened their attack -with shells, this class of submarine being armed with a couple of -5·9-inch guns. After about thirty rounds the enemy had found the range, -and then began to hit the ship repeatedly, carrying away the wireless -and causing many casualties. _Bombala_ shortened the range so that -she could use her 4-inch and 14-pounder, and the action went on for -two and a half hours. By that time _Bombala_ was done for, and it was -impossible to save the ship; so the crew were ordered into the boats, -and then the ship foundered, bows first. However, the Q-ship had not -sunk without severely damaging the enemy, for when the submarines came -alongside _Bombala’s_ boats it was found that in one of the submarines -there were seven killed and four wounded. - -Q-ships were kept pretty busy, too, in the Mediterranean. On March -11, 1917, when _Wonganella_ (Lieut.-Commander B. J. D. Guy, R.N.) was -on her way from Malta to England via Gibraltar, she was shelled by a -submarine, and while the ‘panic’ party were getting out the boats, a -shell wounded the officer and several of the crew in the starboard -lifeboat. Another shell went through the bulwarks of the ship, wounding -some men and bursting the steam-pipe of the winch, thus rendering -unworkable the derrick used for hoisting out the third boat, and the -port lifeboat was also damaged. Shells burst in the well deck and -holed the big boat, so in this case, as all his boats were ‘done in,’ -the captain had to give up the idea of ‘abandoning’ ship. There was -nothing for it but to open fire, though it was not easy for orders to -be heard in that indescribable din when shells were bursting, steam -pouring out from the burst winch-pipe, wounded men in great pain, and -_Wonganella’s_ own boiler-steam blowing off with its annoying roar. As -soon as fire was opened, the submarine dived and then fired a torpedo, -which was avoided by _Wonganella_ going astern with her engines, the -torpedo just missing the ship’s fore-foot by 10 feet. No more was seen -of the enemy, and at dusk the armed steam yacht _Iolanda_ was met, from -whom a doctor was obtained, thus saving the lives of several of the -wounded. In this engagement, whilst the White Ensign was being hoisted, -the signal halyards were shot away, so the ensign had to be carried up -the rigging and secured thereto. - -_Wonganella_ was holed on the water-line and hit elsewhere, but she -put into Gibraltar on March 13, and on the evening of June 19 of the -same year we find her out in the Atlantic west of the south-west -Irish coast on her way homeward-bound from Halifax. A submarine bore -down on her from the north, and at the long range of 8,000 yards was -soon straddling _Wonganella_. Now the Q-ship happened to have on -board thirty survivors from a steamer recently sunk, so again it was -impossible to attempt the ‘abandon ship’ deception. She therefore -used her smoke-screen—at this time ships were being supplied with -special smoke-making apparatus—and then ran down the wind at varying -speeds and on various courses, with the hope that the enemy would -chase quickly. _Wonganella_ would then turn in the smoke-cloud and -suddenly emerge and close the enemy at a more suitable range. But the -best-laid schemes of Q-ships are subject to the laws of chance, for -now there appeared another merchant ship heading straight towards this -scene, and thus unwittingly frustrated the further development of the -encounter. This ‘merchant ship’ was the Q-ship _Aubrietia_ (Q 13), who -did, in fact, receive a signal from _Wonganella_ that no assistance was -required; but by that time it was too late to withdraw. The submarine, -after shelling _Wonganella_ through the smoke, abandoned the attack and -withdrew without ever scoring a hit. - -During all these months the disguised steam trawlers were continuing -their arduous work. On August 20, 1916, the _Gunner_ from Granton -engaged a submarine during the afternoon, but the German subsequently -dived. _Gunner_ then proceeded on a westerly course whilst she altered -her disguise, and then that same evening encountered this submarine -again, shelled her, but once more the enemy broke off the fight. -The disguised Granton trawler _Speedwell_ was also operating in a -manner similar to _Gunner_, and in the following March the trawler -_Commissioner_ began her decoy work. She was a 161-ton ship armed -with a 12-pounder, her method of working being as follows: Lieutenant -F. W. Charles, R.N.R., was in command of the fighting portion of -the crew, but her fishing skipper was otherwise in charge of the -ship. _Commissioner_ proceeded to join the Granton fishing fleet, -looking like any other steam trawler, and then shot her trawl and -carried on like the rest of the fleet. When a submarine should appear -_Commissioner_ would cut away her fishing gear and then attack the -enemy. Such an occasion actually occurred the very day after she first -joined the fishing fleet, but the submarine was not sunk. - -A similar decoy was the Granton steam trawler _Rosskeen_, which left -the Firth of Forth to ‘fish’ about 20 miles east of the Longstone. -Three days later she was just about to shoot her trawl when a shot came -whistling over her wheelhouse, and a large submarine was then seen -8,000 yards away. After twenty minutes, during which the enemy’s shells -fell uncomfortably close, _Rosskeen_ cut away her gear and ‘abandoned’ -ship. The submarine then obligingly approached on the surface towards -the rowing boat, and when the range was down to 1,200 yards _Rosskeen_, -who was armed with a 12-pounder and 6-pounder, opened fire from the -former and hit the submarine, the conning-tower being very badly -damaged by the third shot. Two more shells got home, and by this time -the enemy had had enough, and dived. - -These trawlers were undoubtedly both a valuable protection to the -fishermen (who had been repeatedly attacked by the enemy) and a subtle -trap for some of the less experienced submarine captains. During May -two more trawlers, the _Strathallan_ and _Strathearn_, were similarly -commissioned, and even steam drifters such as the _Fort George_ -(armed with one 6-pounder) were employed in this kind of work. On the -thirteenth of June _Strathearn_ was fishing 19 miles east of the Bell -Rock when five shots were fired at her, presumably by a submarine, -though owing to the hazy weather nothing could be seen. The enemy then -evidently sighted a destroyer and disappeared. On the following day -_Fort George_ was fishing about 35 miles east of May Island, when she -was attacked by submarine at 2,000 yards. It was ten o’clock at night, -and the drifter, after the third round, secured her fishing gear and -returned the fire. The enemy was evidently surprised, for after the -drifter had fired three shells the German broke off the engagement -and submerged, but with his fourth and fifth rounds he had hit _Fort -George_, killing two and wounding another couple. - -But on the following twenty-eighth of January _Fort George_ was about -14 miles east of May Island, with the decoy trawler _W. S. Bailey_ -(Lieutenant C. H. Hudson, D.S.C., R.N.R.). The two ships were listening -on their hydrophones when a submarine was distinctly heard some -distance away, and it was assumed that the enemy was steering for May -Island, so the _W. S. Bailey_ after proceeding for a quarter of an -hour in that direction listened again, and the sounds were heard more -plainly. For an hour and a half the enemy was determinedly hunted, -and just after 9 p.m. the sounds became very distinct, so the trawler -steamed full speed ahead in the submarine’s direction, dropped a depth -charge, listened, and then, as the enemy was still heard on the -hydrophone, a second charge was dropped. The trawler then went full -speed astern to check her way, and just as she was stopping there were -sighted two periscopes not 20 yards away, on the starboard quarter, and -going full speed. The trawler then dropped a third depth charge over -the spot where the periscopes had disappeared, and nothing further was -heard on the hydrophone, but a fourth charge was then let go to make -sure, and the position was buoyed, and the disguised craft remained -in the vicinity until January 30. A few days later the _W. S. Bailey_ -swept with her chain-sweep over the position, and on each occasion the -sweep brought up in the place that had been buoyed, and a quantity of -oil was seen. Local fishermen accustomed to working their gear along -this bottom reported that the obstruction was quite new. In short, the -_W. S. Bailey_ had succeeded in destroying UB 63, a submarine about 180 -feet long and well armed with a 4·1-inch gun and torpedoes. For this -useful service Lieutenant Hudson received a bar to his D.S.C., while -Skipper J. H. Lawrence, R.N.R., was awarded the D.S.C. - -Thus, in all waters and in all manner of ships wearing every kind of -disguise, the shy submarine was being tempted and sought out, though -every month decoy work was becoming more and more difficult: for though -you might fool the whole German submarine service in the early stages -of Q-ships, it was impossible that you could keep on bluffing all of -them every time. The most that could be expected was that as a reward -for your constant vigilance and perfect organization you might one day -catch him off his guard through his foolishness or lack of experience -or incautiousness. But every indecisive action made it worse for the -Q-ships, for that vessel was a mark for future attack and the enemy’s -intelligence department was thereby enriched, and outgoing submarines -could be warned against such a trawler or such a tramp whose guns had a -dead sector on such a bearing. Thus an inefficient Q-ship captain would -be a danger not merely to himself and his men, but to the rest of the -force. Nothing succeeds like success, and there was nothing so useful -as to make a clean job of the submarine-sinking, so that he could never -get back home and tell the news. Surprise, whether in real life or -fiction, is a factor that begins to lose its power in proportion to its -frequency of use. It was so in the Q-ships, and that is why, after a -certain point had been reached, this novel method became so difficult -and so barren in results. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -SHIPS OF ALL SIZES - - -The unrestricted phase of submarine warfare instituted in February, -1917, had, apart from other means, been met by an increase in the -number of Q-ships, so that by the end of May there were close upon -eighty steamers and sailing craft either being fitted out as decoys or -already thus employed. By far the greater number of the big Q-ships -were serving under Admiral Bayly, the other large craft being based -on Longhope, Portsmouth, the south-east of England, and Malta. Of -the smaller types, such as trawlers and sailing ships, no fewer than -one-half were based on Granton, under Admiral Startin, the rest of -these little vessels working out of Stornoway, Longhope, Peterhead, -Lowestoft, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Falmouth, Milford Haven, and Malta. - -One of the moderate-sized Q-steamers was the 1,680-ton _Stonecrop_, -alias _Glenfoyle_, which was armed with a 4-inch, a 12-pounder, and -four 200-lb. howitzers. She had begun her special service at the end -of May, 1917, under Commander M. B. R. Blackwood, R.N. She was very -slow, and her captain found her practically unmanageable in anything -of a head wind and sea. Her first cruise was in the English Channel, -and she left Portsmouth on August 22. Three days later when 15 miles -south of the Scillies she saw a large steamer torpedoed and sunk. -_Stonecrop_ herself was caught in bad weather, and had to run before -the gale and sea towing an oil bag astern. Arriving back at Portsmouth -she needed a few repairs, and left again on September 11 to cruise off -the western approaches of the British Isles. Six days later she was -off the south-west coast of Ireland steering a westerly course when -a submarine was seen on the surface. This was the U 88, one of the -biggest types, over 200 feet long, armed with a 4·1-inch -and a 22-pounder, plus torpedoes. It was now 4.40 p.m., and though the -enemy was still several miles away he opened fire three minutes later -with both guns. _Stonecrop_ accordingly pretended to flee from his -wrath, turned 16 points, made off at her full speed (which was only 7 -knots), made S.O.S. signals on her wireless, followed by ‘Hurry up or -I shall have to abandon ship’—_en clair_ so that the submarine should -read it. And in order further still to simulate a defensively armed -merchant ship she replied with her after gun. - -Thus it went on until 5.15 p.m., by which time the submarine had not -registered a hit and was gradually closing: but most of the shells -were falling very near to the steamer, so that the German might easily -have supposed they were hits. In order to fool the enemy further still -Commander Blackwood had his smoke apparatus now lit. This was most -successful, the whole ship becoming enveloped in smoke and seeming to -be on fire. A quarter of an hour later _Stonecrop_ ‘abandoned’ ship, -sending away also a couple of hands in uniform to represent the men -from the deserted defensive gun. The submarine then displayed the -usual tactics: submerged, came slowly towards the ship, passing down -the port side, rounding the stern, and then came to the surface 600 -yards off the starboard quarter, displaying the whole of his length. -For three minutes the British and German captains remained looking at -each other, the former, of course, from his position of concealment. -But at ten minutes past six, as there were still no signs of anyone -coming out of the conning-tower hatch, and as the U-boat seemed about -to make for _Stonecrop’s_ boats, Captain Blackwood decided this was -the critical moment and gave the order. From the 4-inch gun and all -howitzers there suddenly poured across the intervening 600 yards a very -hot fire, which had unmistakable effect: for the fourth shot hit the -base of the conning-tower, causing a large explosion and splitting the -conning-tower in two. The fifth shot got her just above the water-line -under the foremost gun, the sixth struck between that gun and the -conning-tower, the seventh hit 30 feet from the end of the hull, the -eighth got her just at the angle of the conning-tower and deck, the -ninth and tenth shells came whizzing on to the water-line between the -after gun and conning-tower, whilst the eleventh hit the deck just -abaft the conning-tower and tearing it up. Good gunnery, certainly! - -This was about as much as the stunned submarine could stand, and -forging ahead she suddenly submerged and sank stern first, but a few -seconds later she rose to the surface with a heavy list to starboard, -and then sank for good and all. For, on submerging, she had found -she was leaking so badly that her condition was hopeless, and she -was doubtless intending to surrender, but apparently the fourth shot -from _Stonecrop_ had so damaged the conning-tower hatch that it could -not be opened. Thus there perished U 88, but this was more than the -sinking of an ordinary submarine, for with her there went to his doom -Lieut.-Commander Schwieger, who, when in command of U 20, had sunk -the _Lusitania_ on May 7, 1915, with the loss of over eleven hundred -men, women, and children. Altogether _Stonecrop’s_ action had been very -neat. He had lured the enemy into a short range, utterly fooled him, -and then disabled him before he woke up. For this service Commander -Blackwood received the D.S.O., and three R.N.R. lieutenants and a naval -warrant officer each received a D.S.C. But Q-ship life was always full -of uncertainties, for on the very next day _Stonecrop_ was herself -torpedoed by another submarine at 1 p.m., though fortunately this -was in a position a little nearer the coast. Two officers and twenty -survivors were picked up by a motor-launch of the Auxiliary Patrol -and landed at Berehaven; sixty-four men in one boat and a raft were -remaining behind, but all available craft were sent out to rescue them. - -The employment of small coasting steamers was, during the last phase -of the war, more and more developed. What the Q-ship captain liked was -that the enemy should attack him not with torpedoes but with gunfire. -Now, even the biggest German submarines carried usually not more than -ten torpedoes, and inasmuch as his cruise away from any base lasted -weeks, and, in the case of the _Deutschland_ class, even months, it -was obvious that the U-boat had to conserve his torpedoes for those -occasions which were really worth while. From this it follows that -a submarine captain who knew his work, and was anxious to make a -fine haul before ending his cruise, would not, as a rule, waste his -torpedoes on a 500-ton steamer when he might have secured much bigger -tonnage by using the same missile against a 20,000-ton liner. - -This suggested an avenue of thought, and as early as January, 1918, -the matter was considered by Admiral Bayly and developed. Already -there were in existence several small vessels acting as Q-ships, -but simultaneously carrying out in all respects the duties of -cargo-carriers from port to port, and thus paying their way. It was -now decided to look for a little steamer which, based on Queenstown, -would work between the Bristol Channel, Irish Sea, and the south coast -of Ireland, where even during the height of the submarine campaign it -was customary to see such craft. As a result of this decision Captain -Gordon Campbell was sent to inspect the S.S. _Wexford Coast_, which -was being repaired at Liverpool. Her gross tonnage was only 423, -she had a well deck, three masts, and engines placed aft: just the -ordinary-looking, innocent steamer that would hardly attract a torpedo. -Owned by Messrs. Powell, Bacon, Hough, and Co., of Liverpool, this -vessel had already done valuable work in the war; for in 1915 she had -been requisitioned for store-carrying in the Dardanelles, where she was -found invaluable in keeping the troops supplied, and when that campaign -came to an end assisted at the evacuation. Returning to England, she -was again sent out as a store-carrier, this time to the White Sea. -_Wexford Coast_ was now taken up as a Q-ship, her fitting-out being -supervised by Lieut.-Commander L. S. Boggs, R.N.R., who had been in -command of the Q-ship _Tamarisk_, and from the last ship came a large -part of her new crew. She was duly armed, and fitted with a cleverly -concealed wireless aerial, to be used only in case of emergency, and -was then commissioned on March 13, 1918, as ‘Store-Carrier No. 80,’ -this title being for the purpose of preserving secrecy. She put to sea -in her dual capacity, but on August 31 had the misfortune to be run -into by the French S.S. _Bidart_, six miles south-east of the Start, at -four o’clock in the morning—another instance of this fatal hour for -collisions. The Frenchman grounded on the Skerries and capsized, and -the _Wexford Coast_ had to put in to Devonport. After the sinking of -the Q-ship _Stockforce_ (to be related presently), Admiral Bayly wished -the captain and crew of the latter to be appointed to a coaster similar -to _Wexford Coast_, so the _Suffolk Coast_ was chosen at the beginning -of August whilst she was lying in the Firth of Forth. Before the end -of the month she had arrived at Queenstown, where she was fitted out. -On November 10 she set out from Queenstown, but on the following day -came the Armistice, which spoiled her ambitions. However, in this, the -latest of all Q-ships, we see the development so clearly that it will -not be out of place here to anticipate dates and give her description. - -_Suffolk Coast_ was intentionally the most ordinary-looking little -coaster, with three masts, her engines and funnel being placed aft, and -the very last thing she resembled was a man-of-war. But she was heavily -armed for so small a ship. In her were embodied all the concentrated -experience of battle and engineering development. All that could be -learned from actual fighting, from narrow escapes, and from defects -manifested in awkward moments was here taken advantage of. Instead of -a 12-knot 4,000-ton steamer the development had, owing to the trend of -the campaign, been in the direction of a ship one-eighth of the size, -but more cleverly disguised with better ‘gadgets.’ In fact, instead of -being a model of simplicity as in the early days, the Q-ship had become -a veritable box of tricks. It was the triumph of mind over material, of -brain over battle. Coolness and bravery and resolute endurance were -just as requisite in the last as in the first stages of the campaign, -but the qualities of scientific bluff had attained the highest value. -The basic principle was extreme offensive power combined with outward -innocence: the artfulness of the eagle, but the appearance of a dove. - -In _Suffolk Coast_ there was one long series of illusions from forward -to aft. On the fo’c’sle head was a quite usual wire reel such as is -used in this class of ship for winding in a wire rope. But this reel -had been hollowed out inside so as to allow the captain to con the -ship. Near by was also a periscope, but this was disguised by being -hidden in a stove-pipe such as would seem to connect with the crew’s -heating arrangements below. Now this was not merely a display of -ingenuity but an improvement based on many a hard case. What frequently -happened after the ‘abandon ship’ party pushed off? As we have seen, -this was often the time when the real fight began, and the enemy would -shell the bridge to make sure no living thing could remain. That -being so, the obvious position for the captain was to be away from -the bridge, though it broke away from all the traditions of the sea. -In _Suffolk Coast_ the enemy could continue sweeping the bridge, but -the captain would be under the shelter of the fo’c’sle head and yet -watching intently. Similarly both he and his men need not, in passing -from the bridge or one end of the ship to another, be exposed to the -enemy’s fire, for an ingenious tunnel was made right into the fo’c’sle -through the hold. In a similar manner, if the forward part of the ship -had been ‘done in,’ there was a periscope aft disguised as a pipe -coming up from the galley stove. - -Now, when a submarine started shelling a Q-ship, the latter would -naturally heave-to and then pretend she had been disabled by being -hit in the engine-room. This was achieved by fitting a pipe specially -arranged to let steam issue forth. The importance of wireless in these -death-struggles may well be realized, so not merely was one wireless -cabinet placed below, but another was situated in the fo’c’sle. The -_Suffolk Coast_, with her two 4-inch and two 12-pounders, was armed -in a manner superior to any submarines excepting those of the biggest -classes such as voyaged south to the Canaries and north-west African -coast. This Q-ship’s guns were concealed in the most wonderfully -ingenious manner, so that it would have puzzled even a seaman to -discover their presence. Thus the forward 12-pounder was mounted in -No. 1 hold, the hatch being suitably arranged for collapsing. The -first 4-inch gun was placed further aft, covered by a deck, and the -sides made to fall down when the time came for action. The second -4-inch was mounted still further aft and similarly concealed, whilst -the other 12-pounder was allowed to be conspicuous at the stern so -that all U-craft might believe she was the usual defensively armed -merchant ship. Without this they might have become suspicious. In this -‘mystery ship’ everything was done to render her capable of remaining -afloat for the maximum of time after injury, and, in addition to having -a well-stowed cargo of timber, she had special watertight bulkheads -fitted. With a thorough system of voice-pipes, so that the captain -could keep a perfect control over the ship’s firing—a most essential -consideration, as the reader will already have ascertained—and a -crew of nearly fifty experienced officers and men, such a small -ship represented the apotheosis of the decoy just as the war was -terminating. Every sort of scheme which promised possibilities was -tried, and many clever minds had been at work, but this represented the -standard of success after four long years. - -Every new aspect of the submarine advancement had to be thought out -and met, and the variations were most noticeable, but during the last -few months of the war considerable attention had to be concentrated on -the areas of the Azores, the north, south, east, and west of Ireland, -the Bristol Channel, and the approaches to the English Channel in the -west. But by the spring of 1918 the crews of German submarines had -become distinctly inferior. Their commanding officers were often young -and raw, there was a great dearth of trained engineer officers and -experienced petty officers, and this was shown in frequent engine-room -breakdowns. So many submarines had failed to return home, and others -reported such hairbreadth escapes, that the inferior crews became -nervous and were not sorry to be taken prisoners. The fact was that -not only were expert, highly skilled officers hard to find, but the -hands he was compelled to go to sea with were no longer chosen by the -captain; he had to accept whatever recruits were drafted to his craft. -Of the best _personnel_ that remained many had lost their nerve and -had a very real dread of mines, depth charges, and decoy ships. The -institution of our convoy system and of Q-ships as part of the convoy -did not add to the pleasures of the U-boat officers. It is true that -the often excellent shooting of the submarines was due to the fact -that their gun-layers were generally selected from the High Sea Fleet, -but as against this many of our Q-ship expert gunners were out of the -Grand Fleet. It is true that the cruiser submarines with their two -5·9-inch guns, plus torpedoes, were formidable foes even -for the most heavily armed decoy, but as against this they took a long -time to dive, and thus represented a better target. - -If we consider these facts in regard to the later tactics of the -submarines in contest with our decoy ships, there is much that becomes -clear. The excellence of our intelligence system has been shown by -various British and German writers since the war, and, as a rule, we -were extraordinarily prepared for the new developments with which our -Q-ships were likely to be faced. On the other hand, the enemy’s supply -of intelligence was bad, and if we put ourselves in the position of an -inexperienced young U-boat captain we can easily see how difficult was -his task toward the end of hostilities. He was sent out to sink ships, -and yet practically every British ship was at least armed defensively, -and there was nothing to indicate which of them might be a well-armed -decoy, save for the fact that he had been informed by his superiors -that trap-ships were seldom of a size greater than 4,000 tons. Sailing -ships, fishing craft, and steamers might be ready to spring a surprise, -so that it was not easy for the German to combine ruthless attack with -reasonable caution: thus, in effect, the battle came down to a matter -of personality. It was not merely a question of the man behind the gun, -nor of the man behind the torpedo, but the man at the periscope of -the submarine versus the man peeping at him from the spy-hole of the -steamer. They were strange tactics, indeed, to be employed in naval -war when we consider the simple, hearty methods of previous campaigns -in history, but even as an impersonal study of two foes this perpetual -battle of wits, of subtleties, and make-believe, must ever remain -both interesting and instructive in spite of the terrible loss of life -accompanying it. Life on board one of the small steam Q-ships was, -apart from its dangers arising through mines and submarines, distinctly -lacking in comfort. The following extracts from the private diary of a -Q-ship’s commanding officer at different dates afford, in the fewest -words, an insight into the life on board: - -‘The heavy westerly gale was banking up the west-going tide, and made -the most fierce and dangerous sea that I have ever seen. The ship made -little headway and was tossed about like a small boat. Fortunately we -managed to keep end on to the sea, or I think the old tub would have -gone slick over. As it was she behaved well, though her movements were -pretty violent. Seas broke over the stern and washed away the stern -gratings, one big sea broke right over the forward deck, a tumbling -mass of foam, into the water on the other side of the ship, carrying -away a ventilator and some steam-pipes. I had one spasm of anxiety, -when in the middle of all this the wheel jammed for a few seconds, and -I feared she would broach-to. If we had done so, I think the ship would -at once have been rolled over and smothered. I have never before seen -such enormous breakers....’ - -‘Had just finished tea and was sitting at the table yarning with the -others when the alarm gong went and we all dashed out.... Immediately -before the gong went, M——, our young R.N.V.R. signalman, who had -never been to sea before, and who was on watch, remarked to W——, the -officer of the watch, “What’s that funny-looking stick sticking out of -the water over there?” W—— cast an eye at the said “funny-looking -stick sticking out of the water” 200 yards on our starboard beam, -and remarked profanely: “Good God, man, why, it’s a periscope!” and -promptly rang the gong.’ It was, indeed, a periscope, and presently the -submarine opened fire and sent a shell through the ship’s engine-room, -which disabled the ship, though she was afterwards towed into port, -where she was repaired and refitted for her next encounter. - -‘Completed loading timber at 11 a.m. Total 599 tons. That ought to -keep us afloat if we are torpedoed.... The ship’s behaviour is quite -different to what it was with coal ballast. She moves, but with a much -easier motion, and without that terrible jerkiness she had before.... -When off the —— we fell in with a lifeboat under sail, evidently -with survivors from a sunk ship. Stopped and took them on board. They -turned out to be the captain, 2nd officer, purser, 3rd engineer, and -ten men, part of the crew of the S.S. ——, which had been torpedoed at -11.30 a.m. yesterday.... Discussing the daily lie for Fritz with S——: -To-day we are from Cape Coast Castle with kernels, bound for London. I -wonder if it will go down with Fritz....’ - -And the following entry after successfully sinking a German submarine -notwithstanding many months of monotonous uneventfulness: - -‘I then “spliced the main-brace.” We passed the S—— Light at 11.30 -p.m., and just before picking up the Examination boat received a -wireless message from [the Commander-in-Chief], which reads: “Very well -done. A year’s perseverance well rewarded.”... We anchored at midnight, -and a boat at once came off with a doctor, who removed the wounded.... -A tug brought off the armed guard sent ... to receive our prisoners.... -We formally mustered the prisoners and handed them over, with the -signing of receipts for their custody and disposal, etc. It was an -impressive moment when I led the officer in charge to the saloon, and -handed over to him the commanding officer of the submarine. A couple of -bluejackets with rifles fixed promptly closed up at either elbow, and -he was marched out. He had the grace to pause at the door, where I was -standing, and to thank me for my treatment of him. He was no doubt very -much upset by the loss of his ship: we found him extremely glum and did -our best to cheer him up. He had lunch with us, and I think he really -did find that we were human. Similarly the other officers tendered -their thanks (they all went away in a good deal of our clothing), -and when it came to the marching off of the men, —— stepped out of -the ranks and tendered to me their grateful thanks for the excellent -treatment they had received at our hands.’ - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -THE LAST PHASE - - -One of the effects of the British blockade on Germany was to prevent -such valuable war material as iron reaching Germany from Spain. Now -Spanish ores, being of great purity, were in pre-war days imported in -large quantities for the manufacture of the best qualities of steel, -and it was a serious matter for Germany that these importations were -cut off. But luckily for her she had been accustomed to obtain, even -prior to the war, supplies of magnetic ore from Sweden, and it was of -the utmost importance that this should be continued now that the war -would last much longer than she had ever expected. - -If you look at a map of Scandinavia inside the Arctic Circle you will -notice the West Fjord, which is between the Lofoten Isles and the -Norwegian mainland. Follow this up and you come to the Ofoten Fjord, at -the head of which is the Norwegian port of Narvik. From here there ran -across the Swedish border to Lulea what was the most northerly railway -in Europe, and Narvik was a great harbour for the export of magnetic -iron ore. Hither German ships came, loaded, and then, by keeping within -the three-mile limit of territorial waters, going inside islands, and -taking every possible advantage of night, managed to get their valuable -cargoes back home for the Teutonic munition makers. - -Now it was obviously one of the duties of our Tenth Cruiser Squadron, -entrusted with the interception of shipping in the north, to see that -Germany did not receive this ore. But having regard to the delicacy of -not violating the waters of a neutral nation, and bearing in mind the -pilotage difficulties off a coast studded with islands and half-tide -rocks, this was no easy matter. It was here that the small ships came -in so useful. We can go back to June, 1915, and find the armed trawler -_Tenby Castle_ (Lieutenant J. T. Randell, R.N.R.) attached nominally -to the Tenth Cruiser Squadron, but sent to work single-handed, as it -were, off the Norwegian coast intercepting shipping. As a distinguished -admiral remarked, here she lay in a very gallant manner for twenty -days, during which time she sank one enemy ship, very nearly secured -a second, and was able to hand over to the Tenth Cruiser Squadron -a neutral ship with iron ore. It was a most difficult situation -to handle, for it required not merely a quick decision and bold -initiative, but very accurate cross bearings had to be made, as these -offending steamers were on the border-line of territorial waters. That -great enemy of all seamen irrespective of nationality, fog, was in this -case actually to be a very real friend to our trawler; for in thick -weather and the vicinity of a rock-bound coast full of hidden dangers, -skippers of the ore ships would naturally be inclined to play for -safety and stand so far out from the shore as to be in non-territorial -waters. A further consideration was that owing to the effect of the -magnetic ore on their compasses they could not afford to take undue -navigational risks in thick weather. What they preferred was nice clear -weather, so that they could hug the land. - -The success of _Tenby Castle_ was such that half a dozen other -trawlers were selected and stationed off that coast except in the wild -wintry months, and this idea, as we shall presently see, was developed -still further, but it will assist our interest if we appreciate first -the difficulties as exemplified in the case of the _Tenby Castle_. On -the last day of June, 1915, this trawler was about five miles N.E. -of the Kya Islet, and it was not quite midday, when she sighted a -steamer coming down from Nero Sound; so she closed her and read her -name, _Pallas_. Inasmuch as the latter was showing no colours, _Tenby -Castle_ now hoisted the White Ensign and the international signal to -stop immediately. This was ignored, so the trawler came round and saw -she was a German ship belonging to Flensburg, and fired a shot across -the enemy’s bow. The German then stopped her engines, ported her helm, -and headed in the direction of the coast, having a certain amount of -way on. The trawler closed and ordered her to show her colours, but the -German declined; so the latter was then told to steer to the westward, -which he also refused to do. Lieutenant Randell, informing him now that -he would give him five minutes in which to make up his mind either to -come with him or be sunk, sent a wireless signal informing H.M. ships -of the Tenth Cruiser Squadron, then went alongside the German and -put an armed guard aboard; but the captain of _Pallas_ rang down for -full speed ahead and starboarded his helm, whereupon _Tenby Castle_ -fired a couple of shots at the steamer’s steering gear on the poop, -damaging it. The German stopped his engines once more, but the ship was -gradually drawing towards the shore, so that when _Victorian_ arrived -_Pallas_ was about two and a half miles from the land, thus being just -within territorial waters, and had to be released. There had been no -casualties. - -The next incident occurred a week later. At ten minutes to six on the -morning of July 7 _Tenby Castle_ was lying off the western entrance -of the West Fjord, the weather being thick and rainy, when a large -steamer was seen to the N.N.W., so _Tenby Castle_ put on full speed -and ordered her to stop. This was the Swedish S.S. _Malmland_, with -about 7,000 tons of magnetic ore. After being ordered to follow the -trawler, Malmland put on full speed and drew ahead; so she was made to -keep right astern at reduced speed, and just before half-past eight -that morning was handed over to H.M.S. _India_ of the above-mentioned -cruiser squadron. The day passed, and it was a few minutes after -midnight when this trawler, again lying off the West Fjord, sighted a -steamer coming down from Narvik. A shot was fired across the steamer’s -bows, and on rounding-to under the steamship’s stern it was observed -that she was the German S.S. _Frederick Arp_, of Hamburg. She was -ordered to stop, then the trawler closed and ordered the steamer to -follow. The German refused to obey and steamed towards the land, so -the _Tenby Castle_ was compelled to fire a shot into his quarter, and -this caused him to stop. After he had several times refused to follow, -Lieutenant Randell gave him five minutes and informed him he would -either have to accompany the trawler or else be sunk. The five minutes -passed, the obstinate German still declined, and two minutes later put -his engines ahead and made towards the shore. It was now an hour since -the ship had first been sighted, so there was nothing for it but for -the trawler to sink her, and she was shelled at the water-line and sunk -four and a half miles away from the nearest land, her crew of thirteen -being handed over a few hours later to H.M.S. _India_. Thus a cargo of -4,000 tons of magnetic ore was prevented from reaching Germany. - -Now, it was quite obvious that the information of these incidents would -not be long in reaching Germany from an agent via Norway. The German -Captain Gayer has stated since the war that news reached Germany that -‘an English auxiliary cruiser was permanently stationed’ off West -Fjord, whose task, he says, was ‘to seize and sink the German steamers -coming with minerals from Narvik.’ Therefore, on August 3, Germany -despatched U 22 from Borkum to West Fjord, and this craft had scarcely -taken up her position when she saw the armed merchant cruiser _India_ -enter West Fjord and torpedoed her at long range, so that _India_ was -sunk. Gayer, who occupied during the war a high administrative position -in the U-boat service, adds the following statement: ‘It was,’ he -remarks, ‘one of the few instances in which a submarine found with -such precision the object of attack really intended for it, when the -information had been given by an agent.’ - -We pass over the intervening years and come to February, 1918. On the -nineteenth of that month the Q-ship _Tay and Tyne_ had left Lerwick, in -the Shetlands, to perform similar work off the Norwegian coast, where -she arrived on the twenty-second. This was a little 557-ton steamer, -which had been requisitioned at the end of the previous July and fitted -out at Lowestoft with a 4-inch gun aft, suitably hidden, and a couple -of 12-pounders. She was a single-screw ship, built at Dundee in 1909, -having a funnel, two masts, and the usual derricks. In addition to her -guns she carried one torpedo tube and also smoke-making apparatus. -She was commanded by Lieutenant Mack, R.N., with whom Lieutenant G. -H. P. Muhlhauser, R.N.R., went as second in command, both of these -officers, as the reader will remember, having served together in the -Q-sailing-ship _Result_. Having commissioned the new ship, Lieutenant -Mack then took her from Lowestoft to the secluded area of the Wash in -order to practise gunnery and the ‘panic’ party arrangements. Months -passed, but on February 22 something of interest happened, for some -distance below the Vigten Islands a couple of steamers were sighted, -so course was then altered to cut off the one that was bound to the -southward. When 1,000 yards away the latter hoisted German colours, -so _Tay and Tyne_ (alias _Cheriton_ and _Dundreary_) hoisted the -international signal ‘M.N.’ to stop immediately. This ship was the -_Dusseldorf_, a nine-year-old, typical German flush-decked tramp -of 1,200 tons, with 1,700 tons of magnetic ore on board. As she -disregarded the signal, a shell was fired across her bows, and this -caused her to stop and hoist the answering pennant. Lieutenant Mack -then steamed round the stern, keeping her covered all the time with his -gun, and now took up station inshore of the German. - -_Dusseldorf_ had been completely taken by surprise, and never supposed -that this little steamer could possibly be a trap-ship. _Tay and -Tyne_ lowered a boat containing several of the British crew, under -Lieutenant Muhlhauser, armed with revolvers and rifles, and this guard -then boarded the enemy, on board whom were found a couple of Norwegian -Customs House officials and two Norse pilots. Lieutenant Muhlhauser -then ordered the German captain to muster his crew, which he promptly -did, and now the terrified crew were given five minutes to collect -their clothes. The captain handed over the ship’s papers and protested -that the ship was in territorial waters. Eleven Germans and the four -Norwegians were then transferred to the Q-ship, who landed the four -Norwegians in the _Dusseldorf’s_ boat at Sves Fjord, and this boat -they were allowed to keep. The British boarding party had consisted of -a dozen men, but Lieutenant Muhlhauser sent three back to the Q-ship, -and retained three German stokers and the two German engineers in order -to get the prize back to England, these five men working under the -supervision of one of the _Tay and Tyne’s_ crew. - -Having received orders to proceed, Lieutenant Muhlhauser then began to -take the _Dusseldorf_ across the North Sea. I am indebted to him for -having allowed me to see his private diary of this voyage, and I think -it well illustrates the unexpected and surprising difficulties with -which Q-ship officers so frequently found themselves confronted. Having -parted company with the _Tay and Tyne_, _Dusseldorf’s_ new captain -proceeded to look for navigational facilities, but in this respect she -was amazingly ill-found. The only chart available showed just a small -portion of the North Sea, and there was no sextant in the ship. This -was a delightful predicament, for with all her magnetic ore it could -be taken for certain that the compass would have serious deviation, -and, having regard to the number of minefields in the North Sea and the -physical dangers of the east coast of Scotland, it was a gloomy prelude -to crossing from one side to the other. - -Having been round the ship, it was now possible to ascertain her -character. She was not a thing of beauty, there was no electric light, -the engine-room was in a neglected condition, and round it were the -engineers’ cabins, the skipper and mate being berthed in a deckhouse -under the bridge. However, as the prize dipped to the North Sea swell -it was a joy to realize that all the hundreds of tons of ore would -not reach Germany. At this late stage of the war she was very short -of this commodity, and the loss to her would be felt. The _Tay and -Tyne_ had certainly made a most useful capture. Fortunately there was -found plenty of food in _Dusseldorf_, and enough coal for about three -weeks, so if only a few days’ fine, clear weather could be ensured, -the ship would soon be across and anchored in a British harbour. That, -of course, was always supposing there was no encountering of mines or -torpedoes. - -By dusk of the first day the Halten Lighthouse (Lat. 64.10 N., Long. -9.25 E.) was made out, and then the night set in. For some time the -glass had been falling, and before the morning it was blowing a gale -of wind with a heavy sea. Loaded with such a cargo _Dusseldorf_ made -very heavy weather, and was like a half-tide rock most of the time, -and during the next day made only 30 miles in twenty-four hours! -Strictly speaking, this is not the North Sea but the Atlantic Ocean, -and February is as bad a month as you could choose to be off this -Norwegian coast in a ship that could make good only a mile an hour. -By the afternoon of the twenty-fourth the Romsdal Islands had been -sighted, and then, fearing lest the enemy might have received news of -the capture and sent out some of his light forces, the ship was kept -well out from the shore. The Germans should never get this ore, and -arrangements were made to sink her rather than give her up. - -With no chart, a doubtful compass, and so few appliances, was there -ever an Atlantic voyage made under more casual circumstances? Bearings -were taken of the Pole Star and Sirius in order to get a check on the -compass, and the ship proceeded roughly on a W.S.W. course. During -the twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth it blew a westerly gale, and the -seas crashed over her without mercy. Owing to the cargo being heavy -and stowed low, the _Dusseldorf_ displayed a quick, lively roll, and -already had broken down twice, when for a third time on the evening of -the twenty-sixth she again stopped. She was now four days out, and the -captain was a little anxious as to his position, but it was impossible -to ascertain it. A cast of the lead was taken and bottom was found at -thirty fathoms. From this it was assumed that they were now somewhere -near the Outer Skerries (East of the Shetlands); and inasmuch as it -was believed there was a German minefield, laid this year, not far -away, anxiety was in nowise lessened. As soon as the repairs had been -effected, course was altered to south-east for 16 miles, then south -for the same distance, and north-west in the hope of making the land. -This was done, but no land appeared, and it was blowing a gale from -the north-west. Whether the ship was now in the North Sea or whether -she had overshot the Shetlands and got the other side of Scotland, who -could say? Neither the error of the compass nor the error of the log -could be known. It was now the twenty-seventh, and they might be north, -south, east, or west of the Shetlands, but, on the whole, Lieutenant -Muhlhauser believed he was in the North Sea, so decided to run south -until well clear of the Moray Firth minefields, and then south-west -until the land was picked up. - -The twenty-eighth of February passed without land being sighted, -and there was always the horrible possibility that suddenly the ship -might strike the shore in the darkness. It was a long-drawn-out period -of suspense, aggravated by bad weather and the presence of mines and -submarines. But as spring follows winter and dawn comes after night, -so at length there came relief. At six in the morning of the first of -March a light was picked up on the starboard bow, which, on consulting -a nautical almanack, was identified as the Bell Rock (east of the Tay). -Continuing further south, two trawlers and an armed yacht were sighted -off May Island, so a signal was sent through the yacht to Admiral -Startin at Granton reporting the arrival of a prize captured by _Tay -and Tyne_, and, in due course, having steamed up the Firth of Forth, -_Dusseldorf_ at last came to anchor and reported herself. It had been a -plucky voyage made under the worst conditions, and many an officer has -been decorated for an achievement less than this. - -As for _Tay and Tyne_, she, too, had passed through a trying period. -After landing the Norwegian pilots and Customs House officials in Sves -Fjord she had steamed out to sea and made bad weather of the gale, -water even pouring into the engine-room; but she had been saved from -foundering by taking shelter in a Norwegian fjord, and next day cruised -about the coast looking for more ore ships, but had no further luck, so -on February 25 shaped a course for Lerwick, where she duly arrived, and -the German prisoners were taken out of the fo’c’sle and handed over to -the naval authorities. - -In the following month _Tay and Tyne_, accompanied by another Q-ship -named the _Glendale_, was again off the Norwegian coast on the look-out -for ore ships, just as in Elizabethan days our ancestral seamen were -in a western sea looking out for the Spanish ships with their rich -cargoes. _Glendale_ (alias _Speedwell II._ and Q 23) was a disguised -trawler of 273 tons belonging to Granton, and armed with a couple of -12-pounders, a 6-pounder, and two torpedoes. On the twenty-first of -March, _Glendale_ was off the Oxnaes Lighthouse when she captured the -German S.S. _Valeria_ with 2,200 tons of ore. In vile weather these -three ships then started to cross to Lerwick, but, after they had got -part of the way across, _Valeria’s_ small supply of coal gave out, -so on the twenty-third she had to be abandoned and then sunk by the -shelling from the two Q-ships, the crew having been previously taken -off by boats, while both Q-ships poured oil on to the sea. Although -_Valeria_ never reached a British port this was most useful work; for -not only was the ore prevented from reaching Germany, but they were -deprived of a brand-new 1,000-ton ship. Her captain, who, together with -the rest of the crew, was brought into Lerwick, had only just left the -German Navy, and this was his first trip. Incidents such as these show -what excellent service can be rendered in naval warfare irrespective -of the size of ships and of adverse circumstances, provided only that -the officers have zeal and determination. The risks run by these two -small ships were very great when we consider the manner in which our -Scandinavian convoys had been cut up in spite of destroyer protection. -Conversely, seeing how necessary for the prosecution of the war these -supplies of ore were to Germany, is it not a little surprising that she -did not station a submarine off the Norwegian coast to act as escort, -submerged, and then torpedo the _Tay and Tyne_ as soon as she began to -close the ore ship? One of her smaller submarines could surely have -been spared for such an undertaking, and it would have been, from -their point of view, more than worth while. - -Finally, we have to relate the fight of another small coasting steamer -transformed into a Q-ship. This was the _Stockforce_ (alias _Charyce_), -which had been requisitioned at Cardiff at the beginning of 1918, and -then armed with a couple of 4-inch guns, a 12-pounder, and a 3-pounder. -Her captain was Lieutenant Harold Auten, D.S.C., R.N.R., who had had -a great deal of experience in Q-ships under Admiral Bayly, and had -recently commanded the Q-ship _Heather_. On the thirtieth of July, -1918, _Stockforce_ was about 25 miles south-west of the Start, steaming -along a westerly course at 7-1/2 knots, the time being just before five -in the afternoon, when the track of a torpedo was seen on the starboard -beam coming straight on for the ship. The crew were sent to their -stations, the helm was put hard aport and engines full speed astern, -in the hope of avoiding the torpedo; but it was too late. The ship -was struck on the starboard side abreast of No. 1. hatch, putting the -forward gun out of action, entirely wrecking the fore part of the ship, -including the bridge, and wounding three ratings and an officer. - -As soon as the torpedo had exploded there came a tremendous shower -of timber, which had been packed in the hold for flotation purposes, -and besides these 12-pounder shells, hatches, and other debris came -falling on to the bridge and fore part of the ship, wounding the first -lieutenant, the navigating officer, two ratings, and adding to the -injuries of the forward gun. All this had happened as the result of one -torpedo. The enemy, perhaps, being homeward bound with a spare torpedo -in his tube, had _not_ hesitated to use such a weapon on a small -coaster instead of employing his guns. _Stockforce_ had been fairly -caught and was settling down by the head. The ‘abandon ship’ party then -cleared away their boat and went through their usual make-believe, -whilst the ship’s surgeon had the wounded taken down to the ’tween -deck, where their injuries could be attended to. Here it was none too -safe, for the bulkheads had been weakened by the explosion so that the -water flowed aft, flooding the magazine and ’tween decks to a depth of -three feet, and thereby rendering the work of the surgeon not merely -difficult but hazardous. - -Whilst the ‘panic’ party were rowing ahead of the ship, the rest lay -at their stations on board, behaving with the greatest equanimity and -coolness, while Lieutenant Auten, as the fore-control and bridge were -out of action, exercised his command from the after gunhouse. Five -minutes later the submarine rose to the surface half a mile distant, -and, being very shy, remained there for a quarter of an hour carefully -watching _Stockforce_ for any suspicious move. In accordance with -the training, the ‘panic’ party then began to row down the port side -towards the port quarter so as to draw the enemy on, and this manœuvre -succeeded in fooling the German, who now came down the port side as -required, being only about three hundred yards away. As soon as the -enemy was full on the beam of _Stockforce_, the latter handed him the -surprise packet. It was now 5.40 p.m. as both 4-inch guns opened fire -from the Q-ship. The first round from the after gun passed over the -conning-tower, carrying away the wireless and one of the periscopes, -the second shell hitting the conning-tower in the centre and blowing it -away, sending high into the air a man who was in the conning-tower. - -_Stockforce’s_ second 4-inch gun with her first shot hit the enemy on -the water-line at the base where the conning-tower had been, tearing -the submarine right open and blowing out many of the crew. A large -volume of blue smoke began to pour out of the U-boat, and shell after -shell was then poured into the German until she sank by the stern, by -which time twenty direct hits had been obtained. The enemy submerged, -leaving a quantity of debris on the water, and was never seen again. -But in the meantime _Stockforce_ was in a critical condition, and every -attempt now was made to save her from foundering. Having recalled the -‘panic’ party, the engines were put full speed ahead in the effort -to reach the nearest land and beach her, as she was rapidly listing -to starboard and going down by the head. At 6.30 p.m. two trawlers -were sighted who closed the ship, and as _Stockforce_ was already -practically awash forward and along most of the starboard side, all the -wounded and half the men were now transferred to one of these trawlers. - -With a volunteer crew the Q-ship then went ahead again, but the -engine-room was leaking badly, and in the stokehold there were several -feet of water, and it was clear that the life of _Stockforce_ was a -matter of a very short while, for the water in both engine-room and -stokehold began now to rise rapidly and the ship was about to sink. -But two British torpedo-boats had now arrived, and at 5.15 p.m., -when off Bolt Tail, with Plymouth Sound only a few miles off, the -_Stockforce’s_ captain had to send the rest of the ship’s company -from the sinking ship, while he remained on board with only the first -lieutenant. Five minutes later a dinghy from one of the torpedo-boats -fetched them also, and after only another five minutes _Stockforce_ -sank. It had been a plucky fight and a fine endeavour to save the -ship, but this was not to be successful. Handsome awards were made in -respect of these efforts, the coveted Victoria Cross being conferred on -Lieutenant Auten, whilst the Distinguished Service Cross was bestowed -on Lieutenant H. F. Rainey, R.N.R., Lieutenant L. E. Workman, R.N.R., -Lieutenant W. J. Grey, R.N.R., Sub-Lieutenant G. S. Anakin, R.N.R., -Assistant-Paymaster A. D. Davis, R.N.R., and Surgeon-Probationer G. E. -Strahan, R.N.V.R. - -This last fight represents Q-ship warfare at its highest point of -development. We have here the experienced officers of each nation, -knowing all the tricks of their highly specialized profession, fighting -each other in the most cunningly devised craft. Each of these vessels -represented all that could be done by a combination of intellect and -engineering skill, so that when the two should meet in the sea arena -the fight could not fail to be interesting. After the preliminary -moves had been made how would matters stand? The answer is that in -the final appeal it was largely a matter of luck. Now, in the duel we -have just witnessed the first round of the match was undoubtedly won -by the submarine, whose torpedo got home and wrought such damage that -the ship was doomed from the first. Round number two, when the ‘panic’ -party succeeded in luring the enemy on to the requisite range and -bearing, was distinctly in favour of _Stockforce_. So also was round -three, in which she managed to shell him so thoroughly. But here the -element of luck enters and characterizes the rest of the day. To all -intents and purposes the submarine was destroyed and sunk; whereas, -in point of fact, notwithstanding her grievous wounds, she managed -to get back home. It was touch-and-go with her, as it had been with -von Spiegel’s submarine after being shelled by the _Prize_, but good -fortune just weighed the scales and prevented a loss. On the other -hand, _Stockforce_ might have had the luck just to keep afloat a few -more miles and get into Plymouth Sound, but as it was she sank a little -too soon, and thus the actual result of the encounter might by some be -called indecisive, or even in favour of the enemy. This is not so. To -us the loss of a small coaster turned temporarily into a man-of-war was -of little consequence. A similar ship, the _Suffolk Coast_, would soon -be picked up and then turned over to the dockyard experts to be fitted -out; but in the case of a submarine there were only limited numbers. -That particular U-boat would now have a long list of defects and be a -non-combatant for a long time, and her crew would morally be seriously -affected by their miraculous escape, and they would not forget to pass -on their impressions to their opposite numbers in other submarines. - -It was rather the cumulative effect of Q-ships, destroyers, mines, -auxiliary patrol craft, depth charges, hydrophones, convoys, and good -staff work which broke the spirit of the German submarine menace, so -that if the war had continued much longer U-boats would have been -thwarted except within certain limits of the North Sea. Every weapon -has its rise and fall in the sphere of usefulness; the shell is -repelled by armour-plate, the Zeppelin is destroyed by the aircraft, -and so on. So it was with the Q-ship. It came into being at a time when -no other method seemed likely to deal with submarines adequately. It -became successful, it rose into popularity to its logical peak, and -then began to wane in usefulness as the submarine re-adapted herself -to these new conditions. Afterwards came the period when the mine -barrages in the Heligoland Bight, in the Dover Strait, and across the -northern end of the North Sea, and the hydrophones, in swiftly moving -light craft, made the life of any submarine precarious in his going and -coming. The hydrophone has made such wonderful developments since the -war that in the future within the narrow seas a submarine would find -life a little too thrilling to be pleasant. - -But for a long period the Q-ship did wonders, and to the officers and -men of this service for their bravery and endurance we owe much. They -were taking enormous risks, and they turned these risks into successes -of great magnitude as long as ever the game was possible. Most, though -not all, of the ships and officers and men came from the Mercantile -Marine, and in this special force we see the perfect co-operation -between the two branches of our national sea service for the good of -the Empire. The Royal Navy could teach them all that was to be known -about the technicalities of fighting, could provide them with guns and -expert gunners, could give them all the facilities of His Majesty’s -dockyards, whilst at the same time the Mercantile Marine provided the -ships and the _personnel_ who knew what were the normal habits and -appearances of a tramp, a collier, or a coaster. Originally known as -special service ships, as decoys, then as Q-ships, these vessels during -1917 and 1918 were known as H.M.S. So-and-So, but it was under the -designation of Q-ships that they reached their pinnacle of fame, and -as such they will always be known, so it has been thought well thus to -describe them in these pages. But whether we think of them as mystery -ships or as properly commissioned vessels of His Majesty’s Navy, there -will ever remain for them a niche in our great sea story, and the -valour of all ranks and ratings in all kinds of these odd craft, amid -every possible condition of difficulty and danger, should be to those -who come after an immortal lesson and a standard of duty to the rising -race of British seamanhood. Otherwise these men toiled and endured and -died in vain. - - - - -INDEX - -⁂ The names of Q-ships are in heavy-faced type. - - - =Acton=, 164 - - =Alcala.= See _Q 19 - - Alexander, C. J., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 164 - - _Alyssum, H.M.S._, 120, 122-3 - - _Amiral Ganteaume_, 7 - - Anakin, G. S., Sub-Lieutenant, R.N.R., 269 - - _Andalusian_, 9 - - _Anglo-Columbian_, 26 - - =Antwerp= (formerly _Vienna_), 8, 9, 24, 235 - - _Arabic_, 20, 32, 132 - - Armstrong, M., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 67 - - =Arvonian= (_Santee_, _Bendish_), 231-4 - - =Athos.= See _Glen_ - - _Attack, H.M.S._, 211 - - _Attentive, H.M.S._, 7 - - =Aubrietia.= See _Q 13_ - - _Aud_, 140 - - Auten, Harold, Lieutenant, R.N.R., 164, 266-9 - - - _Bagdale, H.M.T._ 64-5 - - =Baralong= (_Wyandra_), 20-3, 25, 26-31, 41, 104, 109 - - _Baron Ardrossan_, 34 - - _Baron Napier_, 33-5 - - =Baron Rose=, 190 - - =Barranca=. See _Q 3_ - - Bartel, Leutnant Karl, 116 - - =Bayard=, 77 - - Bayly, Admiral Sir Lewis, 46, 104, 198, 203, 215, 233, 246, 247, 266 - - _Bayonne_, 123 - - Beaton, W. D., Lieutenant, R.N.R. 146 - - =Begonia=, 139, 163 - - =Bendish.= See _Arvonian_ - - _Berlin_, 161 - - Bernays, Leopold A., Commander R.N., 161-3 - - _Beryl, H.M.Y._ 160 - - Beswick, W., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 41, 43 - - =Betsy Jameson=, 77 - - _Bidart_, 247 - - Blackwood, M. B. R., Commander, R.N., 242, 245 - - Blair, A. D., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 61 - - =Blessing=, 57 - - _Bluebell, H.M.S._, 179, 233 - - Boggs, L. S., Lieut.-Commander, R.N.R., 246 - - =Bolham.= See _Sarah Colebrooke_ - - =Bombala= (_Willow Branch_), 235-6 - - Bonner, C. G., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 205, 207, 212 - - =Bracondale.= See _Chagford_ - - =Bradford City= (_Saros_), 31, 101 - - _Bremen_, 139 - - Brewer, Skipper, R.N.R., 145, 149 - - =Brig 10.= See _Q 17_ - - =Brig 11.= See _Q 22_ - - =Brown Mouse=, 77, 78 - - _Buttercup, H.M.S._, 197 - - - _Camelia, H.M.S._, 160 - - Campbell, Captain Gordon, R.N., 24, 39-46, 109, 161, 192-208, 246 - - _Canadian_, 120 - - =Candytuft=, 174-6 - - Capelle, Admiral von, 134 - - =Carrigan Head=, 48-9 - - Casement, Sir R., 140 - - _Cedric, H.M.S._, 110 - - =Century.= See _Penhallow_ - - =Chagford= (_Bracondale_), 228-31 - - _Chancellor_, 26 - - Charles, F. W., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 238 - - =Charyce.= See _Stockforce_ - - =Cheero=, 55-6 - - =Cheriton.= See _Tay and Tyne_ - - _Christopher, H.M.S._, 167, 171, 174, 211 - - Cochrane, W. O’G., Captain, R.N., 174-5 - - Colville, Admiral Sir Stanley, 13, 214 - - =Commissioner=, 238 - - _Crocus, H.M.S._, 203 - - Crompton, Ober-Leutnant, 28, 30 - - =Cullist= ( _Westphalia_, _Jurassic_, _Hayling_, _Prim_), 164, 166-8 - - _Cummings, U.S.S._, 233 - - _Cushing, U.S.S._, 200, 203 - - =Cymric=, 189-90 - - - _Daffodil, H.M.S._, 165 - - =Dag.= See _Result_ - - Dane, Commander, R.N., 234 - - =Dargle=, 77, 177, 190 - - Davis, A. D., Assistant-Paymaster, R.N.R., 269 - - _Deutschland_, 139, 234 - - =Donlevon= (_Ravenstone_), 159, 160 - - Doubleday, G. H. D., Sub-Lieutenant, R.N.R., 167 - - Douglas, S. C., Commander, R.N., 234 - - Dowie, J. M., Temporary Engineer, R.N.R., 30 - - _Drayton, U.S.S._, 165 - - _Dreadnought, H.M.S._, 9 - - Duff, Vice-Admiral Sir Alexander, 227 - - =Dunclutha=, 235 - - =Duncombe=, 17 - - =Dundreary.= See _Tay and Tyne_ - - _Dunois_, 107-8 - - =Dunraven=, 203-12 - - _Dusseldorf_, 260-4 - - - _E 13, H.M. Submarine_, 23 - - =Echunga.= See _Q 3_ - - =Edith E. Cummins.= See _Fresh Hope_ - - Eigler, Ingenieur-Aspirant, 116 - - =Elixir.= See _Q 30_ - - =Elizabeth=, 189 - - =Else.= See _Q 21_ - - Errington, Lieutenant, R.N.R., 175-6 - - _Eudora_, 193 - - - _Falaba_, 31 - - =Fame.= See _Revenge_ - - =First Prize.= See _Q 21_ - - _Flying Sportsman, H.M. Tug_, 198 - - _Flying Spray, H.M. Tug_, 160 - - =Fort George=, 239 - - _Foss_, 211 - - Frank, F. A., Lieut.-Commander, R.N.R., 105-6, 164 - - _Frederich Arp_, 258 - - =Fresh Hope= (_Edith E. Cummins_, _Iroquois_), 189-90 - - =Friswell.= See _Pargust_ - - - =G and E=, 20 - - =G.L.M.= See _George L. Muir_ - - =G. L. Munro.= See _George L. Muir_ - - =Gaelic.= See _Q 22_ - - Gayer, Captain, 259 - - =George L. Muir= (_G. L. Munro_, _G.L.M._, _Padre_), 177 - - =Glen= (_Sidney_, _Athos_), 77-9, 180-4 - - =Glendale.= See _Q 23_ - - =Glenfoyle.= See _Stonecrop_ - - =Glen Isla=, 17 - - _Glitra_, 7 - - =Gobo.= See _Q 22_ - - Grenfell, F. H., Captain, R.N., 109-17, 124, 160, 214-6 - - Grey, W. J., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 269 - - =Gunner=, 11, 237 - - Guy, B. J. D., Lieut.-Commander, R.N., 35-6, 236 - - - _Hadziaka_, 173 - - _Halcyon, H.M.S._, 90 - - Hallwright, W. W., Lieut.-Commander, R.N., 141 - - Hannaford, Skipper R. W., R.N.R., 64 - - Hannah, Lieutenant, R.N.V.R., 150 - - Hanrahan, D. C., Commander, U.S.N., 232-3 - - Hansen, Lieut.-Commander, 26, 29 - - _Harlech Castle, H.M. Trawler_, 186 - - Harvey, H. W., Lieutenant, R.N.V.R., 55 - - Hayes, J., Sub-Lieutenant, R.N.R., 57 - - =Hayling.= See _Cullist_ - - =Heather.= See _Q 16_ - - =Helgoland.= See _Q 17_ - - Herbert, Godfrey, Commander, R.N., 8, 48-9, 235 - - Hereford, P. R., Lieutenant, 212 - - _Hermes, H.M.S._, 7 - - _Hesione_, 26 - - Hick, Captain Allanson, 30-1 - - =Hobbyhawk.= See _Telesia_ - - Hodson, G. L., Lieut.-Commander, R.N., 33-4 - - =Horley.= See _Q 17_ - - Hudson, C. H., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 239-40 - - Hughes, E. L., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 57 - - Hughes, T., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 74-5 - - Hutchinson, E., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 130 - - - =Imogene=, 189-90 - - _Ina Williams, H.M. Trawler_, 46 - - _India, H.M.S._, 258-9 - - =Intaba=, 139 - - _Invercauld_, 120 - - =Inverlyon=, 20 - - _Iolanda, H.M.Y._, 236 - - _Iolo_, 193 - - =Iroquois.= See _Fresh Hope_ - - Irvine, G., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 178 - - =Island Queen.= See _Q 19_ - - - Jeffrey, D. G., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 228-31, 234 - - Jellicoe, Admiral Viscount, 10, 152, 157, 223 - - =Jurassic.= See _Cullist_ - - - Kaye, A.B., R.N.R., 40 - - =Kermes=, 57 - - Kerr, J., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 74 - - Keyes, Adrian, Commander, R.N., 173 - - - _Laburnum, H.M.S._, 197 - - =Lady Olive.= See _Q 18_ - - =Lady Patricia.= See _Paxton_ - - =Laggan= (_Pladda_), 104, 164 - - =Lammeroo.= See _Remembrance_ - - Lawrence, Skipper, J. H., R.N.R., 240 - - Lawrie, J., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 69-75 - - _Leonidas, H.M.S._, 128 - - _Linsdell_, 80 - - =Lisette=, 78 - - =Lodorer.= See _Q 5_ - - _Lodsen_, 49 - - _Louise_, 16 - - Loveless, Engineer-Lieutenant, 43 - - _Luneda, H.M. Trawler_, 198 - - _Lusitania_, 13, 31, 32, 132, 245 - - =Lyons=, 9, 25 - - - McClure, Sub-Lieutenant, R.N.R., 33 - - Mack, P. J., Lieutenant, R.N., 80, 86, 260 - - McLeod, J. K., Lieut.-Commander, R.N., 164, 225 - - McLeod, W., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 141 - - _Malachite_, 7 - - _Malmland_, 258 - - =Manford.= See _Q 7_ - - =Maracaio.= See _Q 28_ - - =Margit=, 32-5 - - =Marshfort=, 234 - - Marx, Admiral, 101, 160 - - =Mary B. Mitchell.= See _Q 9_ - - _Mary Rose, H.M.S._, 13 - - Matheson, C. G., Lieut.-Commander, R.N.R., 170-1 - - =Mavis.= See _Q 26_ - - Maxwell, F. N., 13 - - Meade, Skipper, R.N.R., 146-7 - - Melville, Lord, 66 - - =Merops.= See _Q 28_ - - =Mitchell.= See _Q 9_ - - _Moewe_, 226, 235 - - Morris, K., Sub-Lieutenant, R.N.R., 79, 184 - - Muhlhauser, G. H. P., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 80-2, 86, 260-4 - - _Myosotis, H.M.S._, 160 - - - Naylor, Cedric, Lieutenant, R.N.R., 124-5, 128, 130 - - _Nicosian_, 22-3 - - _Niger, H.M.S._, 7 - - Noake, Basil S., Lieut.-Commander, R.N., 163 - - _Noma, U.S.S._, 211 - - Noodt, Ober-Leutnant Erich, 116 - - Nunn, E. A., Assistant-Paymaster, R.N.R., 212 - - =Nyroca.= See _Q 26_ - - - Olphert, W., Lieut.-Commander, R.N.R., 164 - - =Ooma=, 235 - - _Oracle, H.M.S._, 231 - - _Orestes, H.M.S._, 171 - - - =Padre.= See _George L. Muir_ - - _Paladin, H.M. Tug_, 233 - - _Pallas_, 257 - - =Pangloss.= See _Pargust_ - - =Pargust= (_Vittoria_, _Snail_, _Friswell_, _Pangloss_), 161, - 199-204, 231, 234 - - =Paxton= (_Lady Patricia_), 104 - - =Penhallow= (_Century_), 31 - - =Penshurst.= See _Q 7_ - - Périère, Arnauld de la, 93 - - =Pet=, 20 - - Phillips, Lieutenant, R.N.R., 175 - - Pitcher, E., Petty Officer, 212 - - =Pladda.= See _Laggan_ - - Powell, Commander Frank, 139 - - =Prevalent=, 78 - - =Prim.= See _Cullist_ - - _Primo_, 7 - - =Prince Charles=, 13-16 - - =Princess Ena=, 24 - - =Privet.= See _Q 19_ - - =Prize.= See _Q 21_ - - =Probus.= See _Q 30_ - - Purdy, James, Engineer Sub-Lieutenant, R.N.R., 49 - - - =Q 3= (_Barranca_, _Echunga_), 221, 234 - - =Q 5= (_Lodorer_, _Farnborough_), 24, 40-7, 109, 192-9, 227 - - =Q 7= (_Penshurst_, _Manford_), 17, 47, 109-30, 161, 213-22 - - =Q 9= (_Mary B. Mitchell_, _Mary Y. Jose_, _Jeannette_, _Brine_, - _Neptun_, _Marie Thérèse_, _Eider_, _Arius_, _Cancalais_), 67-74 - - =Q 12= (_Tulip_), 138 - - =Q 13= (_Aubrietia_), 101, 139, 160, 237 - - =Q 15= (_Salvia_), 98-101, 139, 164 - - =Q 16= (_Heather_), 17, 139, 141, 164, 266 - - =Q 17= (_Helgoland_, _Horley_, _Brig 10_), 59-64, 78, 190 - - =Q 18= (_Lady Olive_), 104 - - =Q 19= (_Privet_, _Island Queen_, _Swisher_, _Alcala_), 170-1 - - =Q 21= (_Else_, _First Prize_, _Prize_) 77, 144 - - =Q 22= (_Gaelic_, _Gobo_, _Brig 11_), 65-6, 178-9, 183-4 - - =Q 23= (_Glendale_, _Speedwell II._), 264-5 - - =Q 25=, 104 - - =Q 26= (_Mavis_, _Nyroca_), 104, 172-4 - - =Q 28= (_Merops_, _Maracaio_), 77, 190 - - =Q 30= (_Thirza_, _Beady_, _Probus_, _Elixir_), 18, 185-9 - - =Quickly=, 11 - - - Rainey, H. F., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 269 - - Randell, J. T., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 256-8 - - =Ravenstone.= See Donlevon - - =Ready.= See _Q 30_ - - =Remembrance= (_Lammeroo_), 31 - - =Rentoul=, 189, 190 - - =Result= (_Dag_), 77, 79, 81-6, 260 - - =Revenge= (_Fame_), 56 - - _Rival II., H. M. Drifter_, 150 - - Rolfe, C. N., Lieut.-Commander, R.N., 164 - - =Rosskeen=, 238 - - - =Salvia.= See _Q 15_ - - Sanders, W. E. L., Lieut.-Commander, R.N.R., 60, 61, 144, 157 - - =Santee.= See _Arvonian_ - - =Sarah Colebrooke= (_Bolham_), 77 - - _Sardinia_, 70-1 - - =Saros.= See _Bradford City_ - - _Saxon, H.M. Trawler_, 230-1 - - Scheer, Admiral von, 133 - - Schwieger, Lieut.-Commander, 244 - - Scott, W. F., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 55 - - =Sidney.= See _Glen_ - - Simpson, S. H., Commander, R.N., 164, 167, 168 - - Sims, Admiral, 231-2 - - Smart, R. C. C., Lieut.-Commander, R.N., 101 - - Smith, J. S., Temporary Engineer Sub-Lieutenant, R.N.R., 41, 44 - - Smith, Skipper W., R.N.R., 64 - - =Snail.= See _Pargust_ - - _Soerakarta_, 45 - - =Speedwell=, 238 - - =Speedwell II.= See _Q 23_ - - _Speedy, H.M.S._, 81 - - Spence, G., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 167 - - Spencer, J. G., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 14 - - Spiegel, Lieut.-Commander Freiherr von, 145-8 - - _Springwell_, 35-6 - - =Starmount=, 233 - - Startin, Admiral, 10 - - =Stockforce= (_Charyce_), 247, 266-70 - - =Stonecrop= (_Glenfoyle_), 242-5 - - Strahan, G. E., Surgeon-Probationer, R.N.V.R., 269 - - _Strathallan, H.M. Trawler_, 239 - - _Strathearn, H.M. Trawler_, 239 - - =Strumbles=, 57 - - Stuart, R. N., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 203 - - =Suffolk Coast=, 220, 247-9 - - _Sussex_, 132 - - =Swisher.= See _Q 19_ - - - =Tamarisk=, 139, 164, 246 - - =Tay and Tyne= (_Cheriton_, _Dundreary_), 259-62, 264-5 - - =Telesia= (_Hobbyhawk_), 53-6 - - =Tenby Castle=, 256-8 - - =Thalia=, 57 - - =Thirza.= See _Q 30_ - - =Thornhill.= See _Werribee_ - - _Torrent, H.M.S._, 91 - - _Tremayne_, 175 - - =Tulip.= See _Q 12_ - - Turnbull, R. J., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 79, 180-1 - - Tweedie, Lieutenant, R.N.R., 33 - - - _U 9_, 6; - _U 18_, 7; - _U 20_, 245; - _U 21_, 7; - _U 22_, 259; - _U 23_, 10; - _U 27_, 22, 26; - _U 29_, 9; - _U 34_, 172; - _U 36_, 16; - _U 40_, 10; - _U 41_, 26, 28-31, 40; - _U 43_, 145; - _U 44_, 231; - _U 62_, 138; - _U 68_, 42; - _U 83_, 194-6; - _U 84_, 120; - _U 88_, 242-4; - _U 93_, 145-52 - - _UB 4_, 20; - _UB 13_, 54; - _UB 19_, 116; - _UB 37_, 119; - _UB 39_, 180-1; - _UB 48_, 155-6; - _UB 63_, 240 - - _UC 3_, 56; - _UC 29_, 202; - _UC 45_, 81, 86 - - =Underwing=, 234 - - _Urbino_, 28, 30 - - - =Vala=, 16, 17, 47, 161-2 - - _Valeria_, 265 - - =Vereker.= See _Viola_ - - _Victorian, H. M. S._, 257 - - =Vienna.= See _Antwerp_ - - _Vindictive, H.M.S._, 24 - - =Viola= (_Vereker_), 138, 164, 189-90, 233 - - =Vittoria=, 7 - - =Vittoria.= See _Pargust_ - - - =W. S. Bailey=, 239-40 - - =Wadsworth=, 104 - - Wardlaw, Mark, Lieutenant, R.N., 14-16 - - _Warrington, U.S.S._, 165 - - Wegener, Lieut.-Commander, 23 - - =Wellholme.= See _Werribee_ - - =Werribee= (_Thornhill_, _Wellholme_, _Wonganella_), 31, 35-6, 236-7 - - Westmore, G. G., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 62, 64 - - _Westphalia._ See _Cullist_ - - =Wexford Coast=, 246 - - Wharton, W. S., Skipper, R.N.R, 53-4 - - _Whitefriars_, 174 - - _Wileyside_, 111 - - Williams, J. W., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 139, 164 - - Williams, Seaman W., R.N.R., 203 - - =Willow Branch.= See _Bombala_ - - Wilmot-Smith, A., Lieut.-Commander, R.N., 26, 29, 30 - - _Wolf_, 226 - - =Wonganella.= See _Werribee_ - - Workman, L. E., Lieutenant, R.N.R., 269 - - Wreford, 90 - - =Wyandra.= See _Baralong_ - - - Ziegler, Sub-Lieutenant, 151-3 - - _Zinnia, H.M.S._, 203 - - =Zylpha=, 24, 47, 164-5 - - -PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY BILLING AND SONS, LTD., GUILDFORD AND ESHER - - - - - * * * * * * - - - - -Transcriber’s note: - -The spelling, punctuation and hyphenation from the original has been -retained except for apparent printer’s errors. - -The signature in Chapter XIV., FIG. 16.—LETTER OF APPRECIATION is -probably that of Sir Eric Campbell Geddes. - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK Q-SHIPS AND THEIR STORY*** - - -******* This file should be named 54338-0.txt or 54338-0.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/5/4/3/3/54338 - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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