The Children's Story of the War Volume 4 (of 10): The Story of the Year 1915Parrott, Edward
History
The Children's Story of the War Volume 4 (of 10): The Story of the Year 1915
Parrott, Edward
World War, 1914-1918 -- Juvenile literature
One of our submarines, E13, ran aground early in the morning of 19th
August on the Danish island of Saltholm, which lies in the Sound between
Copenhagen and the Swedish town of Malmö. At 5 a.m. a Danish torpedo
boat saw her, and signalled to her that she would be allowed twenty-four
hours in which to try to get off. At the same time a German destroyer
arrived, and remained close to the submarine until two other Danish
torpedo boats came up, when she withdrew. The submarine, you must
remember, was in Danish waters, and if the Germans should attack her
they would commit an act of war against Denmark, which, as you know, is
neutral. Nevertheless, at 9 a.m., two German destroyers appeared,
launched a torpedo at the submarine, and fired at her with all their
guns. The British commander ordered his men to abandon the vessel; but
while they were doing so machine guns were turned on them, and shrapnel
was burst above them. Fourteen of the poor fellows were killed, and not
a soul of the crew would have remained alive had not a Danish torpedo
boat gallantly steamed in between the submarine and the German
destroyer, and thus covered the stranded vessel. This cowardly and
murderous act caused great indignation not only in Britain but in
Denmark. Once more German sailors had covered themselves with infamy.
* * * * *
Russian submarines were also active in the Baltic. The following story
tells us how a Russian submarine collided with a German warship which
she had just torpedoed.
Having picked up the smoke of enemy vessels on the horizon, the
submarine approached them, and by means of her periscope discovered that
they consisted of ten ships of the line and several torpedo boats. To
prevent the enemy from seeing his periscope, the commander of the
submarine steered to the port side of the squadron, where he was between
the ships and the light. With his periscope six inches above the water,
he approached the squadron, and then dived. When he rose again he
sighted on his starboard the ram of the leading warship, which was
cutting across his course at a distance of not more than sixty yards.
Again he dived, and gave the order to fire a torpedo. The order was
obeyed, and was immediately followed by a collision. A terrible crash
was heard. The whole submarine trembled; the electric bulbs burst;
crockery and all kinds of articles flew about; something above cracked,
broke, and gave way. The submarine took a list to starboard, and the
crew were unable to keep their feet. What had happened? The hull of the
warship had struck the centre of the submarine. The men hung on to
anything within reach, and fortunately kept their heads. "Full speed
ahead" was the order, and soon the submarine regained her balance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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