World War, 1914-1918 -- Naval operations -- Submarine
"26th May.--Sighted seaplane--dived 70 feet at 4.45 A.M. 9 A.M.:
sighted seaplane--dived 80 feet. 9.38: five bombs dropped. 12.15:
one bomb dropped. Heard propellers which passed on. 4 P.M.: two
bombs dropped. 4.20: one bomb dropped. Heard propellers and sweep.
4.40 P.M.: two bombs--propellers and sweep. 6.20 P.M.: one bomb a
long way off--propellers heard--boat rolled in the wash of
destroyers.
"28th May.--4.45 A.M.: Sighted seaplanes bearing east. 3.20 P.M.:
sighted Zeppelin bearing north.
"All bombs mentioned in this report were small ones."
The attentions paid to "E 56" on the 26th call to mind the story of the
E-boat which did a "crash" dive to avoid similar machines. The captain
arrived at the foot of the conning-tower with a rush, his binoculars
preceding him with a heavy thud and his oilskin coming after him; as he
touched the deck three bombs exploded on the surface just over his
boat, the shock making him sit down suddenly. To the first lieutenant's
unspoken question of "What is it after us?" he answered with an absurd
giggle, and "They've evidently seen me!" Students of Captain
Bairnsfather's drawings will catch the allusion.
IV
I will conclude the accounts of typical submarine _v._ submarine
engagements by the case of "E 34" (Lieutenant Pulleyne) and a U-boat
off Harwich on the 10th May 1918.
"E 34" was returning to harbour after a trip. She was actually in the
swept channel leading into Harwich, and could pretty well take it for
granted that any vessel met with so near home would be friendly. As
boats get near their base it is usual to begin the cleaning-up work
which is so necessary after a trip, and to get ready generally for
harbour routine again. "E 34" saw a submarine ahead steering north,
and, treating her as hostile until her identity could be established,
dived at once to attack. Fifteen minutes later Lieutenant Pulleyne, in
no doubt at all about what his target's nationality was, fired both bow
tubes and sank her. He then rose, and proceeded to pick up the only
survivor, who happened to be the captain, and who was in pretty bad
condition from shock and immersion.
Captain (S.), H.M.S. _Maidstone_, comments on the affair as follows:--
"I am pleased to be able to record that, with the two submarines
meeting end on--the one in enemy waters and the other just
returning to base after a somewhat difficult mine-laying
operation--it was the submarine which might have been expected
to have been least on the _qui vive_ which scored the success.
This reflects great credit on Lieutenant Pulleyne and his ship's
company, as it shows they were in all respects ready."
It is probable that this incident caused a number of our other officers
secretly to wonder whether, in "E 34's" place, they would have been
equally successful and prompt.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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