World War, 1914-1918 -- Naval operations -- Submarine; World War, 1914-1918 -- United States
another final plan by which he might entice the submarine to rise within
range of his guns. To carry out this plan, he wanted plenty of sea room
and no interference; so he drew a circle in the water, with a radius of
thirty miles, inclosing the space which was to serve as the "prize ring"
for the impending contest.
His idea was to fall in with the German belief that the _Dunraven_ had
reached the end of her tether. A hastily organized second "panic party"
jumped into a remaining lifeboat and a raft and rowed away from the
sinking, burning ship. Here was visible evidence to the Germans that
their enemies had finally abandoned the fight after nearly four hours of
as frightful gruelling as any ship had ever received. But there were
still two guns that were concealed and workable; there were, as already
said, two torpedo tubes, one on each beam; and a handful of men were
kept on board to man these. Meanwhile, Captain Campbell lay prone on the
bridge, looking through a peephole for the appearance of the submarine,
constantly talking to his men through the tubes, even joking them on
their painful vigil.
"If you know a better 'ole," he would say, quoting Bairnsfather, "go to
it!"
"Remember, lads," he would call at another time, "that the King has
given this ship the V.C."
Every situation has its humorous aspects. Thus one gun crew could hardly
restrain its laughter when a blue-jacket called up to Captain Campbell
and asked if he could not take his boots off. He came of a respectable
family, he explained, and did not think it becoming to die with his
boots on. But the roar of the fire, which had now engulfed the larger
part of the ship, and the constantly booming shells, which were
exploding, one after another, like mammoth fire-crackers, interfered
with much conversation. For twenty minutes everybody lay there, hoping
and praying that the U-boat would emerge.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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