True Stories of the Great War, Volume 4 (of 6): Tales of Adventure--Heroic Deeds--Exploits Told by the Soldiers, Officers, Nurses, Diplomats, Eye Witnesses
History
True Stories of the Great War, Volume 4 (of 6): Tales of Adventure--Heroic Deeds--Exploits Told by the Soldiers, Officers, Nurses, Diplomats, Eye Witnesses
World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives
I had heard the raider was equipped with both coal and oil burning
engines, so I managed to wander into the engine room to try to see how
they were arranged while I was out for an airing one day. I hadn't had
much time to look around when a heavy hand clutched my shoulder and a
German sailor sent me spinning out of the doorway.
Nevertheless we neutrals were allowed a great deal of freedom, and I
want to say that what I did discover showed me that the raider was
about as cleverly arranged a ship as I have ever seen. While on the
forecastle head for airings, I noticed that there were always six
men on the bridge. This was an unusual circumstance, but it would be
difficult to note it from a distance because the men on the bridge were
partially concealed behind a canvas windshield.
There were always two lookouts in the crow's nest and sailors told me
they only stood one hour watches each. This insured wide awake, alert
men all the time. I noticed these scanners used telescopes most of the
time, which gave them a longer range of vision than would binoculars.
There were always three operators in the wireless room--no chance of
treachery there. One was continually listening to pick up messages
and one was ready to "jam the air" should any vessel the raider was
pursuing attempt to send out a message. Not a single ship ever got a
message into the air because the raider jammed every one of them. This
was accomplished by a noisy and continuous, disjointed sending, like a
sputtering gossip of the sea.
Personally I saw seven guns and four torpedo tubes on the raider. She
may have had more but I doubt it. They were quite sufficient for any
merchant ship she might encounter.
III--"OUR TERRIBLE DAYS ON THE 'YARROWDALE'"
On Wednesday, Dec. 13, four hundred of us prisoners were transferred
to the _Yarrowdale_ which had been cruising around in the wake of
the raider ever since she was captured. A few provisions having been
brought over from the raider, we parted company, and I was mighty glad
to see the last of her. I didn't know then what was awaiting me in
Germany.
On board the _Yarrowdale_ eighteen German guards under Lieut. Barowitz
were responsible for four hundred and sixty-two men, many of whom were
belligerents.
I have often heard people laugh at the idea of less than a score of men
subduing and holding several hundred, and taking a ship into port under
such conditions. Just listen to our predicament:
On the _Yarrowdale's_ bridge, one at either end, are two bombs, each of
them large and powerful enough to sink the ship. Lanyards are arranged
so that the commander can lower them over the side and explode them,
almost with a single movement of the hand.
In the engine room, placed at the most vital points, are three bombs
just as big and just as powerful. The German in command of the engine
room has orders to explode all three the second he receives a signal
from the bridge which has been agreed upon.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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