WAR ON U-BOATS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 10, 11 January 1918, Page 2

WAR ON U-BOATS.

FEATS OF AIRSHIPS AND' PATROLS. WORK OF DESTRUCTION. , The following description of further incidents in the campaign being waged against enemy submarines are taken from official records and are as eloquent examples as those already given of the idartng shown by airmen and sailors in fighting the under-water foe (says the London "limes" of October 22.) One of the coastal of a type familiar to visitors at seaside resorts, was recently on patrol, and sighted a steamer in distress. On descending closer to investigate it was found that she had been torpedoed by an enemy submarine, but was capable of being towed into harbour. The airship summoned assistance by wireless, and until it arrived hovered protectingly around the crippled merchantman. Mo signs of her late assailant were visible, and in due course the steamer was taken in tow by tugs and headed for harbour. The aerial escort accompanied the tow, and about au hour later sighted the conning tower of a submarine about five miles to the south-eastward of the convoy, apparently manoeuvring fpr another shot.

The airship instnntly signalled by wireless the position of tie submarine to all men-of-war in the vicinity, and swooped down to attack. The submarine saw her coming, and dived, but too late. Two bombs were dropped simultaneously in front of the swirl of" his descent; a violent explosion ensued, followed by oil and air-bubbles .in ominous quantities. Shortly after a destroyer arrived and investigated with sweeps. The airSihip, returning to her base for a further supply of bombs and petrol, was overtaken by the aerial signal: "We have undoubtedly bagged him."

DIVING UNDER THE ESCORT. On a subsequent occasion this same airship, while flying in company with a west-bound convoy of merchantmen, sighted the track of a torpedo, and a moment later observed a great column of water shoot up alongside one of the steamers. A submarine, relying on the state of the sea for concealment, had ■with great daring dived beneath the armed escort and torpedoed her victim under their noses. The -weather at the time was bad and rapidly getting worse; the airship shot down and along the track of the torpedo at a speed of 90 miles an hour, and at the ond of the track sighted the outline of. a submerged submarine, which, her deadly work done, was leisurely proceeding westward. The airship turned and released her bombs while she hovered above, and the explosion was followed by a great upheaval of air and air-bubbles. A calcium flare was dropped to mark the spot, and armed patrol vessels, summoned by signal, made assurance doubly sure with explosive charges. The airship returned to her base in the teeth of a head gale, and landed, with the wind blowing 45 miles per hour.

A SUBMARINE RAMMED. A British oiler was torpedoed by a submarine at dawn in very thick weather. A patrol chip, which was in company, at once circled round at high in an endeavour to Bight the enemy, who had not been seen by either ship.' After proceeding for two miles on what the commanding officer of the patrol ship judged the most likely course for the submarine, the man-of-war returned to the oiler and found her still making way slowly no danger of sinking. When about a quarter of a mile from their charge, an object wag sighted through the thick mist on the starboard beam. Altering , course promptly, the patrol ship headed for the object at full speed, and the next moment realised that it was a large submarine on the surface. She was rammed abaft the conning tower, rolled completely over with a very violent explosion, and vanished. The sea was hoiling with foam, in the midst of which immense air-bubbles rushed to the surface for some minutes. Two men were seen struggling in the water, and lifebelts were flung to them. Only one of these had strength to cling to the lifebuoy; he was brought hack into harbour, and is now a prisoner. The other sank before a, boat could reach him. The patrol ship then took the oiler in tow and returned with her to harbour.

A MINE-SWEEPING ACHIEVEMENT. The Bpirit of unostentatious gallantry pervading the mine-sweeping service, which has already added to the imperishable traditions of the Navy, is epitomised by the recent behaviour of a lieutenant of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. This officer was in command of a motor-launch attending on a flotilla of mine-sweeping trawlers, when a drifting mine was sighted. A heavy sea was running at the time and half a gale was blowing. Attempts to sink the mine by gunfire proved impossible, and darkness was approaching, after which the-, mine would have been lost sight of and would have drifted away, a menace to navigation.

■ The officer in question accordingly lowered a boat and pulled over to the mine, which was only visible every now and again on the smooth slope of a •wave or when the crest broke in foam over the rounded top and sinister horns. Having pulled as close as he dared, the officer jumped overboard and swam to the mine with a line, which he paseed through the ringbolt- in the top. By this means the motor launch was enabled to tow the mine into smooth water, where eventually it was sunk by rifie fire. Tho ringbolt could only be reached with the utmost difficulty, and a mistake, a grab at one of the horns inadvertently, would have meant disaster.