DARING EXPLOITS

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 15, 17 January 1919, Page 2

DARING EXPLOITS

OP CAPTAIN CAMPBELL, ViC.

SENT MANY SUBMARINES TO DOOM.

Some of the exploits of Captain Gordon Campbell, the Mystery V.C., who has sent several German submarines to their doom, are recorded in a supplement to the London Gazette received in the last mail. Captain Campbell is the most famous of the commanders of "Q" boats, which are warships camouflaged to look like anything but what they actually ace. The following is the story of some of the achievements for which Captain -Campbell has been decorated:— DISGUISED AS A COLLIER. On 22nd March, 1916, H.M.S. Farn : .borough, disguised as an Admiralty collier, under the command of LieutenantCommaiider Gordon Campbell, R.N., observed a submarine awash about five miles distant on the port bow. When on the port quarter the submarine fired a shot across the Faniborough's bows and partly submerged. The Farnborough thereupon stopped, disembarking a "panic party," under the command of Temporary Engineer Sub-Lieutenant J. S. Smith, R.N.R. The submarine then, closed to about 800 yards, and fired a shell, which fell short. Lieutenant-Commander Campbell immediately hoisted the White Ensign and opened fire with his concealed armament. The submarine slowly disappeared, and the Farnborough proceeded over the spot and dropped depth charges. ' The submarine reappeared in a nearly perpendicular position, and five more rounds were fired into her at nearly point-blank range, whereupon she sank for the last time, the sea' being covered with a large quantity of oil and pieces of wreckage. In recognition of bis services, Lieu-tenant-Commander Campbell was awarded the D.S.O. and promoted to the rank of commander. On 15th April, 1916, the Farnborough encountered another submarine and destroyed it. ENEMY COMMANDER DECAPITATED. C»mmmd«r Campbell'* n«st adventure wit en 17th February, 1317, in H.MJ.

" Q5." The, ship was struck by a torpedo abrea3fc of No. 3 hold. Action stations, were sounded and the "panic party" abandoned ship. The engineer officer reported that the engine-room was flooding, and Was cidered to remain at his post as long as possible, which he and his staff, ■•; several of whom were severely wounded, Jmost gallantly did. The submarine, camo. down the port side of the ship and firef was withheld until all guns could bear at point-blank range. The first shpt.'beAiejaded the captain of the submarine; asfihe'.was climbing out of the conning tower; and the submarine finally sank with *cdiuiing tower open and crew pouring out.. I, One officer and, one man were rescued on the surface and taken prisoner, after which the boats were recalled, and all hands proceeded to do their utmost to keep the ship afloat. A wireless signal for assistance had been sent out when (but not until) the fate of the submarine was assured, and a destroyer and sloop arrived a couple" of' Hours later and took Q5 in tow. She\ w^s finally beached in safety. ■;■;}' . ' ■ • SUPREME TEST OF DISCIPLINE. The action may be regarded as a supreme test of naval discipline. The chief engineer and engine-room watch remained at their posts to keep the dynamo working until driven out by the water, then remained concealed on top of the cylinders. The guns' crews had to remain concealed in their gun-houses for nearly half an hour, while the ship slowly sank lower in the water; from a crew, every individual member of which displayed such conspicuous bravery, two officers—Lieutenant Leonard S. Loveless, R.N.R., * and Lieutenant; Ronald I*. Stuart, , R.N.R.—received the Distinguished Service Order; three officers the. Distinguished Service Cross, and eight men the Distinguished Service Medal. In recognition of the unexampled gallantry of Commander Gordon Campbell, the King was pleased to award him the Victoria Cross. After another fight with a submarine, Commander Campbell was appointed to the rank of captain. , The most desperate of Captain Gordon Campbell's "Q" boat exploits was while he was in command of H.M.S. Dunraven, disguised as an armed merchantman. After being attacked the Dunraven sent out wireless messages for the benefit of the submarine : "Help! Come quickly—submarine chasing and shelling me." Finally, when the shells began falling close,' the Dunraven stopped and abandoned ship by the "panic party." The ship was then being heavily shelled and on fire aft. In the meantime the submarine, closed to 400 yards distant, partly obscured from view by the dense clouds of smoke issuing from the Dunraven's stem. • , Despite the knowledge that the after magazine must inevitably explode if he waited, and further that a gun and gun's crew lay concealed over the magazine, Captain Campbell decided to reserve, his fire until the submarine had passed clear of the smoke. A moment later, however, a heavy explosion occurred aft, blowing the gun and gun's crew into the air. Realising that a torpedo must inevitably follow, Captain Campbell ordered the sufgeon to remove all wounded1 and conceal them in cabins; hoses were also turned on the poop, which was a mass, of flames. A signal was sent out warning men-of-war to divert all traffic below the horizon, in order that nothing should interrupt the .final phase.,of the action. Twenty • minntes-later aitorpedo, again, struck the ship' abaft the engirie-roomV " SUNK WITH COLOURS FLYING. An additional party of men were again sent away as a "panic party," and- left the ship to outward appearances completely abandoned, with the White Ensign flying and guns,unmasked. For the. succeeding fifty minutes the submarine examined the ship through her periscope. During this period boxes of cordite and shells exploded every few minutes, and the fire on the poop still blazed furiously. Captain Campbell and the handful of officers and men who remained on board lay hidden during this ordeal. The submarine then rose to the surface astern, where no guns could bear, •and shelled1 the-ship closely for twenty* minutes. . . The enemy then submerged-and steamed past the ship 150-.ya.rds off, examining her through the periscope., Captain Campbell decided then to fire one of his torpedoes, and missed by a few inches. The submarine crossed the bows and came slowly down the other side, where upon a second torpedo was fired and : missed again. The enemy observed it, and' immediately submerged. Urgent signals for" assistance were sent out; but, pending arrival of assistance, Captain Campbell arranged for a third "panic part}'"' to jump overboard, if necessary, and. leave one gun's crew on board for a, final attempt to destroy the enemy,'should he again attack. Almost immediately -afterwards, however, British and American'destroyers arrived on the scene; the wounded were transferred, boats were recalled and the fire extinguished. T,he Dunraven, although her stern was awash, was taken in tow; but the -weather grew worse, and early the following morning she sank with colours flying. | CAPTAIN CAMPBELL'S CAREER, Captain Campbell entered., the Navy sixteen years ago, and in the early days of the war commanded an old destroyer. His merits were recognised in March, 1916, when he was specially promoted to the rank of commander over the heads of some 700 senior lieutenant-command-ers. ' , ' ' Soon after this he began his adventures as a submarine strafer, whioh have gained for him the D.S.O. and two bars and the V.C. .