SUBMARINE THRILLS.

Northern Advocate, 23 October 1919, Page 3

SUBMARINE THRILLS.

SINKING A DESTROYER,

Life on a British submarine in wai

time we can well imagine must hive boon a quick succession of longer or shorter periods of thrill and suspense treading on oach other's heels. A vividly realistic description of this is given by Lieut. Mark Bennett, R.N.R., in his book "Under the Periscope." He tells his narrative in staccato style, well suited to the fits and btarts of experiences which he relates. The vessel is proceeding 30 feet bolow the surface, and a bump has been heard forward and a rattle the whole length of the boat. Raymond, the young commander, jumps to his feot, glances through the periscope, but there is nothing to be seen. The boat descends to patrol level again. '' What was it ?" asked Seagrave. The other shook his head. "Don't know. One of the mysteries of the deep. Anyhow, you can say so in your loiters home. I heard that noise three times in an afternoon when I was in \S.V last year. You can never say for certain that its not the moorings of a mine, so it's always best to be I lon the look-out if you hear that sort of row. It's too forward of them altogether! ■ • THE REAL THING. After going into dock for repairs thi» submarine returned to the alternating monotony and excitement of patrol, when the event for which all were longing happened. They w r ere proceeding submerged at patrol level, when Seagrave took the customary wary look round the horizon through the periscope, having first brought the submarine up to 18 ieet. The coxswain was surprised that he got to "take her down again." Seagrave came in quietly from the control room and tapped his skipper on the shoulder. "Will you have a look through the periscope, sir?" he asked. Raymond looked up sharply. "Yes, all right," he answered, and stepped through into the control mom, where the coxswain watched him with curious eyes as he peerd through the lens. Presently he lowered the instrument. "Keep her at 18 feet," was all he said as he rejoined Sengrave in the ward room. "Do you think that it's anything, sir?" the latter asked eagerly. '' Yes, I think it is. Call Boydl'' "It" turned out to be three Gorman destroyers, at first tiny smudges of smoke, one behind the other, on the horizon, blurs which formed slowly into the shapes of slender hulls. THE LONGED-FOR MOMENT. There was no excitement. This wes what they had been waiting and training for years, and now it had come. Rather there was an atmospher of pleasurable anticipation and quiet confidence that the captain would do the right thing.

The periscope goes up and is brought down; all men are at their stalioms; the firing tanks are charged and the tubes flooded. All eyes are glued or. the gauges and meters. They are as rats in a trap —if anything goes wrong. "When I fire, dive to sixty feet," broke in Raymond. "What's her depth? Keep her .down, man. Steady. Oh, damn! he's seen me. Firo!" As the boat shook to the release of the torpedo the coxswains lugged their wheels round but owing to the sudden alteration in weight, the boat wouldn't answer quickly. "Saw the wake of the periscope in this flat calm," went answer quickly. "Saw the wake of the crew. "Oughtn't to have attacked. Take her down, I tell you. They've altered course to ram, and they're iiring at us. Oh, hell! Flood the auxiliary, quick, now! Down periscope!" A NAROW ESCAPE. The boat dives quickly; a roaring noise tells them that one of the destroyers is passing over them. At 80 feet the shock of the explosion of o depth charge parts a lead, and the boat is plunged in pitch darkness. The torpedo has missed, and the quick dive to avoid destruction, coupled with the sudden obscuring of the light.?, had landed the captain an an awkward situation. Worse was to follow. The submarine struck bottom and stuck. At last she gets clear and rises to the surface. They dive again and wait an hour. The moment had come once more, and the eyes of the boat were glued to gauges and meters. The log ticked on, and the reepater compass clicked to itself as the seconds went by. Somewhere forward a man sneezed, and the sound broke the tension like the crack of a pistol. "Keep her at her depth. Steady below now! Sixty feet. Fire! . . " Boooooooml A muffled explosion right ahead drowned all other sounds, and shook the submarine till she rocked like a trawler in a sea way. Thea the helm went over, and she steadied on her new course. "Got him!" exulted Raymond, as Ms boat broke into one explosive grin. The officers opened the ceremomi&l and only bottle of champagne. After a while the periscopes slowly hoisted and Eaymond surveys the effect of his strike. "All right," he announced to +he expectant crew. "She's sinking fast by the head —the others are standing by. Hit her right amidships aad blew two of her funnels out. There's a lot of things floating in the water, though, and a boat is dodging about. She's almost gone. Want a lookf"