THE BARALONG INCIDENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIX, Issue XLIX, 12 January 1916, Page 5

THE BARALONG INCIDENT

A GUNNER'S .DESCRIPTION OP THE MGHT. SINKING SUBMARINE. N O'NE OF THE LATEST ANTD BEST. (Rec. Jan. 12, 9,6 a.m.)., LONDON, Jan.- 11. , A gunner on the Barrolong.. made the following statement: —"Wo received tho Nicosian's wireless on 19th August; and proceeded at full speed k> her assistances An. liour later we sighted tho Nidosian being shelled by a. submarine while-..the crew were getting into the lifeqsatsL We had plenty of ammunition, toady on the poop. The Marines took shelter behind the bulwarks. The captain, , 'by 'excellent seamanship "brought tho .vessel ito starboard of tho Nicosian, so wo were hidden from the submarine's view fox* few moments, during which ,we ( cleare,di for action, trained tho guns, .and hoisted v h'e white ensign. , , _ ... "When wo appeared around the. cosian's bows the submarine, fired a„shofc,. the Marines replying with 1 a- ~ volley which swept the decks of tho submarattp. and.seemed to demoralise the crew, ,who immediately left tho guns and rushed. to the conning tower, several going over> jboard. We fired tho port stern, guns , and hit tho submarine ocneath tho -fyaterline. A second shot struck the con-> riing tower, sending two men flying* hiah into tho air. The submarine gradually sank. Everyone, of the crow wa& either drowned or shot. Only a. few, parts of bodies 'and a large quantity of oil * remained on the surface. The action Justeel four and a-half minutes, during' which wo fired 37 rounds. "The submarine was one Of Get-' many's latest and larcesty feet long, of a thousand tons, and carryiincr two guns foro and aft. of a slightly ; larger calibre than tho ,-W© t -were disgusted with the of jthe submarine's crew. Apart • fromheavier guns, the submarine had several ! torpedo tubes, and tho, crew were ready. j enough to kill and afnaim a, defenceless merchant vessel's passenger, , ,but • had no stomach for fighting armed _ ships, even.when tho odds were in their favour.'' - - . • "We rescued 107 of the crew of tjho Nicosian, none being injured "or while our casualties- were nil." » ' x