THE MYSTERY SHIPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18457, 21 July 1923, Page 10

THE MYSTERY SHIPS.

LIFE IN THE "Q " BOATS.

OFFICER'S EXCITING CAREER

Of the many contributions made to the Royal Navy by the Merchant Service, none probably has equalled in romantic interest the famous " Q " . ships. These were steam and sailing vessels, mostly of the " tramp " kind, which the Admiralty took over and turned into de-, coys for trapping enemy submarines. An interesting talk on this class of vessel was delivered last evening to the members of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron by Lieutenant R. P. Nisbet, D.S.C., R.N.R., Croix de Guerre, who recently arrived from Britain,: and who has taken up his residence in Auckland. The commodore of the squadron, 'Mr. A. Burt, presided over a very large gathering of members. -."J*?- •'>*"£"•'*• m - . Considerable interest was evinced .in tho narration of the many racy anecdotes of the speaker, frequent applause punctuating his remarks. Appropriate reference to the late Lieutenant 0. F. Sanders, who lost his life while on one of these " mystery " ships,''•/ was made by Lieutenant Nisbet. The speaker's remarks regarding his first introduction to this type of war vessel were interesting. He was informed that his services were . required as being one who had been under shell fi?e fc and therefore had plenty' of nerves. (Laughter.) After describing at some length the manner in which these boats were fitted up, the disguises employed, the manner of mounting the guns, and the careful manner in which everything on board was " camouflaged," the speaker went on to describe various cruises in different vessels off the West Coast of Ireland Exciting episodes of encounters with submarines, experiences with torpedoes, and other machines of destruction were graphically told. Amusing references to experiences in the Bermudas, and off Quebec served to give a lighter touch to the lecturette. Laughter greeted th& telling of the incident in which, whiio crouching out of sight on the deck of one vessel, not knowing what might happen next one of the party set the gramophone going with the ditty, " Down Among the Dead Men," Mention was made of assistance rendered on one occasion by the sloop Laburnum, now in port.