CHASED BY U-BOAT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23985, 7 December 1939, Page 8

CHASED BY U-BOAT

PASSENGERS’ EXCITING ■ EXPERIENCE SUBMARINE’S ENGINES FAIL INCIDENT IN MID-ATLANTIC (Per United Press Association) AUCKLAND. Dec. 6: To have been chased fay a submarine for over half an hour in mid-Atlantic 900 miles from land and 1300 miles from the nearest ship was the exciting and unnerving experience one afternoon last month of passengers on a British ship which has reached Auckland. The submarine was sighted about three miles away and the ship immediately went about to bring its stern gun to bear. No shots Were fired, and it is believed that the : .vessel escaped because the submarine’s engines failed. . According to passengers, it was a tropical afternoon and many were-Jie-iow sleeping. About three persons apcear to have sighted the submarine s at about the same time, which suggests that it had just broken the surface.. It lay parallel: with the ship on «' the port beam and was partially obscured in the glare of the ?un. A? the ship swung away, word immediately Went around and, within a few moments, there was a full gallery oh the aftordeck watching the gun crew under the first officer preparing for action. At least 30 passengers' watched the submarine through binoculars, and distinctly saw the commander in the conning tower. They saw the wash of' the waves as the submarine raced through them, but they did not actually see any distinguishing mark of nationality. For about a quarter of an hour the submarine appeared to gain on the vessel as it steamed at about 14 knots. For a time the two fedemed to be making the same pace, and then the passenger ship appeared to draw away, and the submarine was soon out of sight over the horizon. While the cliase was on, a puff of dark smoke issued from the submarine. Some who saw it considered it was caused bjr a shot having been fired. The screahi of a shell was not heard, however, nor was any splash of water near the sfiip observed. A leading seaman, who Was at the helm when the first order was given after the submarine was sighted, said the officers believed that the smoke announced that the engines had . failed and that was why the U-boat fell astern so rapidly. The captain and officers paid a 'tribute to the spirit of the passengers. One Woman admitted she was “dead scared ” and had been since the ship left Epgland. A girl passenger seemed to be bored by the whole affair and called her mother for afternoon .tea, while the chase ( was in full progress.