WENT DOWN FIGHTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 February 1916, Page 3

WENT DOWN FIGHTING.

A RUSSIAN GUNBOAT'S STAND, BATTLE TO THE DEATH. The first detailed account of the fi«ht of the little Russian gunboat, the Sivouteh, against overwhelming odds in the Gulf of Riga, appeared to-day in the Novoc Vremya, said the, correspondent of the Daily News recently. A German squadron entered the Gulf of Riga on August 3rd. All the Russian ships of the line and cruisers had already left the gulf for the open sea, thus destroying the Germans' hope of imprisoning them in these waters and so securing command of the Baltic. The Germans' second hope was to hold the Riga coast and to besiege the fortress from the sea.

Early in the morning of August Glh the small gunboats Sivouteh anil Koreyets, which were lying near the mouth of the Dvina, received orders to make for Permov, at the north-eastern corner of the gulf. They were warned by wireless that they might meet German vessels. At 11 o'clock in the morning, after the necessary preparations, the little gunboats .weighed anchor and set o(T, the' Sivouteh leading, the Koyerets 430 yards astern. THE ENEMY SIGHTED. The look-outs on the Koreyets were the first to notice a large ship coming up on the port side. Almost immediately afterwards was seen from the Sivouteh the dim silhouette of a nig three-funnelled vessel. Suddenly she began signalling with a light. The signals were incomprehensible, and they knew her for a German. The Koreyets gave her a broadside, to which the Germans replied, raising columns of water round the little Russian boat. It was already nearly dark. Tile German cruiser came nearer, overhauling the Koreyets, and trying to pass between her bows and the stern of the Sivouteh. She was a three-funnelled cruiser of the Magdeburg type. German destroyers appeared to starboard. Presently the Sivouteh was also engaged. A lucky shot from the Koreyets destroyed the Germans' searchlight. Then the Koreyets overhauled tiie Sivouteh and passed her. It was about 10 in the evening. The cruiser was not 500 yards away, firing incessantly from all lier guns, the flashes from which lit up the sea with an ominous red glow. From the other side the destroyers had closed in, and the quiet sea frothed and boiled round the little gunboats as if in some kind of infernal whirlwind. The German shells were exploding ill the air, in the water, now more and more frequently in the sides of the. Sivouteh, and at last on deck.

AGAINST HEAVY OOPS. A broadside suddenly plunged tlio ship in complete darkness. A shell had passed through the deck and bhwn the dynamo to atoms. The captain's bridge was smashed to splinters in the same way, and some of the helmsmen and officers were killed. It was thought that the captain had been killed, but after a moment his voice rang out, clear and energetic as before. He had escaped unhurt.

The signalling system had been destroyed, and the Russian fire lost unity. Each gun became independent. The sailors themselves loaded, aimed, and fired without waiting for orders, trying only to fire as ni'ten as they could, and to land as many shells as possible upon the enemy. The five-ineh gun in the bows fired now on the cruiser and now on the destroyers. Our men were selling their lives dearly.

The masts were whole, and lookouts kept their places in the tops, and reported the results of our fire as well as tliey could. DODGED A TORPEDO. "A torpedo is coming!" cried one of the signallers. One of the German destroyers had fired a torpedo at fairly close range. But the rudder and engines of the Sivoutcli were still working, and by a sharp alteration of the course the torpedo was successfully avoided. In the midst of the filing we had to keep a sharp look out for another. A second torpedo was also avoided, and . after that the Germans fired no more. A broadside set the decks on fire. There was a rush to extinguish the flames. Suddenly there was a noise like thunder in the hold, and from the middle of the ship, through the smashed decks, rose a cloud of steam. The engines had been destroyed, and the boiler blown up. The Sivoutcli shuddered, and began to turn clumsily round. The rudder 110 longer answered the helm. It was thought that she would sink at once. But the men ran up from below and announced that no leaks had been caused by the explosion. The engineers and stokers made their way on deck, wounded, bloody, all who could stand on their legs. FIGHT TO THE LAST. On the deck, in the midst of the smoke and flames, men bustled about the guns, stepping over the killed and wounded. The decks were running with the blood of heroes. Whoever could still move dragged himself to the guns, brought up shells and fired as he was able. Five times already the gun crews had been entirely renewed, fresh men taking the places of those destroyed. Some guns were without crews. The officers loaded, trained, and fired them themselves. When one gun was destroyed, they ran to another, encouraging the sailors. 'Stick to it, brethren, we shall fight to the last drop of blood." In the miiul of each man was one single idea, to avenge himself, to avenge the Sivoutcli. With clenched teeth, pale, blood-bespattered men, using their last resources of strength and care, shot till the end from the guns that remained whole.

The agony of the ship began. The boats were battered to pieces 011 the decks. Splinters of wood flew in all .directions. There was a deafening noise of exploding shells. Now, more and more often, low along the decks, cutting the legs of sailors from under them, flew clouds of shrapnel bullets. It was clearly the Germans' wish to slaughter the crew and take the ship alive. They expected us to surrender, and the>cfore tried not to hit the Sivoutcli below the water-line.

The bow and stern guns were al. ; ll holding out. Bugler Potyekhin, at the stern, with the help of a cook and a stoker, sent shell after shell at the Germans, sheltering as far as possible behind the steel shield.

SINK THE BOAT! "We cannot hold out further. Who will go and open the sea-cocks?" To open the sea cocks meant to go to ccii.iin death. The hero who accepts thai lintv has no hope at. .ill. In a distant u ml deep corner of the hold lie must gild and open the cocks. A flood of

water sweeps his legs from under him. ... . , Every man wished to be the one to open the cocks. The choice fell on the driver Shibalkin. The captain made the sign of the cross over him. Shibalkin also crossed himself, raised his hand in the salute, and in spite of the rain of shells made his way successfully balow. The German fire had not slackened. Then through the hellish noise could just lie heard the sound of the "water :i"«rm," which means, "Each man for himself." But the idea of escape was uppermost in no man's mind. In undersTiirts. or naked, they threw themselves upon ihe guns, and went on firing. The ship began to sink. The men crossed themselves, and gave a last "Hurrah!" The stern gun tired from almost under water. The bows lifted. The Sivouteh settled on her side. The German fire ceased. Captain Tcherkassev remained standing on the last scrap of the bridge, pale, but perfectly calm. ''Good-bye, brothers. Jump for it now." At the last moment, from the water, lie could be seen. The bows sank The water flowed over the deck, and Captain Tcherkassev went down with his ship after fighting an action that will never be forgotten in the history of the Russian Navy.