CHASED BY SUBMARINE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 289, 7 December 1939, Page 8

CHASED BY SUBMARINE

BRITISH SHIP’S ESCAPE THRILL FOR PASSENGERS U-BOAT EXPERIENCES ENGINE TROUBLE I Per Pie.-.® ?.sgoci»llon.] AUCKLAND, Dec. 6. To have been chased by a submarine I for over half an hour in mid-Atlantic, 900 miles from land and 1300 miles from the nearest ship, was the excit- ‘ ing and unnerving experience one I afternoon last monm ol the passengers lon a Butish ship which has reacned I Auckland. I The submarine was sighted about ithree miles away and the ship immeI diateiy went about to bring its stern ! gun to bear. No shots'were tired, and it is believed the vessel escaped ;because the submarine's engines fail- ; ed. According to passengers it was a ■tropical afternoon and many were ibol-'w sleeping. About three persons •appear to nave sighted the submarine al about tae same time, which sug-Ige-ats that it had just broken the surface. it lay parallel with the ship on the port beam and was partially obscured in the giare of the sun. As thr snip swung away word went around, and within a few moments| there was a full gallery on the afterdeck watching tne 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-lower. They saw the wash o£ I the waves as the submarine raced through them, but did nut actually sec any distinguishing mark of nationlalley. For about a quarter ol an hour |the submarine appeared to gain on the vessel as it steamed at about 11 knots For a time the two seemed to be making the same pace, and then the I passenger ship appeared to draw away, rhe submarine was soon out of sight lover the horizon. ' While the chase was on a pull ol dark smoke issued from tne sub- ! marine. Some who saw it considered ’ it was caused by a shot having been ■fired. However, the scream of a shen [was not heard, nor was any splash on (the water near the ship observed. A leading seaman who was at the (helm when the first order was given after the submarine was sighted, said I the officers believed the smoke announced that the engines had failed, |and that was why the U-boat fell astern so rapidly. ■ The captain and the officers paid a | tribute to the spirit of the passengers. | One woman admitted she was “dead 'scared,” and had been since the ship jleit England, the fear of submarines never having left her. A girl passen|ger seemed to be bored by the whole [affair and called her mother for afternoon tea while the chase was in full ' progress.