FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94  
95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   >>   >|  
, was brought-to within easy range, and shelling could be continued to augment the confusion of boat-lowering in a seaway. If by resolution and fine seamanship the boats were got away, there was further target practice with shrapnel or machine-gun. The schooner _Jane Williamson_ of Arklow was attacked without warning. The first shot smashed one of her boats, the second killed one of the crew. At shouting distance--a hundred yards range--point-blank under the submarine's gun--there could be no question of defence or escape. The remaining five hands put over the second boat, tumbled into her and shoved clear. To hit the boat the submarine's gun must have been slewed deliberately from the larger target: bad shooting could not have occurred. Afloat and helpless, a shell struck her, killing one man outright, mortally wounding the master and another, and damaging the frail row-boat. The Germans beckoned the boat to them, but it was only to laugh at the throes of the dying men. The U-boat submerged, leaving the three survivors to ship oars and face the long weary pull towards the distant land. The _William_ was sunk by gunfire; the gun's crew of the U-boat then loaded shrapnel and turned the gun on the open boat, wounding a man of the crew. _Redcap_ was hauling her trawl when without any warning shrapnel burst on board. There was no challenge, the fishermen had made no attempt to get under way and escape. Busied with the gear, all hands were grouped together, when the shell exploded among them. One hand was killed instantly, the mate's leg was blown off, two seamen were wounded. Under fire, the survivors put the boat over and removed the wounded; the Germans gave no thought to their distress, but centred rapid fire on the trawler, sunk her, and disappeared. [Illustration: A HEAVILY ARMED COASTING BARGE] When guns were served to merchant ships, the coasters shared in their issue. Encounters with enemy submarines were no longer one-sided and hopeless. Effects could not be secured by the Germans at so small a cost. Frequently the effects were those that the submarine commander was most anxious to avoid. _Atalanta_ picked up the crew of _Marechal de Villars_, then fought off the U-boat that had sunk that vessel. Watchers on the coastal headlands saw many a running fight between handy little home-traders and the under-sea pirates. Nor were the fishermen slow in action. Once armed for defence, they proved that they could use thei
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94  
95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

shrapnel

 

submarine

 

Germans

 
survivors
 
wounding
 

killed

 
defence
 

escape

 

wounded

 

target


fishermen
 

warning

 

HEAVILY

 

Busied

 

Illustration

 
grouped
 

COASTING

 

served

 

disappeared

 
thought

instantly

 
merchant
 

removed

 

seamen

 

centred

 

trawler

 

distress

 
exploded
 

Effects

 

headlands


running

 

coastal

 

Watchers

 

Marechal

 

Villars

 

fought

 

vessel

 

pirates

 

action

 

traders


picked

 

longer

 

hopeless

 

secured

 

submarines

 

coasters

 
shared
 

Encounters

 

anxious

 

proved