Submarines, Mines and Torpedoes in the War. Charles W. Domville-Fife
the mine were pointed outboard. The weight of the sinker made it a difficult and dangerous matter to lift the mine clear without exploding it. After half an hour’s patient work this was effected by Lieutenant Frederick A. P. Williams-Freeman and Able Seaman Ernest Randall Cremer, Official Number 214235, and the released mine descended to its original depths.
“On October 6th, E.9 (Lieutenant-Commander Max K. Horton), when patrolling off the Ems, torpedoed and sank the enemy’s Destroyer S.126.
“The enemy’s Torpedo Craft pursue tactics which, in connection with their shallow draft, make them exceedingly difficult to attack with torpedo, and Lieutenant-Commander Horton’s success was the result of much patient and skilful zeal. He is a most enterprising submarine officer, and I beg to submit his name for favourable consideration.
“Lieutenant Charles M. S. Chapman, the Second in Command of E.9, is also deserving of credit.
“Against an enemy whose capital vessels have never, and Light Cruisers have seldom, emerged from their fortified harbours, opportunities of delivering Submarine attacks have necessarily been few, and on one occasion only, prior to the 13th September, has one of our Submarines been within torpedo range of a Cruiser during daylight hours.
“During the exceptionally heavy westerly gales which prevailed between the 14th and 21st September the position of the Submarines on a lee shore, within a few miles of the Enemy’s coast, was an unpleasant one.
“The short steep seas which accompany westerly gales in the Heligoland Bight make it difficult to keep the conning tower hatches open. There was no rest to be obtained, and even when cruising at a depth of 60 feet, the Submarines were rolling considerably, and pumping—i.e. vertically moving about twenty feet.
“I submit that it was creditable to the Commanding Officers that they should have maintained their stations under such conditions.
“Service in the Heligoland Bight is keenly sought after by the Commanding Officers of the Eighth Submarine Flotilla, and they have all shown daring and enterprise in the execution of their duties. These Officers have unanimously expressed to me their admiration of the cool and gallant behaviour of the Officers and men under their command. They are however, of the opinion that it is impossible to single out individuals when all have performed their duties so admirably, and in this I concur.
“The following Submarines have been in contact with the enemy during these operations:—
D.1(Lieutenant-Commander Archibald D. Cochrane).D.2(Lieutenant-Commander Arthur G. Jameson).D.3(Lieutenant-Commander Edward C. Boyle).D.5(Lieutenant-Commander Godfrey Herbert).E.4(Lieutenant-Commander Ernest W. Leir).E.5(Lieutenant-Commander Charles S. Benning).E.6(Lieutenant-Commander Cecil P. Talbot).E.7(Lieutenant-Commander Ferdinand E. B. Feilmann).E.9(Lieutenant-Commander Max K. Horton).
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
(Signed) ROGER KEYES,
Commodore (S).”
In conclusion, it must therefore be set on record that the opening phase in the greatest naval war in history has been one of submarine attack and counter-attack, mine-laying and destroying, warships and merchantmen sunk in a few minutes by submarine torpedoes and mines, with sharp engagements between the cruisers and destroyers acting in conjunction with the under-water craft. The much-vaunted German Fleet, like that of its ally Austria-Hungary, has not dared to show itself from behind the forts and carefully-screened anchorages of the naval bases, suffering rather the everlasting disgrace of having stood in cowardly idleness while the 5,000 merchant ships it was built to protect hauled down the flag of the “Fatherland” and German maritime commerce was swept from the seas while the Allied fleets hold undisputed command of every ocean.
The First Lord of the British Admiralty has said that if the German Fleet will not come out to fight it must be “dug out like rats in a hole.” This, then, may be the second phase in the naval war, and out in the grey mist of the North Sea, ready and eager for the work, lies the great battle fleets of England.
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