A DEPTH CHARGE EXPLODING
A "CAMOUFLAGED" FRENCH TRANSPORT
CREATING A SMOKE-FOG
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Disguise at sea
The theory of rendering ships invisible at sea by painting them various colours is no longer tenable
January 14, 1918
An official statement declares that it has been stated at various times in the Press that the Admiralty have not realized the value of carmounage as a means of assisting to defeat the attacks of enemy submarines on mercantile shipping, and that such camouflage as has been tried is not of British origin. The statements referred to have not appeared in The Times.
The official document continues: lt can be stated that the Admiralty are fully alive to its value, and several months ago a system of camouflage was originated. The principles governing it cannot be divulged at present, but it may be said that it has not invisibility for its basis.
The theory of rendering ships invisible at sea by painting them various colours is no longer tenable. Endless endeavours have been made in this direction, and numerous schemes have been given fair trial by the Admiralty under actual conditions at sea. The results of these trials have invariably been disappointing, and it has been finally established that unless a vessel and her smoke can be rendered absolutely invisible no useful purpose is served.
The official document continues: lt can be stated that the Admiralty are fully alive to its value, and several months ago a system of camouflage was originated. The principles governing it cannot be divulged at present, but it may be said that it has not invisibility for its basis.
The theory of rendering ships invisible at sea by painting them various colours is no longer tenable. Endless endeavours have been made in this direction, and numerous schemes have been given fair trial by the Admiralty under actual conditions at sea. The results of these trials have invariably been disappointing, and it has been finally established that unless a vessel and her smoke can be rendered absolutely invisible no useful purpose is served.
The application of Thayer’s Law is most commonly put forward as a means of obtaining invisibility. This, broadly speaking, is an adoption of Nature’s means for eliminating shadows and so reducing the visibility of birds and animals at close quarters either for purposes of attack or defence, and it is stated that this can be applied to ships by painting the ceilings of promenade decks or other projecting structures white, in order to eliminate all shadows. Actual experiences at sea have proved that this is a fallacy, and that the paint itself, being dependent on the light of the sky, will not overcome shadows.
The scheme now in use has been extensively taken up, not only by the British, but also by the Allied Governments, and no stone is being left unturned to utilize this important asset, which is only one of the many devices which are used to combat the enemy’s submarine activity.
The scheme now in use has been extensively taken up, not only by the British, but also by the Allied Governments, and no stone is being left unturned to utilize this important asset, which is only one of the many devices which are used to combat the enemy’s submarine activity.
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Blind Man’s Buff at sea
The British boat discharged a torpedo and about 60 seconds later a sharp explosion was heard. The British boat then came up to look for results and sighted a patch of oil right ahead and three men swimming in it. Two of these men were picked up, but the third sank before he could be rescued
April 1, 1918
The difficulty in dealing with underwater craft is to know when your enemy has actually been destroyed. When, for instance, a commander can write down in his log, “A quantity of oil appeared on the surface,” he may feel morally certain that the pirate’s days are over, but unless there is other evidence he must content himself with moral certainty. But the phrase, which repeatedly occurs in the following records supplied by the Admiralty, tells its own story.
The extracts are taken from the logs of destroyers (including some United States destroyers), submarines, trawlers, and motor launches. This is how a submarine commander, who himself had his vessel scraped along its whole length by a wire sweep, describes the sinking of an enemy vessel: 10am. Sighted hostile submarine. Attacked same. 10.3am. Torpedoed submarine. Hit with one torpedo amidships. Submarine seen to blow up and disappear. Surface to look for survivors. Put down immediately by destroyers who fired at me.
By way of a note, he adds: “During mv attack there was not enough sea to make depth-keeping difficult. I fired two torpedoes and one hit at forward end of conning tower. A large column of yellow smoke, about one and a half times as high as the most, was observed, and the submarine disappeared. The explosion was heard and felt in our own submarine.”
On the previous day our man’s periscope had become “very stiff to turn,” so, he explains: “In the dark hours I attempted to rectify same, but while doing so I was forced to dive and thus lost all the tools and nuts of the centre bush. While attacking it took two men besides myself to turn the periscope. For this reason I did not consider it prudent to attack the destroyers after having sunk the submarine.
“After torpedoing submarine I proceeded four miles northward and lay on the bottom. Many vessels throughout the day were heard in close proximity. Several explosions were heard, especially one very heavy one. It must have been close, as the noise was considerably louder than that of the torpedo. On one occasion a wire sweep scraped the whole length of the boat along my port side, and a vessel was heard to pass directly overhead.”
BUMPING IN SHALLOW WATER
Another submarine commander describes as follows a duel with the enemy, in the course of which he frequently bumped the bottom heavily: “After a chase lasting nearly two hours one of our submarines succeeded in sinking her quarry, an enemy submarine, The hostile vessel had evidently just come to the surface, as men were noticed on her bridge spreading the bridge screen. While manoeuvring to attack our submarine had to pass through shallow water and as the sea was rough at the time she frequently bumped the bottom heavily, but, fortunately, avoided breaking surface.
“At a range of 550 yards both bow tubes were fired. On firing, the periscope was dipped in case the boat rose, and another tube was brought to bear so as to be ready in the event of a miss. Fifteen or twenty seconds after firing a dull report was heard. On the periscope being raised after a short interval nothing was seen of the enemy submarine, but there was a great disturbance in the water where she had been. On proceeding to the spot where she was last seen it was observed that the water was covered with an oily substance which stuck to the glass of the periscope obscuring vision.
“Although the vessel was not actually seen to sink there is little doubt that she was torpedoed, as it is improbable that she could have dived while steaming on the surface in the brief space during which the British submarine’s periscope was lowered.”
A fight with a U-boat, which “sank very rapidly after being hit by the torpedo,” is thus described: “A British submarine which sighted a U-boat one morning dived and altered course so as to get into a more favourable position, and 15 minutes later she again picked up the German by means of her periscope. Twenty-two-minutes after having first sighted tha enemy the British boat discharged a torpedo, and about 60 seconds later a sharp explosion was heard. The British boat then came up to look for results and sighted a patch of oil right ahead and three men swimming in it. Two of these men were picked up, but the third sank before he could be rescued.”
The following is a typical example of a successful hunt by destroyers: “Four destroyers were cruising in company when an enemy submarine was sighted. Course was altered, the enemy dived, and a depth charge was dropped on the spot. After the explosion a large dark object broke surface about 80ft astern of one destroyer. Further depth charges were dropped, and soon pieces of cork and white-painted wood appeared floating on the water.”
The report adds that “the position was swept and a submerged object was located.” The rest is brief, but eloquent: “More depth charges were dropped, when a great deal of oil came to the surface.”
Another destroyer sighted a periscope about two miles distant and headed for the enemy vessel, which dived. A depth charge was dropped “in what was guessed to be the enemy’s course,” but apparently without result. An hour later, however, a “dull and heavy underwater explosion was heard,” and then “quantities of oil rose to the surface; but nothing more of the submarine was seen.”
This is how an oil ship, torpedoed in thick weather, was saved. Neither the oilship nor her escort had seen the submarine that fred the torpedo, but half an hour afterwards “an object was sighted about half a mile away.” The escort at once headed for it. A round was fired, and this hit just before the conning tower. Just afterwards the enemy was rammed, a severe shock being felt throughout the ship as she passed over the U-boat. Almost simultaneously a violent explosion took place. The ship now circled round under starboard helm and took up a position at the place of the explosion, where the sea was boiling with foam and rushes of huge air bubbles were coming to the surface. Oil was also observed. Two men were then seen in the water, and one of these was rescued. The escort then returned to the oil ship and towed her into port “despite all difficulties.”
PATIENT WATCHING FOR ENEMY CRAFT
Sometimes patience is required to get your enemy to show himself. A German submarine was believed to be lying on the bottom in a certain region, and as she would have to come to the surface to charge batteries - an operation “highly dangerous” by day and therefore more likely to be undertaken by night - a number of vessels were detailed to watch for her. The sea was smooth and the night dark but clear when the vessels took up their appointed positions. For a long time nothing happened, but between 1 and 2am one of the vessels “got a clue” and presently the U-boat appeared. Promptly fire was opened and the German at once submerged, “helped by a depth charge,” and after that “nothing more was heard.”
The gallantry of the men of our armed trawlers and drifters is well shown by the following incidents: Owing to certain unforeseen causes a German submarine drifted ashore one morning and was at once engaged by a number of drifters. Although these armed fishing vessels were very much out-ranged by the German’s guns, they engaged him, closing in until they were able to hit him, although themselves under very heavy fire all the time. They were joined by one of HM ships ten minutes after the opening of the engagement, and the enemy was then compelled to abandon the action. Our forces thereupon ceased fire, and almost immediately afterwards the U-boat blew up.
An armed trawler on patrol sighted an enemy submarine awash about a mile away. Soon afterwards fire was opened with the trawler’s forward gun. The first round was a miss; the second fell short, but ricocheted into the conning tower; the third burst in the middle of the conning tower; the fourth burst on the lower part of the conning tower; the fifth hit the water over the spot where the submarine had disappeared. Needless to say, the enemy was not seen again.
Another armed trawler, while patrolling, heard the working of a submarine’s engines under water. She steamed directly over the supposed course of the enemy and released a depth charge. Some seconds later the charge exploded with great force, raising a large column of water, and a piece of brass tubing about 2ft long and 3in in diameter was seen to fall 6ft from the ship’s stern. A large quantity of oil then came to the surface; no further sounds were heard; and when the area was swept an obstruction was located on the bottom.
Another trawler while on the lookout for submarines sighted a periscope about 100 yards distant and nearly right ahead. The trawler put on full speed, while the German made equal haste to submerge. Down went the periscope, and as the trawler passed over the spot where it had disappeared a couple of bombs were dropped. The next thing visible was a large quantity of oil which covered an area of about 1,000 yards in width upon the surface of the sea. No further trace of the submarine could be detected.
On another occasion a motor launch accounted for a U-boat in a somewhat similar. way. A periscope was sighted 200 yards away, and the launch made for it at full speed. The submarine submerged, so two depth charges were dropped. A column of water 30ft high was thrown up by the first explosion, and after the second the sea was discoloured and a quantity of oil came up.
A MOTOR LAUNCH PATROL
Motor launches with their high speed are very useful for the “blind man’s buff” of submarine hunting, as the following successful little action shows: Three motor launches were out on patrol, when one of them detected a submarine under water. This was confirmed shortly afterwards by the two other boats, and appearances indicated that the submarine was zigzagging. The hunters took up the chase, and it became obvious that the submarine realized she was being pursued, and was stoppine every time the launches stopped. This went on until at last the launches had manoeuvred into the desired position. Then they “laid their eggs”. There were some underwater explosions; a quantity of oil spread itself over the surface of the sea, then no further sounds.
The commander of a United ‘States destroyer graphically reports that he dropped a depth charge on a submarine which was passing under his stern from starboard to port, and “although the wake had been visible on the starboard side it never appeared to port. Instead a large quantity of oil came to the surface.”
Another submarine was destroyed by two American destroyers, escorting a convoy of merchantmen, in this way: A periscope was sighted and the destroyers altered course. The periscope disappeared, a depth charge was dropped, and the destroyers wheeled back to the spot. The periscope again appeared, as though heading for the convoy, and off went the destroyers at full speed. Once more the periscope disappeared, but not before three rounds had been fired by the leading destroyer, who also dropped a depth charge. The enemy’s bow then came up rapidly, and it appeared that he was lying at an angle of 30 deg stern down. He managed to right himself and tried to get away or the surface, but again the Americans opened fire, and the Germans then came on deck, held up their heads and surrendered. The U-beat sank just afterwards, the survivors being taken on board one of the destroyers.
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By way of a note, he adds: “During mv attack there was not enough sea to make depth-keeping difficult. I fired two torpedoes and one hit at forward end of conning tower. A large column of yellow smoke, about one and a half times as high as the most, was observed, and the submarine disappeared. The explosion was heard and felt in our own submarine.”
On the previous day our man’s periscope had become “very stiff to turn,” so, he explains: “In the dark hours I attempted to rectify same, but while doing so I was forced to dive and thus lost all the tools and nuts of the centre bush. While attacking it took two men besides myself to turn the periscope. For this reason I did not consider it prudent to attack the destroyers after having sunk the submarine.
BUMPING IN SHALLOW WATER
Another submarine commander describes as follows a duel with the enemy, in the course of which he frequently bumped the bottom heavily: “After a chase lasting nearly two hours one of our submarines succeeded in sinking her quarry, an enemy submarine, The hostile vessel had evidently just come to the surface, as men were noticed on her bridge spreading the bridge screen. While manoeuvring to attack our submarine had to pass through shallow water and as the sea was rough at the time she frequently bumped the bottom heavily, but, fortunately, avoided breaking surface.
“At a range of 550 yards both bow tubes were fired. On firing, the periscope was dipped in case the boat rose, and another tube was brought to bear so as to be ready in the event of a miss. Fifteen or twenty seconds after firing a dull report was heard. On the periscope being raised after a short interval nothing was seen of the enemy submarine, but there was a great disturbance in the water where she had been. On proceeding to the spot where she was last seen it was observed that the water was covered with an oily substance which stuck to the glass of the periscope obscuring vision.
“Although the vessel was not actually seen to sink there is little doubt that she was torpedoed, as it is improbable that she could have dived while steaming on the surface in the brief space during which the British submarine’s periscope was lowered.”
A fight with a U-boat, which “sank very rapidly after being hit by the torpedo,” is thus described: “A British submarine which sighted a U-boat one morning dived and altered course so as to get into a more favourable position, and 15 minutes later she again picked up the German by means of her periscope. Twenty-two-minutes after having first sighted tha enemy the British boat discharged a torpedo, and about 60 seconds later a sharp explosion was heard. The British boat then came up to look for results and sighted a patch of oil right ahead and three men swimming in it. Two of these men were picked up, but the third sank before he could be rescued.”
The following is a typical example of a successful hunt by destroyers: “Four destroyers were cruising in company when an enemy submarine was sighted. Course was altered, the enemy dived, and a depth charge was dropped on the spot. After the explosion a large dark object broke surface about 80ft astern of one destroyer. Further depth charges were dropped, and soon pieces of cork and white-painted wood appeared floating on the water.”
The report adds that “the position was swept and a submerged object was located.” The rest is brief, but eloquent: “More depth charges were dropped, when a great deal of oil came to the surface.”
Another destroyer sighted a periscope about two miles distant and headed for the enemy vessel, which dived. A depth charge was dropped “in what was guessed to be the enemy’s course,” but apparently without result. An hour later, however, a “dull and heavy underwater explosion was heard,” and then “quantities of oil rose to the surface; but nothing more of the submarine was seen.”
This is how an oil ship, torpedoed in thick weather, was saved. Neither the oilship nor her escort had seen the submarine that fred the torpedo, but half an hour afterwards “an object was sighted about half a mile away.” The escort at once headed for it. A round was fired, and this hit just before the conning tower. Just afterwards the enemy was rammed, a severe shock being felt throughout the ship as she passed over the U-boat. Almost simultaneously a violent explosion took place. The ship now circled round under starboard helm and took up a position at the place of the explosion, where the sea was boiling with foam and rushes of huge air bubbles were coming to the surface. Oil was also observed. Two men were then seen in the water, and one of these was rescued. The escort then returned to the oil ship and towed her into port “despite all difficulties.”
PATIENT WATCHING FOR ENEMY CRAFT
Sometimes patience is required to get your enemy to show himself. A German submarine was believed to be lying on the bottom in a certain region, and as she would have to come to the surface to charge batteries - an operation “highly dangerous” by day and therefore more likely to be undertaken by night - a number of vessels were detailed to watch for her. The sea was smooth and the night dark but clear when the vessels took up their appointed positions. For a long time nothing happened, but between 1 and 2am one of the vessels “got a clue” and presently the U-boat appeared. Promptly fire was opened and the German at once submerged, “helped by a depth charge,” and after that “nothing more was heard.”
The gallantry of the men of our armed trawlers and drifters is well shown by the following incidents: Owing to certain unforeseen causes a German submarine drifted ashore one morning and was at once engaged by a number of drifters. Although these armed fishing vessels were very much out-ranged by the German’s guns, they engaged him, closing in until they were able to hit him, although themselves under very heavy fire all the time. They were joined by one of HM ships ten minutes after the opening of the engagement, and the enemy was then compelled to abandon the action. Our forces thereupon ceased fire, and almost immediately afterwards the U-boat blew up.
An armed trawler on patrol sighted an enemy submarine awash about a mile away. Soon afterwards fire was opened with the trawler’s forward gun. The first round was a miss; the second fell short, but ricocheted into the conning tower; the third burst in the middle of the conning tower; the fourth burst on the lower part of the conning tower; the fifth hit the water over the spot where the submarine had disappeared. Needless to say, the enemy was not seen again.
Another armed trawler, while patrolling, heard the working of a submarine’s engines under water. She steamed directly over the supposed course of the enemy and released a depth charge. Some seconds later the charge exploded with great force, raising a large column of water, and a piece of brass tubing about 2ft long and 3in in diameter was seen to fall 6ft from the ship’s stern. A large quantity of oil then came to the surface; no further sounds were heard; and when the area was swept an obstruction was located on the bottom.
Another trawler while on the lookout for submarines sighted a periscope about 100 yards distant and nearly right ahead. The trawler put on full speed, while the German made equal haste to submerge. Down went the periscope, and as the trawler passed over the spot where it had disappeared a couple of bombs were dropped. The next thing visible was a large quantity of oil which covered an area of about 1,000 yards in width upon the surface of the sea. No further trace of the submarine could be detected.
On another occasion a motor launch accounted for a U-boat in a somewhat similar. way. A periscope was sighted 200 yards away, and the launch made for it at full speed. The submarine submerged, so two depth charges were dropped. A column of water 30ft high was thrown up by the first explosion, and after the second the sea was discoloured and a quantity of oil came up.
A MOTOR LAUNCH PATROL
Motor launches with their high speed are very useful for the “blind man’s buff” of submarine hunting, as the following successful little action shows: Three motor launches were out on patrol, when one of them detected a submarine under water. This was confirmed shortly afterwards by the two other boats, and appearances indicated that the submarine was zigzagging. The hunters took up the chase, and it became obvious that the submarine realized she was being pursued, and was stoppine every time the launches stopped. This went on until at last the launches had manoeuvred into the desired position. Then they “laid their eggs”. There were some underwater explosions; a quantity of oil spread itself over the surface of the sea, then no further sounds.
The commander of a United ‘States destroyer graphically reports that he dropped a depth charge on a submarine which was passing under his stern from starboard to port, and “although the wake had been visible on the starboard side it never appeared to port. Instead a large quantity of oil came to the surface.”
Another submarine was destroyed by two American destroyers, escorting a convoy of merchantmen, in this way: A periscope was sighted and the destroyers altered course. The periscope disappeared, a depth charge was dropped, and the destroyers wheeled back to the spot. The periscope again appeared, as though heading for the convoy, and off went the destroyers at full speed. Once more the periscope disappeared, but not before three rounds had been fired by the leading destroyer, who also dropped a depth charge. The enemy’s bow then came up rapidly, and it appeared that he was lying at an angle of 30 deg stern down. He managed to right himself and tried to get away or the surface, but again the Americans opened fire, and the Germans then came on deck, held up their heads and surrendered. The U-beat sank just afterwards, the survivors being taken on board one of the destroyers.
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Balloon vs U-boat
A submarine was seen by the balloon to break surface a considerable distance away and to begin shelling a small sailing vessel
June 8, 1918
The longer hours of daylight have enabled our sea planes, airships, and kite balloons materially to assist our surface craft in defending merchant vessels and in hunting out the U-boat. The summer conditions favour the submarine hunters, whose incessant searching of the seas forces the German craft to seek deeper waters in the hope of escaping their vigilance.
Particularly good work was performed recently by an observation balloon which was being towed by one of his Majesty’s ships through a sector of home waters. The patrol was started at daybreak and the balloon had not gone far before the observer sighted something which indicated the presence of a submarine. Depth charges were dropped, which caused the submarine to change its position. An hour later a submarine was seen by the balloon to break surface a considerable distance away and to begin shelling a small sailing vessel. The balloon was towed rapidly to the spot.
Particularly good work was performed recently by an observation balloon which was being towed by one of his Majesty’s ships through a sector of home waters. The patrol was started at daybreak and the balloon had not gone far before the observer sighted something which indicated the presence of a submarine. Depth charges were dropped, which caused the submarine to change its position. An hour later a submarine was seen by the balloon to break surface a considerable distance away and to begin shelling a small sailing vessel. The balloon was towed rapidly to the spot.
In the meantime the submarine was forced by the towing vessel to cease firing and to submerge. Aided by the balloon the towing ship was able to get over the track of the U-boat, and to drop nine depth charges, as the result of which large quantities of oil rose to the surface and gradually spread to an area of roughly a mile.
One of our airships, also on an early morning reconnaissance, sighted a U-boat engaged in attacking a merchantman. Putting on full speed the airship arrived on the spot just after the submarine had submerged, but the German had not got deep enough to be out of the vision of the airship crew. A bomb dropped. about three feet astern on the U-boat’s port evidently gave her a bad shaking, for streaks of oil rose to the surface and the submarine was seen to alter her course to starboard.
The airship manoeuvred for position and with a second bomb scored a direct hit on the stern of the submarine, causing it to lift towards the surface and roll as though about to turn turtle. More oil rose and the submarine disappeared from the airship’s view.
One of our airships, also on an early morning reconnaissance, sighted a U-boat engaged in attacking a merchantman. Putting on full speed the airship arrived on the spot just after the submarine had submerged, but the German had not got deep enough to be out of the vision of the airship crew. A bomb dropped. about three feet astern on the U-boat’s port evidently gave her a bad shaking, for streaks of oil rose to the surface and the submarine was seen to alter her course to starboard.
The airship manoeuvred for position and with a second bomb scored a direct hit on the stern of the submarine, causing it to lift towards the surface and roll as though about to turn turtle. More oil rose and the submarine disappeared from the airship’s view.
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