Part 24 (1/2)
CHAPTER XVII
PERTAINING TO MYSTERY s.h.i.+PS
”YOU BRITISH WILL ALWAYS BE FOOLS AND WE GERMANS SHALL NEVER BE GENTLEMEN”--SILHOUETTE LIFEBOAT FOR GUN COVERING--A SECRET OF THE WAR EXPLAINED AND ILl.u.s.tRATED--MORE IDEAS FOR MYSTERY s.h.i.+PS DESCRIBED--SECRET THANKS--SUCCESSFUL RESULTS FROM CAMOUFLAGE AT SEA--THE GRAt.i.tUDE OF THE ADMIRALTY.
The year 1915 saw much havoc at sea from the ravages of German submarines. I was located in the midst of it. I saw many a n.o.ble craft torpedoed direct or sunk by gunfire or mines. Such is a sight which leaves impressions and gives much to reflect upon.
The Germans, I knew, adopted subterfuges to lure their victims to destruction. The British apparently scorned to descend to such levels.
Bitterly I remembered the words of the captured officer: ”You British will always be fools and we Germans shall never be gentlemen.” It was maddening to know that all our acts of chivalry and knightly conduct throughout the war only provoked the mirth and contempt of our adversaries.
Something should be done to meet blow with blow, subterfuge with subterfuge, and violence with equal retaliatory force.
The outcome of my reflections on this subject are hereinafter divulged.
”_To_ ”THE ADMIRALTY, ”WHITEHALL, ”LONDON. ”_June 15th, 1915._
”SIR,
”I would, with all deference, submit to your consideration a suggestion which has occurred to me as possibly worthy of trial. It is as follows:
”In the Port of ---- I observed trawling vessels fitted with guns conspicuously mounted upon a platform raised just abaft the funnel and over the engine-room, obviously for patrol purposes.
”I a.s.sume that a German submarine could not but at once observe the gun and at a considerable distance, as it is raised well above deck-levels. She would naturally resort to the torpedo without coming to the surface and without warning. But if the submarine could be deceived that these trawlers were fis.h.i.+ng vessels, or mine-sweepers, she would hardly waste an expensive torpedo when she could sink such insignificant craft by gunfire or bombs, and she might come to the surface to warn the crew to take to the boats, or to hail the vessel, thus giving a chance for our men to get a bit of their own back.
”In my humble opinion the guns which are now mounted (twelve-pounders, I believe) on these trawlers could be concealed with the greatest of ease in more ways than one; and as the vessels are in all other respects unaltered in their ordinary appearance, I see no reason why the experiment should not be tried. Also remembering that submarines as a rule attack at dawn or gloaming.
”If I may be so presumptuous as to go further and outline one of the means of concealment foreshadowed, I would construct in light framework covered with painted canvas the sides of a small row-boat or lifeboat in two silhouettes, which I would place on each side of the gun, whereby it would be completely covered up. The stanchions erected round the gun platform I would uns.h.i.+p, or if their continuance is essential I would mount imitation davits of painted steam-bent wood, which could easily s.h.i.+p or be jointed with hinge and hook fastenings, so that they could be uns.h.i.+pped at a moment's notice. To these davits I would add light blocks and tackles, so that in a few seconds the whole dummy show could be swept on one side and the gun brought into play.
”I have carefully examined the platform and gun on one of these vessels and firmly believe that the idea is practical and feasible and would act effectively and to advantage.
”When I was cruising in the Baltic opposite Kiel and Femern (December-February) I was successful with somewhat similar devices of a simple nature, fitted to small boats, and calculated to deceive as to distances and in other ways, which originated the present ideas as soon as I saw our trawlers.
”If you consider the idea worthy of a moment's further consideration, I would, if you so desired, at once set to work and have a working model made.
I remain, your obedient servant,
”NICHOLAS EVERITT,
”('JIM' of the B.F.S.S.)”
Intermediary correspondence and actions would not perhaps interest the reader. Suffice it to say that my ideas found favour in the eyes of the Powers-that-be, and I was given _carte blanche_ to carry my designs into effect.
It may now be divulged that many weeks prior to the writing of the letter mentioned above I had confided an outline of my invention to a certain naval officer, a friend of mine in charge of a patrol-boat. We had between us manufactured a rough model from such materials as could be collected, which had been fitted to a vessel, and it had been effectively and successfully used in action at sea, although not officially known or recognised.
Now that I had free access to, and full authority to make use of, several Admiralty yards for material and a.s.sistance, it was an easy matter to improve on former ideas and to produce a complete efficient and creditable result.