CHAPTER XXIX.
"LIEUTENANT AUBYN, R.N., D.S.O."
ON the evening following the return of the "Sunderland" to Dover,Terence obtained leave to go ashore in order to visit abrother-officer who, owing to his ship being under repairs, wastemporarily installed in the Lord Warden Hotel.
Aubyn was proceeding along the Admiralty Pier when his progress wasbarred by a tall, bronzed young fellow in the uniform of aflight-lieutenant of the Naval Air Service.
"Hullo, Aubyn, old man!" exclaimed the latter cordially, as heextended his hand. "Forgotten me already?"
"Waynsford, by Jove!" ejaculated Terence. "Bless you, Dick, I neverexpected to see you here and in this rig. What has happened?"
"Oh, I chucked the Motor Boat Reserve," declared Waynsford. "It was abit too dull. They sent me to Southampton, and that was the limit. Asuperannuated postman could have done my job, which was deliveringletters to transports. So I applied for the Naval Air Service. It'smore in my line."
"Been across yet?" asked Terence, indicating the twenty odd milestrip of water that separated Great Britain from the scene of landhostilities.
"Dunkirk twice," replied Waynsford. "Was there when the Germansstarted shelling the place. But we're off again early to-morrowmorning."
"Yes, I heard," said Aubyn. "Big operations. We are to engage theZeebrugge and Ostend batteries while the Allied airmen play with theGerman lines of communication. So I may see something of you."
"I hope so--after the fun is over," replied the young airman. "Well,I must be moving. Early hours and a good night's rest are essentialto this sort of work."
The two friends parted, Terence making for the hotel, while Waynsfordwalked off in the direction of the castle, in which the airmendetailed for the great raid were temporarily quartered.
Precisely at one hour before sunrise the first British waterplanerose from the surface of Dover Harbour. Almost simultaneously an Armyaeroplane "kicked off" from the sloping ground beyond the chalkcliffs. Each was followed at regular intervals, until a double row ofswift air-craft flying with methodical precision headed towards theFlanders shore.
Already the "Sunderland" and three other light cruisers, accompaniedby a torpedo-boat destroyer flotilla, were shaping a course for theBelgian coast.
Off the East Goodwins they were joined by two monitors and threepre-Dreadnought battleships, and the battle line was formed. Awaysteamed the destroyers to act as screens to the heavier vessels, andto guard them from submarine attack. The monitors led the maindivision, the cruisers acting as links between them and thebattleships, which, owing to their greater draught, could notapproach the coast nearer than a distance of from four to sevenmiles.
From Aubyn's point of view the forthcoming operations were entirelynew. For the first time in his experience he was to take part in anaction between ships and shore batteries, the latter being both fixedand mobile. It was a comparatively easy matter to plant shells intoforts the position of which were known, but the Germans had broughtup heavy guns mounted on travelling platforms, which could be movedwith considerable celerity behind the long, low-lying sand dunesbetween Nieuport and Zeebrugge.
It was partly to locate the latter that the airmen had preceded thebombarding ships, and also to harass the enemy's lines ofcommunication. Moreover, hostile submarines were reported to havebeen brought in sections to Zeebrugge, where they were being boltedtogether ready to take the offensive against the British vesselsoperating off the Belgian coast.
The "Sunderland," like her consorts, was already cleared for action.All the crew were behind the protected portions of the ship, but thecaptain and seven of the officers elected to fight the ship not fromthe armoured conning-tower but from the fore-bridge.
"By Jove! They're at it already," exclaimed Oswestry, as a series ofrapid detonations came from across the dunes.
By the aid of their glasses the officers could discern the fleecymushrooms of smoke caused by the bursting of the anti-aerial gunsdirected against the British airmen. Viewed from a distance it seemedimpossible that a frail aeroplane could exist amid that tornado ofshell.
"Wireless reports mobile battery three hundred yards sou'-sou'-eastof Clemskercke church, sir," reported a signalman.
Promptly the news was transmitted to the fire-control platform. Inhis lofty perch a gunnery-lieutenant was busy with a complication ofinstruments, assisted by a midshipman and three seamen.
"Fire-control to for'ard 6-inch gun: stand by!" came the telephonicorder. "Fire-control to port battery stand by."
Round swung the guns, "laid" by the master hand of thegunnery-lieutenant on the fire-control platform. Docilely obedient tothe delicate mechanism they reared their muzzles high in the air.
Then, with a crash that shook the ship, five of the 6-inch guns spokesimultaneously. To the accompaniment of a long-drawn shriek the100-pound missiles hurtled through space.
"Eighty yards short," came the wireless report of the observingseaplane that, hovering a bare five hundred feet above the Germanmobile battery, had marked the point of impact of the shells.
Again a salvo was let loose. This time came the encouraging statementthat the hostile guns were knocked clean out of action, and thatswarms of artillerymen and infantry were scurrying across the dunes.
The next discharge practically annihilated the fugitives. In oneminute and twenty-five seconds the "Sunderland's" particular task wasaccomplished. It was but the beginning, for acting upon orders fromthe flagship she was ordered to engage a battery at close range.
Meanwhile, the rest of the battleships and cruisers had not beenidle. A perfect tornado of shell was being directed upon the Belgianshore.
"Hard aport!" shouted the captain of the "Sunderland."
Round swung the cruiser, only just avoiding the tell-tale line ofbubbles that marked the track of a torpedo. With consummate daring aGerman submarine had dived under a part of the torpedo-boat destroyerflotilla, and had discharged a weapon at the British cruiser. Thetorpedo, having missed the "Sunderland," was tearing straight for oneof the monitors, which, having to go full speed astern to avoid acollision with a couple of damaged destroyers, was now practicallystationary.
Owing to the light draught the weapon passed six feet beneath herkeel, and finishing its run rose to the surface three hundred yardsbeyond; for, instead of the torpedo sinking at the end of its course,the Germans, in direct contravention of the laws of naval warfare,had closed the sinking valve so that the torpedo virtually became afloating mine.
In this instance the trick did not avail, for a well-directed shotfrom one of the monitor's quick-firers exploded the war-head and sentthe missile into a thousand fragments.
"A feeble reply," observed Oswestry to Terence. "These fellows seemafraid to stand to their guns."
Even as he spoke the air was torn by a terrific salvo of shells frompowerful batteries hitherto well concealed in the dunes. The"Sunderland," being fairly close, seemed the special mark, for in sixseconds she received as many direct hits. One of her funnels showed ajagged gash ten feet in length and was only prevented from topplingoverboard by the steel-wire guys. A three-pounder gun, thatfortunately was not manned, was blown completely from its mountings,while the rest of the shells passed clean through the unprotectedparts of the ship, totally wrecking the ward-room and the stokers'mess-deck.
Terence felt a strong desire to make a hasty rush for the shelter ofthe conning-tower, for splinters were flying and wafts of pungentsmoke from the hostile shells were drifting over the bridge, but thesight of his captain standing cool and collected and without avestige of protection tended to restore his confidence.
With unabated fury her guns replied to the German fire. The"Sunderland" proved that she could receive as well as give hardknocks.
It was time to give the almost overheated starboard guns a chance tocool, so orders were given for the helm to be starboarded. Seeing thecruiser in the act of turning, a destroyer tore across her bows,purposely throwing out huge volumes of black smoke fro
m her fourfunnels in order to mask the "Sunderland" as she circled.
Terence recognized the destroyer as his old ship the "Livingstone,"as she darted swiftly round the turning cruiser, then, leaving athick pall of smoke in her wake, hastened off to assist anotherdestroyer that was evidently in difficulties.
The "Livingstone's" manoeuvre undoubtedly saved the "Sunderland" fromdestruction, for a fifty-two centimetre shell, aimed to hit the exactposition where the cruiser would have been had she not alteredcourse, struck the water with a tremendous splash not fifty yards onher beam.
Before the "Sunderland" had drawn clear of the friendly cloud ofsmoke she had increased her distance from shore by nearly fivecables' lengths; while, until the German gunners had found the rangeanew, she was able to enjoy a brief respite.
"Seaplanes returning," announced the gunnery-lieutenant on thefire-control platform, who from his elevated post could command awide and almost uninterrupted view.
Their task done, the seaplanes, which had been engaged in droppingbombs on the railway stations in the rear of the German batteries,were on their homeward way. Anxiously Terence counted them. Thankheaven! Not one was missing.
Apparently the last but one of the aerial procession was indifficulties, for the seaplane was rocking violently, and in spite ofa dangerous tilt of the elevating planes was appreciably descending.
Suddenly the frail craft plunged, literally on end, towards the sea,the force of gravity, acting with the pull of the propeller, greatlyincreasing its velocity.
When within two hundred feet of the surface the seaplane made acomplete loop, then after climbing a hundred feet or so, began toside-slip.
"By Jove! He'll be drowned for a dead cert," exclaimed Terence, forhe knew for a fact that the aviator had not been thrown from thechassis when the seaplane "looped the loop," and in consequence mustbe strapped to his seat.
"Away sea-boat," ordered the captain, at the same time givingdirections for both engines to be reversed.
The "Sunderland" was considerably the nearest warship to thedescending airman. Already the "Livingstone" and her two sister-shipdestroyers were a mile or so away, and wearing at full speed toinvestigate a suspicious swirl in the water.
Shells were again dropping unpleasantly near to the cruiser as Aubynhurried towards the boat which was, owing to being cleared foraction, secured inboard, abreast the after funnel.
Before he reached this spot the seaplane had struck the surface ofthe water. Falling obliquely and at a sharp angle, the impact hadshattered one of the floats. When the cascade of spray had subsidedthe wrecked craft could be seen still afloat but listing acutely. Theaviator had survived the shock and was hurriedly unbuckling the strapthat held him to his seat.
"Boat's done for, sir," announced one of the would-be crew. Such wasthe case. The explosion of a shell had wrenched her keel andgarboards out of her.
"Then overboard with that!" ordered Terence, indicating a Carleylife-buoy, which, though scorched by the blast of the shells, wasstill practically intact.
The Carley life-buoy is a "new departure" in life-saving applianceson board ships of the Royal Navy. It is a glorified edition of anordinary buoy, but elongated in shape and provided with gratings, andcapable of being propelled by oars.
Half a dozen bluejackets seized the huge buoy and slung it overboard.Held by means of a line it floated alongside the cruiser untilTerence and three men clambered into it.
Although the rate of propulsion was not by any means so rapid as thatof a boat the progress of the rescuers was far from slow. More thanonce they were splashed by the spray thrown up by a ricochettingprojectile, as the German gunlayers were gradually correcting theiraim, yet unscathed the rescue party came alongside the graduallysinking seaplane.
"Hullo, Aubyn!" shouted a well-known voice.
The airman was Waynsford. In his pneumatic helmet and huge goggles hewas unrecognizable, but his voice proclaimed his identity.
"Hurt, old man?" asked Terence.
"Not a bit," replied Waynsford coolly. "They clipped a couple ofstays just as I was getting out of range. But we did the trick, byJove! Blew the railway station to Jericho."
"Hurry up," interposed Terence. "She's going."
The young airman methodically gathered together several importantinstruments, and giving a final look round at the aircraft that hadserved him so faithfully, stepped into the waiting "Carley."
Before the men had pulled five yards the wrecked machine gave a lurchand capsized completely. Supported by trapped air in the partiallyintact float the seaplane sank slowly, and with hardly a rippledisappeared from view.
With the least possible delay rescuers and rescued were taken onboard the cruiser. Gathering way the "Sunderland" steamed in awesterly direction in order to baffle the range of the shorebatteries, using her after guns with terrific speed.
Somewhat unceremoniously leaving his friend Terence hastened towardsthe bridge. Just as he was abreast of the wreckage of the shatteredfunnel a deafening detonation, that completely surpassed the roar ofthe cruiser's guns, seemed to burst over his head. Staggering underthe blast of the explosion and temporarily blinded by the pungentsmoke, the lieutenant groped his way until his progress was checkedby a jagged mass of plating rendered almost red-hot by the impact ofa huge shell.
Recoiling, he stood stock still for quite thirty seconds, his sensesnumbed by the nerve-racking concussion. Then, as the smoke driftedaway, he could discern the débris of the bridge. Charthouse,stanchions, semaphore, signal-lockers--all had vanished, and withthem the captain and those of the officers and men who had dared fateby rejecting the shelter afforded by the conning-tower, which,stripped of its surroundings, stood out a gaunt, fire-pitted steelbox.
The shell, a 42-centimetre, had literally cleared the forepart of theship, from the for'ard 6-inch gun to the second funnel. Everything inits path had been literally pulverized, with the exception of theconning-tower. Had the projectile burst on or below the main deck thefate of the "Sunderland" would have been sealed; as it was, she wasstill intact under the waterline.
Instinctively Aubyn realized that the ship was not under control.Steaming rapidly she was heading towards the "Bradford"--her sistership--which was steering in a north-easterly direction at about fivecables' distance on her port bow.
With a tremendous effort of will-power Terence cleared at a bound theformidable glowing plate of metal that obstructed his path. Makinghis way across the scorched and splintered planks, some of which gaveunder his weight, he reached the entrance to the conning-tower.
The steel citadel was full of acrid-smelling smoke that eddied in theair-currents which drifted in through the observation slits.
Bending, and holding his left hand over his mouth and nostrils,Terence entered. As he did so he stumbled over the body of thequartermaster.
Propped against the circular walls were the first lieutenant and twoseamen. All the occupants of the conning-tower had been overcome bythe noxious fumes from the highly-charged projectile.
Gasping for fresh air Terence flung himself upon the steam-steeringgear and put the helm hard over. A glimpse through one of the slitsrevealed the fact that the cruiser was answering to her helm. Yet sonarrowly had a collision been averted that the "Sunderland's"starboard side was within twenty feet of the "Bradford's" portquarter as the two vessels swung apart.
The guns were now silent, for with the destruction of the foremastthe fire-control platform and its occupants had been swept out ofexistence. The cruiser was temporarily out of action.
Terence was beginning to feel dizzy and faint. Why, he knew not.Perhaps it was the pungent fumes. Leaning over the mouthpiece of thespeaking tube he ordered a couple of quartermasters to be sent to theconning-tower. He could hardly recognize the sound of his own voice.It seemed miles away.
Again he looked ahead. The cruiser was still drawing further andfurther out of range. Having satisfied himself on that score and thatthere was no fresh danger of colliding with any of the rest of
thefleet, he staggered into the open air and leaned heavily against theouter wall of the conning-tower, He was barely conscious that themetal was still hot.
Up came the quartermasters. At their heels was a sub-lieutenant, hisface grimed with smoke and his uniform torn.
"Take over, Garboard," ordered the lieutenant brokenly. "Report tothe flagship and ask instructions. I'm feeling deucedly queer."
"Why, you're wounded!" exclaimed the sub-lieutenant, noticing a darkand increasing patch upon Aubyn's coat.
"Am I?" asked Terence incredulously.
Turning his head to ascertain the nature of his injury, of whichhitherto he was unconscious, his shoulder slipped along the curvedsteel wall. Garboard was only just in time to save him fromcollapsing inertly upon the deck of the ship he had brought safelyout of action.
"Congratulations, old man. You'll have to get your tailor to makesome alteration in your uniform."
"What do you mean?" asked Terence.
Two months had elapsed since the day on which Lieutenant Aubyn hadreceived a dangerous wound in his right side in the fight off Ostend.
He was sitting in the grounds of the Royal Naval Hospital at Chatham,having made a fairly rapid recovery.
The officer who offered his congratulations was Oswestry, thetorpedo-lieutenant of the "Sunderland," who was also a convalescent,having managed to intercept a flying fragment of metal during themomentous engagement.
"Torps" flourished a newspaper with his left hand, for his right armwas in a sling.
"Stop press--Latest news and appointments," he read. "The Admiraltyhas approved of the following transfer. From R.N.R. to R.N.:Lieutenant Terence Aubyn, to date 3rd of June, 1915."
For a moment Terence looked incredulously at the torpedo-lieutenant."Torps," he knew, was fond of a practical joke, but if he wereplaying a prank it was carrying the game a little too far.
"Here you are," continued Oswestry, noting the expression onTerence's face. "Read it for yourself."
"It's worth getting this," said Aubyn, indicating the position of hiswound. "All I want now is to be afloat again."
"Young fire-eater!" exclaimed "Torps" facetiously. "Don't youworry--you'll have a look-in before The Day comes. By Jove, Aubyn,you'll have to ask the surgeon if he'll allow you to hold afête----"
The crunching of boots upon the gravel path caused both officers toturn. Standing at attention was a Marine orderly; behind him atelegraph boy.
"Congratulations pouring in already," remarked "Torps."
Terence took the buff envelope and opened it.
"Great Scott!" he exclaimed brokenly, and without another word hehanded the telegram to his companion.
"It never rains but it pours," quoted "Torps." "You'll attainFlag-rank in another fifteen years, mark my words. Lieutenant Aubyn,D.S.O."
The "wire" was a private tip from a personal friend at the Admiralty,informing Terence that His Majesty had been graciously pleased tobestow upon him the Distinguished Service Order for gallantry inbringing H.M.S. "Sunderland" out of action during operations off theBelgian coast.
"Torps" was not far short of the mark, for a D.S.O. almost invariablymeans a rapid promotion to the fortunate and heroic recipient.
"Flag-rank," echoed Terence. "There's plenty of time for that.Meanwhile, that's where duty calls," and with a wave of his hand heindicated the distant North Sea, on which the supreme contest for thesupremacy of the waves will prove that the heritage of Nelson isstill worthily upheld by Britannia's sons.
ABERDEEN: THE UNIVERSITY PRESS
[Transcriber's Notes:
This book contains a number of misprints. The following misprints have been corrected:
[the prisoner nonchalently.] -> [the prisoner nonchalantly.] [to commuicate with wireless] -> [to communicate with wireless] [was calculated to be from] -> [was calculated to be seen from] [of what had occured,] -> [of what had occurred,] [hostilites as a godsend] -> [hostilities as a godsend] [a courtesey that the captain] -> [a courtesy that the captain] [its horribly slippery] -> [it's horribly slippery] [the concusion had caused] -> [the concussion had caused] [with the laudible intention] -> [with the laudable intention] [he crosssd the line] -> [he crossed the line] [a stragetic point of view] -> [a strategic point of view] [the faintest attenion to] -> [the faintest attention to]
A few cases of punctuation errors were corrected, but are not mentioned here.
A list of illustrations has been added. ]
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