CHAPTER XIX
The Great Surrender
"Think the beggars will put up a fight after all?" asked LieutenantAlec Seton, D.S.C., as he raised his binoculars to sweep the mistyeastern horizon.
"Not they," replied Lieutenant-Commander Trevannion of H.M.T.B.D._Bolero_. "What little stuffing they did have has sunk into theirboots. But, by Jove! I never thought they'd chuck in their hands socompletely. Try to imagine a British seaman showing the white featherlike that--you simply couldn't, for the very good reason that it'snot in his nature. Hullo! The flagship's signalling."
It was a brand new _Bolero_ of which Lieutenant-Commander Trevannionwas skipper; Seton, on promotion, being appointed hissecond-in-command. The _Scena_ was in the North Sea some miles tothe east'ard of Harwich; the time, dawn of the 20th day of November,1918.
"The Day"--der Tag--was at hand. As Beatty had prophesied, the Hunshad to come out, although the manner of their coming was greatlydifferent from that which had been expected. Everyone was firmlyconvinced--it was an erroneous tribute to an upstart navy without asingle tradition--that the German Navy would emerge at the last tocommit _felo-de-se_ under the guns of the Grand Fleet. It seemedincredible that the array of battleships and cruisers, ostensiblybuilt to wrest the trident from Britannia's grasp, would tamelysurrender without firing a single shot. But such was the case. Thehanding over of the German battleships, cruisers, and destroyers hadalready been arranged, and the White Flag Armada was due at ScapaFlow on the following day.
But the 20th of November was Tyrwhitt's Day--a fitting reward afterfour years of anxious watching, mingled with a few glorious scrapswhen Fritz did show his nose out of harbour. The first batch of 150U-boats was due to arrive, officered by recreant Huns who, had theylived in a different age, would have been promptly hanged in chainsat Execution Dock as common pirates.
So incredible to the British seamen did the tame surrender appearthat many of them fully expected Fritz would put up a fight even forthe sake of "saving his face" in the eyes of the world. After monthsof "Kolossal" boasting the Hun would surely not chuck up the spongewithout resistance, even of the most treacherous kind.
But Admiral Tyrwhitt was a man who took no undue risks. Every vesselof the British squadron appointed to accept the surrender was clearedfor action, while precautions had to be taken, before the U-boatsleft Germany, to draw their stings--in other words to remove thewarheads from their torpedoes. In addition the German crews wereordered to fall-in on deck.
Covered by a hundred guns their fate would have been swift and surehad they foolishly given way to one act of treachery.
"U-boats in sight bearing E. by N.1/2N., distant three miles," camethe welcome signal.
Very shortly afterwards Seton picked up with his glasses the first ofthe long line of German submarines--submarines no longer, since theywere to keep on the surface until they passed into the hands of theship-breakers. At the masthead of each flew a flag that throughoutthe Great War had never been flown from a vessel under the WhiteEnsign, a rectangular white flag, bare in its simplicity and cravenin its significance.
There was a fairly high sea running, the waves at times breakingcompletely over the approaching U-boats. Direct communication wasimpossible without risk of life and limb, so, except in a fewinstances, the act of taking over the prizes had to be deferred untilthey were within the limits of Harwich Harbour.
Overhead flew some of the gigantic British airships, while the airwas "stiff" with seaplanes stunting daringly in sheer exuberance, forit was the airman's day almost as much as it was the navy's. Both theR.N. and the R.A.F., working in perfect co-operation, wereresponsible, for the successful climax to their strenuous labours.
As the first of the U-boats drew abreast of Tyrwhitt's flagship, thehead of each of the double line of British light-cruisers anddestroyers turned inwards through sixteen points of the compass;while each craft in succession, as she drew level with hercorresponding prize, likewise circled, until the long line of Germansubmarines was shepherded by two formations of British vessels eachin line-ahead.
On board the German submarines there were many anxious faces. For themost part the officers looked sullen and felt uncomfortable. Theywere not altogether too sure of the nature of their reception. Somehad consciences that had developed amazingly during the last fewdays. They remembered the hospital ships and unarmed merchantmen thatthey had sunk without pity, helpless boats' crews massacred in orderto carry out the policy of _spurlos versenkt_, and now they wereregretting those brutal acts, not because they were brutal, butbecause there is such a thing as reprisal. Others, hopeful thatEnglishmen would be ready to shake hands and forget the past, weremore cheerful. In any case the war was over, and with it the greatchance of being sent to the bottom by the explosion of one of thosedreadful depth charges.
No fraternization was the British Admiral's order. The hand of thecowardly Hun was too dirty to be grasped by that of a British tar.For all time the record of Germany on the sea will remain, and itseffect will be seen in the aloof demeanour of all honest seamentoward the descendants of the Hun pirates.
On the signal: "Board, and take over the prizes", the boardingofficers rowed off to their "opposite numbers". Seton, in the_Bolero's_ whaler, ran alongside a large U-boat, whose six-inch gunsand lofty conning-tower proclaimed her to be one of the latest typeof fully 300 feet in length.
Punctiliously the U-boat kapitan-leutnant saluted, then held out hishand. Returning the salute, but ignoring the proffered welcome, Alechimself received a surprise, for the German was an old acquaintance,von Kloster.
The recognition was mutual. The German's sallow features turnedashy-grey. His frame shook with the emotion of fear. Never had heexpected to come face to face with his former prisoner. He had beenconfident in the belief that Seton had been blown to atoms onZeebrugge Mole.
"Mercy, mercy!" exclaimed von Kloster. "I vill amends make."
"Stow it!" interrupted Seton brusquely. The exhibition of panicangered him. "You've nothing to be frightened about. Now, sir, whereare your papers?"
The formal deed of surrender was accomplished, but von Kloster seemedpersistent to make a statement.
"Well, what is it?" asked Alec.
"You Count Otto von Brockdorff-Giespert remember?" asked von Klosterin broken English.
"I think I recall the name," admitted Seton grimly. "Where isthe--er--fellow?"
"He is dead," declared the kapitan-leutnant.
He paused, hoping to catch a sign of satisfaction in Alec's face atthe tidings. Seton's features betrayed nothing.
"He opposed to der surrender vos," continued von Kloster. "It vos atWilhelmshaven. He would make der unterseebooten put to sea to makefight, but der seamen make mutiny and threw him into der sea. It vosCount von Brockdorff-Giespert who order me to you place on der Moleat Zeebrugge."
"Then he did me a very good turn," rejoined Seton.
The British lieutenant turned on his heel and rapped out an order.From the ensign staff the black cross of infamy was contemptuouslyhauled down by one of the _Bolero's_ men. To the halliards wastoggled another ensign, somewhat similar in design but infinitelycleaner in its records and traditions.
Seton glanced at his watch, and then at the forest of bare poles ofthe surrendered U-boats. In another half minute----
From the flag-ship a single gun boomed. As one, a galaxy of buntingrose in the grey, misty air, and on each of the surrendered U-boatsfluttered the Black Cross Ensign once again, but with a vastdifference. Floating proudly in the breeze above the flag of beatenGermany was the emblem of the true Freedom of the Seas--the gloriousWhite Ensign.
PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN_By Blackie & Son, Limited, Glasgow_
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