Show MAN ON ONBOARD BOARD GERMAN GERMANI I W WARSHIP TELLS HOW THE H ARABIS WAS SUNK I I STR STRASSBURG April 8 An An i Interesting interesting Inter inter- I esting and graphic account of the 1 recent recent recent re re- re- re cent engagement off the Dogger Banks Banks' is given by a German who took part partIn partin in it The details are taken from a aletter aletter a aletter letter which the young man s sent nt to his parents in Alsace and the following following follow follow- ing extracts were printed in the Strass Strass- burger On February 10 we joined the patrol patrol pa pa- fleet and abd In files of three we steamed westward I was on duty Inthe Inthe in inthe the engine room About 10 o'clock at night we reached the Dogger Banks We were about kilometers miles from the coast when the alarm bell sounded Every man manI rushed to his post Th The enemy had I been sighted I remained in the engine en en- glue gine room and was wondering how I strong the enemy force was whether was whether cruisers or r destroyers However that did not matter to us We steamed In I closer and kept the the- enemy in sight in the light of the moon I quickly I ascended to the to-the the deck to see what was wasI J I g going on n and about 1000 meters 1100 I I yards in front of us I saw three English destroyers and behind them thema a cruiser The destroyers were not important so we went after the cruiser The Battle Begins The Englishman did not appear to have seen us Finally came the order to fire a torpedo which quickly was wason wason wason on its way The cruiser as yet had hadnot hadnot hadnot not fired a shot but thick smoke was pouring out of her funnels We Vo turned and fired another torpedo The cruiser then fired her big guns but the aim was wretched At once our searchlights were turned on the Englishman Englishman Eng Eng- lishman in order to blind blind- him and then our guns got busy As one of the prisoners told us later our first shots crippled their wireless and two of the big guns The destroyers came to the assistance of the cruiser five cruisers hove in sight We fired twenty four more shots and then steamed eastward protecting protecting pro pro- our retreat by thick volumes of smoke About 1 o'clock we ve sighted the Arabia Arabis I had been relieved from duty in the engine room and took m my I place on deck to pass the ammunition I We let go a torpedo at the Arable Arabit I It struck and she began to careen A second torpedo struck her amidships amidships amidships amid amid- I ships and she went clean out of the water and then sank like hike a log Just then a a torpedo from the Arable Arabia which I had been fired tired Just before she was struck rushed by us missing us b by barely a few feet You can imagine our feelings at this this' narrow escape But luck was with us otherwise we weI would have been lost I Rescuing Survivors I Our pur searchlights illuminated the spot where the Arabia Arabis had gone down The water was dotted with men clingIng cling cling- I ing to the wreckage There were cries cries' of Help Help from all sides We did all we could but it was impossible ble to rescue all We picked up seventeen sev se enteen men including the captain of the Arabis Two of the rescued were wounded and three died despite everything everything every every- thing that was done for them We gave them a seamans seaman's burial The TIu saved were at once given hot coffee and dry clothing We had to laugh because of ot th the miserable behavior 0 or the captain of the Arabis He moaned and sobbed dreadfully and was very much much afraid afraid of at us He would not take the brandy which we offered him even after one of us had tasted it to show him that there was nothing wrong with it Two hours later however ho and his men were quite comfortable and were smoking cigarettes contentedly Of course we thought of the But wf we quickly forgot that miserable affair and did all for the men of the Arabia Arabis And we are barbarians barbarians bar As we steamed into we were enthusiastically welcomed Our prisoners were taken ashore We Ve had bad pad enjoyed the experience as everything everything every every- thing had progressed so smoothly and nicely but we were all so tired that we could hardly stand No doubt there will soon be another opportunity to show what we can do as these things can be expected now at any moment Then too luck be with us us |