Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 106, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 May 1916 — E-7’S EXPLOITS IN SEA OF MARMORA [ARTICLE]

E-7’S EXPLOITS IN SEA OF MARMORA

British Submarine in 24 Days Sank 23 Ships and Destroyed Two Trains. ALSO FOUGHT A GUNBOAT Returned Safely Through Traps and Mines Set to Catch Her In the Dardanelles —Receives Great Reception. New York.—The story of how the British submarine E-7 entered the Sea of Marmora and operating for 24 days sank 23 ships, shelled two railway trains, and did other damage, is told in a letter received in New York. The letter was written by a young officer who was on the E-7. The Cochrane who is referred to as “absolutely splendid” is the commander of the E-7. He says: “We returned safely after 24 days up the Dardanelles in the Sea of Marmora. It is hopeless to try to give a detailed account in a letter, but you can take it from me it was a fine show. We broke all previous records. Cochrane was absolutely splendid. The tale of our doings is the sort of thing one reads of In the old days. We went around the Sea of Marmora, leaving a trail of sunk and burning ships. We fairly shook things to the core. “We are the first submarine In history to bombard a place on shore under fire. I think we were under fire about three times a day on an average, and penetrated into all sorts of places and destroyed shipping. We even shelled a railway and destroyed two troop trains. We shelled the embankment and blocked the line and then caught the trains as they came along. It was the funniest thing you can Imagine to see the trains try to hide behind trees, but we caught them and smashed them all to blazes. The ammunition all blew up with a terrible explosion. The soldiers, of course, got out and took cover and fired tons of ammunition at us. but we were out of range. “Altogether we sunk one gunboat, five steamers (one of 3,000 tons), and 17 large sailing ships, and hit two trains, ode railway- pro hrln km ent, and a few villagers who fired on us°hnd got it In the neck for doing so. We also dived up to Constantinople and fired a torpedo at the wharf at the arsenal. where there were a lot of ammunition lighters, and there was a

most terrific., explosion, which shook the boat although we were one and one-quarter miles away. What happened I don’t know, but something must have got it in the neck. Judging by the bang. We had a small duel with a small gunboat one day on the surface and drove her off, although she fired 200 rounds from her two guns. After that we were left alone and everything ran like blazes when we got anywhere near. “The only drawback was that we all had dysentery, and Halifax, the second oflacer, and a seaman got badly burned setting fire to a steamer, so Cochrane and I had to keep watch all the time, and by the time 24 days were gone we were absolutely done up. What Halifax went through with his burned feet for three weeks below I don’t know. “We had no trouble in diving In the Sea of Marmora, but when we came down we had an awful time, as the Turks had rigged up all sorts of nets and things to catch utr, and we got mixed up in them and also were fouled by mines three times. “The reception we got in the harbor was great. The whole fleet and everything manned the rails and cheered us madly. Just imagine us—all dirty and unshaven, and the flag with bullet holes all over it, and conning tower all dents from bullets and Tusty —steaming through the lines and thousands of men cheering like mad. Battleships, cruisers, torpedo boats, transports and the captains leading the cheers. It was great! I have heard cheers before, but this was the real thing. Poor old Cochrane’s eyes were full of tears as he saluted to the cries of ‘Are we down-hearted?’ and ‘Well done, E-71’ ‘‘At present I am resting on land and basking In the light of popular favor. It Is very nice- to be a hero among one’s own cloth, you know, because they really mean it, and they really understand.”