END OF THE TRIUMPH.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3997, 2 August 1915, Page 3

END OF THE TRIUMPH.

HOW A BRITISH SHIP WENT DOWN. (By TROOPER BLUCOUM. in the "Sydney Morning Herald.’’) ANZAC, May 25. "They’ve got her I” Eight Horsemen from Australia, taking a rest from the trenches, were sitting on the side of a hill on Gallipoli Peninsula, gazing over the Aegean Sea. Suddenly one of them sprang to his fee*, and exclaimed, “They’ve got her. Blast the German cows.”

Wo saw a cloud of smoke. A spout ot water shot upwards. The battleship soon began to list to port and heel over—over—-over—and then came the end.

There had been rumors of submarines all the morning. Cruisers and torpedo boats were circling round between the Ben insula and lmbros, keeping a sharp look-out all the time. Yet. thi' submarine did its deadly work. It evidently could have bagged one of tln> destroyers or a supply ship, but it was after bigger game. Torpedoing defenceless merchantmen was a dastardly crime, but a battleship is fair game'for the submarine. H.M.S. Triumph was cruising about just off Caba Tcpo. She had been doing splendid work silencing the Turkish batteries which had been belching forth shrapnel on the Anzae Cove. Then at- exactly 12.15 — by my watch—the submarine sent forth its torpedo. We were only a mile away on the beach. Through our glasses we could sec the men hurrying to their quarters. There they stood as steadily as if on parade. _ Boats were launched and packed with sea, men. Fortunately, the sea was smooth as glass. Torpedo boats from near by hurried up, and launches and pinnaces shot out from Anzae Cove to the rescue.

The torpedo cut through the protecting nets like a knife th rough tissue-paper, and exploded fair amidships. The warship seemed to shudder like a man with a dentil blow. Then she list-okl to port more and more till the deck was a-wash ami the guns dipping in the sea. Boatload after boatload was taken off. Deeper and deeper she sank. There was not the slightest sign of panic on board. It was a. British ship. Then the Turkish batteries on Cnll»poli Peninsula started to fire. This was about 12.25 —ten minutes after sho was struck. White puffs of smoko appeared all round the helpless vessel, now nearly submerged. Shrapnel bullets foil'thick and fast into the water and on to the boats. But T don’t think many were hit. The Triumph was now at its end. The decks were nearly perpendicular. There were still many on board —probahlv 150. But they could not-he got off. At 12.29 she turned turtle as the rescuing boats backed away for safety. There she lay. upside down, with her red hull gleaming in the sun. A few sailors struggling in the water were picked up. 'The destroyers circled round, looking for their submarine enemy. The other boats waited for the end. b _ It came at 10 minutes to I—.lust.1 —.lust. .»•> minutes after she was struck. Quietly the old warship slipped down to the bod of the Mediterranean Sea. Nothing remained but bubbles —and a memory of our loss. The heavdy--1 alien boats returned to Anzac Cove and landed the crew- —about G 35, I was to hi. The rest, about 40. went down with the. ship. “If' blood be the price of admiralty. Lord God we ha’ paid in full.” That was the last of the Triumph. She had done good service in the war—in the Persian Gulf in the North Sea, and last in the Dai - dandles. ~ ~ , She had of lato been pounding the Turkish batteries which _ shelled our trenches on Gallipoli. With her out ol the wav the Turks were jubilant, lliev shelled our trenches and dropped shrapnel on Anzae Cove. But ilie Australian kangaroo .has dug liis claws in, and here he means to stick. '