State Library of NSW
[Page 49]
dashing madly to port and starboard determined at all events not to allow their illusive enemy the chance of a straight shot. But the Submarine did not appear again that day and the alarm having subsided we returned to our anchorage, whilst the indefatigable destroyers formed a moving cordon round the Fleet. That night all the vessels whose presence off the coast was not essential were ordered to various points for safety , but the Swiftsure remained at her old anchorage off Cape Helles togther with some of the older battleships, whilst the Canopus Vengenace and Albion patrolled the coast round the Australian positions at Gaba Tepe but did not anchor.The first fruits of the Submarine menace were seen on the following morning when the battleship Albion went ashore south of Gaba Tepe in a local fog at four am. As soon as it became light the Turkish field batteries opened up a tremendous bombardment on her but fortunately they could not bring any heavy guns or howitzers to bear.One of the Turkish battleships up the Straits probably the Barbarossa fired a few rounds of eleven inch without scoring a hit and was herself driven away by one of our battleships. Alarmist reports on the condition of the Albion reached us at dawn on the Swiftsure but they fortunately turned out to be without foundation. The Albion was report ted to be firm on the bottom and subjected to such a terrific fire that it had been decided to abandon her and to take her crew off in destroyers which were standing by. When the light became stronger we on the Swiftsure could see her lying close inland and the enemy's shrapnel bursting all around her. Amongst others vessels which went to her aid
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