Iles war diary, 1914-1919 / G. H. Iles - Page 178
Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 178]
September 5th [1916] During the night of 4th to 5th we met the patrol boat on our entering the war zone, and we at once responded to the challenge.
Sept 6th at 5 am just before dawn we increased our aped from 12 to 15 Knots and commenced a zig-zag owing to submarine activity and at noon we increased speed again to 22 Knots.
Sept 7th At 8 am. we were met some distance off Plymouth by the destroyer "Rifleman" who then escorted us into harbour, both steaming at a good speed and zig zagging the whole time – looked very interesting - and then we began to realize fully that a war was actually in progress, and during the zig sagging the destroyer was constantly crossing and recrossing our bow, - the weather now as it had been since leaving Bermuda was absolutely beautiful, the sea being dead calm, and thereby we became no easy prey for a lerching [lurking?] submarine. We were nearing the Eddistone