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The depth-charges came all right, seven smashing explosions, but, as I had calculated, they were set to go off at about thirty metres, and so were well below me. The boat was thrown bodily up by one, and I think the top of the conning tower must have broken surface, but there was little danger of this being seen in the prevailing water conditions.
Needless to say, I was only crawling along at about one knot and altering course frequently. What was so terrible was the patent fact that the patrols in this area had evidently got some device which enabled them to keep in continual touch with me to a certain extent. These monotonous and regular depth-charges seemed to say: "We know, Oh!
In the future, it is stated, American dreadnoughts and battle cruisers will be armed with 16-inch guns, making these the heaviest armed vessels in the world. Depth-charges are stated to be the most effective antisubmarine weapons. American vessels were adequately armed with this new weapon.
Throughout the long afternoon, though we were not directly attacked again, I heard depth-charges on several occasions sufficiently close to me to demonstrate that these implacable and tireless devils had an idea of the area I was in. By a supreme effort, working one motor at the only speed it would go, viz., "Dead slow," I managed to squeeze out the battery until I estimated it must be dusk.
A new type was developed and a new gun, known as the "Y" gun, was designed and built especially for firing depth-charges.
U-boat, that we are somewhere near you, and here is a depth-charge just to tell you that we haven't lost you yet." The incident of the depth-charges every half-hour was known as "Tickling up." Probably the patrol only heard faint noises from him.
All my hopes of getting up again that night, both for the purpose of charging and of getting the 3 a.m. signal, were doomed to be disappointed, as the hydrophone operator kept on reporting the noise of destroyers overhead. Occasional distant thuds seemed to indicate a never-ending supply of depth-charges, but they were about four or five miles from me.
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