CHAPTER XXVIII
THE SURRENDER
Germany's sea surrender began at dawn on November 20, nine days after thesigning of the armistice.
Out in this misty expanse of the North Sea the allied battleships hadtaken up their positions in a fifty-mile line of greyhounds. Aboard theallied battleships every eye was strained to the east; every man was onthe alert. The British and allied war vessels presented a noble sight,stretched out as far as the eye could see, and beyond.
Every ship was stripped for action. Crews were at their posts. Not untilthe surrender was an accomplished fact would the vigilance of the Britishnaval authorities be relaxed. Not until the German vessels were safe inthe hands of the allies would British officers and crews be certain thatthe enemy was not meditating trickery up to the last moment.
The destroyer Essex, commanded by Jack, as has already been said, was atthe extreme east of the long line of battleships. Beyond it were theflagship of Admiral Beatty, flanked still farther east by three big warvessels, and Admiral Tyrwhitt's flagship.
Jack and Frank were on the bridge of the destroyer. Other officers were attheir posts. The crews stood to their guns. Below, the engine room was thescene of activity. A full head of steam was kept up, for there was notelling at what moment it might be needed.
Came a shrill whistle from the farthest advanced British vessel, followedby a cry from the lookout aboard the destroyer:
"Here they come!"
As the red sun rose above the horizon the first submarine appeared insight. Soon after seven o'clock, twenty-seven German submarines were seenin line, accompanied by two destroyers. These latter were the Tibania andthe Serra Venta, which accompanied the flotilla to take the submarinecrews back to Germany.
All submarines were on the surface, with their hatches open and theircrews standing on deck. They were flying no flags whatever, and their gunswere trained fore and aft in accordance with previous instructions fromAdmiral Beatty.
Until the moment that they had sighted the first ship of the Britishfleet, the German flag had flown from the mastheads of the variousundersea craft, but they had been hauled down at once when the allied warvessels came into view.
The leading destroyer, in response to a signal from Admiral Beatty on hisflagship, altered her course slightly and headed toward the coast ofEngland.
The wireless instrument aboard the destroyer Essex clattered and a fewmoments later the radio operator rushed to the bridge with a message forJack. The latter read it quickly, then said:
"Send an O.K. to the admiral?'
"What's up, Jack?" asked Frank.
"Lower half a dozen small boats, Mr. Hetherton," instructed Jack beforereplying to Frank's question, "and have them manned by a score of meneach, fully armed."
"Aye, aye, sir."
Lieutenant Hetherton hurried away.
"What's up, Jack?" asked Frank again.
"I have been ordered to inspect each submarine as it comes abreast of us,"Jack replied. "Apparently the admiral still fears treachery. I'll remainaboard here, and leave the work to you and the other officers."
This was done. As each submarine drew up with the Essex she was boarded bya score of the Essex's men. Some stood guard at the hatches with weaponsheld ready, while an officer and the others of the crew went below for ahurried trip of inspection, searching them diligently for "booby traps,"and other signs of treachery.
This necessitated a slowing down in the speed of the German craft, but atlength the work was accomplished and Frank and his men, and all othersbelonging aboard the Essex, returned to their ship.
"All serene, Jack," Frank reported.
"Very well, I shall so inform the admiral."
He scribbled off a brief message, which he sent to the radio room.
Now, with the submarines well along the line, the British fleet began tomove--escorting the U-Boats toward Harwich. The fleet would return thenext day to receive the surrender of the larger enemy war vessels, butto-day it meant to make sure that the submarines were taken safely toport.
There was one brief halt while the German admiral in command of theflotilla went aboard Admiral Tyrwhitt's flagship to make formal surrenderof the submarines. He was accompanied by two members of his staff.
Admiral Tyrwhitt received him on the bridge. There were tears in the eyesof the German admiral as he said:
"Sir, I surrender to you this submarine fleet of the Imperial Germannavy."
He extended his sword.
Admiral Tyrwhitt waved back the sword and accepted the surrender in a fewbrief words. The German admiral turned on his heel and walked to the rail.There one of his officers held out his hand to a British lieutenant whowas nearby.
The latter refused it, and the German turned away muttering to himself inhis native tongue. The German admiral and his officers returned to thedestroyer, and the march of the fleets continued.
It was a procession of broken German hopes--in the van, a destroyer of theunbeaten navy; behind, the cruel pirate craft that were to subjugate thesea. Each of the allied warships turned, and keeping a careful lookout,steamed toward Harwich.
As the Essex passed one of the largest submarines, which carried two 5.9guns, Frank counted forty-three officers and men on her deck. The craftwas at least three hundred feet long.
"By George! Isn't she a whopper?" exclaimed the lad.
Jack nodded.
"She is indeed. The largest submarine I ever saw."
Near the Shipwash lightship, three large British seaplanes appearedoverhead. They were followed by a single airship. The sight of the Harwichforces, which soon appeared in the distance, together with the seaplanesand the airship, was a most impressive one.
Suddenly two carrier pigeons were released aboard one of the capturedsubmarines.
A shock ran through the officers and crew of every allied vessel in sight.Apparently something was wrong. Sharp orders rang out. But the matterpassed over. It was explained that the pigeons had been released merely tocarry back to Germany the news that the surrender had been made.
Nevertheless, the act called forth a vigorous protest from the flagship ofthe British commander-in-chief.
"Another act like that and I shall sink you," was Admiral Beatty'smessage.
Still ten miles off shore, the procession came to a halt. Feverishactivity was manifest aboard the British vessels. Small boats were loweredand put off toward the submarines. These carried British crews that wereto take over the vessels and conduct them to port. As fast as a Britishcrew took possession, the German crews were transferred to the Germandestroyers there for the purpose of taking them back to Germany.
Then the procession moved toward Harwich again.
As the boats went through the gates into Harwich harbor, a white ensignwas run up on each of them, with the German flag flying underneath.
Before being removed to the destroyers, which were to carry them back,each submarine commander, who were the only Germans left aboard thevessels as they passed into the harbor, was required to sign a declarationthat his submarine was in perfect running order, that his periscope wasintact, the torpedoes unloaded and the torpedo head safe.
Despite orders issued to the Harwich forces in advance, to the effect thatno demonstration must be permitted in the city after the surrender of theGerman fleet, wild cheering broke out on the water front as thesubmarines, escorted by the great British warships, steamed into theharbor.
Military police cleared the water front of the dense throng that hadgathered, but the best efforts they put forth were unable to still thebedlam that had broken loose.
Commanders of the British ships had difficulty in restraining cheers bytheir crews and later by the Harwich forces themselves when the fleet ofcaptured submarines was turned over to Captain Addison, the commandant atthat port.
Harbor space for the surrendered U-Boats had been provided in advance,and the vessels were now piloted to these places, where they were placedunder heavy guard.
This wor
k took time, and it was almost dark before the last submarine hadbeen escorted to its resting place.
All day crowds thronged the streets of Harwich, cheering and yellingmadly. In vain the military authorities tried to stop the celebration. Aswell have tried to shut out the sound of thunder in the heavens. At lastthe authorities gave it up as a bad job, and joy and happiness ran rampantand unrestrained.
It was a glorious day for England, and thousands of persons from Londonand the largest cities of the island had hurried to Harwich to witness theformal surrender of the fleet and its internment. All night the thousandsparaded the streets of the little village, the celebration seeming to growrather than to diminish as the early morning hours approached.
So passed the bulk of Germany's undersea fighting strength into the handsof Great Britain and her allies. No longer would they terrorize with theirruthless warfare. They were safe at last. The fangs of the underseaserpents had been drawn.
And on the night of November 20, 1918, thus made harmless, they layquietly in the harbor of Harwich, England, above them flying the UnionJack.
Boy Allies with the Victorious Fleets; Or, The Fall of the German Navy Page 28