Here is an interesting account of one of Wonganella's engagements from early in 1916 that illustrates the dangerous game the Q-ships were up to (from
, pgs. 35-38):
Mention was made just now of the Werribee (alias
Wonganella, etc.). On February 3, 1916, this ship,
which had been fitted out at Gibraltar, under the
command of Lieut.-Commander B. J. D. Guy, R.N.,
left Port Said to cruise on the Malta to Egypt trade
route. She was a steamer of 3,848 tons, and had
taken in 2,600 tons of sand as ballast. About 9 o'clock
on the morning of February 9, Werribee was steaming
along when she picked up a signal on her wireless to
the effect that the S.S. Springwell, of 5,593 tons, was
torpedoed and sinking by the head. The vessel was
soon sighted, and the last boats could be seen already
leaving the ship, the position being about sixty miles
from Crete. The weather was perfect, with a flat,
calm sea and extreme visibility ? an ideal day, in fact,
for good gunnery.
But it was to be a most difficult experience, and
the incident well illustrates the problems which had
to be dealt with. About 10.15 a.m., as no submarine
could be seen, Werribee turned towards the four
boats already in the water, and hailed them for infor-
mation, then examined the condition of Springwell,
and presently turned again. All of a sudden, a great
submarine, painted like the Mediterranean pirate-ships
of ancient times, a brownish green, emerged from
the sea about 5,000 yards away on Werribee's star-
board bow, and came close up to Springwell, possibly
to prevent Werribee from salving her. Alarm stations
were sounded in the Q-ship, but the submarine's men
were already running to their two guns, and opened
fire. Werribee then decided to haul round and
pretend to run away. The third shot from the enemy
hit, and it was at first feared that the explosion had dis-
abled one gun's crew, but fortunately the hit was a
little further aft. It was immediately evident to
Werribee's captain that to-day the enemy was not
going to allow him to play the abandon-ship game,
but was intending to sink him straight away. The
submarine's accurate and rapid fire was clearly aimed
at Werribee's boats, and two of them were soon
riddled. It was for Lieut.-Commander Guy to make
up his mind quickly what tactics now to pursue, and
he decided to reveal the ship's true character and open
fire. This was done, and within ten seconds his 4-inch
quick-firer was in action, range 4,000 yards. After
six rounds from the Q-ship the enemy ceased firing,
and the eighth seemed to hit abaft the conning-tower.
Then she submerged in a cloud of smoke, about 11.10
a.m., this smoke screen being a favourite ruse for
escaping, and she was never seen again that day.
Werribee now turned her attention to the torpedoed
ship, but the latter was too far gone, and foundered
at 5.45 that afternoon. The men in Springwell's
boats were then picked up, and about 6 o'clock the
ship made for Malta. It was again sheer bad luck ; a
combination of difficult circumstances, and the tactics
of an astute German captain, had now prevented
success coming to the decoy. There was no question
about her disguise, and the captain of a merchantman
who witnessed the fight accurately spoke of Werribee
as ' an old tramp with a few patches of paint, firing
at the submarine.' Before the war we should have
thought no ship in His Majesty's Service could
possibly merit such a description as this, but strange
things were happening on the seas at this time, and
it was the highest compHment so to be described.
With the experience which had been gained from
all these engagements in various areas it was possible
to form some idea of the requisite standardized equip-
ment with which Q-ships should be supplied. First
of all, inasmuch as the enemy was being better armed,
at least one modern 4-inch gun was necessary, in
addition to any 12 -pounder. Long-range action,
especially in the Mediterranean, was probable at
times, for the enemy would not always consent to
engage close to. Secondly, it was highly important
that the ship should remain afloat, even though
seriously holed. It might happen ? and later on it
actually did occur ? that the enemy might suppose the
ship was just about to founder, thus making it quite
safe to close her in order to read her name. Then
would come the one great chance for the Q-ship to
destroy the enemy. Therefore, to this end, it became
certain that these ships should be given cargoes of
barrels, or timber, carefully stowed, so that it would
be no easy task to sink her, and she might perhaps
even be salved.
