Dawn of a day in March 1917 found Submarine F3 on patrol near the
Terschelling lightship. As we broke surface two German destroyers were
seen only a few hundred yards away. We immediately dived again, and
shortly afterwards the depth charges began to explode. Lower and lower
we went until we touched the bottom.
Bangs to the right of us, bangs to the left of us, bangs above us--then
one glorious big bang and out went the lights.
Deadly silence, and then out of the darkness came the voice
of our Battersea bunting-tosser--"Anyone got six pennorth o'
coppers?"--_Frederick J. H. Alsford, 78 North Street, S.W.4._