Petersburg High School - Missile Yearbook (Petersburg, VA)

Page 14 text:

8 The Missile Here also are several unique, charming fountains and a number of inspiring marble statues and monuments, in- cluding the famous Sir Walter Scott’s monument. This is about 200 feet in height, and is adorned with statues of prominent characters in Scott’s works. On the inside, winding stairs take one to the top of this monument and into the monument galleries, from which a splendid view of Edinburgh may be obtained. At one end of these gar- dens, on an immense high stone foundation, is old Edin- burgh Castle with its picturesque Banquet Hall, Crown Room, Dungeons, and Queen Mary’s apartments. This old Castle is very impressive when thought of in connec- tion with Queen Mary, Charles I, Oliver Cromwell, and many other historic characters. Edinburgh also boasts the first monument erected in Europe to the memory of Lincoln. This is a life-size bronze cast, with a freed slave kneeling, looking grate- fully upwards to the President. John Knox’s House is also very interesting to visit. From the time we arrived in European waters, Decem- ber 7, 1917, until November 31, 1918, we based either at Scapa Flow, O. I., or in the Firth of Forth, at Rosyth, Scotland. During this time our work consisted of convoying mer- chant ships from different ports in England to Bergen, Norway; guarding American mine layers while laying mines across the North Sea; frequent battle practices by the entire Fleet in the North Sea; frequent target prac- tice, and general detail. On one occasion the Sixth Battle Squadron, accompa- nied by six torpedo boats, left Scapa Flow to escort a number of merchant ships from southern England to

Page 13 text:

The Missile 7 got under weigh about three-thirty, P. M. for somewhere ever here. December 18 — We dropped anchor this morning at 9:14 A. M. in the Firth of Forth, Scotland, at the Rosyth Navy Yard. We passed under the Forth Bridge, said to be the longest bridge in the world, being one and a half miles long, and taller than the Brooklyn Bridge. This anchor- age in the Forth River was another rendezvous of the Grand Fleet. On our right was Rosyth, a city of about fifteen thousand inhabitants. On our left was Edinburgh. All hands were anxious to go ashore, but could not, for the Florida had been placed in quarantine on account of an epidemic of mumps on board. December 24 — Chrismas Eve, and a very beautiful day. The boys decorated the ship with holly and mistletoe. December 25 — Chrismas Day, and nothing to do but pace the deck and wish for dinner. We were still under quarantine and had not been ashore for a month. December 29 — I shall always remember this day, for it is the day of my first visit to Edinburgh, Scotland. I had always had a great desire to visit Scotland, and especial- ly Edinburgh, ever since I read and studied about Scott and Burns. I feel that I have achieved a desire that many wish for and few realize. Edinburgh’s charms and beauties are too numerous for the limited space that I have. Its main business street is Princess Street. One side of this street is devoted to business establishments, while the other side is devoted entirely to a beautiful park called Princess Street Gar- dens. These gardens are exceedingly attractive and al- luring being filled with the prettiest of flowers and large flower designs and hundreds of low-hanging green trees.

Page 15 text:

The Missile 9 Bergen, Norway. Of course this carried us directly through the North Sea, and not many miles from where the German Fleet was lying. We put our convoy into port about noon on the 8th of February, and were wait- ing for another to come out to take back south, when about 2 P. M. the submarine warning was given. The four of us were steaming abreast. The New York and Wyoming were on our port and the Delaware on our starboard. The Wyoming was the first to sight the sub- marine and gave the warning. Almost instantaneously with the receiving of the warning two torpedoes were seen several hundred feet off headed directly for the Flo- rida. We hoisted signal that a torpedo was crossing from starboard to port and gave two long blasts on the siren to denote our changing course. The Delaware made a sharp turn to starboard. The Florida made a sharp turn to port, while the Wyoming and New York turned quick- ly to starboard. The torpedoes went between the Flo- rida and Wyoming, missing each about twenty-five feet. Quick, masterful directing by our Captain, now Rear Ad- miral Thomas Washington, saved us from an almost cer- tain accident. We again fell into battle formation. But peace was not long ours. Suddenly, not five hundred feet away, directly between the Florida and Delaware, a periscope was discovered, no doubt getting a range on us. We could not fire for fear of hitting a torpedo boat that was near. This torpedo boat made for the peri- scope. The submarine commander evidently saw it com- ing, for he immediately submerged. The torpedo boat passed directly over this spot and dropped several depth bombs, which are supposed to have damaged the subma- rine. This was an afternoon of excitement. About ten