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August 18, 1915 the British submarine E-13 grounded on Saltholm Flat between Copenhagen, Denmark and Malmo, Sweden. The E-13 found herself in a difficult situation, she was grounded in Danish waters and therefore subject to the neutrality laws, which meant she had 24 hours to get underway or be interned. The commander Lt. Cmdr. Geoffrey Layton and his crew began frantically removing anything that could be thrown overboard to lighten the boat but they were running out of time. In the early morinnig hours of the 19th ships from the Danish navy arrived on the scene and informed Layton of the time limit and then moved away a safe distance. They could not render any assistance to the submarine but, were under orders to protect the boat from attack by the Chief of the Danish Naval Staff. The boat needed protection because two German torpedo boats were also on the scene and radio transmissions from the German's concerned the British and the Danes. A few hours after dawn the Germans made their attack. The G-132 fired a torpedo at the E-13 which exploded short when it hit bottom. When that failed the G-132 opened up with her deck gun hitting the defenseless sub several times. Within three minuets the E-13 was a flaming twisted wreck and Layton ordered the boat abandoned. It is not understood why, while the E-13 was under attack in Danish waters, that the Danish ships which were observing the carnage did not react to aid the E-13 even though they had orders to do exactly that if she came under attack by the Germans. The Danes did however rescue the survivors. Layton in his report credited the Danes for moving their ships in between the E-13 and the still firing Germans which saved the lives of those still alive in the water. He also states that the Germans were firing at the men in the water with machine guns. In the three minuets it took to destroy the E-13 fifteen British sailors were killed. Lt. Cmdr. Layton and thirteen others were interned in Denmark for the remainder of the war. Well not exactly... Layton escaped and returned to Britain and rejoined the Royal Navy and in 1916 was named commander of the HMS S-1, he was finally promoted to Admiral and Knighted. Admiral Sir Geoffrey Layton GBE, KCB, KCMG, DSO, RN was Commander Southeast Asia in December 1941 when the Japanese attacked. One other crewman, 1st officer Lt. Eddis also escaped from Danish custody. |
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© 2006 Michael W. Pocock MaritimeQuest.com |
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