Neutral ships plying within the new barred zones were informed that they would do so at their own risk, although precautions would be taken to protect neutral ships which sailed thither prior to the 1st February. In a Note to the United States, Germany declared that she must abandon the limitations which had hitherto governed the employment of her weapons at sea, and added: “Neutral ships which are lying in harbours in the barred zones can with security still leave the barred zones if they depart before 5th February, and take the shortest route to a free zone.”
In the middle of February, 1917, Berlin issued an official telegram explaining that the period of grace for neutral steamers whom news of the blockade could not reach in time elapsed on the night of the 12th February as regards the zone in the Atlantic and English Channel. For the North Sea the period of grace expired on the night of the 6th February, and for the Mediterranean on the night of the 10th. This telegram concluded: “It is expressly stated that all the news spread from the enemy side regarding torpedoing without previous warning of neutral ships before the dates mentioned for the various blockaded zones is incorrect. The periods of grace mentioned were also in force for enemy passenger vessels, because it was possible that on them were neutral passengers who were perhaps without knowledge of the sea blockade.”
The Danish vessel Lars Kruse was a Belgian Relief steamer, which in February, 1917, was carrying a cargo of grain from Buenos Ayres to Rotterdam for the Belgian Relief Commission. She bore the neutral Commission’s flags and markings, as described in the case of the Euphrates; and it must also be remembered that the German authorities in the United States had stated specifically that they did not mean to interfere with Relief ships. Nevertheless, at 10 p.m. on the 3rd February, when 16 miles off Ushant, the Lars Kruse was torpedoed without warning, her crew of 18 being all drowned, except the chief engineer.
On the 27th March, 1917, the British steamer Thracia was 10 miles N.N.E. of Belle Isle, travelling at a speed of 7 knots, the time being 8.15 p.m. She was suddenly torpedoed without warning by a German submarine, being struck forward of the stokehold. The explosion burst her boilers, killing an engineer, a greaser, and two firemen. Immediately after the explosion the steamer went down by the head to starboard before any attempt could be made to lower the boats. Her crew of 38 all perished, except two men, one of whom, Douglas V. Duff, acting fourth officer, has described his experiences.
Duff went down with the ship, and on coming to the surface, swam to an upturned boat—the starboard life-boat, which had had her stern blown off. Seven other men clambered on to her, two of whom had been severely wounded. Both these men were soon washed off the boat. Three of the remaining six slipped back into the sea, in order to swim to a steamer which was visible about a mile away; but a few minutes afterwards the steamer went away. The three men did not return. There were now two other men on the boat besides Duff, and although he did not actually see them go, there is no doubt that they were both washed away by the sea.
At about 11 p.m. a black object came into view, and Duff was hailed in English by the German commander, who asked what ship he had sunk, where she was from, and what was her destination. Duff answered all the questions. The commander then said, “I am going to shoot you.” Duff told him to shoot away; but the commander replied that he would not waste powder on a pig of an Englishman, and added, “Drown, you swine! Drown!” The submarine then disappeared. At 10.30 next morning Duff was picked up by a French fishing-boat, and afterwards transferred to a French torpedo-boat. The only other survivor was picked up by a Norwegian steamer, the Nordborg, and landed at Barry.
In the evening of the 17th April the hospital ship Lanfranc and s.s. Donegal were transporting wounded across the Channel. The Lanfranc carried 234 wounded British officers and men, 167 wounded German prisoners, a medical personnel of 52, and a crew of 123. The s.s. Donegal carried a number of slightly wounded, all of whom were British. Between 7 and 8 p.m. both ships were torpedoed without warning.
The Germans on board the Lanfranc at once made a rush for the boats. They managed to launch one, but it was overloaded and swamped. The British soldiers stood to attention and behaved with great coolness, as also did the medical staff and crew. As a result of the outrage two wounded British officers and 11 other ranks were drowned, as well as one of the R.A.M.C. and five of the crew. Of the Germans, two wounded officers and 13 other ranks were drowned. The casualties in the Donegal amounted to 41.