CRICCIETH (1919)

Description

Date: 13 June 1919
Transcript:
CRICCIETH.
The number of holiday-makers at Criccieth exceeds that of any pre-war Whitsuntide on record. Rain fell on Saturday night, but on Sunday there was lovely sunshine. Golf tennis, boating and mountaineering are in full swing. The chief attraction of the week, however, the presentation of the town's silver casket model of Criccieth Castle to the Prime Minister, has had to be postponed owing to Mr. Lloyd George being unable to leave Paris.
Captain Robert Hughes. of Woodfield, Criccieth has been commanded to appear before the King at Buckingham Palace this week to be decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross for his gallantry in resisting an enemy submarine attack for 2 1/2 hours on November 3rd, 1915. Two shots were fired at the steamship Woodfield, of which Captain Hughes was in command. The shots fell about 100 yards ahead of the ship. A submarine was sighted 3 to 4 miles away, flying the signal "Abandon ship immediately." The course of the Woodfield was altered to bring the submarine astern, the ensign hoisted, and the fire returned. Although all shots from the 3-pounder gun fell 1 to 1 1/2 miles short, of the submarine, the ship continued the action for two hours. The Woodfield was first hit half an hour after action commenced, and from then onwards nearly every shell found its mark. When eight men had been killed and 14 wounded the captain ordered firing to cease in order to get some of the boats away. The submarine also ceased firing and submerged, torpedoing the Woodfield 20 minutes later. The master finally jumped overboard, and although wounded in the legs and shoulder, swam 60 yards to a raft.
Source:
'Criccieth.' The Cambrian News and Welsh Farmers' Gazette. 13 June 1919. 7.

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