Submitted by David STAPLES, Australia
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Herbert STAPLES was an Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class on the submarine E.13 in WW1.

Below is the article from the Newcastle Daily Journal 23 Aug 1915:

Naval Warfare
Admiralty Report of Loss of E 13
Attacked in Danish Waters
German Treachery & Danish Chivalry

The Secretary of the Admiralty made the following announcement on Saturday night:-

A report has now been received from Lieutenant-Commander Lavton, commanding
E 13, Whose grounding on the Danish Island of Saltholm was made public on Friday.
Lieutenant-Commander Layton reports that the submarine under his command
grounded In the early morning of the 19th, and all efforts to re-float her failed.

At 5am a Danish torpedo boat appeared on the scene, and communicated to E 13
that she Would be allowed 24 hours to try to get off.  At the same time a
German torpedo boat destroyer Arrived, and remained close to the submarine
until two more Danish torpedo boats came up, when she withdrew.

At 9am, while three Danish torpedo boats where anchored close to the
submarine, two German Torpedo boat destroyers approached from the south.
When about half a mile away one of the Destroyers hoisted a commercial flag
signal.

Before the commanding officer of the E 13 had time to read it the German
destroyer Fired a torpedo at her from a distance of about 300 yards, which
exploded on reaching the Bottom close to her.

At the same moment the German destroyer fired with all her guns, and
Lieutenant-Commander Layton, seeing that his submarine was on fire fore and
aft, and unable to defend himself, gave orders for the crew to abandon her.
While the men were in the water they were fired on by machine guns and with
shrapnel.

One of the Danish torpedo boats immediately lowered her boats and steamed
between the Submarine and the German destroyers, who had to cease fire and
withdraw.
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Added 7-August-2013