The Boy Volunteers with the Submarine Fleet

In Short

Kenneth Ward’s 1917 juvenile adventure novel follows American teenagers Ralph and Alfred, along with their guardian, Captain Elton, as their transatlantic voyage is shattered by a German U-boat attack. Taken prisoner aboard the enemy submarine, the trio endures hazardous undersea maneuvers, dangerous entanglements in defensive nets, and the psychological strain of silent warfare in the English Channel. Combining mechanical detail with melodrama, the novel traces their daring capture of the vessel, a hair-breadth escape from a timed explosive, and their ultimate rescue, celebrating youthful composure, resourcefulness, and composure under fire.

The Story

The story opens aboard an ocean liner navigating the treacherous, U-boat-infested waters of the Atlantic. Among the passengers are young Ralph, his cousin Alfred, and their parents, including Captain Elton. Tensions run high as the ship’s officers issue stark instructions regarding lifebelts, emergency boat stations, and the grim necessity of pushing hesitant passengers overboard should the vessel go down. Despite the captain’s skillful evasive maneuvers—zig-zagging through the waves to throw off enemy targeting—a coordinated attack by three submarines eventually sends a torpedo crashing into the liner’s starboard side.

In the ensuing chaos, Ralph, Alfred, and Captain Elton are separated from the rest of the passengers and captured by the crew of one of the attacking German submarines. Plunged into the dark, cramped quarters of the submersible, the prisoners experience firsthand the claustrophobic reality of undersea warfare. They listen helplessly as the submarine stalks other merchant ships, launches its final torpedoes, and evades incoming depth charges and enemy destroyers.

Disaster strikes when the submarine becomes tangled in massive steel submarine nets anchored in the English Channel. To shift the vessel’s balance and free it, the German officers draft the prisoners into hard manual labor, forcing them to haul heavy supply crates and machinery parts from the stern to the bow. During the struggle, the submarine tips violently to a forty-five-degree angle, trapping Alfred temporarily and throwing the crew into disarray. Taking advantage of the officers' incompetence and panic, Captain Elton and the boys covertly secure concealed revolvers and stage a disciplined takeover of the vessel, subduing the sub-lieutenant and seizing control of the conning tower.

Their victory is short-lived. The captured officers have left behind a hidden time-fuse mine designed to blow the vessel to pieces. Using a secret key extracted from a captive officer, Captain Elton disarms the explosive mechanism just in time. Navigating the foul-smelling, oil-choked vessel toward safety, they are eventually intercepted by Allied submarine chasers and naval vessels. The boys escape into the water moments before the damaged submarine suffers a catastrophic explosion, leaving them afloat in life preservers until a passing vessel picks them up. Safe at last, they watch from the deck as Allied warships destroy remaining enemy U-boats and rescue survivors from minefields, bringing their perilous voyage to a triumphant close.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Aboard a passenger liner crossing the Atlantic, Ralph, Alfred, and their family listen to grim safety warnings from the ship's officers. Equipped with binoculars, the boys join the crew on the bridge to help scan the horizon for enemy periscopes.

Attacked in the Bay of Biscay The liner attempts to dodge a coordinated trap set by three enemy submarines through rapid zig-zagging. Despite the captain's forced-draft effort to outrun the threat, a torpedo strikes the starboard side, throwing the passengers into open lifeboats 150 miles from land.

Imprisoned under the sea Captured from their lifeboat, Ralph, Alfred, and Captain Elton are locked in a cramped, dark compartment of a German submarine. They spend grueling hours listening to the mechanical thrum of electric motors, tracking torpedo launches, and bracing against the concussions of nearby naval gunfire.

Snared in the nets While navigating toward the English Channel, the submarine becomes entangled in an underwater steel defense net. The German officers force the prisoners to assist in moving heavy cargo to the bow, but a sudden shift in weight tilts the hull to a dangerous forty-five-degree angle.

Taking the helm Exploiting the crew's panic and physical exhaustion, Captain Elton and the boys retrieve hidden revolvers and execute a carefully timed ambush at the conning tower. They disarm the officers, gain control of the controls, and locate the secret key needed to neutralize a timed demolition device.

Explosion and rescue After signaling a nearby vessel for assistance, the submarine suffers a sudden, violent explosion that throws Ralph and Alfred into the sea. Captain Elton supports the stunned Alfred in the water until an Allied rescue boat arrives to pull them aboard to safety.

The People

• Ralph: A quick-witted, observant American teenager who uses his keen sight and sharp mechanical intuition to help navigate and decipher the submarine's instruments. His eagerness to assist ship officers and his ability to locate hidden weapons make him instrumental in the group's survival and ultimate takeover of the vessel.
• Alfred: Ralph's cousin, who balances deep concern for his family with steady courage under pressure. Though he suffers physical bumps—getting pinned by falling crates and later knocked unconscious during the ship's final explosion—his calm demeanor and sharp memory for technical details like latitude coordinates help Captain Elton track their position.
• Captain Elton: Ralph’s father and a seasoned authority figure whose steady composure grounds the boys throughout their imprisonment. He understands naval tactics, recognizes the sound of underwater hull impacts, plans the armed capture of the German crew, and coolly negotiates the disarming of the hidden fuse.
• The Sub-Lieutenant: The primary antagonist aboard the German submarine, whose arrogant demeanor crumbles under pressure. Hindered by limited practical knowledge of his own vessel's instruments, he attempts to sabotage the ship with a hidden mine before being outmaneuvered by Captain Elton.

In Its Own Voice

"Do not argue, but push them overboard, and the life belts will hold them in position in the water until the waiting boats can rescue them."

The ship's captain gives these stark, unvarnished emergency orders to the passengers just before entering the U-boat zone.

"The sound can be heard not only much plainer, but also much sooner than through the air," answered the captain.

Captain Elton explains the acoustic properties of seawater to the boys while they lie trapped in the submerged steel hull.

"I will make it your grave without a moment's hesitation, and without the least compunction."

Captain Elton confronts the sullen sub-lieutenant after discovering the hidden explosive device wired into the control circuits.

What It's Really About

Behind its fast-paced naval adventure, the novel explores the technological anxieties of early twentieth-century warfare. It contrasts the noble, open chivalry of traditional seamanship with the unseen, mechanized terror of submarine tactics and automated explosive mines. Through the eyes of its young protagonists, the story examines how technical literacy, spatial awareness, and cool-headed discipline allow individuals to master complex, terrifying machinery rather than become its victims. The narrative also highlights themes of democratic resourcefulness and moral duty, emphasizing that courage must be paired with practical knowledge and respect for human life—even when dealing with a defeated enemy—to overcome the mechanical horrors of modern global conflict.

Why Read It Today

The Boy Volunteers with the Submarine Fleet offers modern readers a fascinating, period-accurate window into early submarine technology and World War I propaganda aimed at young audiences. Written in 1917, the book captures the immediate historical atmosphere of the era, showcasing contemporaneous perceptions of U-boat warfare, naval defense nets, and maritime escape procedures.

Readers who enjoy historical adventure, classic military fiction, or vintage technology will appreciate the book's detailed explanations of inclinometers, periscopes, torpedo tubes, and trimming tanks. While the prose is straightforward and occasionally formal by modern standards, the tension of being trapped underwater drives the narrative forward at a rapid pace. Modern readers should be prepared for period-typical wartime jingoism, simplified national stereotypes, and dramatic coincidences that characterize early twentieth-century series fiction. Nevertheless, the genuine focus on mechanical mechanics, acoustic science, and procedural detail gives the story an authentic, grounded weight that keeps the suspense alive from the open ocean to the final explosion.