BATTLE OF JUTLAND

Hokitika Guardian, 6 November 1920, Page 1

BATTLE OF JUTLAND

J■; . ‘ J-5*pUU • > “•' OUTLINE OF OFFICIAL HISTORY. .'. . LONDON, Sept. 23. ' ■ The official account of tlie battle of Jutland, which! has been prepared, by Captain J. Ei T. Harper, a ! former pul pil of Christ’s College, Cliristcliiirch, is in print and ready for publication; “Why it has not been issued to the public' is an .unexplained mystery,”' says tlie “Daily Mail.” , " • “An appendix prints the signals’exchanged. Iri that appendix appears Earl Beatty's appeal for support in crushing the German-fleet, about 7.15 p.m cin'the day of battle; and also wliat ' lias riot hitherto beeri known, the reply to that signal ‘in the affirmative.’ It was made some 15 minutes later, but by ' then tho favourable moment had pass--eiil Lord Beatty’S-signal was to the ■ effect :'“lf -you follow me wo can aiini- ' Dilate tho enemy:” ;

“The diagrams showing tlie movements—of ■ which there’are several - provri that about the time of the signal tho Germans turned sharply away 'from tho British fleet towards the west and steamed west for some ten miles. They, were then iri great disorder; in 'two or three bodies, and a prornpt attack by the immensely pori'erfuß British Fleet would have certainly produced great, re. suit#." ! ' . ’ ‘ ‘ 1 .

“That it would have had risks'is certain but the risks would have been to tlie Germans; Of tlriii* 1 battle-cruisers the Derflihgor had stopped about ’ this time; with her torpedo not hanging over licr port screw and:34oo tons of water'in tlie ship.-’ The Lutzow was in extremis,’ badly on fire, with a heavy ’ list. From the Sedlitz, flames were nsing ‘hi"h as a house/ as a German offico rsays ,and her bow was so deep in tho water that'her escape'would have been impossible. The Moltk'e Was-too ' badlv injured to keep station; and the Yon' der Tann, : the only battle cruiser left in fighting condition, had been badly bit. s ' . “Tt was at this point of- the battle that Lord Jellicoe with the British battle-fleet ,turned away from the German to avoid a torpedo attack, and never recovered contact.” la