THE GRAND FLEET.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 August 1922, Page 4

THE GRAND FLEET.

AN INCIDENT AFTER JUTLAND. STORY OF AN UNFOUGHT BATTLE LONDON, July ?.

A remarkable StOVy is published ill the current Humber of the “Outlook,” which purports to throw further light on an unfortunate incident of naval warfare in August of 1010. On the “Ist of that miirtth the Admiralty reported officially that on the previous Saturday the German High Sea Fleet came out, hilt, learning that the British forces were in considerable strength, avoided engaging, and reinfill'd to port. “In searching for the enemy,” the announcement continued,• “Wc lost two light cruisers by sub. inrtf irie fitt'lck— TI.M.S. Nuttinghaift and H.M.S. Fdlmbuth.” It was added that one diteftiy Submarine had been destroyed, and the second rammed and possibly sunk. At the outset, the writer, Mr J. L. llulderston, recalls that Scheer, .who l as just succeeded the cautious Pohl, was instructed that his submarines were to obey prize law and visit and search their pl'e.v before sinking them. This did not suit Si-heel - . who recalled all his commerce-raiding U-boats anil worked mil a plan for using them to entrap the British Fleet. He intended to attack tli'6 English coast near Sunderland, and his battle orders included a bombardment of that town by the whole strength of the German Navy. Selieor placed his submarines where lie expected Jelliebc and Beatty to cross as they rushed down to intercept hiiir.

On August 16th, the High -S as Fleet shaped course for Hartlepool,” the “Outlook” continues. “Scheer left the Second Squadron to guard the Bight. He had with him tlie new battleship Bayern, not finished when Jutland was fought, and the Grosser Kurfdfst and Markgraf in place of tlie Derfiinger ami Seyillitz, which laid been too badly hammered to reappear. These ships went ahead with tli'e hattle-eruisCrs. The Dreadnoughts followed twenty miles behind, and eight Zeppelins hovered overhead. But the Admiralty was not caught napping; indeed, Jellieoe had come out even before the Germans sailed. At five o’clock the same afternoon the Grand Fleet started down the East Coast. Moreover, tlie E 2J, waiting in the middle of the North Sea on the Germans’ course, torpedoed the V\ estfalen twice. Sclieer sent his stricken ship home, and carried on. NOTTINGHAM TORPEDOED.

“During the night Beatty’s Cat •Squadron came out and was proceeding south thirty miles ahead of the Grand Fleet, when, at 5.55 in the morning the Se<di)d fight Cruiser Squadron, which led the van, ran into the first line of submarines off the Fame Islands. Tlie Nottingham was torpedoed twice. News of this at once reached Jellicoe, who ordered the Grand Fleet to turn round and make north, away from the enemy. This manoeuvre might have been still more criticised than the Jutland turn-sway —but tlie Admiralty has never told about it. Meanwhile tlie XottinglldiK was torpedoed again before she eoitld got to port and sank. Tyrwbitt’s Harwich flotilla was out, and sighted the. enemy at 0.30 a.m., lint could not attack unsupported. Selieer kept steadily on his course all the morning fully informed by bis Zeppelins of where the British squadrons were and what they were doing.

AN UNFOUGHT JUTLAND. "Some four hours after the loss of the Nottingham, Admiral Jellicoe decided to cover Newcastle. At noon ho was 95 miles E. of the Fame Islands, with Beatty ahead of him, steering S.S.E., and the German fleet 90 miles K. of Whitby and still coming on. At half-past twelve Beatty’s squadrons were off Newcastle, 12 miles from the enemy, but here Selieer thought things were getting too hot, turned south, pushed off tlie Harwich ‘light stub that was hanging to his flank, and started home at 2.35 p.m. “Admiral Beatty was off in pursuit, but Jellicoe signalled him before three to turn back immediately. While returning, nil jiour and :t lulll later, the light cruiser Falihoutk was sunk by