LAST OF CORONEL SQUADRON.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 August 1926, Page 3

LAST OF CORONEL SQUADRON.

THE GLASGOW’S WAR RECORD. LONDON, June 20. Tho cruiser Glasgow, which lias been placed on tho suspense list us a preliminary to being sold out of the Navy, has an. unusually interesting war record. She is the last survivor of the squadron which, under the late Admiral of the Fleet Sir Doveton Sturdee, annihilated Admiral von Spec’s command off the. Falkland Islands. And she is tho only British worship that fought both in the disastrous (for ourselves.) engagement of Coronel and in tho battle which avenged it. From Coronel tho Glasgow escaped miraculously. Six hundred shells were fired at her by the enemy. Ono of them wrecked the cabin of Captain Luce, who commanded her; five others struck her on the water line, but her coal hunkers saved her.

The Glasgow wfis first to sight von Spec’s ships at the Falklands. She went ito action in company with the Invincible and the Inflexible, and took a leading part in sinking the Leipzig. During the fight the Glasgow suffered some damage, hut immediately it was over she, in company with the Kent, was dispatched to hunt down the cruiser Dresden, the only one of the enemy ships that got away from Sir Doveton Sturdce’s guns. The Dresden was at least two knots faster than the Glasgow, and even more superior ir speed to the Kent. She proved a most elusive quarry, as she knew all the hiding holies in the South Atlantic and the South Pacific.

From December 8, 1911, until March 14, 1915, the chase of her continued, covering thousands of miles. On the latter date the Glasgow found the Dresden lying close inshore at Juan Fernandez, and a dramatic quest came quickly to a thrilling end. _ As the Dresden Rid her colours flying the Glasgow opened fire upon her. Three minutes (later, almost before the Kent could join effectively in the attack, the Dresden hauled down her colours and hoisted the white flag, this being the only instance of a warship running up the white flag during the war. Before the Glasgow could take possession of the Dresden she was blown up by her crew, who had escaped to the

shore. , „ ~, Since peace was declared the Glasgow'lias spent most of her time _in harbour. Her removal from the active list leaves the second city of the Empire unrepresented m the Navy' But it is anticipated that the namo will eventually be restored to the Naw List by conferring it upon a new cruiser, as lias been done in the case of London.