BATTLE OF FALKLANDS

Hokitika Guardian, 11 June 1929, Page 5

BATTLE OF FALKLANDS

FATE OF THE GNEISENAU. Some interesting details of the naval battle at the Fallclands on December 8, 1914, are given by “Signal’s” in tire. Daily Mail. The British battle-cruiser Inflexible —forming part of Admiral Sturdee’s squadron.—in the late afternoon, with her sister-ship, the Invincible, • gave chase to the German armoured cruiser Gneisenau, aifter sinking the German-' flagship Sharnhorst, with Spee’s flag, says the writer.

Both British battle-cruisers, were now attacking the Gneisenau, which was hopelessly outmatched: 1 They could bring to bear 16 12in guns against her, whereas her broadside consisted of only six> B.Bin guiis and three 6in. The British armoured cruiser Carnavon was also co-operat-ing against the German ship, though from her comparatively light armament she could not attack with the power of a battle-cruiser. Thus the concentration against the German vessel was one of overwhelming strength. Hit after hit followed on her. Her fore-turret was disabled; her after-turret was jammed; a shell' (burst in the forward dressing station, which was crowded with wounded, and killed everyone there. One ■of the main engines was disabled by a fragment of another shell; and the gun crews had repeatedly renewed as they were swept away by splinters and the concussion of the explosions. The casing of the foremost funnel was shattered, and the fans sucked the gases from the funnel down into the foremost boiler room, which had to be abandoned. But the ship still floated; the fires which broke out after the bursting of the big British shells were extinguished time after time by the huge splashes of uatci thrown up !by porjectiles which fell short.

Shortly after 5 p.m. the Gneisenau ceased fire for a few minutes, and it was- thought in the Inflexible that she was out of action. But then she reopened, and from the British ships once .more a number of shells were poured into her. It seemed as if nothing would sink her. Unknown to the British, however, preparations were being made on board her to abandon ship and send her shattered hull to the bottom. ’iho ofrder for that purpose was given about 5.40, just at the time when she fired her last shot.

The survivors of the crew, some 250 in number, were ltiustered on deck, and in the presence of death, gave three cheers “for his Majesty the Kaiser.” With Kingston valves open and charges exploded in the bilge to let in tlie sea, the Gneisnau slowly turned over to starboard and sank. The British ships cautiously approached. Until the German armoured cruiser was actually sinking, there was risk- that she might fire her torpedoes at them. Their boats had been so much damaged by splinters in the action that there was delay in getting them away to rescue the men in icy cold water. But 187 officers and men were saved, in addition to a number ivho died in the boats or on board the British ships of exhaustion. Thus ended the chase of Spee, with a British loss of one killed and three wounded, and a German loss of 1540 killed or drowned, and 187 prisoners.