A WAR STORY

Hokitika Guardian, 2 November 1929, Page 8

A WAR STORY

THE LION AT DOGGER BANK

On January 23, 1915, the eve of the Buttle of tlie Dogger Rank, the cruiser Lion, llagship of Sir David Beatty, was lying in the birth of Forth, With her, forming part of Beatty’s force, were the other battle cruisers Tiger, Prinloss Royal, New Zealand, and Indomitable. The New Zealand flew the flag of Rear-Admiral Sir Archibald Moore, who had a few days before joined the battle cruiser force and commanded the 2nd battle cruiser squad-

ron. Jn the early afternoon order came in from the Admiralty to proceed to a rendezvous in the North Sea, as information had been received that four German battle cruisers, six light cru.sers, and 22 destroyers were to put out that night from Heligoland to cruise on tlie Dogger Bank. The German armoured ships consisted of the battle cruisers Seydlitz, Moltke, and Derfflinger, with the armoured cruiser Blucher, under Rear-Ad-miral Hipper, wli'o flew his flag in the Seydlitz. The German purpose was to clear away the British mining and sweeping ships from the Dogger Bank. Beatty left Rosyth at G o’clock that evening, and iS'ir John Jellicoe simultaneously proceeded from Seapa with the whole of his available force so to he able to support him. Rear-Admiral Tyrwlutt’s flotilla of light cruisers and destroyers was also ordered to the Dogger Bank from the base at Harwich. The Germans, though they little sus-

pected it, were steaming into the very midst of an overwhelming British fleet. At daybreak on January 24 the Lion was off the Dogger Bank, when a signal came in from the Aurora, one of Tyrwhitt’s light cruisers, that she was in action with the High Sea Fleet. She had encountered ‘the Gerrnpn light craft. Beatty steamed south of the point where the Germans were reported, to get between them and their base and thus force them to a decisive action. The Lion and the other British battle cruisers increased speed first to 25 knots and then to 26 and 27. The British light cruisers could be seen from the Lion’s bridge away on the port bow. The morning was cloudy, with good visibility and there was a moderate sea running. THE FIRST SHOTS. Hippcr, finding that he was in danger of being trapped, turned at 8.35 and made lor the German coast. In the Lion the order was given to increase speed to 28 knots, which was in excess of what'the ships could do in actual service. At 8.44, far off, there came into view from the jeon’s bridge ‘four separate wedges or triangles of smoke, with another mass of smoke ahead of them, coming from the destroyers.” They were the German armoured ships which going only 20 knots, were being steadily overhauled. The Lion drew nearer till from the last of the German ships came a spout of flame. The range was 22,000 miles. Shot followed shot from the Germans; the fountains of water which they threw up drew nearer to the Lion, till at 8.52 she fired her first round in reply, signalled an order to increase speed to 20 knots—the actual pace at that time was about 26 knots.