THE WONDERS OF H.M.S. SPARROWHAWK.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 203, 25 August 1916, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE WONDERS OF H.M.S. SPARROWHAWK.

liic story of the Sparrowhawk and the part she m the great battle of Jutland reads like a fantasy jf Jules Verne, rather than a real naval happening. The Sparrow hawk was a destrover attached to Jellicoe's Grand Fleet. In the daytime, when the huge super. Dreadnoughts of our Navy were battering the fleemg German High Sea* fleet, the Sparrowhawk with other destroyers was tearing round and round the big ships, keeping them free from embarrassments—such as submarines—and rskmg the countless shells that were falling wide of range of the'biz vessels. This was their perilous iob while daylight lasted. Immediately it was dusk they had a much more exciting and infinitely more perilous job at hand. But, they d;d not mind that, thev had bee.i praying for dusk to come in order to get at grips with the Germans, and, at the first smudge of dusk on the horizon they wont ;nto the fray hell for leather! (writes " F.N.' in the " Daily Sketch"). I he manner . n which these destroyers went into action was told to m e by an eye-witness on the Sparrowlrcwk. The .simple manner in whicii it was told and the" glorious story itself made me regret that it could not be tola simultaneously to the world, for no finer cne has ever been heard in th.> history of navai warfare. The Tipperary led the destrovers into action at direk. followed bv thj Sparrowhawk. Everv man knew his job and what was expected of him, and they were so happy they sang. Such was the volume of singing sen' from these fierce death-dealing vessels of Old England that the singing conid be heard from one to another above the hissing and churning up of the war-s against the quickly-moving sides of the vessels. The favourite song was "Whilst London Sleeps." And the men on the Sparowhawk, on completing the refrain, heard the song coming to them off the water from the hoys of the T:pporary ahead. WHILST LONDON SLEEPS." Such was the volume of happy singing sent out from the vessels that tha Destroyer Flotilla commander was reluctantly compelled to eend out tho order to "Stop singing. It is necessary to keep as quiet as possible." Here is the refrain of the favourite song:— Whilst London sleeps, and all its light 3 are gleaming. Millions of its people now lie sweetli dreaming. Some have no homes, *wlJlst other* watch are keeping, Others laugh and play the game whilst London's fast asleep. It was not long before the first enem> cruisers were sighted, and the destroyers in lifte ahead .tore through tho water towards the huge hulks of tho German vessels. Their presence was quickly observed, and they came under a terriole fire. The Tpporary. after firng a couple or more torpedoes into a German cruiser, was almost immediately sunk. The Sparrowhawk then led the line, and came in for the concentrated fire of a number of enemy vessels. But by dexterous handling she was able to evade being vitally hit, although several shells had exploded and a number of men were killed or wounded. BOW AND STERN CCT OFF. The gunnei*, with perfect precision, do-»pite the inferno around theft, successfully accounted for one large eraser, and struck another before darkness came on. It was then that the Sparrowhawk underwent a remarkable experience. W : th her searchlight occasionally flinging out a beam to discover an enemy vessel, she"tore on, looking for her victims. In the night, however, she was cut into by a German cruiser and her bow was completely sliced oif as though by a huge knife. Despits th s the vessel floated, and continued to fire and do considerable damage to the German cruisers unt ; l a few minutes later, when her stern was blow.i completely away, carrying a number ot liieii with it. And yet the centre of this woiider ship continued to float, and the men were able to fl : ng themselves into the water for & last chanfee of keeping afloat until picked up. The survivor I spoke to was rn the water near the remains of 1113 ship for four and a half hours until picked up by another vessel. With him were a number of other survivors, including the captain of the Sparrowhawk. CAPTAINS PLEA FOR HIS SHIP. At dawn the centre of the Sparrowhawk was seen to be still afloat, and the rescued crew, who were enjoying welcome nourishment, on hearing this, rushed to take a last look at their wonder sh : !). The captain was with them, too, and the men looked at him and were quiet, for, they said, "h* looked as though lie was going to sob." The commander of the rescue ship gave orders for the centre of the Sparrowhawk, which was floating as though defying the Germans still, to be destroyed. Captain ,ot the Sparrowhawk, appealed to the commander, and asked for the remans ot his vessel to be towed, but this was impossible, and the defiant centre of the Sparrowhawk was sent to the bottom. The captain, although badly wounded in the leg and face, was holding on to n part 01 thtf rescue ship's deck, and when the last of his vessel sank beneath the waves he broke down and quietly sobbed as only a strong, bravo man can whose heart is broken by the loss of his greatest treasure—his ship! As the rescue ship was leaving the* danger zone the men of th.e Sparrowhawk volunteered to take over duty on another vessel that mrght ha short of men through casualties. Whilst in port the eaptan appealed to the naval authorities to let him take another vessel into the fight, saying. "I can't walk about, but I can hang on to and steer ths wheal."