RAID OFF LOWESTOFT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 166, 19 December 1914, Page 3

RAID OFF LOWESTOFT.

SURPRISE FOR THE GERMANS. ' GERMANS' POOR SHOOTING. The raid of eight German warships off the east coast of England early in - November is thus described in the London Daily Mail:— < The light of the morning revealed the * enemy's warships right among the steam t trawling fleet, eight miles from Lowestoft. They had obviously been steaming with lights out, and wele flying no flags. When the hulls first took shape ] against the grey dawn the fishermen believed they were British boats. There is a welLauthenticated story that the skipper of the SD 5 was so sure that they ivere British boats, that he waved 1 his morning teapot at them in greeting - from the deck. In reply, the sailors * in the nearest warship shook their fists at liim.

A few minutes later the Halcyon, an antique British gunboat used in fishery patrol work from Lowestoft, appeared on the horizon, innocent also of the Germans in the vicinity. The increasing light of the day revealed them to one another. lAt a range of about five miles the enemy opened fire on the Halcyon. The fishermen in the neighborhood were witnesses of what occurred. Indeed, the wheel-house windows in several of them were shattered by the vibration of bursting shells. The German ships fired singly and in broadsides, and having by now increased their speed, were well under way. In all, just over 130 shots were fired, some shrapnel, and some ordinary shell. The Halcyon, being an obsolete boat, was quite outranged, and had no option but to run for safety. So she raced across the seas, and eventually reached Lowestoft. The German boats did not pursue, but after shelling for about two minutes, suddenly put on full speed and steamed away north. Why, it is not known, but it may be that they were afraid of the arrival of British ships called by the Halcyon wireless apparatus. The damage done to the Halcyon was very slight, and it is no tribute to the German gunnery. The Halcyon regained harbor at about 8 o'clock. Large crowds of people who had been attracted to the sea lront, cheered her as she came in. . The subsequent incidents are another chapter of this strange story. They occurred about eight miles oil the coast, midway betewen Lowestoft and Yarmouth, about ten o'clock in the niorning. The Fraternal was the first to suiter. She was blown up forward and sank slowly. The crew were rescued out of the water, very exhausted, bv other steam drifters, and taken into Yarmouth and Lowestoft. Then the -Copious was struck, and sunk almost immediately, leaving very few survivors. A few minutes later, two submarines, which had come from , in pursuit' of the Germans, came in sight. A Yar. mouth trawler, the Homeland, spoke to D 5 aiul warned her of mines. 1)5 then proceeded to the other submarine to carry the warning to her, but while she was'on the way, she struck a mine. Her bow, according to the Homeland s skipper came right up in the air, and she sank in about two minutes. As the time she was struck, she was travelling mi the water with conning-tower open and two men visible. Probably these ale the two that are saved, as the coiinmg- ' tower was submerged as soon boat turned her nose up in the air. Both the survivors, one of whom was the 'commander, was badly injured: they were picked up by the Homeland and taken to the Lady Crosslev Hospital at Yarmouth. The reason of the hasty departure of the Germans was their pursuit by Britigh warships. They must, loweu I ], ii«i\e made oil' long before these weie in sight.