THE NAVAL FIGHT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 197, 28 January 1915, Page 5

THE NAVAL FIGHT

THE DERFFLINGER ABLAZE. DECKS STREWN „iTH WRECKAGE. UNABLE :TO FIRE. 'A DESPERATE RACE FOR SHELTER. Receibed 28, 11.15 p.m. I ' London, January 27. The Scotsman reports that the Lion's broadside when passing the Bluclier caused frightful damage, but the Lion's quarry was further ahead, namely, the raider of Scarborough.. The Tiger, when passing, also Hit the Bluclier, and tlie Princess Royal, following, discharged a terrific broadside at the Bluclier, which was already doomed and abandoned by her sister ships. Then the bigger German ships were overhauled and pounded Their light cruisers did their utmsot to escape. The Dcrfflinger's and Scydlitz's Arc weakened as ti l(i fight proceeded, and within half an hour of reaching the mine area the former was afire forward, masses of (lames sweeping the foredecks. The decks were strewn with wreckage. When within the mined area her guns were unable to answer the hail of projectiles following lier. The loss of life must have been serious.

A third vessel, the Seydlitz or tne Moltke, suffered more severely by one of the guns being smashed and causing great execution among the crew. She was a silent ship as she steamed desperately for shelter with her whole after-deck ablaze as she entered the mined area.

'Meanwhile the Lion endeavoured to head off the light cruisers towards their pursuers, and damaged them, but they escaped. Some were seriously damaged, their hulls battered, and guns swept from their mountings. Towards the end of the action the small cruiser Arethusa fired a torpedo, which struck the Blucher. The latter's men leapt into the sea. The Blucher's superior officers were assisted aboard the rescuing vessel, and when one of the latter's officers advanced the German spat in the welcomer's face. The larger proportion of the Blucher's loses was due to the terrible effects of British gun lire. 'But for the intervention of air craft scarcely | a man of those thrown into the sea would have been lost. A huge Zeppelin and a number of aeroplanes from Heligoland avoided' the larger vessels' anti-aircraft guns, and bombed and de-, stroyed the men struggling in the seai TWO BRITISH CRUISERS DAMAGED. TOWED TO PORT. LATER LIST OF CASUALTIES. Received 27, 5.5 pan. London. January 2G. The Admiralty announces that all our ships and destroyers have returned safely. The Indomitable towed the Lion home, the latter's forward compartments having been flooded by a shell, which struck her below the waterline. The Liberty towed the Meteor, which had been disabled. J Both were guarded by strong escorts : of destroyers. Repairs will be speedy. The total casualties were:— i H.M.S. Lion, seventeen wounded, j H.M.S. Tiger, one officer and nine' men killed, three officers and eight men wounded. H.M.S. Meteor, four killccj and one ' wounded. j THIRTY-FIVE GERMAN SHIPS. I NARRATIVES FROM TRAWLERS' ( CREWS. Received 27, 10.25 a.m. London, January 27. A trawler's crew states that Ashing on the Dogger Bank was suspended wlien the firing was heard. About thirty-five German vessels sped past, followed by the Britishers in line, tile Germans firing their stern guns wildly. The British shells constantly | struck the Germans, despite their speed. Hie British tried to head the Germans j south-wards. Amsterdam, January 27. The captain of a Dutch trawler counted twenty-four German ships, and the Britishers trying to cut them off. The firing was indescribably terriffie. Water spouted high in the air round the British slaps, where badly aimed German i shots fell. ' The British guns were hotter, and were more regularly served. Both squadrons were enveloped in smoke. He saw a great burst of smoke and bands of flame coming from one of the German ships. i A GHASTLY SIGHT. SEA STREWN WITH CORPSES. Recsieved 27, 10.15 p.m. London, January 27. A bluejacket recounts that when the Blucher was erippled her gun liru became more a menace to her own fleet than to the English. As she set Wed her guns went off for the last time. "The water was strewn with bodieß and spars. It was a ghastly sight, many being mutilated beyond recognition. "The fir'ng waa so heavy that the ocean was covered with ®r.t. ssd " -' a banquet. "Two German aeroplanes Uroppeu bombs and drove off the Liberty." "Our destroyers went to the rescue of the crews, but some Germans fired on them. The destroyer liberty was deputed to rescue the survivors,