Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-17
NAVAL OFFICER SAYS SEA FIGHT
WAS NOT BATTLE, BUT MASSACRE

London.-A graphic description OF
the naval engagement OF He1goland,
in which British vessels sank five Ger
man ships and killed 900 men, has
reached here in a letter to relatives
from young lieutenant who was on
one of the British torpedo boat de
stroyers. 1t reads:
As to our fight off HeligoIand,
think the home papers are magnify
ing what really was but an affair OF
outposts- We destroyers went in and
lured the enemy out and had lots CT
excitement. The big fellows then came
up and afforded some excellent target
practice, and We were very glad to see
them come; but you ought not to con
slider that we had a fight, because it
was a massacre, not fight.
Just a Case of Bombardment.
There was superb generalship and
overwhelming forces on the spot, but
there was really nothing for them tC
do except to shoot the enemy, even as
pa shoots pheasants.
Have you ever noticed a dog rush
in on a flock of sheep and scatter
them? He goes for the nearest and
barks and goes so much faster than
the flock that it punches up with its
companions. The dog then barks at
another and the sheep spread out fan
wise, SO in front Of the dog there is a
semi-circle of sheep and behind him
none.
Tells of the Battle.
That was much what We did at Z
a. m. on August %. The sheep were
the German torpedo craft, which fell
back on the limits of our range and
tried to lure US within the fire of the
Helgoland forts. But a cruiser then
came out and engaged our Arethusa
and they had real heart to heart talk
while we looked on, and few of US
tried to shoot at the enemy, too
though it was beyond our distance.
we were getting nearer Helgoland
all the time. There was a thick mist
and l expected every minute to find
the forts on the island bombarding US
so the Arethusa presently drew off
after landing at least one good shell
on the enemy. The enemy gave every
bit as good as he got there.
I'VE then reformed, but strong de-
stroyer belonging to the submarines
got chased, and the Arethusa and
Fearless went back to look after it
We presently heard a hot action
astern, so the captain in command OF
the f1otilla turned us around and we
went back to help. But they had driven
the enemy off and on our arrival told
us to form up on the Arethusa
Cruiser Fires on Ships.
When we had partly formed and
were very much punched together
making a fine target, suddenly out OF
the mist arrived five or six shells from
point not $50 yards away. We gazed
at whence they came and again five OF
six stabs of fire pierced the fog, and
we made out a four funneled German
cruiser Of the Breslau class.
Those stabs we're its guns going
off. We waited Is seconds and the
shots and noise Of its guns arrived
pretty well from so yards away. It's
next salvo of shots went above US, and
I ducked as they whirred overhead
like a covey of fast partridges.
You would suppose our captain had
done this sort of thing all his life. He
went full speed ahead at once, upon
the first salvo, to string the bunch out
and thus offer less target. The com
~ do clio
nal to US to attack with torpedoes. So
we swung round at right angles and
charged full speed at the enemy like
an hussar attack.
Catches Debris From Shells.
"Our boat got away at the start mag
nifcently and led the field, so all the
enemy's firing was aimed at US for the
next ten minutes, when we got SO close
that debris from their shells fell on
board Then we altered our course and
so threw them out in their reckoning OF
our speed and they had all their work
to do over again.
Humanity speaking, our captain by
twisting and turning at psychological
moments saved US. Actually, l feel
that we were in Gods keeping that
day. After ten minutes we got near
enough to fire our torpedo. Then we
turned back to the Arethusa. Next
our follower arrived just where we
had been and fired it's torpedo, and of
course the enemy fred at it instead
of US. What a blessed relief.
After the destroyers came the
Fearless, and it stayed on the scene
Soon we found it was engaging three
funneler, the Mainz, so off we started
again, now for the Mainz, the situa-
ton being that the crippled Arethusa
was too tubby to do anything but be
defended by US, it's children.
Draw Fire of the Enemy.
Scarcely, however, had we started,
when, from out of the mist and across
our front, in furious pursuit came the
first cruiser squadron of the town
class, the Birmingham, and each unit
a match for three like the Mainz. AS
we looked and reduced speed they
opened fire, and the clear bang bang