The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1914-09-11
NAVAL OFFICER SAYS SEA FIGHT
WAS NOT BATTLE BUT MASSACRE

the naval engagement off HelgOland.
in which British vessels sank five Ger
man ships and killed 800 men, has
reached here in a letter to relatives
from a young lieutenant who was on
one Of the British torpedo boat de-
%stroyers. 1t reads;
AS to our fight off Heligoland, l
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 of
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 a fight.
Just a Case of Bombardment.
There was superb generalship and
overwhelming forces on the spot. but
there was really nothing for them TO
do except TO shoot the enemy, even as
pa shoots pheasants.
Have you eve 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 lunches 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 I
a. m on August IS. 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
eame out and engaged our Arethusa
and they had a real heart to heart talk,
while We looked on. and a few of us
tried to shoot at the enemy, too,
though it was beyond our distance.
We We're getting nearer Heleoland
all the time. There was a thick mist
and | 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
biz as good as he got there.
We then reformed, but a strong de-
stroyer belonging to the submarines
got chased. and the Arethusa and
Fearless e back to look after it.
We presently heard a hot action
astern, so the captain in command of
the hotilla 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
a point not $50 yards away. We gazed
al whence they came and again five or
SIX stabs of fire pierced the fog, and
We made out a four funneled German
cruiser Of the Breslau class.
Those stabs were its guns going
of. We waited 10 seconds and the
shots and noise of its runs arrived
pretty Well from 80 yards away. Its
next salyO 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
modore from the Arethusa made a sig
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, ! feel
that We were in Gods keeping that
day. After zen minutes we got zeal
enough to fire our torpedo. Then We
turned back TO the Arethusa. Next
our follower arrived just where we
had been and fired its torpedo, and of
course the enemy fired at 1t instead
Of US. What a blessed relief.
After the destroyers anne the
Fearless, and it stayed on the scene.
Soon we found it was engaging a three
funneler, the Mainz. so off we started
aratp M for thn Noinv tho cftra-
ton being that the crippled Arethusa
was too tubby TO do anything but be
defended by US, its children.
Draw Fire of the Enemy.
Scarcely. however, had we started.