The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1914-09-17
NAVAL OFFICER SAYS SEA FIGHT
WAS NOT BATTLE, But MASSACRE

London.-A graphic description of
the naval engagement off Helgoland,
In which British vessels sank five Ger
man ships and killed 900 men, has
reached here in a letter to relatives
from q young lieutenant who was on
one Of the British torpedo boat de-
stroyers. 1t reads:
"As to our fight off Heligoland, I
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 q 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
non
Tells Of tho Battle.
THAT was much what we did at z
q. 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 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.
I'VE were getting nearer Helgoland
all the time. There was a thick mist
and 1 expected every minute to find
the forts on the island bombarding us,
80 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.
1--WE then reformed, but a 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 fotilla turned US around and we
went back to help. But they had driven
the enemy off and on u arrival told
us to form up on the Arethusa.
Cruiser Fires on Ships.
when we had partly formed ant
we're very much punched together
making a fine target, suddenly out O.
the mist arrived five or six shells from
a point not $50 yards away. We gazet
at whence they zane and again five o.
six stabs of fire pierced the fo4 ant
we made out a four funneled German
cruiser Of the Breslau class.
"Those stabs were its guns going
| OF. We waited Is seconds and the
shots and noise Of its guns arrived
pretty we'll from so yards away. TT
next salvo of shots went above us, ant
l ducked as they whirred overhead
like a covey of fast cartridges.
you would suppose our captain hat
done this sort of thing all his life. He
went full speed ahead at once, upor
the first salvo, to string the bunch ou'
and thus offer less target. The com
modore from the Arethusa made a sig
nal to us to attack with %torpedoes. Sc
we swung round at right angles ant
charged full speed at the enemy like
an hussar attack.
Catches Debris From Shells.
"Our boat got away at the start mag
nificently 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 or
board. Then we altered u course ant
so threw them out in their reckoning o.
| our speed and they had all their worl
to do over again.
Humanity speaking, u captain by
twisting and turning at psychological
moments saved US. Actually, l fee
that we were in Gods keeping tina
day. After ten minutes we got neal
enough to fire our torpedo. Then W
turned back to the Arethusa. Mex
our follower arrived just where W,
had been and fred it's torpedo, and o
course the enemy fired at it instead
| Of US. What a blessed relief.
AFTER the destroyers came thu
Fearless. and it stayed on the scene
Soon we found it vas engaging a three
funneler, the Mainz, so off we started
again, now for the Mainz. the situa
! ton being that the crippled Arethus;
was too tubby to do anything but b.
! defended by us, its children.
Draw Fire Of the Enemy.
Scarcely, however, had we started