The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-01-29
GERMAN SURVIVOR
TELLS STORY OF FIGHT
Broadsde After Broadsde Was Poured Into the Hull of the
Crippled Bluecher, Until Torpedo
Finished Her Career
Finished Her Career.

London, Jan. 2s.-The Scotsman
today publishes the narrative of Ger
man bluejacket, a survivor OF the Ger
man armored cruiser Bluecher. who
once lived in the United States.
The bluejacket said the German
fleet Was advancing at full speed to
attack the English coast when the
British warships turned ana made for
port. The Bluecher, which was COM
parativeiy slow. made desperate efforts
to keep up her maximum speed. but
the British overhauied her and opened
fire at a range of about ten miles.
"Thstr Fire Was Awful
We were under fire from first to
last" the blueiacket continues. Tho
British conferred their fire on us, THAR
fire was awful. Our guns were put
ont of action. our decks were swept
and our gun crews wiped out.
zone terrible shell hurst In the
heart Of the ship. whore MANY men
were killed. ! saw five Killed by one
shell.
II do not know what finished the
Bluechec. as she was full OF holes. but
] heard she struck a torpedo II so
We can thank the torpedo for saving
hundreds OF lives from the nurderous
gunfre. When the ship was sinking I
jumped clear of her into tho terribly
cold water, which ives fun OF dead
and men with shattered limbs, who
were crying for assistance. After be-
ing rescued by the British we we're
warmed, fed and clothed"
The sailor is credited with saying
that during thu raid or Scar borough
the men believed they were taking
part ia great naval action which
was extending ali over the North Sea,
Battle Was Thrilling.
Tie Scotsman, which is published in
Edinburgh. ciso prints other accounts
ot the battle as gathered from men
engaged In it, They describe il es one
~ the greatest struggles IN navel his
,orv and thrilling in every respect.
From the position Of the Gern1a y
fleet when lt was first encountered,
the men assumed that Il is virtually
certain it's objective was New Castle.
The strength of the raiding squadron
was quickly ascertained. and as the
entire raiding force sheered off inn
med!ateiy after IL was discovered the
chase was 4 long one before the guns
began their work.
For forty miles the two fleets raced
along over the shortest route for Hell
solaud before The guns did any real
damage Then The Lion, which was
leading. overhauled the slow BlueCher.
and. In passing, gave her a hroadside,
causing frightfui damage. The Lion
did not wait. however. but continued
IN pursuit OF the fleeing Derfitnger.
Scydiit1 and Molke.
Pour in Broadsides.
The Tiger, which came next, also.
poured hroa dside into the Bluecher,
as did also the Princess Royal. both
OF which we're speeding en- to i"in In
the chase OF the others. 1t was AL
ready evident NJ this time, according
to the newspapers informants, that
the Bitiecher abandoned by her swift
er consorts, WAS 4 doomed ship
The chase already had continued for
two hours The light German ,sruls e..
ers pluclsily did their best to cover tho
fleeing battle cruisers until the task
was hopeless. when they followed tn.
example OF the big cruisers and de-
voted their e2cro covers to getting
away,
The bigger ships were now being
steadily overhauied and pounded ly
the British cruisers. The Lion, which
had overhau'ed and smashed second
cruiser in the German line, according
Ito the men interviewed. saw that the
fight WAS likely to be prolonged right
Ip to the mine fields. The Tiger. Prin-
cess Royal ard f1doaitabie were now
within range Of the largo vessels. and
.he men In the interviews are credited
with expressing the belief that they
wrought terrible havoc on the German
battle cruisers The fire Of the Darf-
finger and Seydlitz, It is asserted grew
weaker and weaker as the running
fight proceeded
Derftiinger on Fire.
within a half an hours run of the
mined area" said one Of the men.
the Derfrlineer was on fire. Masses
of flames were sweeping her forward
deck. her decks were strewn with
wreckage of the shattered upper works