Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-01-27
SHELLS AND TORPEDO
SENT BLUECHER DOWN
Broadsides Of British Cruisers
Sealed Fate of German
Warships
By Associated Press

London. Jan. 27, 2.15 A. M.-The
Scotsman to-day publishes the narra-
tive of German bluejacket, survivor
Bluecher, who once lived in the United
States.
The blueiacket said the German fleet
was advancing at full speed to attack
the English coast when the British
warships were sighted. Thereupon the
Germans turned and made for port.
The Bluecher, which was compare
lively slow, made desperate efforts to
keep up her maximum speed, but the
British overhauled her and opened
fire at range of about ten miles.
I'VE were under fire from first to
last" the bluejacket continues. The
British centered their fire on us. Their
fire was awful. Our guns were put out
oil action, our decks We're swept and
our gun crews wiped out"
The Scotsman, which is published in
Edinburgh, also prints other accounts
OF the battle as gathered from men
engaged in it.
Race for Forty Miles
For forty miles the two fleets raced
along over the shortest route for Hell
goland before the guns did any real
damage. Then the Lion, which was
leading, overhauled the slow Bluecher
and in passing her gave her a broad
side, causing frightful damage. The
Lion did not wait. however, but con-
tinued in pursuit of the fleeing Derf-
finger. Seydlita and Moltke.
The Tiger. which came next also
poured a broadside into the Bluecher
as did also the Princess Royal, both of
which We're speeding on to join in the
chase of the others.
within half an hours run of the
mined area" said one of the men. the
Dertfiinger was on fire as a result of
the British shells. Masses of flames
were sweeping her forward deck, her
decks were strewn with wreckage and
when she reached the shelter of the
mines she had no answer to give to
the hail of projectiles which followed
her.
Third Ship Suffered
The third vessel in the line was
believed to be Seydlitz, but possibly
was the Moltke. 1t suffered even
worse. Tt came under the Lions fire
and besides received something from
the fire of the Tiger. the Princess
Royal and the lndomitable. She was
in terrible plight.
The Bluecher made a gallant fight,
but as ship after ship turned their
guns upon her with deadly effect her
dOOlIl NdS Sedleu from the nrSt. Her
upper works were smashed out of all
recognition and virtually every gun
was put out of action.
Just at the close of the action the
Arethusa fired a torpedo at the
Bluecher and she went down.
The British vessels turned their
attention to rescue and large numbers
or men were picked up. More might
have been saved but for a new factor
From the direction of Helgoland
came a huge Zeppelin and number of
aeroplanes, which began dropping
bombs upon the destroyers engaged in
the work of rescue. and which there
fore had to abandon their task
"A slight temporary arrangement in
the running gear of one of the British
warships may have led the observers
in the aircraft TO the conclusion that
serious damage had been inflicted and
given the Germans a basis for their
claim that British battleship had
been destroyed.
The vessels have come out of the
hghting bearing undoubted marks of
the conflict, but in no case has the
damage been other than slight"