Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-06-09
Naval Officer
7 ellis of Duel
Of Big Ships
British Armored Cruisers Were
Pounded to Pieces by Ger
man Battle Cruisers Until
WarSpite Came Up

DEVONPORT, England, June IA
surviving officer Of the British armored
cruiser Warrior, sunk in the Jutland
sea fight, tells an interesting story of
the engagement of the British armored
cruisers with the German battle cruis-
ers and light cruisers and a subsequent
duel fought between the warspite and
big German ships. The first German
ship sighted by the Warrior was a Ger
man light cruiser with three tunnels
the Warrior picking her up at a range
OF 1855 yards.
THE first two shells having given
us the range" said the officer. "the
starboard gun fore-turret Numbered out
and a shell crumpled up the hindermost
Of the Germans three tunnels. Our
armored cruisers Defense and Duke Of
other German light cruisers that were
sighted.
SALVO CUT DEFENSE IN TWO.
"All at once fountain of water rose
twenty yards ahead Of us and we knew
that we had to deal with something big
ger than light cruisers. Three shells of
at least 12-inch caliber fell ahead Of
the Defense and three seconds later a
salvo cut her in two amidships and she
crumpled UP and sank. The Black Prince
was the next to go. Two great shells
carried away her tunnels and fore-tur-
ret. Then a salvo hit her in the maya
zine and she blew up.
Our turn was to come. for far away
on the horizon we could see three tripod
masts. BY this time the enemy light
cruisers were burning fiercely and had
ceased to fire, but one after another r.
inch shells dropped on either beam of
us. At last the enemy found the mark
The first shell smashed the motor boat
hoist into splinters. The second hit the
starboard side in line with the turret
The third hit the quarterback, plunged
downward and wrecked the dynamo. The
gun turrets, too, were almost useless as
the ammunition hoist had gone. Another
shot put the port and starboard engine
rooms out Of action.
WARSHIPS GET INTO ACTION,
"By $50 o'clock we were a hopeless
ly battered hulk and waiting for the
shells that would finish us when the
Warspite appeared and passed between
us and the enemy, engaging the fore
most battle cruiser with deadly ef-
feet.
THE hrst shot from the warspite
Topped off the foremost Of the leading
enemy battle cruiser The next over
IuTueU DOLu the LCTe-Bun IuTreIS ana IN
Ave minutes the enemy vessel was
ablaze from end to end, enveloped in
cloud Of dense smoke.
1.-THE second battle cruiser which had
been concentrating her fire on the
Warspite turned to starboard, smoke
belching from her tunnels, and endeav-
oring to pick UP her main squadron.
but It was not to be. Two shells from
the Warspite blew every funnel she had
to pieces. The third made a great rent
in her stern. The fourth plowed up
her deck and burst against the fore
mast bringing 1t down.
1.-TWO minutes afterward this vessel
also was on fire and heeling over, with
the Warspite still pounding her and
ripping great gashes in her starboard
side and bottom. The last we saw Of
her was nothing more than a btoken
hulk"
The Warrior was towed for ten hours
ana then sank.
Admiral Thomas. in addressing the
men on the Warspite,, complmented
them on the important part they played
in the battle.