Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-21
TWO GERMAN RAIDERS
ATTACK BRITISH CONVOY
Sink Two Of Scouting Destroyers and
Mako No Attempt to
Rescue Crews.
SHORT AND UNEQUAL FIGHT
Five Norwegian, One Danish and
Three Swedish Vessels Also Sent
Down Without Warning, but Three
Merchant Ships Escape.
ny Associated Pr.snl

lby ASyOClAteu TfcSbI
LONDON. October 20.--Two German
raiders attacked n convoy in tho North
Sea on Wednesday and sank two OF
the British scouting destroycrs, 1t was
announced officially to-day by the
British War once.
The British torpedo destroyere sunk
were the Mary Rose and the Strong
Bow.
The official announcement says that
three merchant vessels escaped in the
action, but that FIVE Norwegian, one
Danish and three Swedish vessels were
sunk without warming.
Thirty :Sorwesinns were rescued by
British patrol craft.
The raiders. which wero heavily
armed, showed anxiety to escape be-
fore they could be Intercepted by Brit
fish forces. adds tho official statement.
and made no attempt to rescue the
crews OF the sunken destroyers.
All the officers and men OF the Mary
Rose and tho Strong Bow were lost.
The statement declares untrue the
German story to tho effect that the
attack occurred IN the territorial
waters OF tho Shetland Islands.
The hostile raiders. 1t appears. suo-
ceedcd In evadinE the British watchers
on dark ni6h;s on both the outward
and the hcmeward dash.
ADMIRALTY STATEMENT
ON NORTH SEA INCIDENT
The Admiralty statement giving the
details Of tho North Sea incident
reads:
Two very fast and heavily armed
German raiders attacked a convoy in
Tho North Sea about midway between
the Shetland Islands and the Norwegian
coast on Wednesday,. Two British de-
stroyers, Mary Rose and Strong Bow.
which formed tho antisubEarine escort,
at once engaged tho enemy VESSELS and
Tough; until they were sunk. after 4
short and unequal engagement.
Their gallant action held the Ger
man raiders sufficiently long to enable
three merchant vessels to effect their
escape.
anxious to make good their escape
before the British forces could inter
cept them, no effort was made to
rescue the crews OF tho sunken Brit
ish destroyers, and the Germans left
the doomed merchant ships whilst
these were still sinking, thus enabling
the British patrol craft. which arrived
shortly ni.crward, to rescue come
thirty Norwegians. and others, regard
ing whom the details are not yet
known. Tho German navy by this act
once more and further degraded 1t
self by this disregard Of the historic
chivalry OF the sea.
The German official communicate on
this subject states that the attack took
place within territorial waters In the
neighborhood of the Shetland Isla uds.
and that all the escort vessels. includ-
ing the destroyers. were sunk with the
exception OF one escort fishins steamer.
The statement as to the locality OF the
attack is untrue, as Is also tho state
ment regarding tho destruction OF the
escort vessels.
'"The enemy raiders succeeded In
evadins the British watching squad
rons on long dark nights. both on their
hurried dash out and their homeward
flight.
ut Is regretted that all the eighty
eight officers and NEIL OF II. NJ. S. Mary
Rosa and forty-sevan officers and men
of H. NJ. S. Strong Bow were lost"