The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-06-23
When German Crews Scut-
tied Their Warships Sur
rendered to Allies
SMALL GUARD KEPT
ON CAPTURED SHIPS
Main British Fleet Was Out
on a Training
Cruise

LoHuuus June %<o'- AiluouSu lVPoi b9
have stated that six Germans were killed
and 10 wounded when the boats of the
German feet in Scapa Flow were fired
upon subsequent to the scuttling of the
German fleet, the Daily Mail says that
others may have been drowned and that
some may possibly have reached the ork.
ney islands and have not yet been re-
ported.
The main force Of the British fleet
was absent exercising at sea when the
German ships were sunk, only some
drifters, small warships and patrolling
aircraft being on guard over the informed
enemy squadron.
Admiral Won Reuter-, commander of
the surrendered German feet, says he
issued an order to sink the ships, the
Daily Mail adds, and did SO because at
the beginning of the war the German
emperor directed that no German war
ships should fall into the enemy's hands.
He says that be believed from newspa-
per reports, that the armistice had been
ended
Admiral Won Reuter- visited Germany
some weeks ago it being understood at
the time that the reason for his trip
there was that ne was ILL., but he soon
returned, and it is believed that at that
time he circulated the order to sink the
German ships by evading the censorship
or making signals to the various vessels,
an act which the close proximity of the
German ships made quite easy, The Mail
quotes the admiralty as denying that
the German crews were periodically
changed and saying that the original
crews remained on board the vessels,
There were from $50 to 200 men on the
big ships and from 10 to 20 on board the
destroyers. Therefore, there were nearly
5000 in the water or in the ships boats
when the feet was sunk. Fourteen hun
bred were landed by the British on Sun
day at Nigg, Roshire, on the northern
shore of Cromarty, Firth. They were
placed in hutments and are being held
under military guard.
From the behavior of the ships accord
ing to the Mail, it was evident the sea
valves had been opened and in surprs-
ingly short time the vessels, big and
small, began to settle down Every effort
was made BY the British naval craft to
beach the sinking ships and in the case
of destroyers considerable success was
achieved. By one o'clock in the after
noon, however what an hour before had
been stately fleet riding calmly at an
Choir, was an array of Keeling, rocking
battleships the doom of which was writ
ten in their movements.
Here a destroyer would disappear amid
cloud OF steam and there bsttleship
would take her last plunge and disap.
pear in cloud of spray One would set
tie down by the stern and another would
heel over until only the keel showed
above the water The Derfflinger Hin
denberg, Won Der Tam Moltke and
Zeidlitz settled down beside each other,
the last named turning turtle as she filed
with water. Her keel is still showing
where she capsized The waters Of Scapa
Flow were dotted with small boats full
of men, who had, with dramatic sudden
ness, settled the question of the DISPOSE
ton of the informed ships.
As the first boatload was towed along.
side the H. NJ s. Victorious by drift
err, a German officer in the boat ordered
his men to cheer. They responded with
three vigorous 'Hochs." Craft Of every
description followed fast to the side Of
the warship, each towing bostloads of
Germans, who were taken on board the
Victorious the decks of which soon be-
came crowded with men and bundles.
A German officer, who came aboard,
wore sword and seemed to wish to
make an impressive ceremony by hand
ing it over to an officer who had been in
command Of division of interned de-.
stroyers
eve are not bolsheviki," he said.
'Peace was signed to-day. We had our
orders and have carried them out"
The Germans were not aware that the
armistice had been extended until Mon
day, and there was an almost continu.
GUS ee-clicking and saluting as the off
GERS of the various ships greeted each
other on coming aboard. That the Ger
mans Were ready for the event was APP
parent from the amount and variety of
the gear they had with them, some sea-
men staggering under the weight of bun
dies bigger than themselves, the salvage
representing everything from baios to
pet dogs Both the officers and men
seemed very anxious that none of their
ships should be saved
One officer who wore the iron cross,
pointed to the sinking ships and said;
"See how the German navy goes down
with its flags flying"
Such, however, was not the case, as
British sailors had boarded most of the
| German ships and had hauled down the
| flags before the vessels went under.
May Salvage a Few Ships.
The prospect of salvaging few ships
is fairly hopeful, the Mail says. None
has gone down in really deep water The
Bleaching of the sinking ships proved a
difficult, and at times, dangerous mat.
ter. One destroyer sank as it was being
towed ashore, British sailors on board
having scarcely time to jump clear before
the craft went down. About 20 destroy
ers out of the 80 that were informed were
beached during the afternoon. The Ger
man crews which were taken to the Vic
torious were later transferred to other
warships.
"What was crowded anchorage this
| morning" wired a Mail correspondent
late on Saturday, SIS desolate expanse
of water tonight, with here and there
A. l.. 1