THE WAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16190, 28 September 1914, Page 6

THE WAR

(Continued from page 5.) FIGHT FOR A VILLAGE. THE STREETS A SHAMBLES. GERMAN RIGHT RETIRING. TRAIN ANT) RAILWAY WRECKED. ARTILLERY DUEL PROCEEDING. LONDON, September 26. (Received Sept. 27, at 5.5 p.m.) The Daily News states that the Germans at last week-end left their trenches and occupied a village. The French on Sunday night surprised the Germans and drove them back to the German trenches. Next morning the Germans shelled the village, and the cavalry routed the French. The same evening the French reoccupied the v..lago, which was a shambles. The streets were piled with dead and dying. Eight hundred French wounded are in the hospital. Prisoners were taken and retaken hourly in the neighbouring villages. The Allies' left wing has steadily progressed. The Germans in retiring used the railway, and three trains had passed before the French were aware of it. The artillery wrecked the fourth train and destroyed the track. The Germans made a stand at some stone quarries, and the French were sheltered in similar positions. A terrible artillery duel continues, each side hoping to "wear out the other. GERMAN PRISONERS. EIGHTEEN HUNDRED IN ONE DAY. ROTTERDAM, September 26. ■ (Received Sept. 27, at 5.5 p.m.) Eighteen hundred German prisoners were captured between Malines and Aerschot on September 23 and sent to England. GERMAN MARAUDERS FAIL. PRISONERS AND STORES CAPTURED. ANTWERP, September 26. (Received Sept. 27, at 5.5 p.m.) Five thousand Germans approached Bessrode, near Termonde, with the object of burning it. The Belgians, after a desperate struggle, drove them off, killing 120 of the Death's Head Hussars and capturing much stores and equipment. GERMAN SOUTH-WEST AFRICA. ' UDERITZ BAY CAPTURED. CAPETOWN, September 26. (Received Sept. 27, at 5.5 p.m.) ■ A Union force has occupied Uderitz Bay unopposed. The German garrison retreated after blowing up the railway and destroying the wireless station. GERMANY AS PEACE APOSTLE. AN IMPUDENT PLEA. ROME, September 26. (Received Sept. 27, at 5.5 p.m.) Fifty members of the German Centre party in the Reichstag have sent to the cardinals an ardent plea for the Germans' cause, declaring that Germany was for 40 years the apostle of peace in Europe, and was compelled to go to war to defend her territory and aid Austria. SHOULD HELP THE APPEAL. DRUNKEN ORGIES IN A MONASTERY. MONKS SHOT AT AND FLOGGED. SACRED VESSELS DESECRATED AND STOLEN. LONDON, September 26. (Received Sept. 27, at 5.10 p.m.) The Standard's Antwerp correspondent states that some Germans occupied the monastery at Montaigne. They drank to excess, fiTed into a room where the monks were sleeping, stole a chalice and other sacred vessels, scattered the Host over the altar, led the roped monks through the streets and- flogged them. Sworn evidence of these outrages has been sent to the Vatican. GERMAN LOSSES AT MAUBEUGE. PAEIS, September 26. (Received Sept. 27, at 5.10 p.m.) The Matin's Brussels correspondent states that the German losses at Maubeuge totalled 40,000. WAR CABLES. PUBLICATION IN AUSTRALIA. MELBOURNE, September 26. (Received Sept. 27, at 5.15 p.m.) Mr Spence is arranging to post Sir George Reid's war cables' at all stations where papers are not published in order to stimulate public interest. "SO WILL BERLIN.' CAPTURE OF NEW GUINEA. LONDON, September 26. (Received Sept. 27, at 5.15 p.m.) The Pall Mall Gazette, commenting on the capture of German New Guinea and official reports of the magnificent Australasian contingents, says : " London read these things with deep emotion, and so will Berlin." THE KAISER AND NAPOLEON. MR LLOYD GEORGE'S COMPARISON. LONDON, September 26. (Received Sept. 27, at 5.15 p.m.) Mr Lloyd George, in the course of a recruiting speech at Criccieth, said that 14 years ago he had stood on the same platform and opposed the South African war. The majority of his neighbours also opposed it. But Britain to-day was engaged in a righteous war. It took 15 years to break Napoleon; but it would not take so long to vanquish the Kaiser, and Britain was going to see it through. THE GERMAN RIGHT. PREPARED MONTHS AGO. NOT QUARRYING, BUT ENTRENCHING. LONDON, September 26. (Received Sept. 27, at 5.20 p.m.) The Daily Telegraph's Paris correspondent states that the quarries near Compiegne, which form the main strength of the German right, mostly belonged to German enterprises They appear to have been worked for months with a. definite military purpose. The usual methods of quarrying were not adopted. Instead, long, heavy ramparts were left on the surface. Engineers could - not have constructed better positions, as assault is impracticable and bombardment useless. SEPARATION FROM AUSTRIA. A BOHEMIAN AGITATION. , ROME, September 26. (Received Sept. 27, at 5.20 p.m.) The Messagero states that, notwithstanding the frequent hanging of Slavs, the Bohemians continue an agitation for separation from Austria.

GERMAN TROOPS FOR FRANCE. LONDON', September 26. Received Sept, 27, at 5.20 p.m.) Amsterdam reports that great numbers of German troops are going to France via Aix-Ja-Chapellc, SURPRISE ON .BOTH SIDES. HIGHLANDER'S MAGNIFICENT BRAVERY. AN AWKWARD SITUATION SAVED. PARIS. September 26. (Received Sept. 27, at 5.20 p.m.) In the lighting at. Soissuiis on Saturday the Germans surprised 150 Highlanders, who, with a Maxiin. Mere guarding a bridge. The Germans., in overpowering number.-;, crept nearer U> kill :;ll the Maxim's crew. One of the Highlanders rushed out in a hail of bullets, carried the Maxim on his back across the bridge, and sat alone pouring fire into the enemy, -who broke and lied to cover, leaving scores of dead. The Highlander was killed, 30 bullets being found in his body when it was picked up. Reinforcements .arriving caused the enemy to abandon their attempt. RUSSIANS IN GALICIA. GERMAN VANGUARD REPULSED. PETROGRAD, September 26. (Received Sept. 27, at 5.20 p.m.) Official: The Russians repulsed the German vanguard at Sinvalki on Wednesday, and were also successful at Louvza. There has been no important fighting ; n West Galicia. The Austrians continue to retreat from Khyrow (? Jagorow). SERVIANS AND AUSTRIANS. A SPIRITED REPLY. NISH, September i.6. (Received Sept. 27, at 5.20 p.m.) Semi-official: Desperate fighting continues between Svornitz and Loznitza, and Aitrovtza. and Shabatz. The Servian position is 'satisfactory. The Austrian commander at Semlin has demanded the surrender of Belgrade. The Servians replied by shelling the Austrian monitors in the Danube. HIGH COMMISSIONER'S CABLES. VARIOUS POINTS OF INTEREST. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, September 26. The following cable messages have been received by the Prime Minister from the High Commissioner: — LONDON, September 26 (0.55 a.m.) Mr Asquith, speaking in Ireland tonight, said the vast Empire in every quarter of the globe was defending principles and maintaining interests vital not only to the British Empire but to all worth having in common civilisation and the progress of mankind. The Germans dropped bombs at Boulogne and Ostend, but little damage was done. The Russians are making progress in Galicia. and are occupying strongly-forti-fied positions. Mr Lloyd George, speaking in Wales, said that for every Belgian soldier lost on the battlefield three innocent, unoffending people had been ruthlessly killed. LONDON, September 26 (5.45 p.m.) Official: There has been much activity on the paTt of the enemy all along the line. Some heavy counter-attacks have been repulsed, and considerable loss inflicted on the enemy. LONDON, September 26 (8.40 p.m.) General headquarters reports casualties to officers, dated September 22:—Killed, 33; died of wounds, 254; missing, 30. NORTH SEA DISASTER. THE ADMIRALTY REPORT. GREAT COURAGE AND GAL* LANTRY. BUT AN ERROR OF JUDGMENT. ! ONLY ONE CRUISER NEED HAVE BEEN SACRIFICED. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, September 27. The Admiralty has authorised the following statement:— The sinking of the Aboukir was, of course, the ordinary hazard of patrolling duty. The Hogue and Cressy, however, were sunk because they proceeded to the assistance of their consort, and remained, with en= gines stopped, endeavouring to save life, thus presenting an easy and certain target for further submarine at= tacks. The natural promptings of humanity have in this case led to heavy losses, which would have been avoided by strict adherence to military considerations. Modern naval was pre= sents so many new and strange situa= tions that an error of judgment of this character is pardonable. But it has been necessary to point out for future guidance, that the conditions which prevail when one vessel of a squadron is injured in a minefield or exposed to submarine attack are analogous to those which occur in action, and the rule of leaving disabled ships to their own resources is applicable, so far at any rate as large vessels are concerned. No act of humanity, whether to friend or foe, should lead to the neglect of the proper precautions and dispositions or war, and no measures can be taken to save life which prejudice a military situation. Small craft of all kinds should be directed by wireless to close with damaged ships with all speed. The loss of nearly 60 officers and 1400 men would not have been grudged if it had been brought about by gun fire in open action; but it is peculiarly distressing under the conditions which prevailed. The absence of any of the ardour and excitement of engagement did not ,however, prevent a display of discipline, cheerful courage, and ready= self-sacrifice among all • ranks and ratings exposed to the ordeal. The duty on which these vessels were en= gaged was an essentia! part of the arrangements by which the control of the seas and the safety of the country are maintained, and Jives lost in the work arc as usefully, as necessarily, and as gloriously devoted to the re. quiremenis of his Majesty's service as if the loss had been incurred in a gene= ral action. In view of the certainty of a proportion of misfortunes of this character occurring from time to time, it is important that this point of view should be thoroughly appreciated. The loss of three cruisers, apart from the loss of life, is of small naval signifi. cancc. Although they were large and powerful ships, they belonged to a class of cruisers whose speeds have been surpassed by many of the enemy's battleships. Before the war it had been decided that no more money should be spent in repairing any of t/iis class, and that they should make their way to the sale list as soon as serious defects became manifest. CRESSY COMMANDER'S REPORT. Commander Nicholson, of the Cressy, reported on September 23: Whilst on patrol duty the Aboukir was struck at about 6.25 on the starboard beam. The Hogue and Cressy were 400 yards on the port beam. As soon as it was seen that the Aboukir was in danger of sinking, all boats were sent from the Cressy, and a picket boat was hoisted out without steam up. When cutters full, of the Aboukir's men were returning to the Cressy the Hogue was struck, apparently, under the aft 9.2 magazine, as a very heavy explosion took place immediately after the first explosion. Almost directly after the Hogue was hit we observed a periscope on our port bow, 300 yards off. Fire was immediately opened, and the engines weve

put full speed ahead with the intention of running her down. Our gunner (Dougherty) positively asserts that he hit the periscope, and the submarine then showed her con ning tower, which he struck, and the submarine sunk. An officer standing alongside the gunner thinks the shell striek onlv floating timber, of which there was much about, but it was evidently the impression of the men on deck, who cheered and clapped heartily, that the subma.n'! had been hit. This submarine did not lire the torpedo at the Ci'essy. '-'• l r va:n Johnson then manoeuvred the ship to re ider assistance to the crews of the Hogue and Aboukir. Five minutes later another periscope appeared on the starboard j'Jir ter, and fire was opened. The track of the torpedo she tired at the range of 500 _ yards was plainly visible, and it struck us on the starboard side just before thfe alter bridge. The ship listed about 1.0 degre p > to starboard and remained steady. A'l the watertight doors, dead lights, ait.i scuttles had been securely closed bef'>'v the torpedo struck. All mess stools, tables, stores, and all available timber below and on deck had been previously got. up and thrown overboard for the saving of life. A second torpedo fired oy the same submarine missed, and passed about 20 feet astern. About a quarter of an ho 1!' after the first torpedo hit a third torpedo fired from a submarine before the sta.'board bow hit us in No. 5 boiler room. The ship then began to heel rapidly, And finally turned keel up, remaining so ior about 20 minutes before she finally sank. A large number of men were saved by Lie casting adrift of pattern 3 target. Tin steam pinnace floated out of her clutches, but filled and sank. The second torpedo which struck the Cressy passed over the sinking hull of the Aboukir, narrowly missing it. It is possible that the samh submarine fired all three torpedoes at the Cressy. The conduct of the crew was excellent throughout. I have already reported on the splendid service rendered by Captain Phillips, master of the trawler (L. T. Coriander), and her crew, who •picked up 156 officers and men. HOGUE COMMANDER'S REPORT. Commander Norton, of the Hogue, reports: Between 6.15 and 6.30 a.m. H.M.S. Aboukir was struck by a torpedo. The Hogue closed on the Aboukir, and I received an order to hoist out the launch, turn-out and prepare all boats, and unlash all timber on the upper deck. Two lifeboats were sent to the Aboukir, but bisfore the launch could get away the Hogue was struck on the starboard side amidships by two torpedoes at intervals of 10 or 20 seconds. The ship at once began to heel to starboard. After ordering the men to provide themselves with wood hammocks and get into the boats on booms and take off their clothes, I went, under Captain Nicholson's directions, to ascertain the damage in the engine room. An artificer engineer informed me that the ■water was over the engine room gratings. While endeavouring to return to the bridge, the water burst open the starboard' entry port doors, and the ship heeled rapidly. I told the men in the port battery to jump overboard, as the launch was close alongside, and soon afterwards the ship lurched heavily to starboard. I clung to the ring bolt for some time, but eventually dropped on to the deck, and a huge wave -washed me away. I climbed up the ship's side, and was again washed off. Eventually, after swimming about from various overladen pieces of wreckage I was picked up by a cutter, from the Hogue, which pulled about for some hours picking up men and discharging them in the picket boat and steam pinnace, and to the Dutch steamers Flora and Titan, and was rescued in this way, with Commander Sells, Engineer-com-mander Stokes (with his legs broken), Fleet-paymaster Eldred, and about, 120 others. . Finally, at about 11 a.m., when we could find no more men in the wateir, we were picked up by H.M.S. Lucifer, which proceeded to the Titan and took off from her all our men except about 20, who were too ill to be moved. A Lowestoft trawler and two Dutch ships (the Flora and Titan) were extraordinarily kind, clothing and feeding our men. My boat's orew, consisting mainly of Royal Naval Reserve men, pulled and behaved remarkably well. I particularly wish to mention Petty-officer (first class) Halton, who, by encouraging the men in the water near, undoubtedly saved many lives. Lieutenant-commander Phillips Wolley, after hoisting out a launch, asked me if he should try to hoist another boat, and endeavoured to do so. The last I saw of him was on the after-bridge doing well. Lieutenant Tillard, who was picked up by the launch, got up the cutter's crew and saved many lives, as did Midshipman Cazalet in the Cressy's gig. Lieutenant Chichester turned out the whaler very quickly. A Dutch sailing trawler sailed close by, but went off without rendering any assistance, though we signalled her from the Hogue to close after we were struck. The Aboukir appeared to me to take about 35 minutes to sink, floating bottom up for about five minutes. The Hogue turned turtle very quickly—in about five minutes —and floated bottom up for some minutes. Dense black smoke was seen in the starboard batten', whether from coal or torpedo cordite I could not say. The upper deck was not blown up. Only one other small explosion occurred as we heeled over. I watched the Cressy heel over from the cutter. She heeled over to starboard very slowly, dense black smoke issuing frem her when she attained an angle of about 90 degrees, and she took a long tune from this angle till she floated bottom up with her starboard screw slightly out of the water. I consider it was from 36 to 45 minutes from the time she was struck till she was bottom up. All the men in the Hogue behaved extraordinarily well, and obeyed orders even when in the water swimming for their lives. I witnessed many cases of great self-sacrifice and gallantry. Farnstone, an able seaman of the Hogue, jumped overboard from the launch to make room for others, and would not avail himself of assistance until all the men near by were picked up. He was in the water abouthalf an hour. There was no panic of any sort, the men taking; off their clothes as ordered and falling in with hammock or wood. Captain Nicholson, in our cutter, as usual, was perfectly cool, and rescued a large number of men. I last saw him alongside the Flora. Engineer-commander Stokes, I believe, was in the engine-room to the last. Engineer-Lieutenant-com-mander Fendick got steam on the boat hoist, and worked it in five minutes. ! _■ z— -