THE HELIGOLAND SEA EIGHT: The Destroyer Flotilla Torpedoing a German Cruiser.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 263, 4 November 1914, Page 3

THE HELIGOLAND SEA EIGHT: The Destroyer Flotilla Torpedoing a German Cruiser.

A vivid account ot tht sea-fight off Heligoland was given to the "Illustrated London News" artist by the British officer from whose sketch the drawing was made. This officer, as mentioned above, was present at the action, and the drawing may, therefore, he takes, as representing what an eye-witness saw. A four-funnelled German cruiser, he said, appeared out of the mist on the starboard hand of the British destroyer flotilla, and a signal was made to fire torpedoes. The cruiser, on seeing that torpedoes -were being used, headed straight' towards them, no doubt in order to offer a smaller target, but. finding herself nearing the flotilla and subjected to a very heavy fire, she turned and ran. At this moment two loud detonations were heard, and a tremendous flash was seen on her port quarter. What happened to her was not known, as shortly afterwards the battle-cruisor squadron came up, and the destroyers were ordered to retire. In the official account of the action it was said: "The superior gun-power and strength of the British destroyers ship for ship was conclusively"demonstrated. The destroyers themselves did not hesitate to engage the cruisers both with guns and torpedoes with hardihood, and two of them —the Laurel and Liberty—got knocked about in the process." The action resulted in the sinking of thiee German cruisers and two destroyers, without the lots of a British ship. The humanity shown by the British towards drowning German sailors was acknowledged in an official German wireless message received by the Marconi Company, in which it was said: "It must be admitted that the British; without stopping to consider their own danger, sent out lifeboats in order to rescue our men." The German cruiser is seen on the left in the picture. —"Illustrated London 2vews." -