DOGGER BANK BOUNTY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3039, 28 March 1917, Page 5

DOGGER BANK BOUNTY

BATTLE FOUGHT OVER AGAIN IN PRIZE COURT

In tho British. Prize Court recently affidavits of Vice-Admiral Sir David. Beatty and Commodore Tyrwhitt told the story of the battle of the Dogger Bank on January 24, 1915. A group of British warships applied for prize bounty for their part in the sinking of the-German battleship Blucher, whioh ■ at the time had a, complement of 1050, a. displacement of 16,000 tons, and carried a mixed armament. Commander Maxwell Anderson, 8.N., as counsel, conducted the case for the thirty-seven claimants, who asked for prize bounty of £5250.

Vioe-Admiral Beatty, in his affidavit, stated tnafc the squadron of His Majesty's'ships under his command patrolling the North Sea included the battle cruisers Lipn, Princess Royal, Tiger, New Zealand, and Indomitable, and the light cruisers Southampton, Nottingham, Birmingham, and Lowestoft. The light cruisers and torpedoboat, flotillas were under the command of Commodore Reginald York Tyrwhitt. At 3.25 in the morning the flash of guns was observed to, the S.S.E., and the Aurora reported that she was engaged with enemy ships. Admiral Beatty ordered the course of the squadron.to be altered to S.S.E., increased the speed, and ordered a chase. At 7.30 the enemy vessels were sighted on the port bow about fourteen miles away, and the chaae was continued at a speed of twenty-eight knots. At 8.52, at a range of 20,00(1 yards, fire was opened, and ,by 9 o'clock the aotion was general. Tho German squadron of battle cruisers and light cruisers, iras ahead, with destroyer flotillas on the beam.

At 10.48 the enemy cruiser Blucher dropped considerably astern of the. enemy line and held to port with a heavy list. Tho Blucher was on fire, and evidently sinking. She was subsequently captured and sunk. ; A considorablo number of the crew were rescued and taken prisoner, in spite of tbo difficulty experienced through enemy airorafb attacking tbo rescuing ships. Torpedo-boat destroyers accompanied tho British light cruisers Arethusa, Aurora, and Undaunted.

Commander Anderson said it should be understood that the present claim was only in respect, of the Blncher; there would be further claims later on. Certain vessels had claimed for other ships sunk. Sir Samuel Evens, awarding £5250 prize bounty, said it was clear that tho claimants in this case had taken the right lino. They wero all entitled to participate. The prize bounty would be distributed among the claimants. Thoso included, in addition to tho vessels whose names havo already been given, the Arethusa, Aurora, Undaunted, Meteor, Mirana, Mentor, Mastiff, Attack, Minos, Morris, Legion, Lark, Lawford, Laforoy, Lydiard, Louis, Lysander, Landrail, Hornet, Sandfly, Hydra,' Jackal, Acheron, Ariel, Lapwing, Tigress. Defender, Draid, Ferret, Forester, Look-Out, Goshawk, Phoenix, Milno, Lucifer, Laurel, Liberty, ' and i Laertesj