THE SEA FIGHT IN THE BIGHT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 121, 8 February 1918, Page 5

THE SEA FIGHT IN THE BIGHT

STORY OF NOVEMBER 17 PENETRATING THE MINEFIELDS London, February 6. Details are now available of the naval thurst into Heligoland Bight by British light forceß on _ November 17, briefly reported, at the time. The objective was to penetrate the minefields, bag all tjie available enemy light craft, and ontice to sea tho bigger_ Gorman ships. At 7.30 in the morning a procession of enemy mine-sweepeis, light cruisetjs, and destroyers was sighted ahead. The British force put on full speed and cpencd fire, whilo the enemy, in a cloud of smoke, fled. Some of tho destroyers overhauled and sank an enemy mine-sweeper. They then chased an enemy light cruiser, which was heavily on firo, but fell back upon encountering tho concentrated firo of two supporting enemy cruisers. The British destroyers were haudled in the narrow mined waters with conspicuous skill, and effected their withdrawal unhit, and with no casualties. Meanwhile, tho British licht cruisers, amidst torpedoes and a. rain of shells, made a desperate attempt to cut' off the enemy, A Tunning fight continued ■ for two hours, penetrating thirty miles into the minefields, until Heligoland was only twenty-eight miles to the south-east. Then an enemy squadron came up at full' speed, whe'reunon the little attacking force, riddled with' splinters, began a perilous retreat under a hail of big calibre shells. Tlio German battle-fleet, however, did not proceed very far. The British casualties were light.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Aesn.-Reuter.