THE NEW ZEALAND DOES HER BIT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXXI, 7 June 1916, Page 5

THE NEW ZEALAND DOES HER BIT.

BEATTY'S MASTERLY MANOEUVRE

LONDON, June 6. I The New Zealand's fire so punished her opponents that they were unable to do her.more than the most trifling damage. The line of battle was: Lion first, then the Princess Royal, Queen Mary, Tiger, New Zealand, Indefatigable. These bore the brunt until the battleships arrived. The New Zealand flew Vice-Admiral Pakenham's flag. j Some distance behind the battle cruisers came the Barham, Valiant, Warspite, and Malaya. | The enemy's battle cruiser squadron comprised the Hindenburg, Seydlitz, Derflinger. Lutzow, Moltke, and possibly the Salamis. i

Admiral Beatty at once opened fire at 20,000 yards, shortening to 16,000. As' the fleets closed, the "Elizabeths" opened fire as they came within range, and the Germans ported helm and drew away to about 20,000 yards. A destroyer screen appeared beyond the German battle cruisers and the whole High Seas* Fleet was seen approaching on the north-eastern horizon, in three divisions.

The German battle cruisers turned right round and took station in front of the German battleships. Admiral Beatty now had before him the whole German Fleet, with Admiral Jellicoe still some distance away. The opposing fleets were now moving parallel to one another in opposite directions. But for a masterly manoeuvre on Admiral Beatty's pait the advance ships would have been cut off from Admiral Jellicoe's fleet. In order to avoid this, and at the same time enable Admiral. Jellicoe to envelope his adversary, Admiral Beatty turned right round sixteen points, and brought his ships parallel to the German fleet, and facing in the same direction. Then he went at full speed and got ahead of the Germans to take tactical position in advance of their line. Admiral Beatty was able to ea<rry out the plan owing to superior speed.

Jtist before the turning point was reached the Indefatigable sank, "'-ohablv from a mine. The Queen Mary and the Invincible were also lost at the same point, where the High Seas Fleet concentrated their fire.

As the German cruisers were turning, a d<-*strovpr pnnk -a ne- cruiser, supposed to be the Hindenburg. Admiral Beatty, now being; found with t^e loss of. three ships, raced nwnv parallel, to the Germans, the "E^aheths" following and engaging the High Seas Fleet. The "Elizabeths' t*-en turned sixteen points after Admiral Beatty.

' The Wa-rspite's steering gear jammed, and she failed to get round. She drew i the fire of six of the enemy ships, who 1 closed upon her. On paper the Waiv | spite should have been lost yet though I repeatedly straddled by sheilfire, and | the water boiling up all roaind he*-, she was not seriously hit, and was able to sink one of her opponents. The captain recovered control of the ship, brought her round, and followed her consorts. Meanwhile the Barham, Valiant and Malaya turned in short order to avoid the danger spot where the Queen Mary and Invincible were lost, and for an how fought a delaying action until Admiral Jellicoe arrived. The Warspite joined them, and all four so successfully manoeuvred that they upset the calculations of their opponents. No serious hits were suffered, as they had the speed of their opponents by fully four knots, j and were able to draw away from the long line of German battleships. The "Elizabeths" fired steadily at the flashes of the Germans' guns, the range varying from 12,000 to 15,000 yards. By 5.45, half the German fleet had left and were out of range, and the "Elizabeths" steamed fast to join Admiral Jellicoe. Meanwhile Admiral .Beatty's cruisers outflanked the German cruisers, which were compelled to turn at a full right angle to starboard to avoid being headed. Heavy fighting continued, and the Perfiinger wa§

sunk. Towards six o'clock German fire ■ slackened considerably. The Grand ! Fleet was now in sight, coming fast from three directions. The "Elizabeths" [ altered their course four points to stari board, and drew in towards* the enemy to allow Admiral Jellicoe room to deploy into line. The Grand Fleet, perfectly manoeuvred and with their deploying perfectly timed, steamed right across. At the head of the fleet were the Revenge and the Royal Oak. with 15-inchers. The Agincou-rt, which fired from seven turrets at almost a speed maximum, was the first to come into action. Only a decent light was necessary to complete the destruction of the Germans in detail. The light did improve for a few minutes, and the conditions were favorable to the British Fleet, which was now in a line approximately north and south across the head of the Germans. During the few minutes of good light, Admiral Jellicoe smashed the first three German ships. Then the" mist fell and the visibility failed, and the defeated German Fleet drew Qff in ragged divisions, pursued by the British who had then enveloped between Jellicoe on the west, Beatty on the north, and Evan Thomas with three "Elizabeths" on the south. Tbe destroyers during the night heavily attacked, and although they lost heavily themselves they sunk two Germans. It was now impossible to obtain co-ordination, and the Germans escaped between the battleships of Admiral Jellicoe, since we were unable to fire as our own destroyers were in the way. This saw 7 the end of the Jutland battle, which was nearly a great success, and was spoiled by unfavorable weather. Gorman small craft were rounded up, and soon ceased to count as an organised body.