"IN THE WURSTKESSEL"

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 17 December 1920, Page 7

"IN THE WURSTKESSEL"

' BATTLE OF JUTLAND.

LONDON, Dec. 6. A German version, of the battle of Jutland comes from yon Hase, a gunnery officer on the D'erfflinger, who, describing the "death-voyage" of the battle-cruisers, says that the Germans were cut off from their base, almost entirely surrounded, and in the "wurstkessel" (i.e., sausage-boiler, or in the last extremity). \ The cruisers and torpedo-boats were ordered, if necessary, to sacrifice themselves ruthlessly to save the rest of the fleet, and even to attempt to ram the enemy. The Derfflinger at this stage was crippled and helpless, and at the mercy of her foes. Her grins were out of action, her signalling apparatus had been destroyed, and 3400 tons of water was aboard when suddenly the action was broken off. "When the sun rose on the morrow," says yon Hase, "a weight fell from our hearts, for the enemy was out of sight."