JUTLAND BATTLE

Nelson Evening Mail, 19 February 1917, Page 5

JUTLAND BATTLE

GERMAN DESERTER'S STORY.

SCUTTLING OF THE LUTZOW.

-luatrsiian and N.Z. Cable Aiwociation.)

AMSTERDAM, Feb. 17

The Telegraaf publishes a remarkable narrative by a German seaman who won the Iron Cross in the battle of Jutland, and deserted owing to bad food. He was on board the Lutzow, which had a crew of 1600, of whom 1000 were saved. Three hundred woundeH were drowned when the Admiral ordered the L/utzow to be sunk, in order to preveritl her falling into the hands of the English. The German dockyards are .now exclusively constructing submarines and large cruisers, but the Hindenburg and Baden will be completed and erifer into active service in March, as also will the new Emden and Karlsx<uhe. He estdmated that Gerniany has 200 submarines on active service, out of a total of 600. Most of the submarines are not expected to' return from their 1 cruises. More submarines have ibeeri lost than G*rmany dared to admit. -The crews are in training for only six weeks, and there are many accidents during the trials.

The Liitzow -was torpedoed a.t # 8 in. the evening, the explosion, killing and wounding many of the crew. I^ ; ter she received four hats by lSrinch sheEs, and iier speed was reduced to three miles per hour. A thousand inert were taken off by four destroyers at three o'clock in the morning, when five /-English destroyers arid two small cruisers were threatening itihe Lutzow. One pf the resouttig destroyers was sunk, and) finally another destroyer was torpedoed. The iArfczow wasUunk in a few miriTites ); /with, the wounded, wno weje sacrificed in order to prevent the. enemy capturing the vessel. The 1 English closed '.'to upon, the sinking Lu ; tizow7 enabling the three destroyers to reach Wilhelmßh3veri." Many German ships were severely damaged when proceeding homewairds. They have since ■been repaired.