ANNIVERSARY OF DOGGER BANK VICTORY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9568, 26 January 1917, Page 5

ANNIVERSARY OF DOGGER BANK VICTORY

By Telegraph—Press Association —Coypritfht. Australian and New Zealand Cable Association. LONDON, January 24. The “Daily Chronicle's’* correspondent at Amuiden states that within a fow‘ hours of the anniversary of tho Dogger Dank battle, the Gormans again suffered a severe blow at sea. and'have been sternly taught that rams cannot always be undertaken without grave losses. • The engagement occurred on a bitter morning, a few miles from the, coast. The fight was sham, sudden, and furious. It appears that Zeebrugge harbour is freezing, and the German flotilla feared being frozen in. At it would be in great danger of destruction by long-range fire, the vessels were ordered to quit and make for a German harbour. Tho flotilla numbered fourteen or twelve, vessels. All went well until nearing Schouwen Bank, when they suddenly encountered a terrific fire from a largo number of British warships. Some of the wounded say there were twelve British warships, others excitedly estimate them at a hundred. Dwellers on tbs coast heard deep and heavy firing at 4 o’clock in the mormntr. which woke the population on the coast. The first news readied land by the trawler Eems, which brought ten dangerously wounded men. and announced a severe German defeat. The crew r ' of the Eems stated that they were fishing slightly north of Ymuiden, rtnd were hailed by a badly-damaged German torpedo boat, V 69, which transferred ten wounded men wrapped in blankets and placed on planks. All were terribly injured. One of the wounded narrated his part in the battle in fragmentary sentences, frequently voicing his disgust at the whole war business. He said the Germans were taken bv surprise, and knew nothing of the proximity of the British Fleet until a shot shattered the bridge, killing the commander and two officers. The captain’s legs were shot away. ONLY TWO ENEMY VESSELS UNACCOUNTED FOR V 69 lay helpless five miles from Ymuiden. Dutch tugs and torpedo boats hastened to the rescue, and brought her into harbour, where she now lies. Hei stern is almost submerged, and she is kept afloat with difficulty. If the flotilla consisted of twelve boats, there cannot be many left. Only two are Unaccounted for. The presence among tho survivors of men belonging to several sections of the German Fleet suggests that they were taken out of the water, apparently confirming that several destroyers were sunk Some of the wounded men say that the flotilla was so quickly surrounded that there is little hope of many of tho boats escaping. Another account from Ymuiden states that V 69 collided with a BritisK destroyer. There were gruesome scenes, duo to the frost. The dead on the frozen deck were freed by the use of axes. THE DOGGErTbANK BATTLE. The coincidence of the correspondence of the date of the naval battle of Tuesday with that of the Dogger Bank last year is as remarkable as satisfactory. 1m both cases tho .enemy’s fleet were boa ten and dispersed by the British. The Dogger Bank engagement opened in the early morning of January 24th, 1915, when a British patroling .squadron sighted three German battlecruisers and an armoured cruiser, the Blucher, steering westward. The German shins turned and made fur home, but were pursued anl brought to notion. The liion, flying tho flag of Vice-Admiral Sir David Beatty, led the British line# The battle began about 9.30. The Lion, Tiger, Princess Royal, New Zealand and Indomitable were the British ships engaged; and opposed.to them were the Derfflinger, Seydlitz, Moltke. ■ and Blucher. A well-contested running-fight ensued, and shortly after 1 oclock the Blucher, which had previously fallen, out of line, capsized and sank. No British ships were lost; our casualties were 14 killed and 29 wounded. Of the Blucher’s'crew of 886. 123 were saved, including the captain, who died of pneumonia on February ■’6th, 1915, in Edinburgh Oastlo. SUBMARINE PROWLER EXPELLED FROM DUTCH WATERS Australian and New Zealand Cahle Association. YMUIDEN, January 24. Dutch coastguards saw a German submarine in the vinicity of the battle, and expelled her from territorial waters. It is not certain whether V 69 will be interned. Apparently it will be impossible to render her seaworthy within twenty-feur hours. TEN GERMAN VESSELS SUNK COMMANDER OF FLOTILLA NOT KILLED. United Press Association—Copyright. Publioned in “Tho Times." LONDON, January 24. “The Times” correspondent at Ymuiden states that Commander Boelm, of the torpedo flotilla, was not killed. Four officers of V 69 and 80 men out of a c<rew of 160 are missing. Some of tho Gentian wounded admit that ten Gorman vessels were sunk. GERMAN OFFICIAL STORY ONE VESSEL RENDERED UNSEAWORTHY. ALL OTHERS RETURNED TO PORT WITH SLIGHT LOSSES. Admiralty—Per Wireless Press. (Received January 25, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, January 24. A German official report states; —Our torpedo boats encountered tho English in Hoofclen. We sank one destroyer and observed another, by aeroplane, in a sinking condition. One of our torpedo boats was damaged, and being unseaworthy, ran to Ymuiden. All our other ships returned with slight losses.