GERMAN CRUISERS OUT FLANKED.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14196, 7 June 1916, Page 5

GERMAN CRUISERS OUT FLANKED.

GRAND FLEET SPLENDIDLY

HANDLED

ONLY A GOOD LIGHT WANTING

THE DERFFLINGER SUi\K

(Received June 6, 10.50 p.m.)

London, June 5. The four vessels of tho Queen Eliza-

beth class feed steadily at the flashes •f the German guns, the range- varyin<? fiom 12,000 to 15.0QP yards. By "5.45 half tho German fleet had loft, and

wero out of range, and the Quoo'n .Elizabeths steamed fast to join Sir John

-Tel licoe

Sir David Beatty's cruisers had outflanked Hho, German cruisers, which were compelled to turn a full right- angle to starboard to avoid

being headed. Heavier fighting continued, and the Derffliiiger was .sunk."

Towards six o'clock tho German fire slackened considerably. The Grand Vicct was now in sight, coming fast from three directions.

The Queen Elizabeths altered their course four points to starboard, and drew in towards the enemy to allow room to deploy into Jine. The Grand I Fleet was perfectly manoeuvred. Deploying. perfectly, it turned and steamed right across, the head of the fleet. The Revenge and, the Royal Oak, with 15----inch guns, and the which fired, from seven turrets at almost the speed maximum, were first to come into action. Only a dccen't light was necessary to complete the destruction of the Germans in detail. The light did improve for a few minutes, and the conditions were fa-voxirable for the British Fleet, which was now in line approximately north and south across the

iead of the Germans.

During the few minutes of good light Sir John Jellicoe smashed the first

three German ships. Then the mist fell and the light visibly failed. The defeated German fleet drew off in ragged divisions, pursued hy the British, who had them enveloped between Sir John Jellicoe, in the west, Sir David Beatty to the north, and Rear-Ad-

'niiral 'Evan-Thomas with three Queen Elizabeths on tho south.

The destroyers during the night heavily attacked, and although they lost heavily themselves they sank two

Germans

It was now impossible to obtain combination, and the Germans escaped between the battle cruisers and Sir John Jellicoe, since we were unable to fire, as our own destroyers were in the way.

This saw the end of the Jutland battle, which was nearly a great success, spoiled by "unfavourable weather. Tne German small craft were rounded, xvp, and some ceased to count as an organised body.