NAVAL BATTLE

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11717, 6 June 1916, Page 1

NAVAL BATTLE

■ ♦ "IT WAS HELL"! j THE BATTLE-CRUISERS'DFIGHT QUEEN MART'S GLORIOUS END. \ LONDON, June 5. Ths figbfc between the battle cruisers, says an eye-witness, was like' forty thunderstorm* tolled into one. It was heU! f A great shell punched through the Queen Mary's outer thinner armour, ft-nft -the magazine exploded. She buokled up and sank like a itone in a smother of smoke and flame. It was a terrifying, awe-inspiring spectacle. STORY OF A ZEPPELIN. A story is told of a super-Zeppelin, which hovered over the vessel, showering bombs, but the Queen Mary's antiaircraft guns shot down the Zeppelin in a blazing mags, which, fell close to the ship, exploded and was destroyed. Meanwhile the Queen Mary received \ • two terrific broadsides, but it is believ- - e d that her opponent was afterwards sunk. The Indefatigable went next. POISON SHELLS. German shells filled with poisonous gas exploded, filling the ships with fumes, and playing havoc with the crews. Annihilating blasts from the twelveinchers struck the vessels like a tornado and wiped away men like flics. The Lion and Tiger, mau'euvring marvellously, kept their heads to tlu* enemy. The Invincible. Inflexible and Indomitable appeared on the scene, and' with them caruo the armoured miners of the second cruiser squadron, which nut, up a great fight against, heavy odds, but- a torpedo sent the Invincible to the bottom. ' SHORTEST ROAD FOR HOME. When tho Grand Fleet came ou the scene the Germans made Ihe :-ho;'icbt road for home, with the whole nr;;.u of the British fleet after tlic-iu. Largo fleets oi' Dutch fishing erau did good' work iu

WORK OF LION AND TIGER. The Lion was where the fight was hottest, though at on© time sooh a volume of fire was concentrated on the Tiger as few vessels have ever received and survived. The Tiger for ten mmtites to tinder tho fife of over a score of ships. MOST STIRRING SPECTACLE. • Our light cruisers proved their superiority over the enemy's. It ia believed the Hindenburg suooumbed to the destroyer attack, whioh was one of the most stirring speotaclea is the struggle. BLOWN TO PIECES. A vessel believed' to be tho Hindenburg was struck in quick succession by four torpedoes, and literally blown to pieces.