In The Firing Line 11

In The Firing Line 11

Letter 27.--From a Scottish seaman (Published in “The Scotsman”):_

 

It was a sight worth seeing. We chased two German destroyers of the

“S” class, one of which went on fire, and the other was sunk by eight

British destroyers, including the _Defender_. We chased them for about

four hours, and one showed great pluck as the crew refused to haul down

the flag, and she sank with the German flag flying. When she sank, and

even before it, the sailors were swimming towards the British ships,

shouting in broken English that they had surrendered, and appealing for

help. It was a terrible sight to see the wounded in the water, and we

assisted in throwing out lifebelts and ropes to them, while the whaler

and a skiff were also lowered, together with small boats from the other

British vessels. While engaged in picking up the wounded and other

survivors, we were fired on by a big four-funnelled German cruiser, so

that we had to leave our two boats. We watched the cruiser firing seven

or eight 11-inch guns, which made us keep going well ahead to keep out

of the way.

 

A piece of shell struck one of the gun’s crew on the head, and dropped

at my feet, and we had to keep dodging the shells round the bridge.

A light cruiser at last came to the rescue, for the destroyer’s guns

were no use against those of the Germans’. Our cruiser sank the German

cruiser, and a good many of the enemy’s boats escaped. About 12 o’clock

on Saturday one of the latest submarines signalled that she had saved

the boat’s crew (9 men and 1 officer) while following the big cruiser

to torpedo her. It was believed these fellows had been lost, and their

mates on board never dreamt of seeing them again. Some German survivors

were put aboard a destroyer, and they were cheered by the British tars

who were anxious to hear the news from them. A German stoker said they

did not want to fight England, and it was too much Germany fighting so

many countries. It was terrible to hear the cries of the wounded in

the water, and we did not get a chance to pick them up. The men on the

sinking destroyer stuck to their guns to the last, and they were firing

at their own men who dived for our ships. Some had lifebelts on, and

the officers tried to frighten them by saying the British would put

them in front of their guns. We had only two hurt.

 

* * * * *

 

[Illustration:

 

_Drawn by Philip Dadd, from a sketch

by G. H. Davis._

 

_Copyright of The Sphere._

 

RESCUED BY SUBMARINE. A STRANGE INCIDENT DURING THE NAVAL ACTION OFF

HELIGOLAND.]

 

_Letter 28.--From a gun-room officer on H.M. battle-cruiser

“Invincible,” to his parents at Hove:_

 

The particular ship we were engaged with was in a pitiful plight when

we had finished with her. Her funnels shot away, masts tottering,

great gaps of daylight in her sides, smoke and flame belching from

her everywhere. She speedily heeled over and sank like a stone, stern

first. So far as is known none of her crew was saved. She was game

to the last, let it be said, her flag flying till she sank, her guns

barking till they could bark no more. Although we suffered no loss

we had some very narrow escapes. Three torpedoes were observed to

pass us, one, it is said, within a few feet. Four-inch shells, too,

fell short, or were ahead of us. The sea was alive with the enemy’s

submarines, which, however, luckily did no damage. They should not be

under-rated, these Germans. They’ve got “guts.” That cruiser did not

think apparently of surrender.

 

* * * * *

 

_Letter 29.--From a Bluejacket in the North Sea, to his friends at

Jarrow:_

 

On August 24th we made a dash for the German coast and were lucky

enough to come across two German cruisers. Then the fun started. We

pursued one, and when I tell you we can do thirty knots, you can

imagine what chance she had of getting away. She was a heavier boat

than us, and the engagement lasted four hours. At the end of that time

she was a terrible sight. She was on fire from stem to stern; the

Germans were jumping overboard, and at the finish only seventeen out

of 400 were saved. It is a fact that the Germans only stayed at their

guns under the orders of their officers, who stood over them with

revolvers. Three dozen of their bodies, which were picked up, bore

marks of revolver shots. Five days every week for the last four weeks

we have swept the North Sea, and all we discovered were the aforesaid

two cruisers and about a dozen trawlers, which we sank. There is no

sign of the big German Navy. They are in Kiel Harbour, and if they come

out--well, there will be no German Navy left. The only things they are

using are mines and submarines. In fact, the so-called German Navy is a

“wash-out.” We have been within ten miles of their base and they will

not come out.

 

* * * * *

 

_Letter 30.--From Seaman-Gunner Brown, to his parents at Newport,

Isle of Wight:_

 

We and another ship in our squadron came across two German cruisers. We

outed one and started on the second, but battle-cruisers soon finished

her off. Another then appeared, and after we had plunked two broadsides

into her she slid off in flames. Every man did his bit, and there was a

continuous stream of jokes. We pencilled on the projectiles. “Love from

England,” “One for the Kaiser,” and other such messages.

 

The sight of sinking German ships was gloriously terrible; funnels and

masts lying about in all directions, and amidships a huge furnace, the

burning steel looking like a big ball of sulphur. There was not the

slightest sign of fear, from the youngest to the oldest man aboard.

 

* * * * *

 

_Letter 31.--From a man in a warship’s engine-room:_

 

We stayed down there keeping the engines going at their top speed in

order to cut off the Germans from their fleet. We could hear the awful

din and the scampering of the tars on the deck as they rushed about

from point to point. We could hear the shells crashing against the side

of the ship or shrieking overhead as they passed harmlessly into the

water, and we knew that at any moment one might strike us in a vital

part, and send us below never to come up again. It is ten times harder

on the men whose duty is in the engine-room than for those on deck

taking part in the fighting, for they at least have the excitement of

the fight, and if the ship is struck they have more than a sporting

chance of escape. We have none, and the medals and pats on the back

when the fight is won are not for us, who are only common mechanics.

 

* * * * *

 

_Letter 32.--From Seaman Jack Diggett, of West Bromwich, to his

brother:_

 

You will have heard of our little job in the North Sea. We sank five

ships and ran a few off. Of course it was only a trial spin. We kicked

off last Friday about six in the morning, and we won 5--nil. Not bad,

considering we are playing “away.” Their goalkeepers could not hold

us, we were so hot. Our forwards shot beautifully, and our defence was

sound. We agreed to play extra time if we had not finished, but we had

done in time. It must not be thought that we had it all our own way,

for they were very brave, and fought until one of our boys fired a shot

at the last gun in the _Mainz_ and blew the whole gun and crew as well

into the sea. One of our officers had both his legs blown off, and

still shouted out to give the Germans another. We are all getting ready

for the big match of the season now when their battle fleet chooses to

come out. One German officer we got out of the water asked, “Are you

British?” When our officer replied, “Yes,” he said, “God help us!” They

thought we were the French fleet.

 

* * * * *

 

_Letter 33.--From a seaman on H.M.S. “Hearty”:_

 

The destroyer _Laurel_ seems to have suffered the most. She had one

funnel carried right away and the others riddled like a pepper-box.

One shell struck her right forward, went through her bulkhead, through

one galley door, and out through the other. The cookie was in there at

the time, but it missed him and cut through the other side of the ship.

That cook was born under a lucky star. It’s on the bridge and around

the guns where they suffered most. On the _Liberty’s_ bridge, everybody

except one was killed; in fact they say they were never seen since.

Poor devils, they must have been carried right overboard. The skipper

of the _Laurel_ had both his legs shot away.

 

The scout _Arethusa_ came in last. She brought 100 Germans picked up

off the cruiser _Mainz_. We didn’t see them; they were landed down at

Sheerness. They’ve got one keepsake off her. They picked up a German

officer, but he died, and they buried him at sea. They’ve got his

uniform hanging up. The cooks on the _Arethusa_ were not so lucky. Two

cooks were in the galley, just having their rum, when a shell killed

one and blew the other’s arm off. A funny thing, they’ve got a clock

hanging up; it smashed the glass and one hand, but the blooming thing’s

still going.

 

* * * * *

 

_Letter 34.--From a seaman on H.M. destroyer “Lurcher,” to a friend

at Bradford:_

 

We had orders to pick up prisoners. As we steamed up dead bodies were

floating past the ship. We went up alongside the German cruiser _Mainz_

just before she sank, and it was an awful sight. We got 224 prisoners

in a most terrible state, and most of them died. It is impossible to

describe it all on paper. Our decks were red with blood, and you see we

are only a destroyer, so you may tell what a mess we were in.