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Rh thusa," and both flotillas were now 12 to 15 m. W. of Heligoland steering W.jS. To Commodore (S), who did not know of the presence of Goodenough's cruisers, the situation appeared con- fused. He had sighted Goodenough's light cruisers at 7:45 and reported them as the enemy, leading Goodenough to look for an enemy where there was none, and'now about 9:40 A.M., seeing iodcnough coming up behind him, he reported he was being ased by four enemy cruisers. Tyrwhitt, getting the signal, rned boldly round at 9:42 A.M. to help him, and proceeded E. .gain. At 10 A.M., however, the mist lifted for a time and Comm. Keyes recognized Goodenough's cruisers. But he now became concerned for his submarines. The " Southampton " had already attempted to ram E6, and Goodenough, after seeing Keyes, sent a signal to Beatty and withdrew to the W., leaving the field clear for the submarines. The " Arethusa, " after proceeding to the E. for 8 m. with the " Fearless " and flotillas, stopped and pro- ceeded to repair damages. A lull of half an hour now ensued in the operations. The " Arethusa " had stopped and Good- enough's cruisers had withdrawn.

By this time the Germans were beginning to appreciate the sit- uation. At 8:20 A.M. the German C.-in-C., Adml. von Ingenohl, had taken over the command from Rear-Adml. Hipper, the Admiral of Scouting Forces, and had ordered the battle cruisers to raise steam and be prepared to go out as soon as the bar would permit. The German light cruisers, eager to attack, had pushed out one by one as soon as they could get up steam. The " Strass- burg " had passed the Outer Jade at 9:34 A.M., the " Coin" (Rear-Adml. Maas) at 10 A.M., the " Ariadne " (ordered out at 10:33) at 10:50, the " Stralsund " at 11:20, the " Kolberg " at noon. They now began to appear on the scene. At 10:40 the " Arethusa " had got under way again, and was making to the W. when the " Strassburg," which had been making strenuous efforts to get in touch with the " Stettin," was sighted to the S.E., coming up on a N.N.W. course. Fire was opened and the flotillas turned to attack, but the " Strassburg," evidently unwilling to close, went off to the N. and disappeared in the mist. At 11:5 the " Coin" appeared to the S.E., and they turned to engage her, but after a few salvoes she passed on. At 11:16 the " Strassburg " reappeared to the N., and, steering a westerly course, opened a heavy fire at about 8,650 yd. The " Look- out," with the ist Div. followed by the 2nd Div., 'went off to attack her at 1 1 :35 A.M. Two of their torpedoes crossed her path, and, driven o!f by the flotillas, she disappeared in the mist.

The flotillas rejoined the " Arethusa " and continued their course to the westward. When the " Coin " appeared Tyrwhitt had asked for support, and when the " Strassburg " came in sight the second time, Capt. Blunt, foreseeing a concentration of German light cruisers, sent an urgent signal for assistance.

Beatty meanwhile had been steaming round a position about 54 28' N., 6 20' E. The situation was obscure to him, but at 10 A.M. he made a general signal to all ships giving his position 54 26' N., 6 14' E., and adding: " Remaining here," so that they might know where to find him.

.STRASSBURG P"

'til? attire -" *^i*

Vy jARIADNE %>,

"---45

ttiaditcon fire t sinking ^-^

Maim finking 12.30 I

HELIGOLAND BIGHT ST L.suNo

AUG. 26

FIG. 2 p 1 1 i

BEATTYlS ENTRY

The final and decisive phase of the action was now about to begin. Between n and 11:30 Beatty received three calls for assistance. At 11:20 he had ordered Goodenough to go to Tyr- whitt's assistance. Then came Capt. Blunt's signal couched in urgent terms, and Beatty decided to take his whole force into the Bight. The " Arethusa " was some 40 m. away, and at 11:24 he formed his battle cruisers in single line ahead, and, working up to full speed, proceeded to E.S.E., to throw his whole force into the issue of the day.

Meanwhile the " Mainz " had left the Ems shortly after 9 A.M. and was making at full speed to the E. to cut off the British destroyers and to get in touch with the " Strassburg " and " Stettin." At 11:30 she was sighted almost right ahead by the 2nd, 3rd and 5th Divs. of the British ist Flotilla as they came W., with the " Fearless " and " Arethusa " some miles behind them. The " Mainz " turned to the N. and chased the destroyers to the N., bringing them under a heavy fire. But at 1 1 :so the situation suddenly changed. Out of the mist, on the port bow of the ist Flotilla, there appeared four light cruisers steaming S.S.E. at high speed. These were Goodenough's cruisers coming down from the N.N.W. in support. For a few minutes the destroyers were doubtful whether they were friend or foe, then they recognized them as British and turned gleefully to join them. The " Mainz " recognized them too, and, turning sharply round, fled to the southward. The ist L.C.S. opened fire, but the range was over 7,000 yd. and the " Mainz " drew away, reporting that she was being chased by a battle cruiser. The signal was received at 12:5 P.M. and the " Moltke " and " Von der Tann " were ordered to proceed, with the German 8th Flotilla to screen them. At 12:8 P.M. the " Mainz," run- ning S.E., sighted the " Fearless " and 3rd Flotilla. She swung round to S. and the ist and 2nd Divs. of the British 3rd Flotilla turned to N. and the 4th Div. to S. to engage her.

A shot, possibly from the " Fearless," damaged the " Mainz's ". rudder and brought her port engine to a stop. She now concen- trated on the 4th Division. The " Laurel " was hit by her first salvo; the fourth detonated a number of lyddite shells and blew away the after-funnel, and the " Laurel," with her cap- tain severely wounded, crawled away, hidden by the steam and smoke pouring out of her funnel. The " Liberty " ran into the zone of fire, and had her mast shot away and her captain, Lt.-Comm. Nigel Barthelot, killed. The "Laertes" was hit four times by a single salvo at 4,000 yd. and was stopped dead. But a torpedo fired by the 4th Div. had hit the " Mainz " on the port side amidships. Goodenough's cruisers were closing rapidly and, opening a deadly fire, they reduced her quickly to a wreck. At 12:25 they ceased fire, and at 1:8 the "Mainz" settled by the bows and sank.

The position was still far from clear. The flotillas were scattered. Two German cruisers, the "Strassburg" and " Coin," had appeared to the N.E. and opened a heavy fire, and the German forces seemed to be concentrating to the north- ward. But in a few minutes everything was changed. Out of the mist there emerged Beatty's four great battle cruisers steam- ing at high speed. They swept past the sinking " Mainz," and on to the N.E., Goodenough with his cruisers following in their wake. The German cruisers saw them and fled, but it was too late. At 12:37 the " Coin " appeared on the port bow, and the " Lion " opened fire at 3,800 yards. The " Coin " steered desperately to the N.E., but was hit by a heavy shell and her engines disabled. She gained a brief respite, for the " Ariadne " was sighted by the " Lion " trying to cross her bows on a S.E. course in a despairing effort to escape. Her end came quickly. She was hit by the first two salvoes and disappeared in the mist to the S.E., on fire and sinking. Beatty now decided to with- draw, and at i :io P.M. made the signal to retire.

The " Lion " circled round to the N. and sighted the " Coin " again at 1:25 P.M. steering slowly to the S.W. The admiral had fallen, her captain was seriously wounded. The " Lion " sent a i3-5-in. shell into her; she listed to port and sank with her flag flying, at 1:35. By this time both the "Stettin" and " Strassburg " had reported the presence of battle cruisers, and