o come to the surface,
whereupon the Birmingham's gunner fired the second shot of the fight.
This shot struck at the base of the conning tower, ripping the whole of
the upper structure clean and the U-15 sank like a stone.

"The remainder of the submarine flotilla fled." NAVAL BATTLE OFF
HELIGOLAND

In the last week of August a naval engagement occurred off the island
of Heligoland, in the North Sea. British war vessels sank five German
ships, killing 900 men. A graphic description of the engagement was
given by a young lieutenant who was on one of the British torpedo boat
destroyers:

"I think the home papers are magnifying what really was but an affair of
outposts. We destroyers went in and lured the enemy out and had lots of
excitement. The big fellows then came up and afforded some excellent
target practice, and we were very glad to see them come; but it was a
massacre, not a fight.

"There was superb generalship and overwhelming forces on the spot, but
there was really nothing for them to do except to shoot the enemy, even
as father shoots pheasants.

"Have you ever noticed a dog rush in on a flock of sheep and scatter
them? He goes for the nearest and barks and goes so much faster than
the flock that it bunches up with its companions. The dog then barks at
another and the sheep spread out fanwise, so in front of the dog there
is a semicircle of sheep and behind him none.

"That was much what we did at 7 a. m. on August 28. The sheep were the
German torpedo craft, which fell back on the limits of our range and
tried to lure us within the fire of the Heligoland forts. But a
cruiser then came out and engaged our Arethusa and they had a real
heart-to-heart talk, while we looked on, and a few of us tried to shoot
at the enemy, too, though it was beyond our distance.

"We were getting nearer Heligoland all the time. There was a thick mist
and I expected every minute to find the forts on the island bombarding
us, so the Arethusa presently drew off after landing at least one good
shell on the enemy. The enemy gave every hit as good as he got there.

"We then reformed, but a strong destroyer belonging to the submarines
got chased, and the Arethusa and Fearless went back to look after it. We
presently heard a hot action astern, so the captain in command of the
flotilla turned us around and we went back to help. But they had driven
the enemy off and on our arrival told us to 'form up' on the Arethusa.

CRUISER FIR