shell, though, in my position in the after torpedo control tower, I
only realized one hit had taken place, which was when a shell plunged
into the after turret and, blowing the roof off, killed every member of
the turret's crew.

From my position, when the smoke and dust had blown away, I looked down
into a mass of twisted machinery, amongst which I seemed to detect the
charred remains of bodies.

At about 7.40 we turned, under cover of our smoke screen, and steered
south-west.

Our position was not satisfactory, as the last information of the enemy
reported them as turning to the southward; consequently they were
between us and Heligoland.

At 11 p.m. we received a signal for divisions of battle fleets to steer
independently for the Horn Reef swept channel.

Ten minutes later we underwent the first of five destroyer attacks.

The British destroyers, searching wide in the night, had located us,
and with desperate gallantry pressed home the attack again and again.
So close did they come that about 1.30 a.m. we rammed one, passing
through her like a knife through a cheese.

It was a wonderful spectacle to see those sinister craft, rushing madly
to their destruction down the bright beam of our powerful searchlights.
It was an avenue of death for them, but to the credit of their Service
it must stand that throughout the long nightmare they did not hesitate.