But the German losses had been great. The Westphalen had been sunk.
So had the Pommern and the Freiderich. The Frauenlob had gone to
the bottom and the Wiesbaden, the new flagship, was badly crippled.
As another German torpedo boat sank, the Germans slackened their pace.
The British had a breathing spell.
But the battle was not over yet. The second German squadron had now approached almost close enough to take a hand in the battle. Apparently this Was what the German admiral was waiting for before resuming operations.
It was plainly evident now that the Germans had sighted the approaching British fleet, but at that distance they were unable to make out its strength. The German admiral decided to continue the battle if he could do so with any hope of success.
So, with the second squadron in range, he gave the command to advance again.
The Queen Mary and the Indefatigable bore the brunt of this next attack and for half an hour it seemed that it was impossible for the two ships to live through the rain of shells that fell all about them. But live they did and they gave as good or better than they received.
The German battleship Hindenburg, pierced by half a dozen shells at almost the same time, staggered back and fell out of line. But the British had no mercy on her. Shell after shell they poured upon her; and at last she sank.
The Wiesbaden, the German flagship, pressed hotly to the attack. Although struck in a dozen places and her port side batteries out of commission, she continued to play on the Queen Mary and the Indefatigable with her forward turret guns.
As a matter of fact, it was fortunate for the Queen Mary and the Indefatigable that they had begun to retire; for their forward turret guns had been silenced and the only pieces that they could now bring into play were in the turrets aft.
A shell from the German battleship Lutzow exploded on the bridge of the Marlborough. The bridge was carried completely away and the commander of the ship was killed, as were half a score of other officers. A second shell struck the Marlborough and carried away her steering apparatus. Absolutely uncontrollable now, the Marlborough drifted toward the Lion, with which she almost collided before the Lion could get out of the way.