Of the damage to the Scharnhorst at this time no estimate can be formed, but survivors from the Gneisenau stated that they had three direct hits, resulting in fifty men being killed and wounded. To the uninitiated this may seem to be poor shooting; but the difficulty of seeing clearly enough to make accurate corrections to the gunsights, the extreme range, and the disturbing effect of the enemy's fire must all be taken into account. Doubtless, too, there were several hits of an insignificant nature on the upper works and rigging that were not taken into account. It was impossible to tell at such a long range whether we scored a hit unless a fire resulted.
The efficiency of the engine-room staff was now put to the test; they nobly responded, with the result that our big ships attained a greater speed than they had ever done before.
At this juncture a full-rigged sailing ship appeared on the port hand of our battle-cruisers; she was painted white, and her sails were shining as if bleached in the bright sunlight; with stunsails and every stitch of canvas spread she sailed majestically along, looking a perfect picture. So close was she that the Admiral was forced to alter his course to pass a couple of miles clear of her, so that the enemy's shell ricocheting should not hit her. Truly it must have been a thrilling and dramatic moment for her to find herself an involuntary witness of such a wonderful spectacle! Imagine her consternation at being plunged suddenly into the middle of a red-hot naval action between powerfully armed modern men-of-war, with shell falling in the water quite close alongside.
The distance of the retreating enemy was rapidly decreasing, until at 2.45 P.M. Admiral Sturdee gave the order to open fire at a range of about 15,000 yards. Von Spee held on his course in the vain hope, apparently, of drawing us on, so that by a sudden turn made later he might "get to grips." Eight minutes afterwards the Germans were forced to turn to port towards us, forming into line-ahead and opening fire as soon as they came round. We hauled out once again on to an almost parallel course. The range had appreciably dropped, and was at one time under 12,000 yards. Things now became fast and furious, shot and bursting shell were everywhere in the air, and our 12-inch guns were doing terrible execution. "It was like hell let loose," said a petty officer in the flagship, which was hit several times. The German gunnery was not nearly as good as it had been in the first phase of the engagement, whilst we had settled down to business and were, on the whole, more accurate than before. An officer in the Inflexible remarked that at this time several of the enemy's shell fell between our two ships and that as his ship approached these yellow-green patches, he wondered whether the debatable maxim that no two projectiles ever hit the same spot would prove accurate.
The Scharnhorst was badly hit at 3 P.M., starting a fire forward, but she continued to blaze away; the Gneisenau also bore signs of the severe treatment she had received from the Inflexible. The Invincible now met with some damage, and suffered by far the most as the enemy's fire was naturally concentrated on her. The wind had increased, and was blowing the smoke across the guns, impeding our gunners, and the Carnarvon was coming up astern, so at 3.18 Admiral Sturdee executed a sudden manœuvre by putting his helm over to starboard, turning completely around, and crossing his own track so as to steer roughly S.W.; this put the enemy completely off the range, and also forced him five minutes later on to a parallel course, in order to avoid the alternative of being raked fore and aft. As both our ships had altered course together, their respective positions became reversed—the Inflexible leading—and they presented their port sides to the enemy (see facing [p. 79]). The Carnarvon cut the corner and came up on the off side of the battle-cruisers, in accordance with Admiral Sturdee's orders, as her guns were useless at ranges exceeding 12,000 yards. The Scharnhorst, who had already had a bad hammering from the flagship, was now subjected to the concentrated fire of our two big ships for a very short time, during which the Gneisenau was lost sight of in her consort's smoke. At 3.30 P.M. the Scharnhorst's fire had slackened perceptibly, and one shell had shot away her third funnel.
The Invincible now engaged the Gneisenau, who was not nearly so badly damaged and was firing all her guns. In fact, all ships were at it as hard as they could go, but the Inflexible came off lightly on account of the plight of her opponent. The noise was indescribable, shell were hurtling through the rigging; when one actually struck and burst, the whole ship quivered and staggered, while the crash of steel plates falling, and splinters of shell striking the upper works, sounded like hundreds of empty tins being hurled against one another.
The Scharnhorst was clearly in a very bad way, and looked, as she was, a perfect wreck. Masses of steel were twisted and torn as if growing out in all directions like the roots of a tree, clouds of steam were going up sky high, and she was blazing fore and aft. The Admiral says, "At times a shell would cause a large hole to appear in her side, through which could be seen a dull red glow of flame." She was 14,000 yards distant. Up till quite near the end, however, she continued to fire in salvos, her starboard guns having only been in action since the last turn was made. At 3.56 P.M. the Commander-in-Chief decided to close in and give her the coup de grace, which enabled the Carnarvon to get into action and open fire for the first time. By 4 P.M. both the Scharnhorst's masts, as well as her three funnels, were shot away, and she was listing heavily to port. She struggled on hopelessly and went over more and more, until at 4.10 P.M. she was on her beam ends. For seven minutes she remained in this position, her screws still going round, and then suddenly sank like a stone, with her flag still flying.
Shortly before the German flagship sank, our ships checked fire and then opened on the Gneisenau. It will be seen from the plan of the action that at the time the Invincible turned two complete circles in a sort of figure of eight, the Gneisenau hesitated for a minute or two as to whether she should stand by her consort to save life. Under the impression, apparently, that our flagship, which had turned towards the Scharnhorst, was about to pick up survivors, the Gneisenau passed on the far side of the sinking ship and opened a heavy and well-directed fire on the Inflexible. We were now three against one, who was, nevertheless, determined to sell herself as dearly as possible. It was a gallant attempt.
The distance was fortunately too great to see clearly the wretched survivors of the Scharnhorst left struggling hopelessly against their fate, but it brought the dark side of war very vividly into notice for the first time. A quarter of an hour after she sank the Carnarvon passed over the exact spot, but neither survivors nor wreckage were to be seen.
The weather now changed, a light drizzling mist obscuring the former visibility. It was obvious that there could be only one end to the fight now in progress, and that it could not long be delayed. At 4.15 P.M. the Invincible opened fire on the Gneisenau, which shifted her target from the Inflexible and fired at the flagship with creditable precision. She was "straddling" the Invincible at 4.25, the range being about 10,000 yards, so this was increased. During the next quarter of an hour our flagship was hit three times, but the German was taking terrible punishment. At 4.47 she ceased firing; her colours had been shot away several times, but she had hoisted them again and again. Now, however, no colours were to be seen, so it was only natural to conclude she had struck, though it was afterwards ascertained that she had no more left to hoist. Our ships turned to avoid getting too far off, when, to the surprise of all, she suddenly fired off a solitary gun, showing that she was still game. Unlike her late consort, which looked a perfect wreck for some time before actually sinking, she had to all appearances suffered very little. At 5.8 P.M., however, her foremost funnel went by the board.