Meantime, the Lion had been attending to the other German vessels. After taking part in the destruction of the Kaiser Wilhelm she had turned north and chased them, aided by the Selkirk. Five of the ocean-going destroyers and the ten Devonport destroyers had already proceeded to keep them under observation and harry them to the utmost.
They were still going north-west, and had obtained about twenty-five miles’ start of the two big British cruisers. But as they could only steam twelve or thirteen knots, while the British ships were good for twenty-one, they had little chance of escape, the less so as the 14,000-ton-protected cruiser Terrific, the flagship of the torpedo flotilla, was fast coming up at twenty knots from Kingstown, and at 6 p.m. had passed the Smalls, reporting herself by wireless telegraphy, and taking charge of the operations in virtue of the fact that she carried a rear-admiral’s flag.
The approach of this new antagonist must have been known to the Germans by the indications which her wireless waves afforded. On the way she had received the news of a serious British defeat in the North Sea, and her Admiral was smarting to have some share in reversing that great calamity.
Before dusk she was in sight of the seven German ships, with their attendant British destroyers. The Germans once more scattered. The Gefion, which was the only really fast ship, made off towards the west, but was promptly headed off by the Terrific and driven back. The Pfeil headed boldly towards Milford, and as the batteries at that place were not yet manned, caused some moments of great anxiety to the British. Two of the fast ocean-going destroyers were ordered to run in between her and the port and to torpedo her if she attempted to make her way in through the narrow entrance. Observing their manœuvre, the German captain once more turned south. The other five German ships kept in line, and attemped to pass between the Smalls and the Welsh coast.
The Terrific had now closed the Gefion sufficiently to open fire with her 9·2’s and 6-inch guns. The fight was so unequal that it could not be long protracted. With every disadvantage of speed, protection, and armament, the German cruiser was shattered by a few broadsides, and, in a sinking condition, surrendered just after dark.
The Selkirk and Lion passed her and fired a few shots at her just before she struck, but were ordered by the Rear-Admiral to attend to the other German ships. Five shots from the Lion’s bow 9·2-inch gun settled the Pfeil, which beached herself in Freshwater Bay, where the crew blew up the ship, and were captured a few hours later. Thus four of the ten raiders were disposed of, and there now remained only five within reach of the British ships clearing the Bristol Channel.
It was 9 p.m. before the Lion and Selkirk had closed on the remnant of the German squadron which had raided the South Wales ports sufficiently to engage it. The five German ships had passed through the dangerous passage between the Smalls and the mainland without misadventure, and were slightly to the north-west of St. David’s Head.
Right ahead of them were the British destroyers, ready to co-operate in the attack as soon as the big cruisers came up; abreast of the German line were the two large British armoured cruisers; well astern of them was the Terrific, heading to cut off their retreat. The German ships were formed up with the Cormoran at the head, and astern of her in line the Sperber, Schwalbe, Meteor, and Falke. None of these poor old vessels mounted anything larger than a 4-inch gun, and none of them could steam more than twelve knots. The only course remaining for them was to make some show of fight for the honour of the German flag, and to their credit be it said that they did this.
The task of the British cruisers was a simple one. It was to destroy the German vessels with their powerful ordnance, keeping at such a distance that the German projectiles could do them no serious damage. At 9.10 the fight began, and the Lion and Selkirk opened with their entire broadsides upon the Cormoran and Falke. The Germans gallantly replied to the two great cruisers, and for some minutes kept up a vigorous fire.
Then the Cormoran began to burn, and a few minutes later the Falke was seen to be sinking. The British ships turned all their guns upon the three remaining vessels. The Meteor blew up with a terrific crash, and went to the bottom; the Sperber and Schwalbe immediately after this hoisted the white flag and made their surrender. The battle, if it could be called a battle, was over before ten, and the officers and men of the British ships set to work to rescue their enemies. The British casualties were again trifling, and the German list a heavy one. Of the officers and men in the five German cruisers over a hundred were drowned, killed, or wounded.