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Show BRITISH DESTROYERS GO DOiHIGHTI Graphic Story of Their Loss Is Told in the House of Commons. PRAISE IS GIVEN MEN They Are Said to Have Upheld Up-held the Highest Traditions Tradi-tions of the Navy. LONDON, Nov. 15. (Correspondence of the Associated Press.) The full story of the sinking of the two British, destroyer, Strongbow and Mary Rose, by German cruisers on October 16, was first told by Sir Eric Gedd.s, the first lord of the admiralty. ad-miralty. In a speech to the house of commons. com-mons. As he said, these destroyers up-: up-: held the highest traditions of the navy by attar-king ships of far greater strength and fighting to tiie last. Sir Eric said: ! On October 16 the two destroyers, Strongbow and Mar Hose, with three email, but armed, vessels, only one of which was fitted with wireless, escorted a convoy of twelve ships bound for the Shetland Islands from Norway. During the night one of tho three smailer armed vessels the one which was fitted with wireless dropped hack to screen a ship of the convoy which had to stop owing to her cargo having shifted. Enemy Ships Sighted. The convoy was then accompanied by tiie destroyers .Strongbow and Mary Hose, both of which had wireless wire-less installation, as well as by two I other smail craft which were not so j fitted. About 6 a. m. on the 17th. I Just ?s day was breaking, the Strong- bow sighted two ships to the southward south-ward which were closing in fast. J Visi hility was about two miles, and the Strongbow, having challenged and I received an unsatisfactory answer, at on- e gave orders for action. 1 The enemy's first shot wrecked her wireless room and did other damage, and in spite of the great gallantry with which she was fought by her captain, ofiiccrs and crew she was sunk. The other destroyer. Mary Roe, wad immediately attacked by the two German vessels and blown up by a shr.t in her magazine. The two enemy vessels which later detailed reports show were of a very fast cruiser class then proceeded to attack the vessels of the convoy, s.nking nine of them. News Is Delayed. , Owing to the fact t hat the escort veFse! which was fitted with wireless had been detached, and owing to the Mary Rose being sunk immediately and tlie .Strongbow's wireless being put out of action by the first shot, 1 ' no message reached the admiral commanding com-manding the Orkneys, and the commander com-mander in chief of the grand fleet, or the admiraJty that the convoy had been attacked until tiie surviving shins arrived at Lerwick. The admiralty did not receive the Information until 7 p. m. Having regard re-gard to the disposition of our forces on the 17th, we are entitled to say that we received wireless information, and with three vessels suitably fitted it is reasonable to expect that we should have received that information, informa-tion, the British navy would have asked no better chance than it then had to intercept the raiders on their return journey. Tn this case the op- i portunity was denied us. I The Scandinavian convoy system 1 was started in A.pril of this year, and more than 4o00 vessels have been convoyed by the British navy. This Is the first occasion upon which a single sin-gle ship has been lost by surface at- i tack in the Scandinavian convoy. I mention this convoy particularly, but J there are other convoys continually t passing up and down and across the Xorth sea. and our losses in them have been proportionately less. |