The German account concedes the condition of the V69 at
Ymniden, which it could not possibly deny, but besides claiming the sinking of our own torpedoed destroyer it speaks of another British destroyer seen by a German airman in a sinking condition. This is certainly untrue. Probably the German Admiralty invented this airman with his cat-like sight in the pitch•black hours of a wintry morning. It is splendidly reassuring to know that our light craft and destroyers do not permit a destroyer to stir on the other side of the North Sea without making for it. Whatever the purpose of the German flotilla originally was, it could not even carry out its ultimate intention of escaping into German harbours without being battered a second time. The conditions of the fighting in this weather must have been terrible. Zeebrugge has long been a source of annoyance to us, and it may be hoped that now that the nest of mice has been scattered, we may be able to keep the mouse-hole stopped.
