We imagine that the German destroyers in both actions were
the same German flotilla from Zeebrugge, consisting of about twelve vessels. Having scattered, or rather fled, in the darkness after the first hammering, they were surprised by our destroyers near the Schouwen Bank, off the mouth of the Schelde, and were again hammered and scattered. If the punishment received by the German flotilla flagship, the ' V69,' is any test, the other German destroyers must have suffered heavily. She limped into the Dutch harbour of Ymuiden battered beyond hope of being able to put to sea again in time to escape internment. The Commodore and many of the crew were killed. It would be unfair to take too seriously the tales told by the German seamen in this destroyer, because the crew were evidently in a half-demoralized condition. They seemed to think, however, that most of their flotilla had been sunk. They all testified to the accuracy of the British gunnery.
