THRILLING STORY OF THE SEA

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3064, 27 April 1917, Page 5

THRILLING STORY OF THE SEA

TWO BRITISH DESTROYERS FIGHT SIX GERMANS MAGNIFICENT DASH WINS THE DAY (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright). i (Rec. April 26, 8.5 p.m.) London, April 25. The Press Bureau publishes details of the recent raid on Dover. Six German destroyers participated in the raid. The British destroyer leaders, Swift and Broke, were patrolling the Channel, and sighted tho enemy, at 0.04 in the morning, steaming at high speed. The night was calm, and intensely dark. The eneniy was within six. hundred .yards when first seen, and simultaneously tho German fire gongs sounded, and the Germans opened fire. The Swift instantly replied, and Commander Peck decided to ram the ' leading destroyer. The Swift drove straight down upon the enemy. She missed her prey, but traversed the line "of her enemies unscathed, turned hawk-like upon" her quarry, find, while turning, torpedoed another boat. Again the Swift dashed at"the leading enemy, which again eluded the ram; and without firing another shot fled at full speed'into tho darkness, the Swift pursuing. , ■ ! •. The Broke in-Aotion. . "lii the meantime, the Broke, under Commander Evans (who was with Scott in the Antarctic), was steaming astern of the Swift. On the latter altering her course'to ram the leader of the.Germans, the Broke torpedoed, the second boat in tho line, and opened fire with every gun. Then, gathering 6peed. for the blow, swung to port and rammed tho third German-destroyer at full speed, fair aud square abreast, abaft the funnel. Thuß locked, tho , boats fought desperately in a hand-to-hand conflict. Tho Broke swept the enemy's decks at point-blank range with every gun, from her main armament to rifles and pistols. . ! ."The remaining destroyers in the German line poured a devastating fire % upon- the Broke. Her foremost gun-crews were reduced from eighteen to six. Midshipman Gyles, in charge of the forecastle, though wounded in the eye. kept all the foremost guns inaction, assisting the depleted crews to "jueanwhilo a number of frenzied Germans *swarmed over on to the Brake's forecastle from the rammed destroyer, .and amid blinding flashes from the forecastle guns, rushed aft. Midshipman Gyles, half-blinded with blood, met the rush single-handed with his revolver, which a German attempted to seize. Seaman Ingleson promptly bayoneted him, and the remainrjer, except two who were feigning death, and who were taken prisoner, were'driven over-, board. A Fresh Quarry. p, ■ "The' BroEe, two minutes after ramming her adversary, wrenched hor-1 self free, and sinking tho enemy, attemptectto ram ffiiejast boafin tho line. % She failed, hut Tilt tho latter's consort on the stern wicn a torpedo. The ■ Broke hotly engaged with these two fleeing .destroyers, followed the. Swift, . but a s'nell struck her boiler-room, disabling the main engines, and tho enemy j> vanished in tho darkness. ■. ' ' . ' . #' "The Brokt? was next headed towards a ifertroycr which was heavily on , fire and whoso crew was making loud appeals for mercy. Regardless of the danger of the enemy's magazines exploding, the Broke moved slowly to-'•' wards her. Tho cries of the Germans were redoubled, and then, uncxpect- . Icdlv thev' opened fire. The Broke, uncontrollable, and unable to manoeuvre or extricate herself, silenced this treachery with four rounds, then, firing- her torpedo, hit the destroyer amidships. Q ', "We Surrender!"' "Meanwhile the Swift, unable to maintain full speed, owing to a slight injury she had received earlier in tho rction, abandoned the chase, and pro; sently sighted an outlying stationary destroyer. She heard confused voices, and warily approached with her guns trained on the stranger. Tho latter was the sinking destroyer-that had been rammed by the, Broke. The crew bellowed in unison: 'We surrender I' Suspecting treachery, the Swift awaited developments. The German destroyer's crew stopped shouting. She heeled slowly over, and sank. Tho Swift, using her searchlight, rescued tho survivors. v ' ~ "The Swift's and Broke's crews cheered each other'in the darkness till they were hoarse. The spirit of tho wounded is epitomised- in the conduct of tho Broke's helmsman, Howies, who was hit four times by shell fragments. He remained at the wheel throughout tho action, and only betrayed the fact '■ that he.was wounded by reporting to the captain: 'I am going ofl, now, sir,' and then fainting."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter.