THE DESTROYER FIGHT IN THE CHANNEL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 9, 5 October 1917, Page 5

THE DESTROYER FIGHT IN THE CHANNEL

•E955 BOUNTY MONEY FOR BROKE •AND SWIFT. |

. In the Admiralty Pme Court, Su " Samuel Evans recently heard an application for prize bounty for the sinking of two German torpedo-boat destroyers in the Straits of Dover on the night ot ' Anril 20 by officers who are both sons of members of the Bar One was Commander Edward ru.ssell. Garth Lalcliff : Evans, C.8., D.5.0., of South Polo fame, now captain of the Broke (a son of Mr. -Prank-Evans, of Lincoln's Inn, one o the best-known and most popular counsel at thenar). The other was Captain im- • broso Mavnard Peck, D.5.0., in command . of the Swift (a eon of the late Mr. .asper Peck, of Lincoln's Inn, and brother ot . Air. W. A. Peck, of the Chancery Bar). Mr. Prank Evans was present in court during the hearing of the claim, which was made by another counsel who is an. • officer in the Navy, viz., Commander Maxwell Anderson. The encounter occurred three miles --E.S.E. of the South Goodwin light ves- • sel. A flotilla of six enemy "T.B.D.'s" ■ was observed, the Swift and Broke at once engaged them. Two of tlic enemy flotilla were destroyed and sunk, ' nnd the others fled. Prom prisoners it was ascertained that the German vessels ■ wcr'o the GBS and the G42, carrying complements respectively of 06 and 95. Commander Anderson said the case received a good deal of attention at the time. One of the German vessels was rammed and the other was torpedoed, after an act of treachery. The Broke, par-. . tially disabled, ran alongside a German destroyer whose crew were lining the decks.shouting "Save! Save! Kamerad!" ' As the" Broke approached the destroytr opened fire on her, but -was at once tor- ' pedoed. Tho other destroyer was rammed, whilst the Swift was pursuing the ' flying vessels. . His Lordship said the evidence was that there were 191 persons on'the two warships sunk; and accordingly the prize bounty awarded would be .£955.