The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-04-27
DOVER NAVAL FIGHT.
WAS SPECTACULAR
TWO BRITISH DESTRoYERS EN-
GAGED SIX GERMANS OF
SAME CLASS.
HAND TO HAND FIGHT
Graphic Story Of Boarding Encounter
with Cutlasses and Bayonets, Like
PrlVateer Days When Wooden War
ships Clashed

London, April 81 Two British de.
stroycrs ON patrol duty in the English
channel off Dover Friday night came
upon flotilla Of six German destroy
crs and then cnsuod an encounter
which viii live long In the history of
naval engagements German destroy
crs were torpcdocd and rammod, rN
cry gun aboard the Combauuts was
working. sweeping the decks and
tearing gaps In the sides of the oppos
ing craft There was the locking to.
gcthcr of % British and % German de.
strDyer and the men Tough, turiuusN
in a hand TO hand battle
Hand to Hand Fighting.
German sramcu of ummcd de-
suoycr climbed aboard of the British
boat and q midshipmun fought them
back with an automatic pistol They
were killed or driven again into the
sea by British iacNos who had come
TO the mldshipmans aid.
The British desUuyers were the
Swift and the Broke and, although
they had received many wounds, they
returned 10 port The story of the
engagement compiled from the ac
counts ot officers ana men has been
made publ, In the form OF an official
report lt is an exciting and graphic
story OF q boarding encounter with
cutlasses and hayouets recalling the
days when wooden ships came togeth.
cr and the men fought ON the decks.
The British destroyer leaders Swift
and Broke ON night patrol were steam
ing on westerly course. II was in
tcnscly dark. but calm. The Swift
sighted the enemy at six hundred
yards and the Germans instantly open
ed fire
SIX Destroyers Against Two.
There were six German destroyors
according To German prisoners. Tn,
Swift replied and tried to ram tn,
leading enemy destroyer, she missc,
ramming and shot through the Ger
man unscathed
Again the Swift dashed at the lead
er which again oluded her and fle
with the Swift in pursuit
Meantime the Broke had launched
torpedo at the second boat in the lin
which hit the mark and then opene
lire with every possible gun. The r.
naming German boats were stokiu
uriously for full speed
Rammed German Craft.
The Brokc's commander swur
around to port and rammed the thil
boat fair and square abreast the aft,
funnel Locked together thus. Il
two boats fought desperate hand
hand conflict The Broke swept Il
cnemy's decks at pointblank RAM
with every gun from main armamel
TO pompom, maxim rifle and pist,
Two other German dcstroyers q
tackled and poured u devastating II
ON the Broke. whose foremost II
crews were reduced from eighteen
six men MidshipmWn Donald CYL,
although wounded In the eve kept
the foremost guns In action, he hiI
self assisting the depleted crews
load While he was thus employed
number of lrcnzicd Germans swarm
up over the Broke's torcCastlc out
the rammcd destroyer and tndii
themselves amid the binding flash
of forcCastlc guns. swept att in
shouting mob
The midshipman amid the dead a
wounded vt his own gun crews a.
half blinded hy blood met the ON.
single handed with AN automatic y
tol He was gapplcd hy Germ
who tried to wrcst the revolver aw,
The German was promptly hayonctt