Omaha daily bee., 1917-04-27
BRITONS WIN HAND
TO-HAND SEA FIGHT
Spectacular Battle Fought On
Decks of Destroyers
Locked Together.
TWO GERMAN SHIPS SUNK
(By Associated Press)

(By Associated PressD
London, April 26.--Two British de-
stroyers, on patrol duty in the Eng
lish channel, off Dover, on the night
of April 20, came upon hotilla OF
81; German destroyers and then en-
sued an encounter which will live long
in the history Of naval engagements.
German destroyers were torpedoed
and rammed; every gun aboard the
comLatants was working, sweeping
the decks and tearing gaps in the
sides OF the opposing craft.
There was the locking together OF
a British and German destroyer and
the men fought furiously in a hand
to-hand conflict.
German seamen OF a rammed de-
stroyer climbed aboard one OF the
British boats, and a midshipman
fought them back with an automatic
pistol. They were killed or driven
again into the sea by British jackies
who came to the nidshipman's aid
British Destroyers Return.
The British destroyers were the
Swift and the Broke, and although
they received many wounds, they re-
turned to port. The story of the en-
gagement, compiled from the ac-
counts OF officers and men, has been
made public in an official report.
1t is an exciting and graphic story
f boarding encounter with cut
lasses and bayonets, recalling the days
when wooden warships came together
and the men fought on the decks.
Tie British destroyers were steam
ing on a westerly course. 1t was in
tensely dark, but calm. The Swift
sighted the enemy at 900 yards and
the Germans instantly opened fire.
There were six German destroyers,
according to German prisoners. The
Swift replied and tried to, ram the
leading enemy destroyer. 1t missed
ramming, but shot through the Ger
man line unscathed, and in turning,
neatly torpedoed another boat in the
enemy line.
Torpedoes Second Boat.
Again the Swift dashed at the leader.
which again eluded it and fed, with
the Swift in pursuit.
In the meantime the Broke had
launched torpedo at the second boat
in the line which hit the mark. and
then opened fire with every possible
gun. The remaining German boats
were stocking furiously for full speed.
The Broke's commander swung
round to port and rammed the third
boat fair and square abreast the affnr-,
funnel. Locked together thus, the two
boats fought desperate hand-to-hand
conflict. The Broke swept the enemy's
decks at point blank range with every
gun from main armament to pompom,
maxim, rifle and pistol. -
Directs Battle Half Blind.
Two other German destroyers at
tackled and poured a devastating fire
on the Broke, whose foremost gun
crew were reduced from eighteen to
six men. Midshipman Donald Gyles,
although wounded in the eye, kept all
the foremost guns in aeNen, he him.
self assisting the depleted crews to
load. p. ...~- : K ST..
While he was thus occupied, a num-
Der OF frenzied Germans swarmed up
over the Broke's forecastle out of the
rammed destroyer, and finding them
selves amid the binding flashes Of
torecastle guns, swept aft in a, shout
ing mob.
The midshipman, amid the dead and
wounded OF his own gun crews, and
half blinded by blood, met the onset
slngle-handed with an automatic
pistol. He was grappled by a German
who tried to wrest the revolver from
him.
Cutlasses and bayonets were among
the British equipment in anticipation
of such an event The German was
promptly bayonetted by Seaman
Ingleson. a
The, remainder Of the invaders. ex-
cept two, who feigned DEATH, were
driven over the side, the two being
taken prisoners. :,
Disappears in the Darkness.
Two minutes after ramming. the
Broke wrenched itself free from its
adversary and turned to ram the last
of the three remaining boats. II
failed in this object, but in swinging
around succeeded in hitting the boats
consort on the stem with a torpedo.
Holly engaged with these two fleeing
destroyers, the Broke attempted to
follow the Swift, but she'll struck
the Broke's boiler room, disabling its
main engines.
The enemy then disappeared in the
darkness. The Broke. altering its
course, headed toward a DIES rover,
which a few minutes later was seen
to be heavily ahre and whose crew.
on sighting the British destroyer, sent
up shouts for mercy.
The Broke steered slowly toward
the Germans, regardless of the dan
ger from a possible explosion of the
magazines, and the German seamen
redoubled their shouts of Save"
Save" and then Unexpectedly opened
FIRE. ~1
The Broke, being out of control, was
unable to maneuver to extricste itself
but silenced the treachery with four
rounds. Then to insure its own
safety, torpedoed the German amid
ship.
Meanwhile the Swift continued its
pursuit. but slight injuries which it
received earlier in the action prevent
ed it from maintaining full speed, so
It abandoned the chase and sought
fresh quarry. Sighting the outline of
a stationary, destroyer, from which
shouts were heard, the Swift ap-
| preached MarilY with It's guns