The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-04-26
CHANNEL FIGHT
AN EPIC OF SEA
Two British Destroyers
Have Old Time Battle
With Six Germans.
TWO BOATS ARE LOCKED
Blucjackcts Engage in Combat
on Decks With Cutlass
and BayOnet.
TWO BOATS ARE LOCKED

LONDON. April 2s.-Two British de-
stroyers on patrol duty in the English
Channel of Dover on the night of April
20 came upon a fotilla Of six German
destroyers and an encounter which will
live long in the history OF naval engage
ments followed. German destroyers
were torpedoed and rammed. Every gun
aboard the combatants was working,
sweeping the decks and tearing gaps In
the sides of the opposing craft. \ Brit-
ish and German destroyer were locked
together and the men fought furiousiy
hand 10 hand.
The British destroyers were the Swift
and the Broke. Although badly dam
aged they returned to port. The story
of the engagement, compiled from the
accounts of officers and men. has been
made public in the form OF an official
report. 1t is an exciting and graphic
story of "A boarding encounter with cut
lasses and bayonets. recalling the days
when wooden warships came together
and the men fought on the decks.
The Swift and the Broke on night
patrol We're steaming on westerly
course. II was intensely dark but calm
The Swift sighted the enemy at 900
yards and the Germans instantly opened
"e' - Wv ''',,'' '.s' ''
uN, ~. u'"| " .l'"' ~
''p'@u ~ ~" 80 -
i"s '"''n! ''s'l"s'' M Ill'eeu '"'i-
'i'lS' w, N'ot ,"'p"s' '''e 'e' man l'nc
ne"' anu va 'ul'ilrN 'o,Pe'oeu ""-
o'''c' ''"' '' '''e e'e'''' ''"e'
Rams German Boat.
In the meantime the Broke lad
launched a torpedo NJ the second boat
in the line. which hit the mark. aud then
opened fire with every possible gun. tn"
remaining German boats We're si"Hing
f,riously foc fu,! specd. Th" Proxies
commander swung round Ia port and
ramWed the third boat fair and square
abreast ihe after funnel Locked To-
g"ther thus. the crews or inc Nv" "1aiS
iouSh' a desperate mana l" manu- comm, l.
iWo olier 'c'H"'I' "'Ht'H''N 81"
,l'Ncd ana Poureu utNas.a '.n- me u,'
'he htoke' whose lprt,''"-' S"u ~
WI tu"''u I'm ,,t',.,t
'it.'5 ''uS'i' p,"''n ~, ,to fnro.
w. t' w, ,,iy,,' ~, i,n,s.ir ,.sist-
ing the depleted crews To l"ad. me-. :
frenzied Germans swarmed M over tho
Rroke's rorecnstle ont or the rammcd
destroyer and. finding themselves amid
fine hilndirp flashes of the forecastlc
guns. swept aft in a shouting mob
Tho midshipmar. amid the dead and
wounded of his own gun crews and half
blinded nv blood. met the ouse, single
handed with an automatic revolver lie
was rrappled by "A German who tried
:, wrcs; the revolver away. Cutlasses
and bavonets being among the British
eruipmcnt in anticipation of such an
event. the German was bayone;ted by
Seaman Ingleson. The remainder Of the
invaders except two who fe'gned death
were driven over the side, the TWO being
made prisoners.
Two minutes ar ramminE tho Broke
wrenched herself free from her sinking
adversary and turned to ram the last Of
the three remaining German boats She
failed In this object hut in swinging
arn,,rd succeedcd in hitting the hoot.s
ro,,,n,, on tho s,er, w,tn ,or,eLo
,In,,,, oreoced viii these two eoo,rc.
,, - pratn o,,a,,n,sd e. ra,,o,',
W. c.s st,'' 49,. ,,s,,t 49,, ,,. y,
'ne H"''' III ''te "''e.''o, '"e "ns 'as
seem nut sheta e'iuch 'ne BROKE
poher roon'' oieapi'hs he' main engines
Th. enemy then disappeared In the
I darkness. The Broke. altering her
course headed In tho direction of de-
stroyer, which few minutes later was
: seen 10 be heavily afire. Her crew, on
sighting the British destroyer. sent VI
/ shouts for mercy. The Broke steercd
| slowly toward the German regardless
of the danger from a possible explosion
OF the magazlnes, and the German sea
!