South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-04-26
DESTROYERS IN
FIERCE COMBAT.
Two British Rout Six Germans
Graft Lock Together as
in Days of Old.

English channel off Dover on the
night Of April 20. came upon a fotil-
la of six German destrOyers and
then ensued an encounter which Will
live long i'm the history of naval
engagements. 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 There was the lock-
ing together Of a British and Ger,
man destroyer and the men fought
in hand 10 hand battle.
German seamen Of a rammed de-
stroyer climbed aboard one of the
british boats and a midshipman
fought them back with an autOmat-
ic pistol. They were killed or driven
again into the sea by British jackies
who came 10 the midshipman's aid.
Cutlass and BayOnet Used.
The British destroyers were the
Swift and the Broke. and although
they had received many wounds,
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 en-
counter with cutlasses and bayonets
recalling the days when wooden
warships came together and the men
fought on the decks.
The British destroyer leaders,
Swift and Broke, on night patrol,
were steaming on a westerly course.
II was intensely dark but calm. The
Swift sighted the enemy at 500 yards
and the Germans instantly opened
fire There were six German destroy
ers. according TO German prisoners.
The Swift replied and tried 10 ram
the leading enemy destroyer. She
missed ramming. but shot through
the German line Unscathed. and in
turning neatly torpedoed another
boat in the enemy line.
Again the Swift dashed at the
leader, which again eluded her and
fled. with the Swift in pursuit.
Open Fire With Every Gun.
In the meantime the Broke had
launched a torpedo at the second
boat in the line, which hit the mark,
and then opened fire with every pos
sible 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
after funnel. Locked together thus,
the two boats fought a desperate
hand TO hand conflict The Broke
swept the enemy's decks at point
blank range with every gun from
main armament 60 pompOm, maxim,
rifle and pistol.
Two other German destroyers at
tackled and poured a devastating fire
on the Broke, whose foremost gun
crews were reduced from Is 10 six
men. Midshipman Donald Gyles, al
though wounded in the eye. kept all
the foremost guns i'm action, he him
self assisting the depleted crews 20
load While he was thus employed
a number of frenzied Germans
swarmed up over the Broke's fore
castle out Of the rammed destroyer
and finding themselves amid the
binding flashes of the forecastle
guns. swept aft in a shouting mob.
MILDLY Meets Onslaught.
The midshipman, amid the dead
and wounded of his own gun crews.
and half blinded by blood, met the
onset single handed with an auto
matte pistol He was grappled by a
German who tried 20 wrest the
weapon away. Cutlesses and bayo-
nets being among the British equip
ment in anticipation of such an
event. the German was promptly
bayoneted 10y Seaman lngleson. The
remainder of the invaders. except
two who feigned death. were driven
over the side, the two being taken
prisoner.
Two minutes after ramming. the
Broke wrenched herself free from
her adversary and turned 70 ram the
last of the three remaining German
boats she failed i'm this object but
i'm 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
in the direction she was last seen
but a shell struck the Broke's boiler
room. disabling her main engines.
The enemy then disappeared i'm
the darkness The Broke. alterins
her course headed I'm the direction
of a destroyer. which few minutes
later was seen TO be heavily afire
and whose crew on sighting the
British destroyer. sent up shouts for
mercy.
German TreaChcry.
The Broke steered slowly toward
the German 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
The Broke being out of control
was unable 10 maneuyer 10 eXtricate
herself. but silenced the treachery
with four rounds. then. 20 ensure
her own safety, torpedeoed the Ger
man amidshlps
Meanwhile. the Swift continued
her pursuit. but slight injuries which
she received earlier i'm the action
prevented her from maintaining full
.L.--