Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-04-26
Two British Engage Six Ger
man DestroyerS and Ram
ming, TOrpedoing and Close
Range Fire Feature Fight,
TEUT0N SEAMEN BOARD
ONE ENGLISH BOAT
Hand to Hand Battle Occurs
in Which Wounded Man
Stands Off ASSaiIants With
Automatic Pistol
rur MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wrPsl

London, April % uO:15 p. m)-
Two British destroyers on patrol
duty In the English channel off Do
yer on the night of April 20 came
upon flotila of six German de-
stroyers and then ensued an encoun-
ter which will live long in the his
tory of naval engagements. Two Ger
man destroyers were torpedoed and
rammed; every gun aboard the com
batants 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 fnr:oaE,. in a hand to hand
battle.
German seamen Of rammed de-
stroyer climbed aboard one of the
British boats and midshipman
fought them back with an automat-
ic pistol They were killed or driven
again into the sea by British jackies
who came to the midshipman's aid,
nc III lIllSIl utSilbNtlS Wtlt lIle
Swift and the Broke. and although
they had received many wounds,
they returned to port.
The story of the engagement is
told in an official report.
The Official Report.
The British destroyers were steam
ing in a westerly course. 1t was in
tensely dark. but calm. The Swift
sighted the enemy at 500 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. She missed
enemy boat.
again the Swift dashed at the
leader, which again eluded her and.
fled, with the Swift in pursuit
"In the meantime the Broke
launched a torpedo at the second
boat in the line and hit the mark,
and then opened fire with every gun.
1.-THE BrOke's commanders swung
round to port and rammed the third
boat abreast the after-funnel. Locked
together thus, the two boats fought
a desperate hand to hand conflict.
The Broke swept the enemy's decks
with point blank range with every
gun.
Most Desperate Encounter.
1.-TWO other German destroyers at
tackled and poured devastating fire
on the Broke, whose foremast gun
crews were reduced from eighteen
to six men. Midshipman Donald
Gyles, although wounded in the eye,
kept all the foremast guns in action,
he himself assisting the depleted
crews to load. While he was thus
employed. a number Of Germans
swarmed aft in Il shouting mob The
midshipman, half blinded by blood,
met the onset singel handed with
an automatic pistol He was grap-
pied by German who tried to wrest
the weapon away but the German
was promptly bayonetted by Seaman
Ingleson. The remainder of the in
vaders except two who feigned
death, were driven over the side, the
two being taken prisoner.
1.-TWO minutes after ramming, the
Broke wrenched herself free from
her adversary and turned to ram
the last of the three remaining boats.
She failed in this object but i'm swing
ing around, succeeded in hitting the
boats consort with n torpedo. Hot
ly engaged with these two fleeing de-
stroyers, the Broke attempted to fol-
low the Swift, but shell struck the
BrCke's boiler room, disabling her
main engines
Trcachery Is Punished.
The enemy then disappeared in the
darkness. The Broke, altering her
course, headed toward destroyer,
which n few minutes later was seen
to be heavily afire and whose crew,
on sighting the British destroyer sent
up shouts for mercy. The Broke
steered slowly toward the German,
and the German seamen redoubled
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(Continaed 90 rage rwe.p