Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1918-05-01
ECHOES FROM THE ATTACK.
When German Land Guns Opened 1t
Was "Cen-F'Old HELL"


on the German submarine bases be-
lieve they destroyed every gun on
the mole, demolished the sheds
throughout it's entire length and blew
up large stores Of munitions con-
tanned in the sheds, according to
stories given by the survivors to the
correspondent Of the New York
Times at Kentish port.
Until they were within half-milc
of the harbor Of zcebrugge no ships
in tho attacking force had picked up
the light on the mole. The attacking
ship which started for tho mole, fol-
lowed by 1iuttered calls OF good
luck" from the ships companions of
the csc0rting fleet outside Of the
harbor, had scarcely got within
sight Of the light when it was dis
covered by the Germans. Star shells
instantly pierced the thick haze,
showing up the cruiser as cleary as
though it had been daylight.
Badly Battered.
In one second 1t seemed as If every
battery In the neighborhood had con-
centrated its fire on the cruiser. How
she was able to get ahead none of
those watching her understood.
Great 17-inch shells and othnrs of
smaller calibre few around her like
hail. She was apparently hit by
some Of the small ones, out she plug
ged ahead and was seen to turn the
corner Of the mole and gain the in
side of the harbor. The German fire
apparently was detected from her vi
tai parts by the intervening structure
Of the mole and most Of the damage
done was above the water line.
Disregarding all that had happen
cd the cruiser went up to the mole
and landed a large party of blue
Jackets and marines. The German
defenders conceived the idea that
their assailants we're Americans, and
according to some of the survivors,
this cry was heard:
''It's the Americans. It's the
Yankeesi"
Huns Bolted.
Some Of the Germans bolted en-
masse from the nearest batteries
leaving their guns to the British. The
guns were destroyed one by one.
while others in the landing party
dealt with the sheds and munition
stores with flame throwers.
Apparently under cover Of this
operation, continues the account, the
concrete-laden cruisers with which it
was intended to block the channels
made their way through the harbor,
accompanied as far as it can be ascer-
tanned, by only one submarine. AS
they approached the entrance they
anchored, swung around on the ca
bles, and according to the testimony
OF one Of the observers, were sunk
within 2 minutes. One Of the de-
stroycrs or submarines exploded a
charge at the gates Of the lock to
the Bruges canal and they are be-
lieved to have been destroyed.
fIarbOr Entered.
Meanwhile four destroyers entered
the harbor and cruised around, MAX
ing observations, but were unable to
take part in the battle.
When The attacking ship and it's
landing party had completed their
work the sailors and marines we're
taken aboard again, despite the dam
aged condition of the cruiser, which
then began to make its way out Of
the harbor.
One Of the 17-inch shells, out of
the hundreds OF various calibre fired
at the cruiser, got well home in her
upper works. Her steering gear was
injured and she signalled an escort
snip to show her the way out, but
before help arrived she had found her
way out and taken her place under
her own steam behind the lines Of
protecting cruisers.
One man who watched the opera
tion from an escorting ship said to
the correspondents:
when we saw the damage she
had suffered, it semed scarcely pos
sible that she was able to keep afloat.
The men below must have worked
like Trojans, for she was throwing
flames ten feet high from her fun
nels and she made the fastest time
she probably ever accomplished"
IscdIam Unleashed.
The narrator described the COM
bined noise Of the German gunfire