Jackson County journal. (Sylva, N.C.) 19??-19??, 1918-10-25

s the marine corps. :.
t++T*FtFF9F + +
crews of the three block ships were
lost.
Still in Position.
"All three block ships are still in po-
sition, after three and half months,
and the navigable channel into the
canals remains sealed. The difficulty
of placing a ship across the channel
in broad daylight and without oppo-
sition is considerable, so how the COM
handing officers of these ships man.
aged to sink them so successfully al
most passes comprehension.
'The escape of the officers and men
from the wrecks was we'll carried out.
The Intrepid alone carried nearly 80
men and not a single man fell into Ger
man hands, although, as has been said
before, this blocking operation took
place very nearly one mile inside the
!, batteries of the Mole, and two OF the
block ships were actually inside the
shore line. -~
when it was considered that sui
ficient time had elapsed for the block
ing ships to do their work and for the
crews to be rescued the order was Civ
en- to the storming parties to retire
from the Mole. Whilst the Vindictive
and her cOnsorts were actually along
side they were comparatively safe from
fire except in the case Of the upper
works which rose above the Mole. The
big tunnels and mast Of the Vindictive
had been rddled through anvil through.
; and many casualties were caused by
flying splinters. AS soon rs the order
to retire was given the storm parties
re-embarked Some had been killed
several severely wounded, and yet out
Of about four hundred men who had
StOrmed the Mole less than a score
were left behind. in spite Of the 16-
foot climb up the ladder onto the
narapet.
:. There must have been many acts
) of great gallantry to enable men who
could not walk to be carried back or
). board amidst heavy fire of the light
L guns on the Mole and shell fire from
the shore batteries. which had com
: menced to shell their own Mole a:
l. soon as they discovered it was in ou1
u possession.
Small Craft Take Part.
= "It was fully realized that immedi
ately the ships showed off the Mol,
y3n1or
trated fire of every battery that cOul,
;, bear. II. NJ 8. Iris, on leaving tn
a. Vindictive. was severely hit and sui
;, fered many casualties, but the Vim
-, dictive herself and the DaffOdil Dor
- charmed lives. All three ships retire
3 to the northward whilst emittin
!, smoke clouds to cover their retreat.
+, ''ln addition to the vessels alread
a mentioned. large number of sma
"a craft took part in the operation, an
~ it can safely be said that any failur
- on the part Of Il single unit Nigh
IL have prevented the success of til
y, whole expedition. Small motor boat
70 steamed up and down close off tn
l., shore batteries, as it were, treating tn
no latter with utter contempt Destro.
50 erS supported the small craft, bOmhar,
80 ed the enemy batteries and assisted
81 rescue work with equal contempt
g danger.
he "Vice Admiral Reyes directed IL
* whole operation, which had been pr
ho pared under his own supervision. fro
I'll II. M. S. Warwick, and did not lea,
cd the scene of operations until the la
no Of the blocking ships crews had BET
he recovered. The spirit and determin
no. ton with which he had imbued all h
IN. officers and men and his great quail
or of leadership made success as near
ms certainty as possibly could be DONE
ur- Every officer and man who took pa
ed in this operation consequently had p
nd to sea with absolute confidence tn
int success would be attained. CO.
nix plete success was attained, and mo
his complete was it than could ever ha
ar been hoped when the undertaking fl
the came up for consideration"
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