Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-09

craft letting out as much smoke as
their larger consorts. In fact. there
was a veritablc blanket OF smoke
stretching froan Zcebrurge to Os,end.
a jet black, impcnetrable wall OF
vapor which completely deceived the
! Hun for time. isut when he dis
covered we were abou; he put up star
shells.
we had no alternative then but to
go ahead. We steamed through the
smoke screen. and then We got hell.
Yes: there is no other word for it. 1t
was pure. unadulteratcd hell All our
men were on deck. and the Germni iS
Sheilcd the Nindictivc without cessation
for twenty minutes.
Despite this terrific fire we carried
on. Rut when VIC got along side the
Mole We found that out of fourteen
prowS OF GanEways which We had On
board for landing purposes. only two
were OF any use. the remainder being
shot away. There was no helm for
IL but for our landing party TO SO
ahead with these two. damaged and
shaking though they were.
PARTY LANDS TO CRY
"oNEN YOU GO. RoYALS!"
With ringing cheer and over you
60. Royals" our Storming party ef-
fccted landing on the first ledge OF
the Mole. We lost heavily in the pro-
cess. for the she'll fire directed agains,
US was terrible. After reaching this
first ledge. we had another drop of
some twenty feet 10 negotiate before
we could get 10 grips with tho enemy
To make matters worse. it was raining
heavily all the time.
"Indaunted. our men lowered them
selves by means of ropes and rope
ladders. Three Hun destroyers were
lying alongside the Mole on the fur
thcr side. and all three or them ken,
irin
SO IL became necessary - silence them
first.
From these boats the German sailors
came up in Swarms 10 attack us but
;hey found themselves face to face
with british hayoue;s. With a cheer
/ our men charged them.
Never was a more extraordinary
hattie fought than this Homcric CON
/ fiict. w the very dead OF nigh; in pour-
ing rain. with shells bursting around
on :: narrow PLATFORM with the sea OF
each side. Our men were armed with
short slaves we'll as with rifles
They pressed On. and the astonish-d
enemy were driven back under the
shelter OF their land guns
FIFTY HA:D BOMBS
DROPPED INTO DESTROYER
Clearing a space. we dashed NJ To
the FIRST destroyer. into which We
.ohbed some nifty hand bombs. loud
explosion followed. and the last We
saw OF her was that she was on fire
and was sinking. We were unable TO
reach the other TWO deStruyers and
what became OF them we are unable
- say.
The Nindictive had three howitzers
on coard-oue forward. one amidships
and one aft. Before we left her tho
( crew OF tho forward gun had been
wiped out three times in succession bv
/ me hall of shot from the guns on
shore But our own gunners stuck /,
IKE Hritons. and pumped lyddi,e shells
galore at the Germans OF the beach
After bombing and setting light 10
/ the destroyer, We formed up and
/ forced oar way ashore 1T the point OF
( the payonct We charged the crew 81
the shore gun which had been giving
Us 50 mucn trouble. and after KILN.
number Of them the res, ,liSver,,,,i
and We captured the gun
My, II was warm work. All ainu. +
Us We could hear above the ala
i the cannonad!ng the cries o:
wounded. II was CHASTITY. but our me-.
behaved magnifccntly. Meanwhile.
/ tho Findictire was being sheiled iron,
VI! quarters, ana She was still engaged
4 with the shore batteries when we re-
ceivcd by siren the signal TO withdraw.
The block ships had b. this time been
/ sunk, and our object mad been attained.
When We got back Oh board the
i poor old Nindictive was terrible
sight, hut her captain was IA fine sea-
man. With the utmost GOODNESS. he
gave his orders from tho exposed
bridge. despite the lying ana bursting
shrapheL ana with the greatest skill
ne unanswered his ship and got her
safely out. under cover Of her own
/ smoke screen.
As NC s;eerd down channel for
nome, Just a. daylight. We met the
"arShip on which was Admiral Roger
kcyes The admiral signalcd 10 us.
wei! done. N!ndictive" and both crews
ch"cred themselves hoarse as the vcs.
s"is passed each other
We arrived a. Dover At $50 on
TUESDAY morning. and on entering the
haFbor We had splendid reception
from inc crews OF the ships there and
from the people on shore Vice
Aan'ral Reyes met the remnants OF
T;Es