Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1918-04-25
zEEBRUCCEE IS
BLOCKED; BRITISH
DARING SUCCEEDS
Survivors Of Spectacular At
tack on Boche Submarine
Base Tell Stories of Feat
Canal Blocked and German
Guns and Munitions Des-
hoyed.
(By the Associated Press)

(By the Associated Press)
London, April 24.-Not only was
the mouth at the canal at Zeebrugge
blocked but British sailors and mar
ines who participated in the raid on
the German submarine base believe
that they destroyed every gun on the
mole, demolished the sheds thruout
its entire length. and blew up large
stores of munitions contained in the
sheds, according to stories given by
survivors.
Until they were within half a mile
of Zeebrugge, no ships in the attack
ing force had picked up the light on
the mole. The attacking ship which
started for the mole had scarcely got
within sight of the light when it was
discovered by the Germans. Star
shells instantly pierced the thick
haze showing the cruiser. as tho it
were day.
In one second 1t seemed as II every
battery in range had concentrated its
fire on the cruiser. How she was able
to get ahead none Of those watching
her understood. Shells few around
her like hail. She apparently was
hit, but she plugged ahead and was
seen turning the corner of the mole
and again advancing.
Disregarding all that had happen
ed, the cruiser went up to the mole
and landed large party of blue
Jackets and marines. The German
defenders conceived the idea that
the assailants were Americans as
this cry was heard, according to the
survivors: p
""1t's the Americans. It's the
Yankees"
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 sheds and munitions on
the shore, with flame throwers. Ap-
parently under cover of this opera
tion the concrete laden cruisers
which had intended to block the
channel made their way thru the
harbor accompanied as far as it can
be ascertained by one submarine. AS
they approached the entrance they
anchored, swung around on the ca
bles and according to testimony Of
one of the observers, were sunk
within 23 minutes.
One of the destroyers or submar-
ines exploded a charge at the gates
of the lock to the Bruges canal and
they are believed to have been de-
stroyed. Meanwhile four cruisers
entered the harbor and cruised
around, making observations, but
were unable to take part in the bat
tle
When the attacking ship and its
landing party had completed their
work the sailors and marines were
taken aboard again and the cruiser
made it's way out of the harbor.
One of the 17inch shells fired at
the cruiser got we'll home in her up
per works. Her steering gear was
injured and she signalled an escort
ship to show the way out but before
help came she had found the way
out and taken her place under her
own steam behind the lines of pro-
tecting cruisers.
London, April 24.-Admiral Lord
Beresford, in an interview on the
raid on German submarine bases.
while eulogizing the Zeebrugge
achievement as a splendid thing and
quite worth attempting, warned
against disappointment II the results
do not reach the most sanguine ex-
pectations. He says that the block
ing of q harbor is most difficult un-
dertaking and It never can be GER
tain that the obstacles have been
placed just right. Moreover, Lord
Beresford said. there is always the
possibility Of dredging q channel
around obstacles or finding passage
between them.