French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1916-1919, 1918-05-02
BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD.


Last week brought forth one of the
most spectacular and daShing opera
tons of the Wharf.-The raid of British
and French naval forces on the Ger
man U-bOat bases at ZeebrugSe and
Ostend. Five obsolete cruisers and
two old submarines were sacrificed.
The former. laden with concrete, were
to be sunk in the channel mouths, and
the latter full of explosives, we're driv-
en- against the mOles. These vessels,
escorted by deStrOyers and all making
a dense smoke screen, approached the
Belgian coast in the night but we're
discovered and deluged with shells
from the shore batteries and from Ger
man destrOyers. The chief fight took
place at Zeebrugge. There the cruiser
Vindictive ran inside the harbOr under
heavy fire, and landed her crew on the
mole after a great gap had been blown
in it by a submarine. The men cleared
the mole, destroyed all its guns and
sank a destroyer and were able to get
away again, though their losses were
severe. Meanwhile three of the block
ships were sunk at the entrance of the
canal or in the harbOr. and one of the
old submarines vas believed to have
destroyed the lock gates, letting the
water run out of the Bruges canal.
At Ostend the operation was simpler
and at least one of the block ships has
been observed from airplanes block
ing the greater part of the channel.
At this time it is not known just
how successful the operation was in
bOttling up the U-boat bases, but prob
ably it was no more so than was Hob
sons attempt to bottle up the Spanish
feet in Santiago harbOr. However, 1t
was a gallant enterprise, fearlessly
carried out, and American navy men
hope it will be followed Up by addi-
tional naval exploits.
There was comparative quiet along
the battle front in France and Flanders
during the first half of the week, and
both the allies and the Germans took
advantage of the opportunity to
strengthen their positions. In the
minor operations the former had rather
the best of it usually and the Huns
were pushed back in various sectors
by both the British and the French.
Meanwhile the Germans were bringing
up their heavier artillery, a difficult
thing because of the nature of the ter
rain and were evidently making prep
aratiOns for a resumption of the attack.
This came on Wednesday, when,
after an intense bOmbardment, the en-
envy attacked with very considerable
forces the allied positions south of the
SOmme, and along the Avre, in the
regions of Hangard, Hailles and Sene-
cat wood. For the time being these
assaults were successfully repulSed ex-
cept at lanyard, which village again
fell into the hands of the Germans
The reports from Paris said that
American troops were fighting with
the French on this line and that their
resistance to the attacks Of the Huns
was desperate. About eleven miles
directly east of Amiens, the German
objective in this region, the British
Withdrew from the village of Villers
B%retOnneux, but elsewhere they stood
firm.
AT the same time the Huns Launched
attacks against the British in Flanders
and there was fierce fighting on the
line between Bailleul and Merville anC
near Bethune.
Next day by a smashing counter-at
tack the British retoOk Villers, taking
Some 700 German prisoners and find
Ing the enemy dead heaped VI abou
the village. The Huns also attacke'
strongly on the south slopes of Noun