Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-04-26
SUBS BASES
RAzED, RAID
PARTY SAYS
Thrilling Stories of Brilliant
Encounter at Ostend and
Zeebrugge fill British
Public With Pride In
Nays Exploit.
GERMANS THOUGHT
YANKEES HAD COME


YANKEES HAD COME
THEY GOT BACK, THOUGH
Berlin, April 24-The British
raid at Ostend and Zeebruege was
frustrated, the war office an
nounees. Only forty men landed on
the mole, according to the an:
.nouncement, and these were killed
or captured.
London April 24.-Not only was the
month of the canal at Zeebrugee
blocked but British sailors and M"
rines who participated in the raid on
the German submarine bases believe
that they destroyed every gun on the
mole, demolished the sheds throughout
IT, entire length and blew up large
stores Of munitions contained IN the
sheds. according to stories given by
the survivors, to the correspondent OF
the Daily Chronicle at Kentish port.
Until they were within half milelof
the harbor of Zeebrugge no ships in
the attacking forces had picked up the
light on the mole. The attacking ship
which started for the mole. followed
by muttered calls of Good luck" from
the ships companies of the escortlng
fleet outside the harbor, had scarcely
rot within sight Of the light when 1t
was discovered by the Germans. Star
shells instantly pierced the thick haze,
showing up the cruiser as clearly as
though It had been daylight.
EVERY GUN AWAKENED
IN one second 1t seemed as II every
battery In the neighborhood had con.
ceutrated its fire on the cruiser. How
she was able to get ahead none OF those
Watching her understood. Great sew
entesn.inch shells and others OF
smaller calibre flew around her like
hail. She apparently was hit by some
Z Of the smaller ones, but she plugged
ahead and was seen to turn the corner
Of the mole and again enter the har-
Dor. The German fire apparently was
DETECTED from her vital parts by the
Intervening structure of the mole and
most Of the damage done was above
the waterline. Disregarding all that
had happened, the cruiser went up to
the mole and landed q large party OF
blusjackets and marines.
ait IS THE YANKEES"
The German defender conceived the
idea that their assailants were 'Amert-
cans and according to some Of the sur
vivors this cry was heard:
1T is the Americans! It is the
/ Yankees!"
Immediately the gunners deserted
their batteries and left the guns to tho
British. The guns were destroyed one
by one while others in the landing
dealt with the sheds and the munition
stores with flame throwers.
Apparently under cover of this oper.
alton, continues the account sent to
the Daily Chronicles correspondent
the concrete ladened cruisers with
which It was intended to block the
channels, made their way through the
harbor. accompanied, as far as 1t can
be ascertained, by only one submarine.
CANAL GATES DAMAGED
As these vessels approached the en-
trance they anchored, swung around
on the cables, and according to the
testimony Of one Of the observers were
sunk within twenty-three minutes.
One Of the destroyers or submarines
exploded charge at the gates OF the
1ock 20 the Bruges canal and they are
believed to have been destroyed. Mean
while four destroyers entered the har-
Dor and cruised around, making oh
servations, but were unable to take
part in the battle.
When the attacking ship and its
landing party had completed its work
the sailors and marines were taken
aboard again despite the damaged con-
dition Of the cruiser which began to
make its way out Of the harbor.
CRUISER IN FLAMES
One Of the seventeen inch shells out
Of numerous various calibre fired at
the cruiser got we'll home in her upper
works. Her steering gear was injured
and she signalled an escort ship ito
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 operation
from an escorting ship said to the
Daily Chronicles correspondent:
when we saw the damage she had
suffered it seemed scarcely possible
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 tunnels and she
made the fastest time she probably
ever accomplished"
The narrator described the com
bined noise OF the German gun fire anu
the explosions on the mole as a ten
fold hell" He added:
We were only four or five hundred
yards away from the point of the mole
but were afraid to fire shot lest we
reveal our exact whereabouts to the
enemy. Apparently he nearly judged
It for he threw any number of shells
around US. At moderate estimate
between three thousand and four
thousand shells were fired at the at.
lacking squadron"
ENEMY DESTROYER SUNK
The G<armaD destrovnr which mo.