The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-04-24
German. Defenders of U-Boat
/ Ports Conceived Idea AssaiI-
ants Were Americans.
|B0LTED FROM THEIR POSTS
tits the Americans; It's the
/ Yankees" Was Cry.
Star Shells Pierced Haze Over
Harbor-Enemy Destroyer
Il Rammed Amidships.
(Associated Press.)


London, April "a. - Not onl,
was the mouth of the canal al
Zeebrugge blockec, but British
sailors and marines who partici.
pated in the raid on the German
submarine bases believe they de.
stroyed every gun on the mole
demolished the sheds throughout
its entire length and blew up
large stores of munitions con.
'tained in the sheds, according to
ctories given by the survivors to
the correspondent of the Daily
Chronicle at a Kentish port.
% Until they were within a half mile
of the harbor of Zeebrugge no ships
" in the attacking force had picked up
i the light on the mole. The attacking
4 ship, which started for the mole, fol-
lowed by muttered calls of good luck"
X from the ships companies of the es-
corting fleet outside the harbor had
scarcely got within sight of the light
~ when it was discovered by the Ger
4 mans. Star shells instantly pierced
the thick haze, showing up the cruiser
X as clearly as though it had been day
light
In one second it seemed as if every
battery in the neghborhood had con-
/. centrated it's fire on the cruiser. How
she was able to get ahead none of
those watching her understood. Great
/ 17-inch shells and others of smaller
caliber flew around her like hail. She
was apparently hit by some of the
small ones, but she plugged ahead and
was seen to turn the corner of the
mole and gain the inside of 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 water line.
Disregarding all that had happened.
the cruiser went up to the mole and
landed large party of bluejackets
and marines. The German defenders
conceived the idea that their assail-
ants were Americans, and according to
some of the survivors this cry was
heard
ITS the Americans! It's the Yam
kees,"
Some of the Germans bolted en-
masse from the nearest batteries, leav-
ing their guns to the British. The
guns were destroyed one by one. while
Others in the landing party dealt with
the sheds and munition stores with
flame throwers.
Apparently under cover of this oper- !
alton, continues the account sent by
the Daily Chronicles correspondent,
the concrete laden cruisers, with which |
it was intended to block the channels, |
made their way through the harbor,
accompanied, as far as 1t can be as
certained, by only one submarine. AS
they approached the entrance, they an
chored, swung around on the cables |
and, according to the testimony of one !
of the observers. were sunk within |
twenty-three minutes. One of the de- |
stroyers or submarines exploded a
charge at the gates of the lock to the |
Bruges canal and they are believed to |
have been destroyed
Meanwhile four destroyers entered
the harbor and cruised around, making |
observations, but were unable to take
part in the battle.
When the attacking ship and its
landing party had completed their
work the sailors and marines were |
taken aboard again despite the dam-
aged condition OF the cruiser, which
then began TO make its way out OF the
harbor.
One Of the 17-inch shells out of the
hundreds OF various calibers fired at
the cruiser got we'll home in her up
per works. Her steering gear was in
iured and she signaled an escort ship
TO show her the way, but before help
arrived she had found her way out
and taken her place under her own
steam behind the lines Of protecting
cruisers I
One man who watched the opera
lion from an escorting ship said to the
Daily Chronicles correspondent:
when We saw the damage she had
II seemed scarcely possible
hat she was able to keep af1oat. The
men below must have worked like Tro-
ians. for she was throwing flames ten
feet high from her tunnels and, she
made the fastest time she probably
.ver accomplished"
The narrator described the combined
noise of the German gun fire and the
explosions on the mole as n "tenfold |
hell" He added: 1--WE were only 400 |
DR. 500 yards away from the point OF
The mole but were afraid TO fire shot !
est we reveal our exact Whereabouts
% the enemy. Apparently he nearly
udged its for he threw any number OF
'hells around us At moderate estl-
nate between 5000 and 1000 shells
we're fired at the attacking squadron. .
The German destroyer which was
punk was rammed amidships and tor
Dedoed. Those who returned TO the
Kentsh port also say that boarders
.ushed on the German destroyers an
,hored i'm the harbor. taking them {
by surprise. Some Of the
Germans hurried up TO the hatchways S
n their niEhtc!othes. but before they
.ould reach tho decks the British sail '
RS Knocked them on the head with '
.lubs and rifles and sent them tum-
Wing down the hatchways.