Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-04-26
Dramatic Account
Continued from Pace One)

hard hand to hand fight took placa
about 200 yards up the mole towards
the shore.
The Nindictiye's bow was pointed
towards the shore so the bridge got
the full effect of enemy fire from
the shore batteries. One shell ex-
ploded against the pilot house, kill
ing nearly all it's 10 occupants. An
other burst in the fighting top, kill
ing a lieutenant and eight men. who
were doing excellent work with two
pompoms and four machine guns.
The Battery of 11inch guns at
the end of the mole was only 3oO
yards away and it kept trying TO
reach us. The shore batteries also
were diligent but only few Ger
man shells hit our hull because 1t
was we'll protected by the wall. but
the upper structure. masts, stack and
yentilators showed above the wall
and were riddled. A considerable
proportion of our casualties were
caused by splinters from these upper
works.
Meanwhile the Daffodill continued
to push us against the wall as if no
battle was on. If the Daffodill had
failed to do this none of the mem
bers of the landing party would have
been able to return to the ship.
Twenty-Five minutes after the Nindic-
tive had reached the first block ship
passed in and headed for the canal. Two
others followed in leisurely fashion
while we kept up the fight on the mole.
One of the block ships stranded outside
of the canal but the two others got two
or three hundred Yards inside, where
they were successfully sunk across the
entrance.
Fifteen minutes after the Nindictive
arrived alongside the mole, our subma-
rine exploded under the viaduct con-
meeting the mole with the mainland.
The Germans had sent a considerable
force to this viaduct as soon as the
submarine arrived, and these men were
gathered on the viaduct attacking our
submersible with machine guns. When
the explosion occurred, the viaduct and
Germans were blown UP together. The
crew of the submarine. consisting of six
men, escaped on board a dingy to a mo-
tor launch.
EARLY in the fighting a German shell
knocked out our howitzer which had
been getting in some good shots on a
big German seaplane station on the
mole half a mile away. This is the
largest seaplane station in Belgium. I'm
fortunately our other guns could not be
brought to bear effectively upon it. The
she'll which disabled the howitzer kill
ed all the members of the gun crew.
Many men were also killed by a German
shell which hit the mole close to our
ship and scattered fragments of steel
and stone among the marines assem-
bling on the deck around the gangway.
The German fire was very hot all
the time we lay alongside the mole. AT
times the German guns reached as high
- shots per minute. During the hot
test part of the fighting | left my sta
ton in the flame house and went all
around the ship to see how things were
going. The spirit of the men was excel
lent. All they asked was Are we win
ning?'
Half an hour after the block ships
went in we received the signal to with
draw. The Nindictive siren was blown
and the men returned from all parts of
the mole and thronged down the gang
way. We put off after having laid
alongside just about an hour"
The heaviest casualty of the expedI-
ton appears to have been inflicted on
the personnel of the Iris, many on board
being killed by shell which burst on
the bridge. Another shell went clear
through the Iris. OF the casualties on
board this vessel more than a third
were killed
London, April 25-(To Reuters Ottawa
AgencD.-Captan Carpenter of the Vim.
dlctive says that before starting on his
dash for Zeebrugge Admiral Keyes sig.
nailed st George for England" The
Nindictive replied:
May we give the dragons tail a
damned good twist"