Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-04-26
SUBMARINE
BASE IS BLOCKED BY
BRITISH NAVAL RAID
Sailors Report Mouth of Ca
nal Blocked, Channel Gates
Wrecked and Every Gun on
Mole Destroyed

LONDON, April 24.--Not only was the
mouth Of the canal at Zeebrugge
blocked but the British sailors and ma
rines who participated in the ->aid on
the German submarine bases believe
they destroyed every gun on the Mole,
demolished the sheds throughout its en-
tire length and blew up large stores of
munitions contained in the sheds, ac-
cording to stories give2 by the surviV-
ors to the correspondent OF the Daily
Chronicle at a Kentisn port.
Until they were within a half mile OF
the harbor of Zeebrugge no ships in the
attacking force had picked up the light
on the Mole The attacking ship which
started for the Mole followed by NUT
tered calls OF Good luck" from the
ships companies of the escorting fleet
outside the harbor had scarcely got
within sight of the light when it was
discovered by the Germans. Star shells
instantly pierced the thick haze, show
ing up the cruiser as clearly as though
it had been daylight.
In one second il seemed as if every
battery in the neighborhood had con-
centrated its fire on the cruiser. How
she was able to get ahead none of those
watching her understood. Great seven
teen-inch shells and others of smaller
calibre flew around her like hail. She
ones. but she plugged ahead and was
seen to turn the corner of the Mole and
gain the inside Of the harbor. The Ger
man fire apparently was DETECTED from
her vital parts by the intervening struc-
ture of the Mole and most of the dam
age done was above the water line.
Americans" Shouted Germans
Disregarding all that had happened,
the cruiser went up the Mole and landed
a large party of bluejackets and ma
rines. The German defenders conceived
the idea that their assailants were
Americans, and according to some of the
survivors. this cry was heard:
It's the Americans It's the Yam
KEGS!
Some of the Germans bolted enmasse
from the nearest batteries leaving their
guns TO the British. The guns were de-
strOyed one by one, while others in the
landing party dealt with the sheds and
munition stores with fame throwers.
Apparently under cover of this oper-
alton. continues the account sent by the
Daily Chronicles correspondent, the
concrete laden cruisers, with which il
was intended to block the channels,
made their way through the harbor, &C
cOmpanieG as far as il can be ascer-
tanned. by only one submarine. AS they
approached the entrance, they anchored,
swung around on the cables and, accord
ing TO the testimony of one of the OBJ
servers, were sunk within twenty-three
minutes. One of the destroyers or sub
marines exploded 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 it's land
ing party had completed their work the
sailors and marines we're taken aboard
again despite the damaged condition Of
the cruiser which then began to make
it's way out of the harbor.
Hun Destroyer Sunk.
One of the 17-incn shells out of the
hundreds OF various calibers fired at the
cruiser got well home in her upper
works. Her steering gear was injured
and she signalled an escort ship to
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, il seemed scarcely possible
that she was able to keep afloat. The
men below must have worked like Tro-
JAMS, 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 combined
noise of the German gunfire and 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 a shot lest we
reveal our exact whereabouts to the
enemy. Apparently he nearly judged
il for he threw any number of shells
around US. At a moderate estimate be
tween three thousand and four thou
sand shells were fired at the attacking
squadron"
The German destroyer which was
sunk was rammed amidship and tor
pedoed. Those VINO returned TO the
Keutish port also say that boarders
rushed on the German destroyers an
chored in the harbor, taking them COM
pleteIy by surprise. Some of the Ger
mans hurried up to the hatchways in
their night clothes, bit before they
couIc reach the decks the British sail
ors knocked them on the head with
clubs and rifles and sent them tumbling
down the hatchways.