TWO GERMAN DESTROYERS SUNK

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLV, Issue 6856, 23 April 1917, Page 3

TWO GERMAN DESTROYERS SUNK

Others Escape In the Darkness.

Australian and N Z Cable Aspoc Rec April 22, 5 5 p m

London.-April 21 The Admiralty reports: Last night five German destroyers attempted to raid Dover, They fired a number of rounds info ploughed fields a few miles from Dover. Then they yteered in the direction of some of our shipping, possibly with the intention of attacking, butitiet two.pitrol vessels, which in five minutes sank two or possibly three of the German ships. The remainder fle<3, escaping in tho darkness. The Britisher? suffered no material damage, and their casualties were exceedingly slight, a very fine example of the British destroyers' work is that they saved ten German officers and 95 men from the sunken vessels.

Rec April 23, 8 55 am

London, April 22 The Germans began the bombardment near Dover at 12 30 in the. morning. The consensus of opinion | is that the raid was intended aa a spectacular coup to interrupt MrLlojd George's return from his Continental visit, but it proved premature The five destioyers came frem Zeobrugge. It is unofficially reported that three of them were sunk, and another badly damaged. Star shells were used by both eides. The fUshing of tb.9 gans lit the surrounding district;, awakening the inhabitants. The raiders divided themselves into twj part 3. They made a blind rußh through a misty night, firing a few sheila haphazard towards land, and then scurrying back to sea. When the British ships intercepted they played havoc with superior forces. Trawlers landed thirty dead Germans.