NIGHT ATTACK ON THE HARBOUR.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13094, 20 April 1908, Page 4

NIGHT ATTACK ON THE HARBOUR.

On Saturday word came from head-, quarters that a truce had been; pro-, claimed. Major Hume thought it advisable to .keep the garrison occupied with interesting work, and accordingly ho, adapted a scheme .for a night attack on Lyttelton Harbour. A 'party of the Royal New Zealand; Artillery, representing the Blue attacking force, left Lyttelton in the 6teamer Purau, under sealed orders, which wero opened annfrour later. The general idea was as .fellows:—The -attacking forcq re*presip|itcd a secondclass cruiser * carry ing s 'two small torpedo boats.. A smalls detachment of this force, with one figld paece, landed at Port-Levy, with orders to make a feint attack on the rear of Fort Jervqis, and to outpost at Camp Bay. At tlio»6ame time. the cruiser had entered the Heads unobserved, and sent a -torpedo-boat witjs . a twelve-pounder quick-firer to attack ! and disable tho searchlight 'at Battery Point, wßich "had not been searching with the light.. The torpedo-boqt so engaged at once retreated to the Heads, whilo tho .cruiser engaged _E*ort Jervois simultaneously with its detached landing party acting on the : at the rear of the fort. The intention of the fort garrison was to-be prepared for any frontal attack with tho 6-inch and 8-inch guns and quick-firers, and also to leave sufficient men as infantry to protect the rear of the fort.

About 8.15 p.m. a determined attack was made on the electric searchlight station at Battery Point, the enemy using their twelve-pounder and opening a hot rifle fire. The attack was partially successful in surprising and temporarily putting the light out of action. This attack alarmed the fort, which -was quickly in action. The detachment in .charge of tho searchlight soon recovered from .the surprise attack of the torpedo-boat, and in a. very short space of time had the electrio light switched on. Sweeping the harbour, the strong light, soon! picked up the cruiser, and showed her to tho garrison in the fort. A hot' engagement was coon in full swing, and tho fort opened a heavy firo on the cruiser. The rancio being shorty the heavy ordnance—!>inch ( and S-inch guns—at tho fort did somo very effective -work. The commander of the cruiser evidently realised that his bold attempt had failed, for ho abandoned tho attack on the fort, and steamed for Diamond Harbour -with the intention of beaching his ship, which -was badly crippled and in a sinking condition. Subsequently tlie commander surrendered.

At this stage of the fighting distrer_s signals wero sent from the look-out station at Camp Bay' indicating. that the enemy's force, whioh had landed at Port Levy, had marched over the hill and was advancing in the direction of Fort Jervois. Telephone communication between the look-out post and the fort became interrupted and it was-evident that the enemy had captured the outpost.. At tho time when the cruiser was running for tho beach, a determined attack on tho rear of tho fort commenced, a. sharp interchange of rifle fi.ro took place between the infantry force, which had land.d oc the hilly slopes behind tho • fort, and tlie invaders. Tlie enemy's fieldpiece was quickly located by the searchlight and the big 6-inch gftns and the two Ncrdenfeldt quick-firers on the right hand side of the fort wore brought round to bear on it, with the object of putting it out of action. The fire of the guns from the fort was very deadly and tho attack was repulsed, the enemy having suffered severely. Tho garrison also si.-fe.ed' severely. their casualties being seven killed and eighteen wounded, including one officer. •_ Although the casualties among tl«c attacking force were not known definitely, thero was not the slightest doubt but that they had been very heavy. The attacking torpedo boat, which had surprised the electric Hgnt station, was.not accounted for, and was not seen _gain after retreating to tho Heads. ' *

Yesterday afternoon' the officers and men in camp and the detachment of ongineers from the searchlight station, mustered on the paxad. ground

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