DOVER RAID.

Evening Star, Issue 16409, 27 April 1917, Page 3

DOVER RAID.

TWO AGAINST SIX. EVANS’S IMMORTAL DEEDS WITH DESTROYER BROKE. BOARDING PARTY REPELLED AFTER SUCCESSFUL RAM. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, April 25. The Press Bureau gives details of the recent raid on Dover. Thev show that six German destroyers participated. The British destroyers, the leaders being the Swift and the Broke, patrolling the Channel, sighted the enemy at 0.40 in the morning steaming at hig'h speed. The night was calm but intensely dark, and 'ho Germans were within 600 yards when irst seen. Simultaneously the (German fire gongs sounded, and the Germans opened are. The Swift instantly replied. Commander Peck decided to ram the leading destroyer. The Swift, with everyone assembled on the bridge blinded by. the -gun flashes, drove down straight on the enemy. She missed her prey, but traversed the line of her enemies unicathed. Then she turned like a hawk npon her quarry, and while turning torpedoed another boat. Again the "Swift dashed at the leading enemy boat, which again eluded her, and without firing another shot went at full speed through the darkness, the Swift pursuing her. Meantime the Broke (Commander Evans) was steaming astern of the Swift. On the latter altering her course to ram the leader of the Germans the Broke torpedoed the second boat in the line and opened fire with every gun. Then, gathering speed for the blow, she swung to port and rammed the third German boat at full speed fair and square abreast of the aft funnel. Thus locked, the boats fought desperately in a hand-to-hand conflict. The Broke swept her enemy’s decks at point-blank range with every gun, from the main armament to rifles and pistols. . The remaining destroyers of the German line poured a devastating fire on the Broke. The foremost guns’ crews were reduced from 18 to 6. Midshipman Gyles, in charge of the forecastle, though wounded in an eye, kept all the foremost guns in action, assisting the depleted crews to load. Meanwhile a number of frenzied Germans swarmed on to the Broke’s forecastle from the rammed destroyer, and, amid the dinding flashes of the forecastle guns, ashed aft. Midshipman Gyles, halfblinded with blood, met the rush singlehanded with his revolver, which a German attempted to seize. Seaman Inglison promptly bayoneted him. The remainder, except two who feigned death and were taken prisoner, were driven overboard. The Broke, two minutes after ramming, wrenched herself free from her sinking adversary and attempted to ram the last mat of the lino. She failed, but hit the latter s consort on the stem with a torpedo. The Broke, hotly engaged with these two fleeing destroyers, followed the Swift, but a shell struck the Broke’s boiler room, disabling the main engines., The enemy vanished in the darkness. The Broke next headed towards a dctroyer heavily on fire, whose crew were Juicing loud appeals for mercy. Regardless oi the danger of the enemy’s magazines exploding, the Broke moved slowly towards her and the cries redoubled, when the German unexpectedly opened fire. The Broke, uncontrollable, and unable to manoeuvre or extricate herself, silenced the treachery with four rounds, and then, firing a torpedo, hit the destroyer amidships. Meanwhile the Swift, unable to maintain full speed owing to the slight injury received earlier, abandoned the chase. Presently she sighted an outlying stationary destroyer, and hoard confused voices and warlike cries. She approached with her guns trained on the stranger. The latter was the sinking destroyer rammed by the Broke. The crew bellowed in unison: “We surrender.” Suspecting treachery, the Swift awaited developments. The German destroyer’s crew stopped shouting, and she heeled slowly over and sank. The Swift, using her searchlight, rescued the survivors. The Swift’s and the Broke’s crews cheered each other in the darkness till they were hoarse. The spirit of the wounded epitomised the conduct of the men. The Broke’s helmsman, Bowles, who was hit four times byshell fragments, remained at the wheel throughout the action, and only betrayed the fact that he was wounded by reporting to the captain: “I am going off now, sir,” and then fainting. Commander Evans is the Antarctic explorer.

[The cable news in this issue accredited to ‘The Times ' has appeared in that journal, but only where expressly stated is such' news the editorial opinion of ‘ The Times.’]