THE GERMAN ACCOUNT

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 26 April 1918, Page 5

THE GERMAN ACCOUNT

DAMAGE MINIMISED

ENTERPRISE ALLEGEDLY

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LONDON, April 24. ] A German official message claims that the Intrepid and Sirius and two other boats of similar constr action were sunk close to the coast, while three destroyers and a considerable number of torpedo boats were also sunk by artillery fire. Only a few of the crews could be saved. Beyond the damage to the mole by torpedo, the harbor works and coast batteries were undamaged. One of our torpedo boats suffered slight damage. Our casualties were slight. A German official message claims, inter alia, that the Germans sank three destroyers and three 6mall cruisers in the attack on Zeebrugge and Ostend on the 23rd.

LONDON, April 25

Berlin reports that a patrol encountered a small enemy warship on the 20th April northward of Terschelling. After a short fight, the enemy retired at full speed, and was hit several times. There were no German losses.

The German official statements referring to the raids on Zeebrugge and Ostend on the 23rd, says the enterprise, which was conceived on a large scale, was planned regardless of sacrifice, and was frustrated. Small cruisers, escorted by numerous destroyers and motorboats, after a violent bombardment,, pushed forward under the veil of an artificral fog near Ostend and Zeebrugge to quite near the coast, the intention being to destroy the locks and harbor works. Only forty marines got on the mole. These fell into our hands, some alive and some dead. Both parties fought on the narrow, high wall w*ith the utmost fierceness.