GERMANS OPEN FIRE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14283, 27 April 1917, Page 3

GERMANS OPEN FIRE.

RAMMING AND TORPEDOING

ENEMY SHIPS

The German fire gongs sounded, and the Germans opened fire. ■ The Swift instantly replied, and Commarider Peck decided to ram the leading German destroyer with the Swift.

Everyone assembled on the bridge was blinded by flashes.

She drove down straight at the enemy. She missed her prey, but travelled the line of her enemies unscathed, and turnd 'hawk-like upon her quarry, and, while turning, torpedoed another boat. ' Again the Swift dashed at the leading enemy ship, which again eluded her, and, without firing another shot, went full speed into the darkness, the Swift pursuing.

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 of the German line and opened fire with every gun. Then, gath&ring speed for the blow, she swung to port and rammed the third German at full speed, fair and square abreast of the aft funnel. HAND TO HAND: HEROIC MIDSHIPMAN.

Thus locked, the boats fought desper ately m a hand-to-hand conflict.

The Broke swept the enemy's decks a,t point blank range with 1 every gun from hermain armament to rifles and pistols. The remaining destroyers of the German line poured m a devastating fire, and the Broke's foremost gun orews were reduced from 18 to six.

Midshipman Eyles, m charge of the forecastle, though wounded m the eye, kept all the foremost guns m 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 blinding flashes of the forecastle guns, rushed aft. Midshipman Eyles, half-blinded with blood, met the rush single-handed with a revolver, which a. German attempted to seize.

Seaman Ehglison promptly bayoneted him, and the remainder, except two,' feigning death, who w«re taken prisoner, were driven overboard. HOT ENGAGEMENT: THE TREACH--1 EROUS HUNS. The, Broke, two minutes after ramming her, wrenched free from her sinking adversary, and attempted to ram the last boat of the line, but hit the latter*a consort on the stem with a^torpedo. The Broke was hotly . engaged with these two, while the fleeing destroyers were followed by the Swift. But a shell struck the Broke's boiler room, disabling her main engines,, and the enemy vanished m the darkness.

The Broke next headed towards a destroyer heavily afire, whose crew were making loud appeals for mercy. Regardless of the danger of the enemy's magazines exploding, the Broke moved slowly, towards her and cries were redoubled, when the German unexpect- i edly opened fire. ! The Broke, uncontrollable and unable to manoeuvre or extricate herself, silenced this treachery with four rounds, and then, firing a itorpedo, hit the destroyer amidships. . y . RESCUING THE ENEMY. Meanwhile the Swift; unable to mainher full speed owing to a slight injury received earlier, abandoned the chase, but presently sighted an outlying- sta-^ tionary destroyer qnd heard confused voices.

Warily approachinjr with her gam trained on the stranger she found that the latter was the sinking destroyer rammed by the Broke. The German crpw bellowed m unison "We surrender!" but, suspecting treacV cry. the Swif,t awaited developments. The G«rman destroyer's crew stopped shouting, and she heeled slowly over and sank. The Swift, using her searchlight, rescued the survivors. ; VICTORIOUS BRITISHERS. The Swift's and Brake's crews cheered each other m the darkness till they were hoarse.

The spirit of the wounded is epitomised m. the. conduct of the BrokeV helmsman, Rowles; who, . though hit four times by shell fragments, remained a-* the wheel throughout the action, and only betrayed that he was wounded hy reporting to ithe captain "I am going off now, gir/' and then fainting. Commander Evans is the Antarctic explorer.