bomb thrown into it. However, it was unoccupied. In its vicinity there was an iron ladder leading to the Mole proper. Three of the party descended for the purpose of preventing the passage of the defenders. The rest of the party proceeded to a point about 40 yards eastward of the look-out station and held a position protected from fire from the direction of the Mole Head, but exposed to the machine gun fire of the destroyers lying alongside the Mole. The force was too small to carry the fortified zone by assault and reinforcements were sent for.

Number 5 platoon of the Marines was the first of the battalion to land. It advanced along the parapet to the westward, silenced a party of snipers in No. 2 Shed and took up position about 200 yards from the Vindictive. The 9th and 10th platoons soon followed and descended to the Mole by ropes secured to the iron railing. They took up a strong position at the landward end of No. 3 Shed. Number 7 platoon following close behind fixed heavy scaling ladders in position from the parapet to the Mole and then took up a supporting position on the 9th and 10th platoons.

The rest of the Marines and the demolition company, in the meantime, had landed and were forming on the parapet when at 12.20 a. m. the Mole was successfully cut off from the shore. After slipping the tow of the destroyer the submarine C-3 pro

ceeded under her own power and shortly after midnight sighted the viaduct ahead, distant about one and a half miles. Soon after this the light of a star shell exposed her and she was subjected to shell fire for a short period. When about a half mile off, an opportune flare, on the far side, silhouetted the Mole and viaduct which showed two points on the port bow. At this point two searchlights were turned on her but quickly taken off. Her course was changed, when 100 yards off, to ensure striking exactly at right angles. At 12.15 a. m. the C-3 struck exactly between two rows of piers at a speed of nine and a half knots. Riding up on to the horizontal girders of the viaduct and raising the hull bodily about two feet, she penetrated up to the conning

tower.

The crew, having been mustered on deck before the collision, lowered and manned the motor skiff with which the submarine had been equipped. The fuses were lighted and the vessel abandoned. As soon as the skiff shoved off from the submarine the two searchlights were again switched on and the craft was subjected to heavy machine-gun and rifle fire. The skiff's propeller had been damaged, so oars were broken out. As only slow progress could be made against the tidal current by this means the skiff was only a short distance off when, at 12.20 a. m., the C-3 exploded. The two searchlights were immediately put out and the firing became spasmodic. Three members of the crew were wounded and the skiff badly holed before they were picked up by the picket boat detached for that purpose. It is well to note at this point that the C-3 had been equipped with a gyrosteering gear in order to permit the abandoning of the craft at a safe distance. The use of this was ignored in order to make as certain as possible the successful carrying out of the mission.

During this time the port 6-inch battery, the forward 75 howitzer and machine guns in the top of the Vindictive were covering the operations in an excellent manner. At the forward howitzer two gun's crews were practically wiped out. The ship was being hit every few seconds, especially in the upper works. Two direct hits were made on the fore-top, killing all but one marine sergeant, who continued to operate a machine-gun until a third shot demolished the top. The operations were well lighted by rockets from the Vindictive and German star shells.

While awaiting the coming of reinforcements Naval Companies A and B made a spirited attack along the parapet, but were stopped with heavy losses. The 11th and 12th platoons of Marines were dispatched to their assistance and advanced as far as the look-out station. They were prevented from joining the naval companies by the heavy fire which swept the parapet between the two forces. Meanwhile the 5th platoon was recalled from its advanced position. This platoon with the 7th and 8th were formed for an assault on the fortified zone and the attack was launched.

While these operations were proceeding, the demolition party, Naval Company C, had landed and proceeded to No. 3 Shed. The heavy fire of the destroyers alongside of the Mole prevented the 9th and 10th platoons from advancing beyond the end of this shed; hence its demolition was impossible. However, charges were placed and everything made ready in case the opportunity occurred. An attempt was made to place a charge alongside of the destroyers but it was repulsed by their fire, but not before a few bombs were thrown aboard. This party was on the Mole for about three-quarters of an hour and only the proximity of the storming parties prevented considerable destruction.

Before the newly launched attack on the fortified zone was fully developed the general recall was sounded, which occurred about 12.50 a. m. The two naval companies and the 5th, 7th, 8th, 11th and 12th Marine platoons, bringing their wounded with them, retired in good order along the parapet and commenced the re-embarkation. Although this force did not complete its mission, its fire against the Mole Head battery was no doubt instrumental in preventing that battery from firing on the block ships.

The retiring of the 9th and 10th platoons and the demolition party was not so easily accomplished. Several of the scaling ladders from the Mole to the parapet had been destroyed by shell fire. This section of the Mole was being raked by the Germans and the men were sent across in small batches from the comparative shelter of No. 3 Shed. Such rushes took place as far as possible in the intervals between the bursts of fire.

By 1.10 a. m. the withdrawal was completed and five minutes later the Vindictive and her two consorts were clear of the Mole, the bow of the Vindictive having been towed out by the Daffodil. While drawing away, the Iris II was especially sub

jected to heavy fire from the Mole and shore batteries. She was struck by 13 small shells and two large ones, one of the latter carrying away the port side of the bridge and starting a fire in the vicinity of the ammunition. M. L.-558 came to her assistance and threw up a heavy smoke-screen between her and the shore which enabled her to get clear. The Iris II, in a very badly damaged condition, made Dover at 2.45 p. m., the Vindictive having arrived at 8. a. m.

It had been planned to use two submarines to destroy the viaduct. The C-1, owing to the delay caused by the parting of the tow-line, did not arrive in the vicinity of the viaduct until after the retirement had commenced. Her commanding officer, realizing that the engagement was over and considering that the boat might be required at another time, withdrew.

Blocking Operations.-The mission of the block ships has been given in the brief of Decisions. M. L.-110 was detailed to precede the block ships into the harbor and to light the entrances of the harbor and of the canal with calcium flares. While approaching the entrance she was struck by three shells which killed and wounded half of the crew and wrecked the engines. The craft was abandoned and soon sank.

The three block ships proceeded in column in the following order: Thetis, Intrepid, Iphigenia. Shortly after midnight the Thetis sighted the Mole ahead and signalled this fact to the ships astern. The Mole Head and extension were lighted up by rockets fired from the Vindictive and M. L.-558 hailed and gave the bearing of the lighthouse.

The Thetis, having rounded the lighthouse at 12.15 a. m.— on time in accordance with the arrangements-sighted the bargeboom across the channel. She proceeded at full speed towards the barge furthest from the Mole, and at the same time opened fire at the lighthouse, later shifted to the inshore barge, which was sunk by shell fire. The ship was subjected to a heavy fire from the light guns on the Mole extension, but apparently received no fire from the heavier battery on the Mole Head.

As the Thetis approached what appeared to be an opening between the barges and the net obstruction extending to the southeastward of them, she was given hard right rudder, but ran into the net between the two end buoys. She continued to forge ahead and carried the nets with her, thus clearing a pas

sage for the ships behind her. The piers of the canal entrance were in sight when both of her engines brought up due to fouling of the propellers by the net. The tide quickly carried her shoreward and she grounded about 300 yards from the eastern pier. Whereupon she signalled the other ships to pass to starboard of her and turned on her starboard running light which aided in showing up the canal entrance.

At this time she had a list to starboard and was settling down, having been holed at the water-line on the starboard side several times. She continued to be hit from the Mole, from craft alongside of it and from the shore batteries to which she replied with the forecastle 6-inch gun until her own smoke made it impossible to see. By the time the other two ships had passed, her starboard engine was started. The vessel moved ahead but her bow swung off to starboard into the dredged channel. As the ship was in a sinking condition the order was given to abandon ship and the sinking charges were fired by the after set of keys. They detonated well and the ship quickly sank. The crew abandoned ship in the one remaining cutter and were soon picked up by M. L.-526, which had followed in for that purpose and was lying close by. From the aerial photographs which were taken after the action, it appears that the Thetis made her way entirely across the dredged channel under her starboard engine, before she finally sank.

The Intrepid had been unable to get rid of her spare fire-room watch, on account of the M. L. not getting alongside, and hence proceeded to her mission with a crew of 87 officers and men instead of 54. On approaching the Mole she was subjected to a heavy shrapnel fire. She rounded the lighthouse, passed the Thetis on her port hand and steered for the canal entrance. Few guns fired at her as most of the firing was directed against the Mole and the Thetis. On reaching her assigned position in the entrance she was turned to port under hard left rudder, starboard engine full speed ahead and the port one full speed astern.

The order was given to abandon ship, but before all of the crew had disembarked the ship picked up sternway and her bow drew away from the eastern bank where it had grounded. The sinking charges were immediately exploded and the ship sank, only partially blocking the channel. Ship was abandoned in two cutters and a Carley life-raft. One of the cutters was picked