CHAPTER IX
THE BATTLE CONTINUES
A shell suddenly exploded among the Vindictive's foremost 7.5-inchhowitzer's marine crew. Many were killed or wounded. A naval crew from a6-inch gun took their places and were almost annihilated.
At this time the Vindictive was being hit every few seconds, chiefly inthe upper works, from which the splinters caused many casualties. It wasdifficult for the British to locate the guns which were doing the mostdamage, but Jack, from the Brigadier, with men posted in the fortop of thevessel, kept up a continuous fire with pompoms and Lewis machine-guns,changing rapidly from one target to another in an attempt to destroy theguns that were raking the Vindictive fore and aft.
Two heavy shells struck the foretop of the Brigadier almostsimultaneously. Half a dozen men were killed. A score of others werewounded.
To return for a moment to Frank and his men.
The attack on the Mole had been designed to be carried out by a stormingforce to prepare the way for, and afterward to cover and protect, theoperations of a second force, which was to carry out the actual work ofdestruction. The storming force, which had embarked in the Vindictive, wasnow reinforced by a hundred British tars from the Brigadier, headed byFrank, and additional sailors from the Iris and Gloucester.
For the first time it was now ascertained that the Vindictive, inanchoring off the Mole, had over-run her station and was berthed some fourhundred yards farther to the westward than had been intended.
It had been realized beforehand that the Vindictive might not exactlyreach the exact position mapped out, but the fact that the landing wascarried out in an unexpected place, combined with the heavy losses alreadysustained by the vessel, seriously disorganized the attacking force. Theintention had been to land the storming parties right on top of the 41-inch guns in position on the seaward end of the Mole, the silencing ofwhich was of the first importance, as they menaced the approach of theblock ships.
The leading block ship had been timed to pass the lighthouse twenty-fiveminutes after the Vindictive came alongside. This period of time provedinsufficient to organize and carry through an attack against the enemy onthe seaward end of the Mole, the enemy, it developed, being able to bringheavy machine-gun fire to bear on the attacking forces. As a result theblock ships, when they approached, came under an unexpected fire from thelight guns on the Mole extension, though the 4.1-inch batteries on theMole had remained silent.
Commander Adams, followed by Frank and his men, were the first to land. Atthat moment no enemy was seen on the Mole. They found themselves on apathway on the Mole parapet about eight feet wide, with a wall four feethigh on the seaward side, and an iron railing on the Mole side. From thispathway, there was a drop of fifteen feet on the Mole proper.
Followed by his men and Frank and the latter's command, Commander Adamswent alongside the parapet to the left, where he found a lookout stationor control, with a range finder behind and above it.
"Blow it up!" he shouted to Frank, who was close to him at that moment.
Frank gave a command to one of his men. A moment later there was anexplosion and the station disappeared as though by magic.
Near the lookout station aft iron ladder led down to the Mole and three ofFrank's men descended it. Frank went with them. Below they encounteredhalf a dozen of the enemy.
It was no time to hesitate and Frank knew it.
"Bombs, men," he said simply.
Three hands drew back, then were brought forward. Three hand grenadesdropped among the foes. There were three short blasts, and when the smokecleared away, there were no Germans to be seen at that point. Then Frankand his men rejoined the others.
The situation now was that Commander Adams, Frank, their few men and a fewLewis guns, were beyond the lookout station protected from machine-gunfire from the direction of the Mole head, but exposed to fire from theirown destroyers, alongside the Mole.
Commander Adams called Frank to him.
"We're in a ticklish position here, lieutenant," he said. "We're in dangerof being shot down by our own guns. At the same time, if we move frombehind this station, we are not in sufficient strength to drive the enemyaway."
"Why not risk our own, fire, sir," said Frank, "and ask forreinforcements."
"That's a request that will have to be made in person," said CommanderAdams, "and it will be rather risky."
"I'll be glad to try it sir," said Frank.
Commander Adams shrugged.
"It'd about as broad as it is long," he said. "If you're shot on the way Iguess it will be no worse than dying here. Go ahead, if you wish."
Now to gain the needed reinforcements, Frank knew that it would benecessary to return to the side of the Vindictive. To reach that vessel itwould be necessary to pass through places exposed to enemy machine-gunfire. However, at the moment, the German guns covering those particularspots were silent, so Frank decided to take the risk.
He set out at a run. At first his appearance was apparently unnoticed, butsoon a rain of bullets poured after him. Two or three times the lad threwhimself to the ground just in time. He was on his feet again a momentlater, however, and at last reached his destination safely.
As the lad reached the side of the Vindictive he saw a second stormingparty coming over the side, equipped with Lewis machine-guns and riflesand hand bombs. Frank approached the commander of the party,Lieutenant-Commander Hastings, and outlined the plight of those he hadleft behind.
"Come with us," said Commander Hastings, "we'll soon clear those fellowsout back there."
Machine-guns were wheeled into position and the British raked the Germanline wherever heads appeared. In this method they relieved thehard-pressed party under Commander Adams.
The first objective of the storming party ashore was a fortified zonesituated about a hundred and fifty yards from the seaward end of the Moleproper. Its capture was of the first importance, as an enemy holding itcould bring a heavy fire to bear on the parties still to land from theVindictive.
Commander Adams ordered an advance.
Frank was placed in command of the left wing of the little army, CommanderHastings of the right wing. Commander Adams led the center himself. TheBritish spread out.
"Charge!" cried Commander Adams.
"Charge!" repeated Frank and Commander Hastings a moment later.
The British seamen went forward on the double, bayonets fixed.
From out of their fortified positions the Germans sprang forth to meetthem, machine-guns from behind covering their advance. At the same momentFrank ordered his own machine-guns wheeled into position, and swept theadvancing enemy with a hail of bullets.
But neither side paid much attention to this rain of lead, and directlythe fighting became too close for either side to utilize its machine-guns.Steel clashed on steel. Revolvers in the hands of the officers cracked.Men fell to the right and to the left.
For a moment it appeared that the attacking force must be hurled back bythe very weight of the numbers against them. But they rallied after onebrief moment in which it seemed that they must yield, and hurledthemselves forward again. This time there was no stopping them.
Directly the thin German line wavered. Then it broke, and the enemy dashedfor the protection of their fortified position at top speed. But theBritish sailors kept close on their heels, and they reached the covetedspot at almost the same time. There the fighting was resumed, but after ashort resistance the enemy again retreated, leaving the position in thehands of the British.
Immediately Commander Adams ordered the machine-guns which had beenabandoned by the foe in his flight turned on them and the Germans weremowed down in great numbers.
Having gained his objective, Commander Adams ordered his men to proceeddown the Mole and hold a position there so as to cover the operations ofthe party of destruction, which was now hard at work. To expel theseBritish, German troops were now advancing from the landward end of theMole.
The destruction of the viaduct by the submarine C
-3 had been designed toaid the efforts of the landing party by preventing reinforcements reachingthe Mole from the shore. Owing to the Vindictive coming alongside tolandward of this zone, Commander Adams' men were now faced with a doubleduty of preventing an enemy attack from the shore and of themselvesattacking a second fortified zone ahead of them. The casualties alreadysustained were so great that the Iris could not remain alongside theVindictive to land her company of Royal Marines. This left insufficientmen in the early stages of the landing to carry out both operations.
The situation was a difficult one, for to attack the fortified zone firstmight enable the enemy to advance up the Mole and seize positions abreastof the Vindictive, with the most serious consequences to the whole landingforce, whereas, by not attacking the fortified positions, the guns at theMole head could not be prevented from firing at the block ships.
Therefore, Commander Adams instructed Frank to secure the landward side,at the same time instructing Commander Hastings to attack the fortifiedzone. Commander Adams knew that he was taking a long chance by thusdividing his forces, but in no other manner, it seemed to him, could thesuccess of the expedition be assured.
Frank led his men forward promptly. Apparently the Germans had notrealized the full strength of the British attack on the Mole, for noeffort had been made to get reinforcements to the men there from shore.Consequently, Frank's work was not so hard as that set for CommanderHastings.
The few Germans who were guarding the landward side of the Mole fired onevolley at Frank's party, then turned and took to their heels.
"By George! Pretty soft!" said Frank.
He led his men to the positions recently vacated by the enemy, and thensat down to await further instructions from Commander Adams.
Commander Hastings, on the other hand, had hard work in taking thefortified positions from the foe. Nevertheless he succeeded, due to theheroic efforts of his men. Commander Adams surveyed the field carefully.
"Well," he told himself, "I guess we've done the best we can. We'll stickhere till we get the signal to withdraw."
Boy Allies with the Victorious Fleets; Or, The Fall of the German Navy Page 9