>NA£ FRIST i BS 



While this work was in the press the Admiralty 



issued a report of a German raid on our patrol 

 forces in the Straits of Dover. One trawler, the 

 James Pond, and seven drifters — the Jeannie Mur- 

 ray, Clover Bank, W. Elliott, Cosmos, Silver Queen, 

 Veracity and Christina Craig — which were hunting 

 a submarine which had been sighted in the patrol, 

 were sunk, and sixty men in these eight fishing 

 vessels were killed. The raid took place at about 

 one o'clock on the morning of February 15, 1918, 

 and was of brief duration. 



The real nature of the courage and endurance of 

 these crews of trawlers and drifters was made known 

 on March 16, when the London Gazette published 

 details of deeds for which decorations and medals 

 had been awarded. These announcements contained 

 the following cases : — 



Distinguished Service Cross. 



Skpr. H. Bennett, H.M. Trawler James Pond.— 



Displayed the utmost courage and devotion to duty. 



Skpr. Bennett ably assisted Ch. Skpr. Berry in his 



1 save the vessel after she had been heavily 



shelled and set on lire. Attempts were made to put 



t t'ne fire and to get up the ammunition from 



below, but both efforts failed, and finally the ship 



was abandoned. The boat was successfully launched 



in •:' the fad that the falls had been destroyed 



by the shelling. The crew g<>t away in her, and 



I in effecting a landing on the French Coa t, 



J 41 



