As the lad reached the side of the Vindictive he saw a second storming party coming over the side, equipped with Lewis machine-guns and rifles and hand bombs.  Frank approached the commander of the party, Lieutenant-Commander Hastings, and outlined the plight of those he had left behind.

“Come with us,” said Commander Hastings, “we’ll soon clear those fellows out back there.”

Machine-guns were wheeled into position and the British raked the German line wherever heads appeared.  In this method they relieved the hard-pressed party under Commander Adams.

The first objective of the storming party ashore was a fortified zone situated about a hundred and fifty yards from the seaward end of the Mole proper.  Its capture was of the first importance, as an enemy holding it could bring a heavy fire to bear on the parties still to land from the Vindictive.

Commander Adams ordered an advance.

Frank was placed in command of the left wing of the little army, Commander Hastings of the right wing.  Commander Adams led the center himself.  The British 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 meet them, machine-guns from behind covering their advance.  At the same moment Frank ordered his own machine-guns wheeled into position, and swept the advancing enemy with a hail of bullets.

But neither side paid much attention to this rain of lead, and directly the 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 by the very weight of the numbers against them.  But they rallied after one brief moment in which it seemed that they must yield, and hurled themselves forward again.  This time there was no stopping them.

Directly the thin German line wavered.  Then it broke, and the enemy dashed for the protection of their fortified position at top speed.  But the British sailors kept close on their heels, and they reached the coveted spot at almost the same time.  There the fighting was resumed, but after a short resistance the enemy again retreated, leaving the position in the hands of the British.

Immediately Commander Adams ordered the machine-guns which had been abandoned by the foe in his flight turned on them and the Germans were mowed down in great numbers.

Having gained his objective, Commander Adams ordered his men to proceed down the Mole and hold a position there so as to cover the operations of the party of destruction, which was now hard at work.  To expel these British, German troops were now advancing from the landward end of the Mole.