British Raid against Zeebrugge.

Loathing the countless crimes of the foe’s submarine warfare, Admiral Sir Jellicoe, the newly promoted First Sea Lord, brought forward a scheme for the bottling up of Zeebrugge and Ostend, the two outlets of the German Naval basis Bruges.

The operations, though of the boldest character, was agreed upon and attempted on April 22^d 1918, eve of S^t Georges’ day, patron of England. Admiral Sir Roger Keyes was entrusted with the glorious mission.

Five old Cruisers loaded with ferro-concrete, with on board a crew mainly composed of volunteers were to carry that mission through. Three of these cruisers, namely: H. M. S. Thetis, Intrepid, and Iphigenia were bound for Zeebrugge; H. M. S. Brilliant and Sirius for Ostend. A flotilla composed of destroyers, submarines, several steam barges and motor trawlers had to cooperate in the action.

The attack against Zeebrugge seeming the more difficult of the two had to be shouldered by the old cruiser H. M. S. Vindictive and the two Liverpool carriers Iris and Daffodil. These units were to undertake a daring diversion in dashing for the pier.

It was 5 o’clock p. m. when the fleet was concentrated at about 63 miles off the coast and from thither directed towards the two goals. While a wind due North East was carrying forward a thick smoke screen produced by fume boats, the fleet sailed forth without raising the enemy’s attention.

Unfortunately, at a few cable’s lengths from the ports the wind suddenly swerved due South-West, cleaning away the smoke cloud, disclosing at once the “Gallant British Fleet”. It was then 11.56 p. m. Like lightenings, all the guns and machine-guns, raised as though by magic power, roared their rapid rounds.

In front of Ostend, the lights guiding the boats towards the coast were hit by shellfire and put out of action. Unable to be driven, the attack failed. H. M. S. Sirius and H. M. S. Brilliant were sunk at 3 kilomètres East of the harbour’s entrance [^[1]].

[1]. The operation against Ostend was successfully carried out during the night of the 9^th to 10^th May. H. M. S. Vindictive managed to place herself athwart in the entrance of the harbour and there was blown up.

In front of Zeebrugge, in spite of the infernal artillery and machine-gun fire, sweeping the mole, H. M. S. Vindictive, under captain A. F. B. Carpenter, helped by the Daffodil and Iris managed to land his men. That diversion brought the whole fire and the enemy’s attention up to the mole, thus clearing the way to the blockships. Machine-gun nests and a part of the enemy’s organizations were destroyed or set on fire. Little damage was done, which after all was merely accessory.

During that time, H. M. S. Thetis was nearing the channel. She succeeded to cross the mine-barrage but unluckily her propeller got entangled in the nets of the defences, rendering all manœuvres impossible whatever. The commander was then forced to blow her up after that the crew had been taken on board of the trawlers. Her position after all greatly helped the rapid sanding up of the harbour.

H. M. S. Intrepid and Iphigenia which followed H. M. S. Thetis up, overran all the obstacles and managed to enter the canal. They placed themselves athwart in order to block entirely the entrance up. It is then, when freed from their crews that were embarked on board of the trawlers, that their captains exploded charges.

It was while these manœuvres were on, that Lieutenant Richard D. Sandford drove his submarine,—the C₃—, below the bays of the pier and there blew her up, making a breach thirty meters long, thus isolating the jetty from the coast. This last deed was to be the master piece of the gallant expedition. The explosion had been tremendous.

As soon as the three cruisers loaded with concrete had been sunk, H. M. S. Vindictive re-embarked her crew and the whole little “British Main” turned back “Homeward-Bound”. The men of the Vindictive were then taken on board of the admiral’s boat, the Warwick.

There is one point which must be kept in mind, that is that during the whole of these operations, the powerful defences, switched on Zeebrugge, were thundering death from every gun, from every rifle and machine-gun, and, under that tornado of fire the battle area was no else but real hell!

The next day, the aerial photographs proved the wonderful results attained by the expedition, results which were far beyond the most optimistical previsions. In regard to this wonderful achievement and the temerity needed to carry it through, the casualties have shown relatively light. From out of the 1780 officers and other ranks who took part in the raid, 176 were killed, 412 wounded and 49 missing.

The Blocking of Zeebrugge by the British Navy during the night of April 22^d to 23^d 1918.

1.	Rhine barges anchored in line (forming boom).
2.	One pounder quick firing gun (pom-pom).
3.	Nettings of the defence.
4.	Lighthouse.
5.	Mole batteries.
6.
7.
8.	Shelter for submarines.
9.	Aeroplanes sheds.
10.	S. S. Brussels.
11.	Breach caused by the explosion of the submarine C3.
12.	Extreme line of the flood.
13.	Groden battery.
14.	Wurtemberg battery.
15.	Zeppelin battery.
16.	Lübeck battery.
17.	Pier.
18.	Channel-entrance.
19.	Friedrichsort battery.
20.	Kanal battery.

As far as the boats losses are concerned, only the destroyer North Star and two motor boats went down.

This raid is the most striking instance of military valour and devotion to duty. We feel as though we must emphasize the glorious conduct of the British sailors and the best way is for us to oppose the straight forwardness of the British sailormen to the sly and underhanded methods of the Germans, who only feel apt to sink, without being seen, defenceless boats, thus bringing death on to harmless people.