MOTOR-BOAT RAID ON ZEEBRUGGE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 22, 21 October 1918, Page 5

MOTOR-BOAT RAID ON ZEEBRUGGE

LATE CAPTAIN FRYATT'S STEAMER BRUSSELS SUNK AT THE MOLE A DASHING EXPLOIT (Reo. October 20, 5.5 p.m.) London, October 18. , The Press Bureau states: —"BritiEl monitors on October 14 shelled the inland areas on the Belgian coast, but drew no reply, this silence suggesting that the enemy had .withdrawn his heavy batteries. British ships, subsequently, under cover of smoke screens, were making a reconnaissance inshore, and were met by shells of all calibres from the coast, but no damage was done. ■ ' '' ' : . Coastal motor-boats' vißited Zeebrugge, with a view to torpedoing the late Captain Fryatt's steamer Brussels, which was lying alongside the mole. Aeroplanes, co-operating, dropped flares, and afterwards aotively bombing; The motor-boats observed a wreck lying in the fairway. Although the chances of failure were great, owing to the shallowness of the water and the narrowness of the opening, the motorboats fired torpedoea at a range of four hundred yards. The officers agree that a torpedo hit the' Brussels on the stern. The raiders, in spite of gunfire, returned without, a casualty."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Rfiuter.