AN HEROIC EXPLOIT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4369, 23 January 1922, Page 4

AN HEROIC EXPLOIT.

THE ATTACK ON ZEEBRUGGE. CAPTAIN CARPENTER’S STORY. It is barely three years since the armistice was signed, but already memories of the war are becoming dirfi; and it is well, in the Interest of those who come after us 1 , that authentic records should be preserved, in particular, of the greatest events of the struggle, writes 1 Mr Archibald Hurd, in the London “Daily Telegraph." Of these the splendid e - ploit of the attack on Zeebrugge Mole and the sealing of that port will stand out against the drab, monotonous pattern which the war by sea assumed owing to the defensive strategy adopj-i ed by the Germans. In “The Blocking of Zeebrugge” Captain Alfred Carpenter, V.C., R.N., describes how the enterprise was .organised and carried out. The book is assured of ,a welcome not merely as a contribution to history, but as a vindication of the spirit of the British Navy, For those who took part in the enterprise were volunteers drawn from the Grand Fleet and tlhe principal naval ports, and the “Red” and “Blue” Marines, as well as, of course, the Dover Patrol of enduring memory. In order that secrecy might be observed “likely in? dividuals” were merely asked’ if they were prepared to undertake something “hazardous.” “Ijfi the nature of the operation had been divulged and volunteers requested there would have been 20,000 names sent in.” In an atmosphere of mystery the operation was planned, .the crews of the vartipus ships collected, and the preliminary training carried out.

Lord Beatty has supplied an introduction to this story of a great venture. He lays emphasis on the military reasons which led to the decision to attempt to seal up the two Belgian ports, in order to remove the erroneous impression that “the Zee-; brugge operations were more in tfie nature of an offensive to lower the moral of the enemy, and enhance that of the British Navy, which as at whole bad little, opportunity ofl coming to grips with the enemy.” It w,as “the military reasons; alone which justified so 'complex and difficult an undertaking, reasons which were never lost sight of during the planning and carrying put of the operations.” The moral effect Was ' however, attained, and not only the Navy, but the officers and men in the trenches, as well as the nation at large, experienced th a inspiriting reaction at a inonjent when the men’s minds were darkened by doubts and apprehensions.’ Success depended on surprise, and diversion, and, as the First Sea Lord adds, “in Captain Carpenter’s book we are let into the full se'.cret, and are led step by step through the various phases . . . which were to be crowned by the glorious achievement of St. George’s Day, 1918.” Two Disappointments.

A good deal has been written about the blocking, of Zeebrugge, and some legends have gained .currency which the author reduces to .their legitimate proportions or else completely exposes. He paints the authentic picture in an appropriate setting, and for the first time the nation can appreciate the difficulties which had to be overcome, the disappointments which had t.o be borne, and the seemingly iinpos-i sib.le standard 'of heroism and sacrifice which was rea'ched when at last circumstances —meteorological, 1 astronomical, and tidal —favoured the project. The enemy was well establisihed, and possessed great resources of defence ; the section of the coast from three miles west of Ostend and six

miles east of Zeebrugge,; approximate-', ly twenty-one miles in length, was defended by 225 guns; 136 of these 1 were of the heavy type—6in or above up to 15in guns.. They were able to ( pick up targets at upwards of 40,000 ( yards (twenty-three land miles) - , and ( the land battery, as the Dardanelles | proved, nearly always has the advan-1 tage over the ship. They had also made the fullest use of mines, and | had taken what they considered ade-.j quate precautions against surprise. And yet surprised they were. Every- • thing was rehearsed in advance be- ( hind a veil of secrecy, and every e£-, fort was made to foresee and provide for every eventuality. At last everything was in readiness, and the day dawned when all the conditions seemi, ed favourably to success. The ships put on their mysterious mission, and then came disappointment—and one can imagine how grievous it was to the officers and men on bqard the vessels. The wind seemed to die .away for a moment, and then com•menced to blow from a southerly di- i rectipn. It was hopelessly unfavour- . able for the use of artificial fog; it would have meant “sheer slaughter,” if there was no 'cover from the en- . emy’s 1 batteries during the approach. What should be done ? The wind , might change, and then all would be well,. On' the other {hand, it might : persist,' and then disorder might overwhelm every hope. I “Here was' the Whole expedition within a short distance of ourl objectives’. The major portion of the passage had been completed in spite of all the difficulties, and practically without incident. ; The aerial attack had commenced.. The monitors were shortly to send their messages of destruction hurtling on their, way to the enemy. We had been seen by all sorts of neutral vessels. Most of the conditions were favourable —the wind alone was seriously against us. Another chance might never come. He who risks nothiiig attains nothing. Dis 7 cretion i.s the better part of valour. Which was it to be ?” In all the pages of naval history |I cannot remember having come across any occasion when a more difficult decision had to be made. ' Sir Roger Keys had ordered the operation to be can'celled f,or that night. There, were seventy-seven craft in close—very close —company: they were many miles from their has- ' es; the signal dropped, and they all turned round and made for home. That was an hour to test the moral of officers and men, as well as the seamanship of those, in command. Accidents, 'of course, occurred. One coastal mptpr-boat had a hole pierced in her by a companion; she was in danger of sinking in a minute or two; her commanding officer ordered one of the men “to sit in the hole” I

A Motor-boat’s 1 Experiences. Captain Carpenter > tells the following story of another incident Which is illuminating: “Another 'coastal boat < soon .after leaving Dover,'on th'e outward trip.developed some defect, which put her, engines out of action. One young officer in icomm.and obtained the services of a trawler t'6 tow ■ him back to Dover, whence, on . arrival, he had the matter put bight, All this took time. He started .off again about five hours late. Now the occupants of the boat had no intention of missing th’e affair for which they had prepared so long. They decided to get' to Zeebrugge as soon as possible-—at full speed they’ might'yet be in time. So at full! speed they went, straight as a die for their goal, right across nets, mines, and shoals. The sixty miles were covered in less than two hours. The aerial attack was in full swing. Searchlight beams were passing dangerously near

them; the heavens were filled with 'bursting shell and flaming onions. ' “Suddenly out of the darkness loomed some black shapes ‘Houses 1 ahead,’ shouted somebody. . ‘Hard'-a’-1 starboard and stop her.’ As she .turned round to’ seaward they made out (the tower of Blankenberghe; they had escaped running ashore, by the har- ! rowest of margins. “Oh they went again foiv Zeebrugge ■ Mole. Things were quieter now. That ! was Strange in itself. What had hap-’ Opened to the long-range bombard- ' ment ? Where were the smoke screens , and why was nothing Happening at ! the Mole, Our ships must be long 1 overdue. /Whatever] could it mean ? Presently some strange praft were ' seen, and a moment later the motor'boat was under'fire. So she sheered off, and the commanding, officer did ' some hard thinking. There wasj only one possible explanation—the operation must have been postponed. So the next item 'on her programme was to return to Dover.” * . A second disappointment had to be endured, and then came St, George s Day—and success. In some measure every newspaper reader is more or less familiar with the details of- the ' a'ctual operation, but Captain Carperi- ' ter tells the story in authentic form ’ in all its admirable detail. The scene ■lives aagin in his pages. He has to demolish some stbiii.es which have al-i [ ready begun to cluster round the operation like barnacles on: a ship. For instance, there Is no truth in the statement that the storming parties, before leaving, erected a staff on the Mole apd hoisted a Union Jack; It is a pity to spoil a good story, but we must be 'content with the truth that as “a memento of our visit was .prepared in the shape pi a board to which were attached, our visiting cards, bearing the letters ‘P. P. C? There is no clear evidence, that this polite memento was left oh the Mole, but the author believes that it was. If Captain Carpenter has done nothing else, he can congratulate himself on having written a book which reflects the spirit in which this operation was carried out.