ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 April 1918, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

i ZEEBRUCCE AND OSTEND I I. RAIDED. ! CHAXNEL BLOCKED. SUCCESSFUL OPERATION. London, April 23. ~ The Admiralty reports that a raid was made early this morning on the Osteinl and Zeebrugge destroyer and submarine bases. Our forces have been 1 turning with scanty information hitherto, bin the report states that this raid met a reasonable measure of success. The force employed, except the covering ships, consisted of auxiliary vessels and six obsolete cruisers. Five o£ these cruisers were liiled with concrete and used as block-ships; run aground and, in accordance with orders, blown up ami abandoned by their crews. The casual tics have not yet been reported. Sir Krie decides states that the raid was signally successful. Marines landed at two points at Zeebrugge and blew up the. blockships in the mouth of tiie Bruges Canal. Reuter reports that a German destroyer and British destroyer were sunk during the attack on Zeebrugge. London, April "23. During a naval raid on Ostend and Zeebruggge old cruisers filled with concrete were blown up iu the harbors for the purpose of blocking egress and entrance. The Bruges Canal was blocked, British landing parties distracting the enemy's attention. (The Bruges Canal connects Zccbrugge with Bruges and the inland waterways of Belgium.) London, April 2". In the House of Commons, Sir Erie Geddes announced that the Vindictive landed storming parties at Zeebrugge more to distract the from the main operation. He believed the Bruges Canal was effectively 'blocked. An obsolete submarine filled with explosives was blown up and damaged the Zeebrugge mole. An enemy desiroyer was torpedoed. We lost a destroyer and two motorBoats. and two launches were missingFrench destroyers co-operated. SINGEINQ OF HUN'S BEARD. A PERILOUS ENTERPRISE. EFFECTIVELY CARRIED OUT. Received April 21, 8.35 p.m. ' London, April 23. Sir Eric Geddes, speaking in the House of Commons, announced that French destroyers had co-operated In the raid on Zeebruggge and Ostend. It was an extremely gallant and hazardous undertaking under Vice-Admiral Roger lvayes. The object was to block file entrances to Zeebrugge and Ostend. Six obsolete cruisers—the Brilliant, Siftus, Intrepid Tphigenia, Thetis, and Vindictive—participated in the attack. The first five were filled with concrete; to be sunk in the channel and the entrances to Zecbmgge and Oateijd- The Daffodil am 1 Isi s carried the landing, storming, and demolition parties, whose work wa3 to. destroy the head of the Zeebrugge mohi The cruiser Vindictive was fitted with landing-bows and flame thi-uwers. The men employed in the block-ships, storming, and demolition parties wen selected from a large number of volunteers, wherefor there was great competition. Light forces from Dover, and Harwich, under Captain Tyrrwhitt, covered the operations, whidh were most intricate. It was necessary to adhere to a strict time-table, as it involved an attack; on a hostile coast, requiring delicate navigation without lights, and an added danger was the unknown minefields. Essentials to success were tlia scientific use of smoke or fog, combined with certain wind conditions, to protect the attackers from the enemy batteries- Monitors were ordered to carry out an intense bombardment of Zeebrugge for an hour, then the Vindictive was to run alongside the head mole and attack it with gunfire and land the storming and demolition parties. Three block-ships, assisted liy coastal motor-boats and launches, were order c<' to make for the entrance to the eajial and run aground and be blown up Two explosives, were ordered to run against tile pilework connecting the masonry part of the mole with the shore, thus cutting off the mole. The operations at Ostend were more simple. Two block-ships were ordered to run ashore and blow Tip at the entrance to the port. The difficulties here were increased by tiie mist and rain, and as a consequence the absence of effective aerial co-operation. Tiie result.,--, so far as known, were that the two block-ships were, run a_shore at Ostend, blown up and abandoned. It is too early to say definitely whether they accomplished their objective, observation being difficult owing to tile mist. Officers in the vicinity report that they be--lieved these vessels were slightly olf the course. Two out of three of the block-ships at Zeebrugge attained their objectives, being sunk and blown up in the entrance to tho canal, while the third went aground while going in. Damage, where of the extent is unknown, waa done to enemy destroyers and other craft alongside the mole by gunfire and torpedo attacks. Motor-boats report having torpedoed an enemy destroyer which attempted to escape to sea. One old submarine attaint its objective when blown up, destroying the piling at the. approach to the mole. The storming parties from the Vindictive, Iris, and Daffodil fought with the greatest possible gallantry, maintaining positions alongside the mole for an hour and causing much damage. The storming parties from the Vint'he mole, the force holding if, the battery there, and the large seaplane base. The Vindictive, Iris, and Daffodil, after reembarking the landing parties, withdrew successfully. This attack was primarily intended to engage file attention of the mole's garrison, thereby allowing the block-ships to enter the harbour, and this would have been impossible without the attack on. the mole . Which was successful

I Received April 24. 11 10 p-ni. - | London, April 2i. I 'He regretted thu ca»ua!lkw in tho perjj son no I were heavy in proportion to the | numbers engaged- Tho Vindictive had j reached its base and the Iris and Daf- ! i'odil were reported to be returning. Our | losses so far reported are a destroyer .sunk by gunfire on tiie uiole and two coastal motor- boats and two launches are missing. The Admiralty's opinion is that (lie greatest? posssible credit is due to all concerned for a very gallant undertaking, and carried out with signal success. The co-operation betweeen the units engaged and the synchronisation of all the !orces was most remarkable. The officer who developed the smoke attack was killed. Most of the officers and mei had been fighting all night. Some bdd not yet returned, 'there was sufficient information to .show that the entrance to Bruges Canal had been properly and effectively blocke and considerable material damage done. ilr. Reginald M.'Kenna congratulated the Navy upon a very gallant action. TIIE KKG'S COXC!KATULATIOKS. Received April 24, 5.30 p.m. The King has sent a message to the Vice-Admiral at Dover:—"l heartily congratulate you and your forces upon the marked srfecess of la«t night's operations. The splendid gallantry displayed under exceptionally hazardous circumstances fills me with pride and admiration.'' RHEINLAND NOT SALVABLE. Stockholm. April 20. London, April '23. It is impossible to salve the Rheinland, which is a total wreck. (The Rheiiiland Mas reported to have struck a mine off the Aab.nd Islands. She flas. a vessel of IS,-200 tons, built in 1910, and carried twelve 11 in., twelve u.Oin . .and sixteen 3.4 in guns.)