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ON THE SEA.

THE BELGIAN COAST RAID. DARE-DEVIL PLUCK. THRILLING EXPLOITS. London, April 25. The ships returning from the raid had a tremendous reception. The Vindictive arrived with her masts gone and her sides streaked with white where high explosives had struck. All who participated in the raid were granted special leave. Vice-Admiral Keyes had a great reception at Dover. Further details show that the action at the mole began with a shot from the Vindictive, which waited until the beam of the lighthouse came. The shot destroyed the lighthouse. The British, before quitting the mole, hoisted the Union Jack, which was left flying. Two officers who miraculously escaped from Zeebrugge graphically describe the raid and praise the conduct of all ranks. They declared it was "a dashed fine adventure carried out with daredevil pluck." "After approaching Zeebrugge in the, black smoke and fog, which extended from Zeebrugge to Ostend, the Huns suddenly discovered the attackers. There was no alternative but to go ahead through the smoke. Then we got unadulterated hell. All the Vindictive's men were 011 deck and the Germans shelled them incessantly for twenty minutes. The men carried on notwithstanding the terrific fire. "When we got alongside the mole we found only two gangways out of fourteen were serviceable. The remainder had been shot away. With a wringing cheer and cries of 'Over you go, Royals ' the stormers landed on the first ledge of the mole. They lost heavily in landing under the hail of shells, and found themselves faced by a drop of 20 feet leading to the second ledge, which it was necessary to negotiate before coming to grips with the enemy. 'Heavy rain only made matters worse, but the raiders, undaunted, lowered ladders down while three German destoyers on the further side of the mole kept up a vicious fire at short range. It was necessary to silence these first. The British rushed to the attack with a cheer, and the Germans swarmed out to meet the attack, but the cheer seemed to strike terror into Fritz and he bolted. "The raiders cleared a space, then dashed to the nearest destroyer, lobbing fifty hand bombs on board. A loud explosion followed, and the attackers passed on, leaving her on fire and sinking. "The raiders formed into line and proceeded along the mole with bayonets fixed, charged the crew of a gun ashore, killed a number and scattered the remainder, capturing the gun. "Meanwhile all around was the incessant din of cannonading and the cries of the wounded were ghastly, but the British behaved magnificently. "The Vindictive was the target for the concentrated fire of the guns from every direction, lmt kept up the most gallant fight with the shore batteries until (lie siren signalled "withdraw" after the block-ships had been sunk. "When she returned the poor old Vindictive was a terrible sight. She had already lost three successive crews of the forward gun before a landing was effected, but the other gunners stuck it like Britons. Throughout the raid the captain of the Vindictive was fully exposed on the bridge and gave his orders with absolute coolness. He skilfully manoeuvred the ship seaward, and ,as he steered down the channel homeward bound at daylight, met Admiral Keyes, who signalled, 'Well done, Vindictive,' and the vessels' crews cheered themselves hoarse as she passed." MANY INSPIRING INCIDENTS. BRAVERY OF VINDICTCVE'S CAPTAIN. SUBMARINE CREW GO VOLUNTARILY TO DEATH. HEAVY LOSS INFLICTED ON ENEMY. Received April 26, 7.25 p.m. Reuter Service. London, April 25. Details of the raid disclose many inspiring incidents. An officer said that some of the landing party were satisfied when the job was done, but others with their blood up, wanted to go to the mainland and fight the German batteries. All testify to the gallantry of the commander of the Vindictive. Soon after the German batteries opened the Vindictive's bridge was blown away with everybody thereon except the comjnander, who continued to navigate the vessel with the greatest calmness. Encomiums are lavished on the crew of the submarine which was blown up under the viaduct. An officer of a motor boat accompanying the submarine said the submarine attacked the outer side of the mole. The Germans apparently thought she had lost her way. They sent up a Btar shell, assisting her to reach her goal. Those aboard saw two hundred Germans dancing on the bridge connecting the mole and the shore, thinking they were going to entrap the submarine. When it was exploded beneath the bridge you can imagine the damage from the fact that for some time afterwards fragments of debris and of the Huns' bodies continued falling on us. As a destroyer then turned its scartehlight on us we torpedoed and sank her. Anotiher motor-boat officer said his boat torpedoed a destroyer alongside the wharf. A second destroyer was torpedoed by another boat. A third was rammed and sunk. His boat also torpedoed Captain Fryatt's old steamer Brussells, which the Germans had been using as a torpedo training school. The crews of the block-ships stayed aboard till they were almost down to the waterline. They then scrambled aboard motor boats and returned to their ships. Juat then the vessels touched the boom.

BREACH IN THE MOLE. GEIUIAX LOSSES UNDOUUTEDU" GREAT CONSTERNATION CAUSED BV RAIL) Renter Service. Received April 20, !l p.m. Amsterdam, April 25. The Telcgraaf's frontier correspondent stales .that Zeebrugge mole is now entirely separated from the, shore, I lie breach being at least 25 metres (2? yards). The breach is near the proving that the submarine, despite' nets and other obstructions, penetrated far into the harbor. On the sliorc side lies the wreck of a two funnelled torpedoer. The German losses were undoubtedly great. The entire garrison was called up by the sounding of sirens and the ringing of bells, which frightened the inhabitants, who fled. - The raid created the greatest consternation and caused a big moral effect in Germany. Received April 20, .) p.m. German official:—Our naval warfare operations from the Flanders coast 'will not be disturbed by the British attacks on Ostend and Zeebmggge on April 23. . BRUGES CANAL BLOCKED. INOPPORTUNE CHANGE OP WIND. Received April 20, 11.40 p.m. London, April 25. Naval experts believe that the entrance to the Bruges canal is effectively blocked; compelling the enemy submarines to find exit by the Ostend canal. Although this would bring the U-boats nearer to the entrance to the channel, it v'ill give the navy a greater chance of dealing with them. Au inopportune change of wind upset the operations off Ostend, dispersing the smoke screen and giving the enemy an opportunity to destroy the means previously devised to enable the blockships to make an entrance to the canal. AUSTRALIANS PARTICIPATE. IN FIGHT ON THE MOLE. Received April 27, 12.40 a.m. London, April 20. An officer and U men brilliantly represented Australia at Zeebrugge, six of whom participated in liand-to-hand fighting on the mole. All are alive. WORK WELL DONE. London, April 25. Officers state that the old cruisers sunk right across the Bruges canal will take months to clear. New York, April 25. , The New York World, commenting on the Zeebrugge raid, says that the operations were carried out with splendid ,\ash, skill, and daring. The exploit shows that after weary years of waiting the aggressive spirit of the British sea-fighters has not declined and that they are ready for any adventure. The Sun remarks that (he attack was planned and delivered with a dasli that sustained the best traditions of the British Navy, which throughout the war has set a standard of excellence which lias not been surpassed in the history of the world. SUBMARINES BLOW UP VIADUCT. London, April 25, The survivors of the Vindictive state that our two submarines got under the viaduct at Zeebrugge, exploding twenty tons of explosives under the shore end and blowing it up completely. Zeebrugge, the "hornet's nest/' and Ostend have both been used by the Germans since 1914 as bases for their submarines and light craft. From them the pirates steal out on their secret voyages, and destroyers dash out at night for occasional up-and-run raids on the Channel and the French coastsometimes to be intercepted and sunk before they could make good their retreat. The ports have been thorns in the side of the British, and many attacks have been made upon them by sea and air, but the land defences were made so strong that sustained bombardments were impossible. But the Navy ranged them nicely, and on nights of storm, when visibility was low, the ships would dash up at full speed, pour broadsides of high explosives into the docks, and then steer away before the batteries ashore could pick them up. By those means they caused a good deal of damage to the naval works and submarine sheds, and it is believed on one or two occasions destroyed units of the pirate fleet, but none of these raids were so ambitious as the present operation. The seaplajies have paid very close attention to both places, and have dropped many tons of bombs on them * in their frequent visits, having hit their objectives, as subsequent photographs have proved. Our submarines have nosed their way through the minefields up to the entrances to Zeebrugge and Ostend, but the shallow water and the danger of detection and destruction by aircraft have limited their use. The "bottling up" of naval ports has been attempted on many occasions, notably by the Americans at Santiago and the Japanese at Port Arthur. The channel at Zeebrugge is narrow, shallow, and tortuous; its entrances are guarded by large minefields, and the difficulties of approach are very great, so the feat just performed is a particularly creditable one. The obstructions can, of course, be removed by the enemy, but that will take time, and meanwhile submarines based in the port and now at sea may find their return to other ports made more difficult. Before the war Zeebrugge was not an important port. It was little more 'than an entrance to the Bruges canal, which was opened in 1907, its name I meaning "bridges on the sea." It is an artificially made port, a semicircular mole having been built from the southern side of the canal sweeping to the north and enclosing an area of 250 acres. Sea-going ships drawing up to 20ft. used the port and canal, while a shallow canal also ran from Bruges to Ostend. The latter port before the war was a fashionable watering-place. Its narrow harbor entrance was protected from the sea by two estacades, or wooden piers, and there was little room inside. The Germans largely increased the available area, but still only a few boats could shelter there. The canal was used by the U-boats, special sheds and docks being constructed for them out of mum® of gaaa from the sea.

DESTRUCTION OF U-BOATS. SATISFACTORILY MAINTAINED. Received April 2G ¥ 11.40 p.m. London, April 25. The latest naval records show that the destruction of U-boats is satisfactorily maintained. AMERICAN LINER OVERTURNS FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED New York, April 25. The American liner St. Paul (11,029 tons) overturned in dock and sank, l'ive hundred laborers on board escaped uninjured. Received April 26, 9 p.m. New York, April 25. The liner St. Paul sank alongside the pier Tile sea coelw had been left open. I It U believed tlmro wore no casualties. Received April 2<i, 9.30 p.m. New York, April 25. The St. Paul's sea cocks are supposed to have been left open, either accidentally or by design. At the time of sinkj ing the St. Paul was coining from a dry dock, where she had keen undergoing repairs, and was warping into the berth. She now lies partially submerged. Received April 2G, 11.40 p.m. New York, April 25. The St. Paul is not seriously damaged. She will ho raised. Four were injured. ITALIAN LOSSES. ONLY ONE SHIP. Rome, April 25. Shipping returns for the week are: Arrivals. 342, departures 315; sunk, one vessel over 1500 tons. ITALIAN SEAPLANES. attack; enemy vessels. Received April 26, 9 p.m. London, April 25. Italian official: A seaplane squadron on the 22nd inst. scored Wo direct hits on an enemy torpedoer in the neighborhood. of Polsi, and also, heavily bombed an enemy warship and torpedo'ers in the Fasana canal.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19180427.2.27.7

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, 27 April 1918, Page 5

Word count
Tapeke kupu
2,053

ON THE SEA. Taranaki Daily News, 27 April 1918, Page 5

ON THE SEA. Taranaki Daily News, 27 April 1918, Page 5

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