HEROISM IN THE NAVY.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 April 1921, Page 5

HEROISM IN THE NAVY.

ZEEBRUGGE RAID RECALLED. TRIBUTE BY LORD JELLICOE. By Telegraph.—Press Assn—Copyright. Thames, Last Night. Lord Jellicoe arrived at Thames on Saturday, and, although the weather was unfavorable, he was accorded a great reception. In a brief speech the Governor-Genera) referred to the fact that on St. George’s Day three years ago the famous Zeebrugge raid was carried out. ‘‘Three years ago to-day,” he said, “the Navy carried out an operation that appealed to it. There were times when people not behind the scenes asked what the Navy was doing. The Navy was only too glad to show what it could do when ; it had a task worth doing, and one such was the attack on Zeebrugge and Ostend. It was a task somewhat in the nature of a cutting-out expedition such as our forefathers delighted in, but it was a more forlorn hope than any task ever placed before the Navy, and so all the more welcomed by the bluejackets and officers. Those who volunteered were told plainly the jrisk, and every officer and man who went forward knew the chances were strongly against them returning. ‘The Grand Fleet,” Lord Jellicoe proceeded. “looked upon it as a privilege to share with the Dover patrol the adventure, and the Dover patrol hated the Grand Fleet with all their heart and mind for coming in. The only difficulty was to prevent the Grand Fleet from volunteering. The loss of life was heavy, but, to a certain extent, the object was achieved. We who planned it never expected more than success, but that was worth while, and more than that was achieved by those officers and men three years ago.”