ZEEBRUGGE RAID

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21147, 24 April 1934, Page 16

ZEEBRUGGE RAID

CELEBRATION BY NAVY LEAGUE

DOIRUi ANNIVERSARY

St. George's Day and the anniversary of the Zecbrugge raid were celebrated by the Canterbury branch of the Navy League last night by a social gathering attended by men of the Roval Navy, the Royal Naval Heserve, the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, and men of the merchant service who served in the Great War. The invitations included the men's wives. There was a good muster of the invited guests, many of whom wore their medals. The programme, which opened wilh the singing of the first verse of the National Anthem, consisted of an address by LieutenantCommander R. C. E. Harding, R.N. (retired) in which the outstanding features of the heroic raid were' graphically sketched, and of songs, humorous items, and dances. Afterwards the proceedings became more informal, and the time was spent in the exchange of reminiscences among the guests. Supper was sewed before the close of the evening. The vice-president of the branch, Mr T. H. Foster, welcomed the guests and said that for many years past the league had boon very proud to remember not only St. George's Day and the Zeebrugge raid, but also the men who did the job at Zeebrugge. The job they considered as more important than the day. Unfortunately the president of the branch, Mr J. J. Dougall, was still indisposed.

The Great Adventure ! Lieutenant-Commander Harding de- j scribed the expedition which set 1 forth 16 years ago as perhaps the most ! extraordinary that had ever left the i shores of England. He detailed the | circumstances which, at the time, i necessitated some feat of arms that; would appeal to the imagination, not i only of the British people but also; of the peoples of Great Britain's allies, j German raids on the cast coast and ; on shipping in the channel had be- j come serious, and it was decided to render harmless the wasps' nests at Zeebrugge and Ostend and the raids were planned. Not only treacherous weather was experienced, but on the capture of the coastal boat No. 33 the i plans fell into the hands of the Germans, who. consequently, knew what j the British intended to do. The manner in which, despite almost everything possible going wrong, the raids were successfully accomplished was briefly detailed. The result of the blocking of Zeebrugge. LieutenantCommander Harding said, was that the whole nation as well as the peoples of the allied nations look heart. The spirit shown on St. George's Day, 1018, was the spirit that still permeated the Empire, and was the spirit that always could be relied upon in limes of danger. Trophies Presented At an appropriate interval the chairman presented the league's challenge cups to the skipper and crew of the Irene, the winners of the Sanders Cup, and to the crew of the Rascal, the winners in the Takapuna class. Mr Sinclair, the skipper of the Irene, in acknowledging the challenge cup and the miniature cup accompanying it, _said that yachtsmen were deeply indebted to the league for the support it had given to the sport. Mr R. Hendry received the cup on behalf of the crew cf the Rascal. Songs were given by Mrs Madge Brown, Miss Grace Nixon, Messrs D. Wilson, C. Sumner, and W. Bell (with dance): a humorous sketch was given by Mr J. Laurenson; a patter song was given by Messrs Roberts and Brown; some impersonations were presented by Mr Frank Brown: a tap dance was 'given by Messrs Barclay and Keighley; eccentric and tap dancing was done by Miss Mavis Neate's ballet; and a sailor's hornpipe was danced by Miss Marjorie Fraser. The accompaniments for the vocalists were Dlaved by Miss Bessie Pollard.