EPIC OF THE WAR

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 31, 7 February 1927, Page 14

EPIC OF THE WAR

T+JE ZEEBRUGCE RAID

BLOCKSTG OF BRUGES CANAL

(By telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Port.")

■V 2 AUCKLAND, This "Day. ■■■'" 'A'thrilling: epic of the" Zeebrugge raid is recalled by a visit to Auckland of the naval officer who commanded the Iphigenia, which with other vessels was used to block the Bruges Canal on 23rd April, 1917. This officer is Commander K. W. Billyard Leake, who arrived from Sydney during last • week•• and has left for Russell with three: other overseas visitors,.: Colonel V. Dunville, Colonel Stapleton Cotton, and Major B. E. D. Cprbett, to take part in the sword fishing. It is the second .visit Commander Leak'e has made -to New Zealand, the first being in 1920, •whan he accompanied the Prince of .Wales on the Renown. ' ;

The Iphigenia and its companion blookships, the Thetis ana the Intrepia were in the thick of the famous undertaking, as they had to proceed right through-to the neck of the-Bruges Canal. All the" vessels selected-for the blocking were, like the Vindictive ;which carried out the covering attack on the Zeebrugge Mole, ancient aaa obsolete cruisers, which before the -war had been fitted as mine-layers. They had been stripped of everything except their engines ana armament, ana ia addition to concrete ballast carried explosives to Wow their hulls to pieces jwien they grounded. It was at the last moment that Commander, then Lieutenant, Billyard Leake, replacea another officer who had to go to hospital. -^together between 70 ana 80 ships *ook part in the laid. -

The co-operation between the three ■fclocksbipsi under extremely heavy flre dSf cribed aa °™ °f the finest *thmgs m the operation. Most of the ■•;St-' lS > 2?*™**™^ on the leading '& she was deflected ■2Tfi. t °b3eoti^s the Intrepid SM£* hlg t enia weat st^ight through ?n« canal entrance '