MARINE MATTERS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 21 October 1918, Page 5

MARINE MATTERS.

EVACUATION OF OSTEND

OFFICIAL ACCOUNT OF EARLIER OPERATIONS.

LONDON, Oct. 18. me Press Bureau states that British monitors on the 14th shelled the inland areas on the Belgian coast, and drew no reply suggesting that the enemy had withdrawn his heavy batteries. British ships subsequently, under cover or smoke screens, making a reconnaissance inshore, met with shells from all calibres from the coast, n o damage being caused. Coastal motor boats visited Zeebrugge with a view to torpedoing the late Captain Fi-yatt's steamer—the Brussels—lying alongside the mole Aeroplanes, co-operating, dropped flares, afterwards bombing actively The motor boats observed a wreck lying in the fairway, and although the chances ot failure were great, owing to the shallowness of the water and the narrowness of the opening, the motorboats hred torpeodes at a range of four h ndred yards. Officers agree that the torpedoes hit the Brussels in the stern. The raiders despite the gunfire, returned without a casualty. Admiral Keyes reports: The situation between Nieuport and Ostend on the morning of the 17th was obscure. It seemed uncertain whether the enemy had withdrawn. No fires were started m either Middlekerke or Ostend. A division of destroyers reconnoitred the coast, aircraft assisting. They arrived at Ostend at 11 a.m. An aeroplane landed on the beach, where large crowds of inhabitants assembled. I entered the harbor in a whaler, and landed at 11.30, meeting with a great reception. The enemy was not yet clear of the town, and a light battery at Lecoq opened fire on the ships, two shells falling on the beach close to the crowd, j A heavy battery of four guns, from the direction of Zeebrugge, opened fire on the destroyers, and as it seemed possible that the presence of naval forces would lead to the bombardment of 0&----tend, or to more shells falling in the town, thus endangering the lives of the civilians parading the streets, I decided to withdraw the naval force, and give the enemy no excuse for firing at Ostend. I re-embarked, and the destroyers withdrew, being heavily shelled to just eastward of Middelkerke. Four motor launches remained at Ostend as

an inshore patrol. The inhabitants were nervous lest the Germans should return.

The King and Queen of the Belgians expressed a wish, to visit Ostend by sea or air. Owing,to the difficulty of landing, and the uncertainty of the situation, they proceeded in the British, destroyer Termagant to the vicinity of Ostend, where they were received on landing with indescribable enthusiasm. They returned to Dunkirk at ten at night. ... The British naval forces were not damaged, and no casualty suffered. — Aus.-N.Z. C.A. and Reuter. LONDON, Oct. 19. The Germans, before evacuating Ostend, sank a large paddle steamer, with the object of blocking the fairway between the Vindictive and the pier. Other small craft were sunk in v the harbor.—Aus. Cable Assn.