ANOTHER RAID ON OSTEND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3348, 15 May 1918, Page 37

ANOTHER RAID ON OSTEND.

THE ENTRANCE PARTLY BLOCKED. THE END OF THE VINDICTIVE. GALLANT AND DARING EXPLOIT (By Cable.) The British Admiralty reports : The operations destined to close the ports of Ostend and Zeebrugge were successfully completed on the night of Thursday, May 9, when the obsolete cruiser Vindictive was sunk between the piers and across the entrance of Ostend Harbour. Since the attack on Zeebrugge on April 23 the Vindictive had been filled with concrete and fitted out as a block-ship.

Our light forces returned to their base with the lom of one motor launch, which was damaged and was sunk by Viceadmiral Keyes's orders to prevent her falling into the enemy's hands. Our casualties were light. The rescue of the Vindictive's crew was a very gallant operation under" heavy fire. A great naval air raid accompanied the Vindictive's raid. British monitors also bombarded Ostend. The Vindictive sank obliquely off the pier. 150 or 200 yards 'therefrom. Monitors, destroyers, and smaller craft preceded the Vindictive to the entrance of Ostend. At about 2 o'clock the weather suddenly thickened, and the Vindictive cruised for 20 minutes before it sighted the pier. The commander rammed the stem against the pier, the Vindictive grounded, and the charges were blown up. Admiral Keyes was present throughout the operations at Ostend. He was aboard a small craft, which was the last vessel to return to Dover.

The flotilla of attackers afforded a splendid spectacle leaving Dover. It was a calm, clear night. The Vindictive was heavily protected by sandbags, having the place of honour. She travelled slowly to Dunkirk and thence to Ostend, which was brilliantly lighted by a powerful searchlight, but a sea haze and artificial fogs concealed the British purpose until the Vindictive was within a quarter of a mile of the entrance to Ostend Harbour gates, when the Germans sent up a regular pyrotechnic display of star shells, on all sides opened fire, and continued until the Vindictive was sunk 150 yards inside the pier. Throughout the operations four great monitors steadily bombarded the shore, while aeroplanes caused many fires.

The Vindictive's success was secured despite the fact that the Germans had heavily mined the seaway, expecting another , attack. Silt will materially assist the completion of the blocking up of the channel.

The monitors, destroyers, motor launches, and coastal motor boats placed at Admiral Lyne's disposal by Admiral Keyes assembled at the entrance to Ostend at 1.45 a.m., 15 minutes before the Vindictive was due. The weather con- ' ditionf were all that could be desired, there being a calm 6ea and a light wind, but before the Vindictive arrived a sea fog drifted towards shore, reducing visibility to between 300 and 400 yards. The Vindictive therefore found it extremely difficult to locate the entrance, and was obliged, to cruise backwards and forwards for 20 minutes seeking the entrance. Meanwhile the enemy detected her presence, and the shore batteries opened heavy fire. The Vindictive suffered a number of casualties before the j>iers were suddenly sighted, almost alongside. There was an intense fire from the guns, which, with the machine-guns, were now concentrated against the Vindictive. The Vindictive, with a crew of 52, swung into the channel and ran her stem against the east pier in order to swing the ship athwart the channel. She, however, grounded, and the stern would not swing, so the commander ordered all below to come on deck while he prepared to blow the charges. The crew made their escape in motor ..launches, which were t gallantly ranged alongside the Vindictive to save the crew, despite the heavy fire. The gallant rescuers were severely punished, one launch being sunk. The ' charges went off, and the Vindictive settled down. During the raid no single enemy vessel was sighted.

The crew consisted of volunteers drawn from the ships of the Dover patrol. At 3.15 a.m. the rescuing motor launches were picked up by the Warwick, which was Admiral Keyes's flagship. From it 38 of the crew were taken aboard, one died later.

COMMANDING OFFICER'S REPORT. Admiral Keyes, reporting on the affair, warmly praises the gallantry of all engaged." The sea on the outward journey could not have been more suitable for small craft. The visibility -was good, and there was no interference from enemy vessels. The small craft went to their stations, with destroyers in support. The enemy were quiet until 1.45, when they opened a heavy fire. Our star shells showed that our smoke screens were progressing, and then the sky, hitherto unclouded, became, obscured. The sea fog was so dense that it stopped our air attacks, even searchlights being invisible. The fog lasted an hour, when the air attacks were resumed. The enemy's fire, assisted by searchlights, lasted for an hour. One motor launch, showing especial gallantry, was ranged alongside the Vindictive, taking off an officer and two-men who were left behind when the others escaped. Two launches gallantly searched the shore, despite a heavy fire, but found nobody. The retirement began at 2.30 a.m., according to programme, the inshore forces gradually closing on the destroyers. Two hundred shells fell round the British monitors, but there were no hits or casualties.

THE EFFECTS ON THE CHANNEL. Aircraft which flew over Ostend on the 10th report that half the- channel is blocked. It is possibly usable by destroyers and submarines, but useless for cruisers. The naval correspondent of The Times states that submarines using the Belgian ports have certainly been deprived of much freedom of movement. They have been wirelessly instructed not to return to Zeebrugge or Ostend; if they do so they will find the passage impeded by the new North Sea minefields. It is hoped before long the fulfilment of other plans will cause a decided shrinkage in the tonnage of sinkings. AIR BOMBARDMENT. The Admiralty announces that between April 29 and May 5 air force, contingents from Dunkirk carried out bombing operations at Ostend, Westende, and Zeebrugge, on the mole, lock-gates, seaplane base, and shipping in the vicinity. Direct hits were obtained on the mole, seaplane base, and locks at Zeebrugge. One of our machines has not returned. During offensive patrols we destroyed one enemy machine and drove down another. A Belgian communique states that German artillery bombarded Belgian works and communications in the Nieuport zone during the night while the British were attacking the coast. PRAISE ALL SOUND. Mr Mason, the United Press naval expert, says that the Ostend operation was a brilliant exploit, which took the Germans completely unawares. . It "will force the U boats to use their home bases. The affair suggests a condition of demoralisation in the German navy, while the British navy is fulfilling the beet traditions of Drake and Nelson. New York newspapers accord much praise to the British navy for bottling up Ostend. The Paris Matin declares that the latest attacks on the Flanders coast are the finest feat in the naval history of all times and countries. THE GERMAN REPORT. German official: The splendidly directed fire of our coastal batteries repelled several enemy vessels which were endeavouring to penetrate Ostend Harbour. An old cruiser lies, completely battered by shells, aground outside the channel. The whole entrance is quite clear. Two survivors, who jumped overboard, were taken prisoner. The attempt to block the port was completely frustrated. We sank two motor boats and badly damaged a monitor. THE REITJRN OF THE HEROES. The naval men who participated in the attack returned to Dover in the highest spirits. They looked thoroughly worn out after a sleepless night, but were thoroughly delighted with the success of the raid. They state that the programme was carried out admirably. The small craft performed their task magnificently. The smoke screen could not have been better. The Vindictive in striking the harbour had the luck which was denied to the Brilliant on a former occasion. It is evident that the men behaved splendidly, all being "keen as mustard." Heavy gunfire was heard at 1,2, and 3 o'clock in the morning. It was a brilliant night. Admiral Keyes directed the operations. A PERTINENT QUESTION. The newspapers are asking why the navy has not been' fully used in eailier attacks on the submarine bases. The Pall Mall Gazette says that inability to focus measures to deal with the submarine problem must be recorded as one of our major war errors. The shipping shortage is the penalty of past torpor and a, piecemeal defensive.. Commander- Bellairs, M.P. for Folkestone, in an article in the Evening Standard, says that it is no longer necessary to conceal the fact that men long familiar with Zeebrugge and Ostend repeatedly pleaded for permission to block them before the building of their defences was completed by the enemy. The papers express the opinion that our naval commanders in the future will be given greater power to exercise initiative. THE FIRST RAID. . It is now disclosed that the previous attempt to block Ostend failed because the enemy had just previously moved a buoy a mile out of position. It is stated that there is no shadow of doubt about the present position of the Vindictive. She lies at an angle of 40 degrees between the piers, about 200 yards inside the entrance. This has been photograpnicallv confirmed. She does not effectively block the channel, which is 20ft wider than her length, but a partial and most serious blockage has been achieved, which will certainly tend to increase under the conditions of tide and rapid siltage prevailing along this coast. What is very important is that the German light craft, when chased by our vessels, will be unable, as hitherto, to rush full- speed to shelter. The small number of British casualties indicates that the enemy were surprised. It has been ascertained that the silt at Zeebrugge is collecting very fast, desjnte dredging. The blocking cruisers are so placed that any attempt to blow them up is fraught with danger to the neighbouring permanent structure. The New York Sun says Americans took part in the Zeebrugge raid. The Telegraaf states that 70 Germans were killed and 230 wounded in the Zeebrugge raid. The Germans are compelling 1000 Belgians to repair the' damage to the harbour works. The Frankfurter Zeitung, commenting on the Zeebrugge raid, say 6: "It would be foolish to deny that the British fleet scored a great success in penetrating one

of tho most important strongholds over which floats the German flag. There is no reason why we should not achieve a similar feat at other times. It behoves our naval command to bo alert." THE BRITISH MINEFIELDS. The Daily Mail says that the new minefields comprise one of the most important undertakings 'of the war and a complete barrage of both ends of the North Sea. Submarines are able to penetrate to the Atlantic only by using the edge of Norwegian waters, where tho Admiralty is presumably taking special measures to deal with an unavoidable gap. THE NAVY'S MOTTO. Sir Eric Geddes (First Lord of the Admiralty) has received a cable message from Mr Daniel (Secretary of the Navy) stating : One splendid result of the war is the mutual appreciation of the men of the British and American navies. The work of combating U boats necessitated AngloAmerican conferences which will have farreaching results in the relations of the two nations. I am engaged in equipping more and more units of the fleet. The whole service is being keyed up, and the watchword throughput the navy is " Full epeed ahead."