ZEEBRUGGE EPIC

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 94, 23 April 1942, Page 4

ZEEBRUGGE EPIC

j ANNIVERSARY TO-DAY j The anniversary of the great, naval raid on Zeebrugge falls to-day. It f was on April’23, 1918, when Sir Rogei Keyes flew the signal “St. George lor England,” from 11.M.5. Warwick. The I Vindictive, steaming full speed for the 1 Zeebrugge mole, signalled the nov. t famous reply. “May we give tht dragon's tail a damned good twist.' i That signal will remain in history a> , long as great deeds are remembere and St. George is still Englands patron saint. ’ The raid on Zuebr .igge was not on1 of those occasions in the history warfare which brought, no priz: bu' - honour to the participant-. j'iu Navy's achievement was nothing i. : not tangible, for while the Vindictive 1 engaged the concentrated attentior • of the German guns on the seafront two block-ships were successfuli' ’■ driven into the inner harbour an. •’ were sunk tightly wedged in the en ‘ trance to the Bruges canal. A thin 1 was sunk at the entrance to thi 1 channel. 1 From that moment on to the Arm is lice, the German submarine menan e lost, its bite and petered out into in '• significance. The inland canals o - Belgium, formerly used as submarine bases, were from that instant deprix cd of their sinister utility. -). Commander V. A. C. Crutchley (h it now holds a much higher rtyik) formerly on the. New Zealand statior _ii won the V.C. for his part in the raic