The sun., 1918-05-12
Special Cable Desp1fch to THH srS.

Copyrr0M, lsS; dU ftohts rcseftec
LONDON. May li.-Another glorious
epic OF the British navy was told to-day
to THE SuN correspondent by Vice-Ad-
m,ral Kcyes and his officers. who have
just returned to Dover after blocking
the harbor at Ostend. One Of them. a
great bearded Viking Lieutenant who
sank the Vindict!ve with his own hand
at Ostend twelve hours previously and
who also was in the recent Zeebruggc
raid. described the affair modestly
enough. as though apologetic for his
great deed.
For more than three hours" he said.
I'VE we're under shell fire OF all descrip-
tons, the Germans blazing away at US
with guns and machine guns. and great
II inch shells screeching overhead Thy
marvel was that We had 10 few casual
! ties. Just when our position was most
| desperate l saw tiny motor boat rae
! ing up alongside to take US of when our
ship. the V!ndic,ive. went under"
| A: 2 O'Clock on a beautiful spring
morning the famous Dover patrol car
ried out the blocking operation az
| Os:end under comma:. Of Commodore
Lynes with destroyers. monitors and
: motor boats. Only light forces were EN-
/ ployed. They were manned by volunteer
crews from the vessels OF the Dove!
patrol.
While Admiral Keyes watched the
, battle in the background from the deck
OF his flagship. the Warwick. they sue
ceeded in sinking the famous Nindic-
tive Of the Zeebrugge raid in the har-
bor mouth at Ostend. while overhead
British aircraft swept in and out bomb
ing and machine cunning the German
troops and positions.
Preparing for the Attach.
As the expedition Get out the Sky
was clear. with a light northwest wind
There were no enemy seacraft II
sight. The smaller British craft were
despatched to their stations with de
stroyers in support, two motorboats hav
ing been told off previously TO TORPEDO
the Ostend piers
Before the arrival of the Vndictiv
and. up to 1:45 A. NJ. the enemy was re
markably quiet BY the lgh: OF sta
shells the British smoke screen could b
seen progressing splendidly, Then III
sky, hitherto unclouded. grew overcast
A fog followed. the mist. OF great den
si,y, limiting the visibility OF thos
aboard the British ships TO between 80
and 400 yards.
BY now II was so A. NJ. Ten min
utes before the Nindictive was due I
, arrive the sea fog stopped the British al
attack. which had to be abandoned 70
, more than an hour. even the search
. lights not being visible. Two A NJ, wa
} the programme time for the arrival @
the Vindictive. Then began a heav
enemy fire, which continued incessantl
until 3 A. NJ.
: The V!ndictive's task was extraordi
narily difficult. She was forced to cruis
, about from west to east and back agai
under murdcrous she'll fire. being hi
repeatedly. for over twenty minute!
seeking an entrance to Ostend harbo
The officers OF the Vindictive at las
were forced to abandon the upper struc
ture and go to the comparative satet
, of the coming tower. from there direct
=, ing operations to ram the stern OF IN
ship against pier at the eastern er
. trance to the harbor
{ sunk Right Across Channel.
. In an extremely exposed position IL
. Vindictive's commander worked the ei
gines, swinging the cruiser across Il
e Continued on Sirth Page.