Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-04-24
SHIPS SUNK IN HARB0R
Filled With Concrete to
Hinder Operation of
Enemy Raiders.
AUTHOR OF PLAN IS KILLED
Slain During Battle; Blue
jackets and Marines
Participate.

LONDON. April 2s,--sir Erie
Goddcs. first lord OF the ADMIRALTY.
I'm supplementing tho admiralty re.
port on last nights raid against
Heebrugpe and Oatend, said In Civ
ing the house OF commons such In
formation az had como to hand %
this extremely gallant and hazard-
Gus raid"
II ask the members IN appreciate
that most OF tho officers and msn
from whom we have got TO get the
Information have been fighting the
greater part OF tho night and thai
somo OF them are not yet In. 8
French Dcsiroyers Help.
THE raid was undertaken under
command OF Vice Admiral RocP
keyes, commanding at Dover.
French destroyerH co-operated with
tho British forces Elk obsolste
cruisers all from 30 TO 80 years old
took part In the attack.
They were the brilliant. Sirius,
lphisona, intrepid. Thetis and vin-
diotive.
The first five Of these were
filled with concrete and were 10 be
sunk IN the channel and entrances
to the two ports II this could pos
Eibly be managed.
''The viBdintive working with
two ferryboats carried storming ana
dem parties to storm tho head
OF the mSt4- which runs out from
Zcebruggc. The vlndictive was es-
pecinily fitted for landing stormins
parties and was armed specially for
tho purpose with flame throwers.
Stokes mortars and that sort Of
thing.
Volunteers Eager 10 Go.
Tho men employed ON the block
ships and IN the st0fuinr ana de-
molition parties on the Wind !ctive
were bluejackets and marines picked
from n large number OF volunteers
from the grand fleet and the naval
and marine depots, There was
great competition for the undertake
Ing and we could only use a very
small proportion OF those who vol
unteerdd.
There were light covering forces
belonging 20 the Dover command
and Harwich forces under Admiral
Tyrwhitt covering the operation In
the north, A force OF monitors to-
gether with large nnmber Of very
small motor boats took part IN the
operation which was particularly in
tricate and had 10 he worked to q
timetable asd involved delicate
navigation on a hostile coast with
out lights and largely under un-
known naviRatioBal conditions de-
veloped since the war with the
added danger OF mine fields
wdsC Bgtag. mq- BC-o hr hrrr---
Chief OFFICER Killed.
II should like TO mention that
the officer who developed the op-
GRAFTON was killed.
The high development Of scien>
tlfio use Of fog or smoke was one OF
the essentials TO success. II was
moro fog than smoke which COM
bned with certain wind conditions
was essential to the success OF tha
operation so as 10 protect the opera
ton from batteries which might
have flanked II.
THE plan was after an intense
OF zeebruRge by tho
the Nindictive with suxil-
aries was 20 run alongside the mols
and attack Il with gunfire nv thoy
approached StormlnR and demol-
ltlon parties were To bo landed
three block ships. assisted
by mONr boats were to make for
he entrance 90 the canal. run
,ground and he blown up. Two old
md valucloss submarines filled with
'Vplostves we're 90 run against tho
,Ee work connecting the masonry
With the share In order 10 cut cff
hc mole from tho shors.
~ Ostend tho operation was more
impie, but the difficulties were con-
iiderabiy Increased by mist. rain
10 low yriidlty and the consequent
.hs,nce of aerial cooperation.