The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1918-04-24
BRITISH and French
RAID SUBMARINE BASES
AT OSTEND AND zEBRUCCE

marine DaScS OF OStend and Lebruggc,
the admiralty announces.
Five old cruisers which had been
filled with concrete for use in block
ing the channels we're run aground,
blown up and abandoned by their
crews.
The admiralty reports that accord
ing to information thus far received
the raid met with a reasonable meas
ure of success.
The statement follows:
early this morning naval raid
was made on Ostend and Zecbrugge,
which are being used by the enemy
as DESTROYER and submarine bases.
Our forces are returning and the
scanty information SO far received is
to the effect that the raid met with
reasonable measure of success"
Forces Employed
With the exception of covering
ships, the force employed consisted of
auxiliary vessels and six obsolete
cruisers. Five Of these cruisers, filled
with concrete, were used as block
ships and after being run aground
were in accordance with orders blown
In all probability the entrance to
the Bruges canal has been blocked eff
fectively in consequence Of the naval
raid, Sir Eric Geddes, first lord of the
admiralty, announced today in the
House of Commons.
The result Of the whole operation,
Sir Eric said, was regarded as very
successful.
While the operation was in progress
Sir Eric announced, British parties
were landed to distract the enemy.
The officer who developed the scheme
of attack was killed.
Sir Eric Describes Raid
Sir Eric Geddes, first lord of the
miralty report on last nights raid
against Zeebrugge and Ostend, in CIV
ing the House Of Commons such in
formation as had come to hand of
this Extremely gallant and hazardous
task" said
81 ask the members to remember
that most of the officers and men
from whom we have to get the infor-
nation have been fighting the greater
part Of the night and that some of
them are not yet in.
"The raid was undertaken under
command of Vice Admiral Roger
Keyes, commanding at Dover. French
destroyers cooperated with the Brit
ish. Six obsolete cruisers, all from
twenty to thirty years old, took part
in the attack.
"They were the Brilliant, Sirius,
Ippigenia, Intrepid, Thetis and Vim
dictive.
To Block Channel
"The first five of these were filled
with concrete and were to be sunk
in the channel and entrances to the
two ports, if this could possibly be
managed.
"The Vindictive, working with two
ferry boats, carried storming and
demolition parties to storm the head
Of the mole, which runs out from Zee
brugge. The Vindictive was special
ly fitted for landing storming parties
and was armed specially for the pur-
pose with flame throwers.
"The men employed on the block
ships and in the storming and denloli-
ton parties of the Vindictive were
bluejackets and marines picked from
the grand fleet and naval and marine
depots. There was great competi-
tion for the undertaking.
Intricate Operation
There were light covering forces
belonging tc the Dover command:
HarWich forces under Admiral TYR
whit covering the operation in the
north, a force Of monitors together
with large number of very small
motor boats took part in the opera
ton. which was particularly intricate
and had to be worked to time table
and involved delicate navigation on q
hostile coast without lights and large
ly under unknown navigational condi-
tions developed since the war, with
the added danger Of mine fields.
II should like to mention that the
officer who developed the operation
was killed
Smoke Screen
"The high development Of scientific
use Of fog or smoke was one of the
essentials to success. 1t was more fog
than smoke, which combined with cer-
tain wind conditions, was essential to
the success Of the operation.
1.-THE plan was after an intense
bombardment Of Zeebrugge by the
monitors, the Vindictive with auxil-
iaries which were to run alongside the
mole and attack it with gunfire as
they approached. Storming and demo-
lition parties were to be landed Mean
time three block ships, assisted by
motor boats, were to make for the en-
trance to the canal, run aground and
be blown up. Two old and valueless
submarines, filled with explosives,
were to run against the pile work con-
Meeting theymasonry with the shore,
in n''order"to cut off the mole from the
shore.
.,"At .Ostend the operation was more
simple, but the difficulties were con-
siderably increased by the mist, rain
and low visibility.
#ss 49, (COntin,1ed on papa Erourl