Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-05-14
.OSTEND' 5 GATE
Al most Shut
Passage Around Sunker
Vindictive Too Narrow
For Big Craft.

neck OF the channel at the entrance tC
Ostend harbor at an angle Of about
40 degrees. 1t is obvious that a vesse
300 feet long, lying in at this angle
does not effectively block a channe
some 800 feet wide, but very useful
purpose has served.
A partial and very serious block
ade has been achieved and under the
conditions of tide and rapid silt pre-
vailing on the Belgian coast, the OBJ
, struction will certainly tend to in
crease.
INCREASES ENEMY's RISK
It is not claimed that the sunken
4 cruiser will prevent the egress Of sub.
marines or even entirely stop that OF
) destroyers. However, it will material
" hamper both, and that is important
German light craft will not be able,
when pursued by British forces, to
rush full speed into the harbor as they
have done heretofore.
Conditions were fairly favorable for
the venture. ThHt part Of the Belgian
coast Is heavily armed and the small
number OF Brit1sh casualties indicates
the enemy was surprised and empha-
sizes the Success Of the attempt
66AV8O VNHSVY 0ONEbnG
tits computed that at least three or
four days mnst elapse before the chan
mel can be cleared and buoys placed
between the stern Of the sunken cruis-
ar and the land. In the meantime the
tide and SIT will be at work.
The old cruiser Vindictive went to
/ her last berth $50 to 200 yards within
/ the piers forming the entrance to the
harbor under terrific fire from the
German naval guns and machine guns
on the shore. according to the Central
News agency. Preparatory to the raid
into Ostend the naval air force Dom.
Earded the town. and dropped bombs
continuously on the harbor works.
csusing fires Later the airmen were
assisted by destroyers and monitors
lin bombarding the enemy positions
heavily. A smoke screen was used
successfully.
About 2 o'clock In the morning a
large force Of destroyers and coastal
motor boats steamed up toward the
shore, the motor boats going alongside
It. The weather was everything desir-
able until fifteen minutes before the
vindictive was sunk, when sea fog
drove in shore and reduced the visi-
bility to range of between 300 and
400 yards. The vindictive experienced
the greatest difficulty in finding the en-
trance to the harbor. The enemy en-
ployed star shells and searchlights ex-
tensively and for twenty minutes the
vessel was in full view OF the enemy
batteries. AS she cruised up and
down, seeking the entrance, she was
hit repeatedly and several casualties
were sustained. It was 2:30 o'clock
when the piers we're sighted almost
ALONGSIDE and then the German ma
chine guns opened fearful fire.
WOUNDED MEN ARE RESCUED
Having found his bearings. the cap
tain swung his concrete laden ship
around and rammed her stem against
the eastern pier, leaving his lieutenant
10 work the engines with the object Of
sending the ship across the channel.
He then discovered that the cruiser
was aground aft and that it was impos-
pible to turn her any farther. He
called his crew from the engine room
and stokehold and then set OF explos-
I've charges.
Airmen say the Vindictive is lying
at an agile of 40 degrees at
The eastern entrance with her stem
against the pier.
While the vessel was being aban. ;
doned two motor launches went along
Dtda. under heavy machine gun fire
and succeeded in bringing OF the men,
the wounded.
VOLUNTEERS MANNED SHIP
A number of officers and men who
took part in the operation against the
Zeebrugge mole on April 90, claimed
The right to participate in the Ostend
says the Central News
story Of the raid, and their wish was
ratified. All the men on the Vindlc-
Tive were volunteers from the Dover
patrol.
At 3:15 O'Clock the Warwick, flag
Uhip Of Admiral Reyes, sighted motor
launch which had on board two Off.
oers and thirty-eight men Of the Vim
1ictfve. An officer who was on a de-
Dtroyer said:
4he crews of the motor launches
behaved In the most gallant manner,
rushing In to shore utterly regardless
bf their safety, to see that no one was
left behind. One launch brought off
Two officers and th1rty-eight men from
he vindicfive. Another, which subse-
quently went alongside, took off
lieutenant and two ratings who were
while two other launches,
Also detailed for rescue work, kept
close to the shore, their crews display
Ing the greatest pluck and determine
hon.
MONITORS FIGHT GERMANS
"Our vessels effectively bombarded
Bhore batteries. The work of the
monitors in this respect was parti-
cularly fine Altogether 200 shells fell
within few yards Of two Of the mont
tors but neither was hit nor was a
caused. During the whole
operation not one enemy craft was
,een. At 2:3O o'clock, according to
he program, the retirement was be-
gum"
Commander Lynes, who conducted;
he blocking operation at Zeebrugge,
vas in command on the present occa-
don. He tells the following story:
weather conditions at the start
vere in every way suitable. There
vas a light northwest wind. The sea
vas favorable to smAll craft. There
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