Zeebrugge Raid, 23 April 1918 in the Great War скачать в хорошем качестве

Zeebrugge Raid, 23 April 1918 in the Great War

The British naval raid on German submarine activity at Zeebrugge on the Belgian coast was a propaganda success despite failing to secure its military objective. By 1918 British sea power was hard-pressed by Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare against both Royal Navy and Merchant Navy shipping. Vice-Admiral Roger Keyes, the commander of the Dover Patrol, devised a plan to trap the German U-boats by blocking their access to the North Sea at Zeebrugge and Ostend. Zeebrugge Mole provided shelter for U-boats in the harbour and protected access to their inland base. The plan called for Marines and demolition parties to attack the mole while three British ships were deliberately sunk in the harbour to block U-boat access. The Iris assisted the main raiding ship HMS Vindictive. The raid was only partially successful, with British casualties of 227 dead and 356 wounded. After the war, the Iris returned to service as a Mersey ferry, with her name changed to Royal Iris in recognition of her role at Zeebrugge. The raid did not succeed in blocking the submarine canal but was hailed in Britain as a daring and courageous attack, raising public morale. Also known as the 'St George's Day Raid' (23 April) it made a deliberate appeal to English patriotism. Contemporary posters used the name of the 'Vindictive' as a powerful rallying cry; a symbol of undaunted British spirit. Artist Charles John De Lacy has chosen to show the dramatic moment when British troops land from HMS 'Vindictive' to storm the mole, while troops on the ferryboats 'Iris' and 'Daffodil' are poised to follow. De Lacy's high drama and academic approach illustrates the popular appeal of the raid which restored public confidence in the might of the British Navy. In the selection of the Men to receive the Victoria Cross Rule thirteen was not strictly adhered to. It is believed that it was the intention to award one of these awards and it is clear that only one ballot took place. The evidence being the results of the vote by the members of the 4th Battalion. Two men were awarded the Victoria Cross in a ballot held on the 26th April at the Royal Marine Depot at Deal. The ballot contained both Officers and Men of the 4th Battalion, contravening Rule 13 of The Royal Warrant for the Victoria Cross, dated the 29th of January 1856. The ballot results, included the names of both officers and men. The two VCs being awarded to Sergeant Norman Finch with 91 votes and Captain Edward Bamford with having 34 Votes then crossed out and adding 64 Votes. The reasons for the alterations are not explained. Captain Alfred Francis Blakely Carpenter VC Lieut. Richard Sanford VC Lt.-Commander Percy Thompson Dean VC Lt.-Commander George Nicholson Bradford VC (posthumous) Major Edward Bamford VC Sergt. Norman Augustus Finch VC Able Seaman Albert Edward McKenzie VC Lt.-Commander Arthur Harrison VC (posthumous) Only twenty-three men and two officers initially faced the assault.  Kaptainleutnant der Reserve Schütte (Iron Cross), commander of the battery was on the Mole at Zeebrugge with 2nd in command Oberleutnant Adolf Rodewald (Iron Cross).  He, along with Leutnant Zimmermann led a handful of men in a counter attack against elements of the British landing party who were attempting to capture and knock out the mole battery guns. Leutnant Zimmerman (Iron Cross) and Oberleutant Adolf Rodewald (Iron Cross) of the 1st Marine-Artillerie Regiment led the Sturmabteilung (literally Storm Detachment).   Fighting with super-human ferocity,  Vice-Admiral Roger Keyes estimated the German defenders numbered over 1,000.  Gruppe Rodewald had formed into fighting sections.  With additional men of the Kaierliche Marine emerging from a bunker, including Torpedo-Obermatrose Hermann Künne of Torpedoboot S 53 who attacked a British officer armed with a revolver and cutlass.  Künne had a cutlass of his own, slashed the officer in the neck, and received a mortal blow in return.  Both lay dead within a few feet of each other on the quayside.  The Second World War German destroyer Z19 was named Hermann Künne in his honour.  Hand-to-hand fighting continued.  After only twenty five minutes, the Germans were firmly in control.