A BIT OF EXPLANATION
It is probable that the sealing of the harbors of Ostend and Zeebrugge,
two of the most important German submarine bases, was one of the greatest
feats of the whole European war. The attempt was extremely hazardous and
could never have been successful except for the gallantry and heroism of
the British crews.
Not the least of the bravest among them were Jack and Frank and the other
officers and crew of the destroyer Brigadier. It is true that the
operation has been planned primarily with the idea of having the destroyer
Daffodil in line, but it was the withdrawal of this vessel that permitted
Jack and Frank to have a hand in the operation.
In order that all parts of the naval service might share in the
expedition, representative bodies of men had been drawn from the Grand
Fleet, the three home depots, the Royal marine artillery and light
infantry. The ships and torpedo craft were furnished by the Dover patrol,
which was reinforced by vessels from the Harwich force and the French and
American navies. The Royal Australian navy and the admiralty experimental
station at Stratford and Dover were also represented.
A force thus composed and armed, obviously needed collective training and
special preparation to adapt both the men and their weapons to their
purpose. With these objects, the blocking ships and the storming forces
were assembled toward the end of February, and from the fourth of April on
in the West Swim Anchorage--where training especially adapted to the plan
of operation was given--and the organization of the expedition was carried
on.
The material as it was prepared was used to make the training practical
and was itself tested thereby. Moreover, valuable practice was afforded by
endeavors to carry out the project on two previous occasions, on which the
conditions of wind and weather compelled its postponement, and much was
learned from these temporary failures.
The Hindustan, at first at Chatham and later at the Swim, was the parent
ship and training depot. After the second attempt, when it became apparent
that there would be a long delay, the Dominion joined the Hindustan and
the pressure upon the available accommodation was relieved by the transfer
of about 350 seamen and marines to her.
Two special craft, Liverpool ferry steamers, Iris and Gloucester, were
selected after a long search by Captain Herbert Grant. They were selected
because of their shallow draft, with a view in the first place to their
pushing the Vindictive, which was to bear the brunt of the work, alongside
Zeebrugge Mole; to the possibility, should the Vindictive be sunk, of
their bringing away all her crew and the landing parties; and to their
ability to maneuver in shallow water or clear of mine fields or torpedoes.
The blocking ships and the Vindictive were especially prepared for their
work long before the start.
Vice-Admiral Sir Roger Keyes devoted personal attention and time to
working out the plan of operations and the preparation of the personnel
and material. Rear Admiral Cecil F. Dampier, second in command of the
Dover flotilla, and Commodore Algernon Boyle, chief of staff, gave
considerable assistance.
When, as vice-admiral of the Dover patrol, Admiral Keyes first began to
prepare for the operation, it became apparent that without an effective
system of smoke screening such an attack could hardly hope to succeed. The
system of making smoke previously employed in the Dover patrol was
unsuitable for a night operation, as this production generated a fierce
flame, and no other means of making an effective smoke screen was
available. Nevertheless Wing Commander Brock, at last devised the way.
The commander-in-chief of the Grand Fleet, Admiral Beatty, sent to Admiral
Keyes a picked body of officers and men. Support also was received from
the neighboring commands at Portsmouth and the Nore, the adjutant general,
Royal Marines, and the depot at Chatham. The rear-admiral commanding the
Harwich force sent a flotilla leader and six destroyers, besides
protecting the northern flank of the area in which operations were to be
conducted.
To afford protection at a certain point in the route and to maintain the
aids to navigation during the approach and retirement of the expedition, a
force consisting of the flotilla leaders Scott and the destroyers
Ulleswater, Teazer and Stork, and the light cruiser Attentive, flying the
pennant of Commodore Boyle, was organized. This force, as it developed,
was instrumental in patroling and directing the movements of detached
craft in both directions, and relieved Admiral Keyes of all anxiety on
that score.
At the moment of departing the forces were disposed as follows:
In the Swim--For the attack on the Zeebrugge Mole: Vindictive, Iris,
Gloucester. To block the Bruges canal: Thetis, Interprid and Iphigenia. To
block the entrance to Ostend: Sirius and Brilliant.
At Dover--Warwick, flagship of Vice-Admiral Keyes; Phoebe, North Star,
Brigadier, Trident, Mansfield, Whirlwind, Myngs, Velox, Morris, Moorsom,
Melpomene, Tempest and Tetrarch.
To damage Zeebrugge--Submarines C-1 and C-3.
A special picket boat to rescue crews of C-1 and C-3.
Minesweeper Lingfield to take off surplus steaming parties of block
ships, which had 100 miles to steam.
Eighteen coastal motorboats.
Thirty-three motor launches.
To bombard vicinity of Zeebrugge--Monitors Erebus and Terror.
To attend monitors--Termagant, Truculent, and Manly.
Outer patrol off Zeebrugge--Attentive, Scot, Ulleswater, Teazer and Stork.
At Dunkirk--Monitors for bombarding Ostend: Marshal Soult, Lord Clive,
Prince Eugene, General Sraufurd, M-24 and M-26.
For operating off Ostend--Swift, Faulknor, Matchless, Mastiff and Afridi.
The British destroyers Mentor, Lightfoot, Zubian and French torpedo boats
Lestin, Capitaine Mehl, Francis Garnier, Roux and Boucier to accompany the
monitors.
There were in addition to these, three American destroyers--the Taylor,
the Alert and the Cyprus.
Eighteen British motor launches for smoke screening duty inshore and
rescue work, and six for attending big monitors.
Four French motor launches attending M-24 and M-26 and five coastal motor
boats.
Navigational aids having been established on the routes, the forces from
the Swim and Dover were directed to join Admiral Keyes off the Goodwin
Sands and to proceed in company to a rendezvous, and thereafter as
requisite to their respective stations.
Those from Dunkirk were given their orders by the commodore.
An operation time table was issued to govern the movements of all the
forces. Wireless signals were prohibited, visual signals of every sort
were reduced to a minimum and maneuvering prearranged as far as foresight
could provide.
With few and slight delays the program for the passage was carried out as
laid down, the special aids to navigation being found of great assistance.
The Harwich force, under Rear-Admiral Tyrwhitt, was posted to cover the
operations and prevent interference from the north.
Jack and Frank, having reported to Admiral Keyes upon leaving Lord
Hastings, had received necessary instructions as to their part in the
raid. They had passed the word to the other officers of the Brigadier, who
in turn had informed members of the crew what was about to happen.
There was wild cheering among the British tars on the Brigadier when they
learned they were to have a hand in one of the greatest and most dangerous
enterprises attempted in the whole war. Needless to say, Jack and Frank
also were immensely pleased.
"Tell you what, Jack," said Frank, after they had returned aboard the
Brigadier, "it seems to me as though your work had come to the ears of the
Admiralty with a vengeance."
"Oh, I guess that isn't it," Jack laughed. "They just happened to need
another ship and picked on me. That's all."
"Perhaps," Frank admitted. "But just the same it seems that we are always
in the midst of things. I wouldn't call it all luck, if I were you."
"Well, it's not good judgment, that much is certain," said Jack. "For good
judgment would tell me to keep in a safe place as long as possible."
"If you want to know what I think about it," said Frank, "this raid is
going to be one of the greatest blows struck at the enemy."
"It certainly will do the enemy a lot of harm if it's successful," Jack
confessed.
"It'll be successful all right. I can feel that."
"A hunch, eh?" laughed Jack.
"Call it what you like. Nevertheless, I am absolutely certain Admiral
Keyes will not fail. And what are the Germans going to do for submarine
bases if Ostend and Zeebrugge are bottled up?"
"Maybe we'll catch most of them in there," said Jack hopefully.
"They won't be able to get out again if we do," declared Frank.
"Right," Jack agreed, "and the ones that are outside won't be able to get
back in again."
"So you see," Frank continued, "we have them coming and going, as we say
in America."
"I see," said Jack.
"And what time are we to start?" asked Frank. "You must remember you were
in private conference with Admiral Keyes. You're a captain now, and the
big fellows talk to you. I'm still only a lieutenant."
"The passage will most likely be made by daylight," said Jack. "That has
been decided in order that we may do our work there under the cover of
darkness so far as possible. Of course, this may be changed, but that's
the way the plan lies now."
"Strikes me we are taking a pretty big force along, from what you say."
"Necessary, I guess," said Jack. "It seems that the admiral has overlooked
nothing that will go toward making the attack a success."
"Well, we can't start any too soon to suit me," declared Frank. "When do
you expect to get orders to move?"
"I'm not certain, but I wouldn't be surprised to receive them early in the
morning."
As it developed Jack was a good prophet.
Bright and early next morning, a small boat approached the Brigadier. A
few moments later an officer came aboard and presented Jack with a
document. Then he departed.
Jack read the paper, then leaped to the bridge.
"To your post, Mr. Chadwick," he called to Frank, who had been standing
near by. "Pipe all men to quarters and signal for half speed ahead."
The passage was about to begin.