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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Zeebrugge Raid - Sto1st Class H.T. Lawes


Guest rlawes

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Hi all, new to the forum and joined today specifically to ask this question.

While doing a little family research we discovered that my great uncle, Stoker 1st Class Herbert Thomas Lawes, Service number K25750 took part in the Zeebrugge raid of the 22/23rd April 1918.

Having already browsed some of the forum information I've noted that he has the VC ballot stamp on his service docs and was drafted to HMS Hindustan on the 24th Feb from the Battlecruiser HMS Tiger. From this I understand that he was a member of the mole storming party. His name does not appear on the list of dead or the list of those who received an honour.

I would be extremely grateful if anyone who has reasearched the raid in any depth and who may have any information with which I can expend on what I've already learned about my great uncle.

As a currently serving CPO with over 18 years in the Royal Navy I'm extremely proud to have discovered I had a relative who volunteered to take part in the Zeebrugge raid.

Thanks in advance.

Rob.

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Rob,

If you look in the section ''Classic threads'' (at this time page 2) there is a long thread on the subject.

Simon.

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Rob,

I can recommend the excellent book 'The Zeebrugge Raid 1918; 'The Finest Feat of Arms' by Paul Kendall. It goes into the raid, plus the training and aftermath in great depth. Your great uncle may not be specifically mentioned, but it will give you a good idea of what he went through.

Regards,

Alf McM

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Hi Rob, you must thrilled and very proud to discover that your great uncle took part in the Zeebrugge Raid on St George's Day 1918.

I spent six years researching the raid for my book 'The Zeebrugge Raid 1918: The Finest Feat of Arms' and there is still a lot to learn and discover about this operation. I am gathering further information for a revised edition to be produced within the next five years. I also hope to include chapters relating to the two Ostend Raids which took place in 1918, which was omitted by my publisher when it was published in 2008.

The fact that the VC ballot stamp on his service record confirms that he took part in the operation, but we must be careful in trying to ascertain what role he played. Many of the seaman assault party that landed on the Zeebrugge Mole were assigned to HMS Hindustan prior to the raid. However I note that your great uncle was a stoker and I know that some of the stokers who formed part of the crews for the blockships HM Ships Thetis, Iphegenia and Intrepid were also accomodated on HMS Hindustan prior to the raid.

Do you have an image of your great uncle?

Feel free to contact me at paul.kendall193@btinternet.com

Best wishes

Paul

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Good luck with your research Rob. I am particularly interested in the Ltn. Claude Hawkings from HMS Iris who died at Zeebrugge.

 

There were many great acts of bravery during the Great War . The courage of those who took part at Zeebrugge must be one of most impressive.

Hope that you will update the Forum when you have found out more about your great uncle.

I would also recommend Paul Kendall's book.

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Rob. The ballot notification confirms that he served on either Vindictive, Daffodil or Iris. I do not have to hand my records as I am moving house shortly but I will check to see if I have anything on him as soon as I am able. Like Paul, I would love copy of photo and record of service if possible. My email is dominic.walsh@ireland.com. Dom

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  • 3 weeks later...

Re research for your book. Don't know how relevant this may be, but we notice from research on the net (www.naval-history.net) that ML 110 and 121 were at Zeebrugge. My hope is to try and discover what war service my grandfather's houseboat (!) the ML106 may have participated in. Should the ML106 come to your notice, please let me know.

Good luck with the book.

Nickie

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That's great Martin, have started to read it. Also very helpful illustrations and photos in this book. Appreciated.

For general info on the Zeebrugge Raid (and Ostend as well), Vice-Admiral Sir Roger Keyes' book of dipatches is freely available online here:

http://openlibrary.o..._23_May_10_1918

You can read it online or download it as a PDF (about 10 MB) or raw text.

Martin

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