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Remembered Today:

22/3/1918 Monitor shelling a Battery on Belgian Coast


MikeW

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On the 22nd March 1918 at around 3.00pm, a Monitor (with Spotting by Naval 2) ineffectually attempted to shell a Battery situated on the Belgian coast.

Unusually, the RNAS 2 Squadron records do not record the location of this action so I was wondering if this can be pinned down from Naval records, which Monitor and where exactly?

 

Mike

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On 16/03/2023 at 11:51, MikeW said:

On the 22nd March 1918 at around 3.00pm, a Monitor (with Spotting by Naval 2) ineffectually attempted to shell a Battery situated on the Belgian coast.

Unusually, the RNAS 2 Squadron records do not record the location of this action so I was wondering if this can be pinned down from Naval records, which Monitor and where exactly?

 

Mike

Do you mean the monitor was trying to shell the BFG at Leugenboom ?

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yes Fiona, putting together reports from RNAS Comminique No 18 and also a report from No.1 Squadron RNAS (who provided a very large escort for this mission), I think the target was the Leugenboom Gun (yet again).

It would be nice to have a confirmation from the Navy though!

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Wiki says HMS Terror was operating against Ostend “On the evening of 22 March” - connection? - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Terror_(I03)

“On the morning of 21 March 1918 the monitor helped foil a German raid on Dunkirk by nine destroyers and ten torpedo boats, which had been intended to support the Spring Offensive. Two of the torpedo boats were destroyed by the flotilla leader Botha and the rest withdrew to Ostend under a smoke screen. On the evening of 22 March Terror bombarded Ostend harbour, firing 39 shots before a German smoke screen obscured the harbour from view. Aerial photographs taken the next day revealed that all 39 shots had landed within the target area.”

Edited by michaeldr
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2 hours ago, michaeldr said:

Wiki says HMS Terror was operating against Ostend “On the evening of 22 March” - connection? - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Terror_(I03)

“On the morning of 21 March 1918 the monitor helped foil a German raid on Dunkirk by nine destroyers and ten torpedo boats, which had been intended to support the Spring Offensive. Two of the torpedo boats were destroyed by the flotilla leader Botha and the rest withdrew to Ostend under a smoke screen. On the evening of 22 March Terror bombarded Ostend harbour, firing 39 shots before a German smoke screen obscured the harbour from view. Aerial photographs taken the next day revealed that all 39 shots had landed within the target area.”

Very interesting thank you . The timing is very close.

My grandfather was shot down  in the plane he was flying for RNAS 2 Squadron on 22.03.1918 at about 4.0pm. It was AA from the southern outskirts of Ostende that shot through the tail plane. He survived following an extraordinary descent, plane diving , both men seen out on the wings , plane falling like a leaf then diving again . Sadly his very competent   gun layer did not survive.

Terror was a tough cookie . Good for her.

Shall seek out D.Lake "The Zeebrugge & Ostend Raids 1918".

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Thank you Michaeldr,

the attack on Dunkirk on the 21st March 1918 had been "Signalled Ahead" by the Germans for a couple of days, as Naval 2's Fleet and Coastal Reconnaissance missions had been reporting significant enemy Destroyer and Torpedo Boat activity - I would hope that the Dover Patrol "Intelligence" must have picked up on this and been ready for the attack.

 

There are a number of inconsistencies in Wiki for the next couple of days:

 

Terror firing on Ostende on the 22nd maybe, but 39 shots fired before a smoke screen enveloped the target?  Generally, the smoke screens were started within a couple of minutes of the Spotting Aircraft transmitting the "Ready To Observe" signal, and most of the time the Monitors seemed unable or unwilling to fire immediately so loosing valuable time. 39 shots would have taken a very long time - that just does not make sense. In my opinion, 1 or 2 shots before the smoke screen if HMS Terror was lucky.

And then "Aerial photographs taken the next day revealed that all 39 shots had landed within the target area" ? There were no Photo Reconnaissance missions the next day (the 23rd). There were, however, plates exposed on the 24th, but these were over Leugenboom reinforcing my view that the Monitor was trying to bombard the Leugenboom emplacement - if Terror was shelling Ostende, the Photo Reconnaissance would have been over Ostende wouldn't it? There was also another (failed) attempt at shelling the Leugenboom battery on the 24th.

 

 

 

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1 minute ago, MikeW said:

There are a number of inconsistencies in Wiki for the next couple of days:

Thanks for the clarification, Mike

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The wiki entry is at variance with the Dover Command Staff Monograph (compiled from primary reports), which clearly place the Terror bombardment as being on the same day as the raid (the 21st) and highlights a number of inconsistencies, as suggested above. Unfortunately no mention of a routine battery bombardment next day - a check of the Home Fleet signals for that day at National Archives would probably clarify the monitor involved in this. Here is the report of the 21st action (the claim of a hit by the CMB is incorrect):

In the early morning of March 21 a force of 12 hostile destroyers and six torpedo boats bombarded Dunkirk, Bray Dunes and La Panne. The Botha, Morris, and the French destroyers Capitaine Mehl, Magon, and Bouclier slipped their cables and chased. Two enemy torpedo boats were sunk, and a destroyer was torpedoed by C.M.B.20 but was got into harbour. The Botha was torpedoed, but she reached harbour safely in tow of the Morris. This brilliant counter-attack was followed up by the bombardment of Ostend by the Terror in the afternoon. She opened fire at 3.9 p.m. and continued until 3.34 p.m., firing 38 rounds. The enemy put up smoke screens at once, and spots could only be made at intervals. The shore batteries opened fire five minutes after the Terror’s first round, and continued a very heavy fire until 1537, over 60 rounds being actually observed. The enemy’s fire was more accurate than usual, though nothing except a few shell splinters hit the Terror, and it is probable that on this day of high visibility his aircraft were able to get in a few spots, although our air patrols kept them from moving directly over the Fleet. The bombardment by the Terror resulted in considerable damage being caused to the Gare Maritime.

Edited by The Treasurer
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20 minutes ago, MikeW said:

Thank you Michaeldr,

the attack on Dunkirk on the 21st March 1918 had been "Signalled Ahead" by the Germans for a couple of days, as Naval 2's Fleet and Coastal Reconnaissance missions had been reporting significant enemy Destroyer and Torpedo Boat activity - I would hope that the Dover Patrol "Intelligence" must have picked up on this and been ready for the attack.

 

There are a number of inconsistencies in Wiki for the next couple of days:

 

Terror firing on Ostende on the 22nd maybe, but 39 shots fired before a smoke screen enveloped the target?  Generally, the smoke screens were started within a couple of minutes of the Spotting Aircraft transmitting the "Ready To Observe" signal, and most of the time the Monitors seemed unable or unwilling to fire immediately so loosing valuable time. 39 shots would have taken a very long time - that just does not make sense. In my opinion, 1 or 2 shots before the smoke screen if HMS Terror was lucky.

And then "Aerial photographs taken the next day revealed that all 39 shots had landed within the target area" ? There were no Photo Reconnaissance missions the next day (the 23rd). There were, however, plates exposed on the 24th, but these were over Leugenboom reinforcing my view that the Monitor was trying to bombard the Leugenboom emplacement - if Terror was shelling Ostende, the Photo Reconnaissance would have been over Ostende wouldn't it? There was also another (failed) attempt at shelling the Leugenboom battery on the 24th.

 

 

 

Thank you Mike. 

So would Terror still have required a smokescreen over enemy batteries in Ostende  in order  for her to safely take part in shelling Luegenboom ?

And if target was Leugenboom would this have constituted a " secret operation " and hence documented in Naval and RNAS Intelligence files rather than in Daily Operations? I do love a spy movie so probably getting carried away here 

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5 minutes ago, The Treasurer said:

The wiki entry is at variance with the Dover Command Staff Monograph (compiled from primary reports), which clearly place the Terror bombardment as being on the same day as the raid (the 21st) and highlights a number of inconsistencies, as suggested above. Unfortunately no mention of a routine battery bombardment next day - a check of the Home Fleet signals for that day at National Archives would probably clarify the monitor involved in this. Here is the report of the 21st action (the claim of a hit by the CMB is incorrect):

In the early morning of March 21 a force of 12 hostile destroyers and six torpedo boats bombarded Dunkirk, Bray Dunes and La Panne. The Botha, Morris, and the French destroyers Capitaine Mehl, Magon, and Bouclier slipped their cables and chased. Two enemy torpedo boats were sunk, and a destroyer was torpedoed by C.M.B.20 but was got into harbour. The Botha was torpedoed, but she reached harbour safely in tow of the Morris. This brilliant counter-attack was followed up by the bombardment of Ostend by the Terror in the afternoon. She opened fire at 3.9 p.m. and continued until 3.34 p.m., firing 38 rounds. The enemy put up smoke screens at once, and spots could only be made at intervals. The shore batteries opened fire five minutes after the Terror’s first round, and continued a very heavy fire until 1537, over 60 rounds being actually observed. The enemy’s fire was more accurate than usual, though nothing except a few shell splinters hit the Terror, and it is probable that on this day of high visibility his aircraft were able to get in a few spots, although our air patrols kept them from moving directly over the Fleet. The bombardment by the Terror resulted in considerable damage being caused to the Gare Maritime.

Brilliant!  Thank you .

 

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I had previously noted the bombardment of Ostende on the 21st and the subsequent Photo Reconnaissance on the 22nd but hadn't occurred to me that whoever wrote the Wiki got their dates mixed up

 

The Treasurer - do you have a NA file number for the Home Fleet Signals please?

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1 minute ago, MikeW said:

I had previously noted the bombardment of Ostende on the 21st and the subsequent Photo Reconnaissance on the 22nd but hadn't occurred to me that whoever wrote the Wiki got their dates mixed up

 

The Treasurer - do you have a NA file number for the Home Fleet Signals please?

That would be HS737- Home Waters General Operations Telegrams, 1918, March 20-22.

That is now ADM137/737 - you'll need to visit in person to review. These files of signals typically have over 1000 pages so don't try and request a complete copy!

The destroyer action is featured in Endless Story by 'Taffraill' - highly recommended.

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16 minutes ago, The Treasurer said:

That would be HS737- Home Waters General Operations Telegrams, 1918, March 20-22.

That is now ADM137/737 - you'll need to visit in person to review. These files of signals typically have over 1000 pages so don't try and request a complete copy!

The destroyer action is featured in Endless Story by 'Taffraill' - highly recommended.

Thank you so much!

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