Cnock Posted 1 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2005 Blankenberge Communal Cem Lt. Commander George Nicholson BRADFORD, Victoria Cross. From the H.M.S. IRIS, Bradford jumped on the parapet of the Mole, and hooked a grappling anchor in position, in order to secure the ship alongside the Mole and enbling the Naval storming parties to land. Bradford was riddled with bullets and fell into sea between the Mole and the Iris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 1 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2005 Zeebrugge - The railway viaduct after it was blown up by submarine C3. The Germans offered only small opposition to the approach of the submarine C3. May be they were distracted by what happened at the end of the Mole and the appearance of the block ships. The crew of the C3 got away in a motor skiff after the time fuze of the charges had been lit. The small boat was hit several times, the crew members got wounded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 1 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2005 20 minutes after the Vindictive, the blockships arrivd at the end of the Mole. The guns of the Mole extension Battery, that had not been silenced by the British, swung around and opened fire on the new targets. The Theti was sunk before reaching the piers of the canal. Iphigenia and Intrepid managed to sunk in the canal corridor. Pic : aerial view Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 1 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2005 The canal entrance, with the scuttled blockships, filled with concrete. The canal banks are protected by barbed wire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 1 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2005 Blankenbere Communal Cem. Orderly Seaman ASHLEY, H.M.S. North Star, kia 23/4/1918 During the Zeebrugge-raid, the destroyer North Star was allocated to patrol east of the Mole light house. Not corectly in position she had to avoid grounding near the Kanal Battery. When she swung inside the of the sweep of the Mole, she was hit by the Mole Extension Battery. Her speed lowered and the destroyer Phoebe came at her help. The North Star was in such condition that she could not be salvaged, and was destroyed by the shore batteries. Members of the crew still alive, were taken aboard of the Phoebe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 1 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2005 The Kanal Battery ( 4 x 8,8 cm) Situated between Zeebrugge and Heist, near the beach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 1 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2005 Captain Carpenter got wounded in the shoulder by a shell burst outside the conning tower of the Vindictive, when he was discussing the possibility of any men still on the mole. 15 minutes after the sounding of the retirement signal, nobody was seen coming back. Daffodil towed the bow of the Vindictive away fro the wall of the Mole. The Vindictive had been 1 hour and 10 minutes against the Mole, without that the Germans succeeded in sinking the ship. When the Vinditive was back at Dover, it appeared that she had brought back a large piece of he Mole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 1 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2005 Zeebrugge The German Cemetery at the churchyard shorly after the war, where German and British casualties are now resting together in peace. The German rememberance stone in the middle was later removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 1 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2005 Zeebrugge Churchyard Cem Burial cross with german inscription for several British casualties of the raid dd.23/4/1918 This German grave marker was replaced in april 1920 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 1 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2005 Some of the same individual graves today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harribobs Posted 1 November , 2005 Share Posted 1 November , 2005 excellent pictures, thanks for posting them, it's given me a much better understanding of the Zeebruge and the raid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 1 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2005 The blocking of Zeebrugge, contrary to what was stated after the raid, was no success, despite the many personal deeds of courage and sacrifice, but it helped boosting the British public and military morale. Two days after the raid, the small UB16 already passed the block ships, and two weeks later, the larger UB III-type submarines managed to leave Zeebrugge by high tide. British casualties were more than 700, the Germans had some 30 casualties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 1 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2005 Shell-proof U-Boat shelters at Brugge. Brugge was the main German naval base, as Ostend and Zeebrugge were more open to attacks from the sea. After the raids on Zeebrugge and Ostend during april 1918, Handley Pages and other bombing aircraft regulary dropped bombs on the Zeebruge and Brugge dock, where destroyers and submarines waited for the reopening of the outlets to the sea. Results were poor, mass-bombardments like in WWII would have done better, but the British didn't have enough planes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 1 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2005 Heyst Battery FREYA ( 4 x 21 cm) The Mole of Zeebrugge can be seen at the far right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 1 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2005 Thank You, Harribobs! Regards, Cnock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 1 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2005 Knokke - Battery Kaiser Wilhelm II The four 30,5 cm ( 12-in) guns, in concrete pits, had a range of 38 kms, and were able to shell the approaches to Ostend and the Scheldt Estuary. Behind one of the guns is its concrete munition storehouse with observation post on top. Artillerists manning the guns totalled more than 360. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 1 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2005 Blankenberge -German bunkers near the port entrance. Blankenberge had a small harbour with shallow depth, and was only used as a base for German motor boats and mine sweepers. During the attack of 23/4/1918, a torpedo attack in the flank from these fast motor boats was feared, but nothing happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 2 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2005 Geman map of the attack 23/4/1918 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 2 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2005 Zeebrugge Churchyard Cem German casualties of the Zeebrugge raid. German forces on the Mole were : 200 men at the seaplane station, not directly involved in the battle. Their main task was to protect the seaplanes and the RM did not get so far. 70 men of the Hafenkompagnie (Harbour detachment) 150 men artillery personnal. German sources said that only 20 men were detailed to attack the British assault parties. But the Germans were backed up by a formidable artillery and machine guns. Even the Torpedoboat V 69, moored at the inner side of the Mole, fired on the Vindictive with its 3,7 cm rapid fire gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 2 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2005 German torpedo boats heading for the Imperial naval dockyard at Brugge. To avoid aerial detection hey are covered by smoke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 2 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2005 The railway viaduct under repair. When it was blown up during the Zeebrugge raid, it was impossible for the Germans to send reinforcements to the Mole Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 2 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2005 Zeebruge Churchyard Cem Captain Valentine Edgar Giberne SIEVEKING, Distinguished Service Cross and Bar, 214 Sqn, 18/5/1918 shot down over Zeebrugge with his Handley Page 0/400 during night bombardment on the Solvay factory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 2 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2005 Zeebrugge Mole German Machinen Flak (3,7 cm) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 2 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2005 Zeebruge Churchyard Cem Known unto God. Body found on 29/3/1919 Regards, Cnock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Posted 2 November , 2005 Share Posted 2 November , 2005 Thanks a bunch Cnock for sharing these superb documents with us , thanks also for your continious work of scanning and support of this topic . At least these nice images are comming to life here on the forum , instead of beeing locked up . Wreed bedankt , ik geniet er met volle teugen van Greets @+ Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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