Blocking of Zeebrugge, The: Operation Z-O 1918

On the night of 22–23 April 1918 the Royal Navy carried out a raid on the German held ports of Zeebrugge and Ostend – Operation Z-O. Under the cover of clouds and smoke, over 70 ships and an assault force of 1,800 Royal Marines embarked on a daring mission which involved a vicious battle of incredible intensity. However, despite the gallant and courageous efforts of the attackers, 11 of whom were later awarded the Victoria Cross, the raid was only partly successful. Discover the successes and failures of this dramatic raid in this in-depth account, complete with specially commissioned battle-scene artwork. The author reveals how despite failure, the raid demonstrated to Germany that Britain was still capable of offensive action, even as its armies were being forced back.

“In 1918 did the Royal Navy undertake a daring if futile raid on Zeebrugge and Ostend in order to bottle up the German submarines stationed in Bruges. The operation against Zeebrugge had three components: The first component consisted of the cruiser HMS Vindictive, assisted by two ferryboats, whose mission it was to overwhelm the German defenses of the mole that covered the canal entry. Reminiscent of a medieval siege tower, the cruiser was slammed against the mole, allowing the Royal Marines on board to cross over and attack the mole. The mole, furthermore, was to be disconnected from land by explosives from a submarine. The second component consisted of three concrete filled old cruisers intended to block the canal entry. The third component were supporting ships that provided command stations, smoke screens, fire support and pick up points for survivors. Overall, the Royal Navy committed over 10,000 troops to this raid.

The costly success at Zeebrugge and the miserable failure at Ostend had minimal impact on the war, as the British did not manage to completely block the canal. Once again, the value of a raid lies in propaganda. Militarily, a raid is the tacit admission that one does not want a full engagement; a symbolic patch to cover inactivity. Many brave young men paid with their lives so that the Royal Navy could display some of its skin in the game (see also Gallipoli).

This is a well illustrated Osprey booklet with plenty of period drawings and photographs. I particularly like the post-raid image of HMS Vindictive with its improved defenses. While it still is an overwhelmingly British account, it at least includes the German reaction.”

pp.64 illusts World War I #301221