Zeebrugge: Eleven Vcs Before Breakfast

Plot

This is the story of a desperate and heroic venture - the raid by British warships on the Belgian port of Zeebrugge, 23 April 1918. The objective was to sink blockships in the mouth of the canal, sealing off access to the English Channel from the U-boats and destroyers based in the harbour at Bruges. The British crews were all volunteers, highly trained and ready for the fight, who nonetheless knew they were unlikely to survive the firestorm from the German batteries. It was the ultimate example of heroic failure. The Germans removed the obstructions, and the U-boats continued to operate through the summer. But in that one brief morning, eleven men won the VC, 21 the DSO, 29 the DSC, among many other awards. It was an incredible tale, captured here perfectly in Barrie Pitt's graphic account.