Twice the little expedition sailed and had to put back because the wind
had shifted; for the smoke screen would not hide the block ships,
unless the wind had just the proper slant. At last it started for the
real thing; a great night of aircraft going ahead to bomb the defences
and a squadron of monitors staying some miles astern to pour in shells
at the same time. The crash of air bombs and the thudding of the
distant monitors were quite familiar sounds to the German garrison,
whose "archies" (anti-aircraft guns) barked hoarsely back, while the
bigger guns roared at where they thought the monitors might be.
(Monitors are slow, strong, heavy, and very "bargy" craft, useful only
as platforms for big guns against land defences.)
Suddenly, to the Germans' wild astonishment, Zeebrugge harbour was full
of a smoke screen, of concrete-loaded block-ships, and of darting motor
boats; while the old cruiser _Vindictive_ made straight for the mole.
Instantly the monitors and aircraft were left alone, while every German
gun that could be brought to bear was turned on to this new and far
more dangerous enemy at hand.
Pages:
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385