Skip to main content

Members of the crew of the battleship HMS King George V who volunteered for the Zeebrugge Raid, Ernest Brooks, April 1918. Image courtesy Imperial War Museum © IWM (Q 19514).

  • The Royal Navy plans to raid the Belgian port of Bruges-Zeebrugge, sinking obsolete ships in the canal entrance to prevent German vessels from leaving port. The wind direction changes at the last moment, making it impossible to lay a smokescreen to cover the ships. The operation is cancelled. A second, more successful attempt is made on 23 April.