Trainyn (1 results)

Soft cover. Condition: Near Fine. With a preface by Professor L. N. Goncharov. This historically significant edition documents the famous British naval operation at Zeebrugge during the First World War, providing a detailed analytical account of the events of 22 - 23 April 1918, one of the most complex and daring combined naval actions of the war. The book examines the strategic objective of sealing the Bruges Zeebrugge canal, the principal exit route of German submarines into the Channel and Atlantic, by deliberately sinking concrete-filled blockships at the harbour entrance. Three obsolete cruisers Thetis, Intrepid and Iphigenia were driven under heavy fire into the narrow canal mouth and scuttled at point-blank range. The assault force was supported by the heavily modified cruiser HMS Vindictive, converted into a floating assault platform with gangways, flamethrowers, mortars and naval guns, from which storming parties attacked the Zeebrugge mole in intense close-quarter fighting. A striking and little-known feature of the operation was the use of early artificial smoke technology: chemical fog generators were employed to conceal the fleet s approach. A sudden change of wind partially dispersed the smoke at a critical moment, exposing the ships to German batteries, yet the attack continued regardless. The raid became one of the most highly decorated actions in British naval history, with eleven Victoria Crosses awarded for Zeebrugge alone an exceptional number for a single engagement. The work is richly illustrated, containing numerous photographs, operational maps, technical diagrams, and documentary material. It includes comprehensive data on the composition of the fleet involved in the operation, with detailed lists of participating vessels, their functions and technical characteristics, together with analysis of harbour defences and canal engineering. Produced in the interwar period under the auspices of the Soviet Naval authorities, this publication represents a rare example of early twentieth-century naval historiography combining operational analysis with original documentation, making it an essential reference for historians of the First World War and collectors of maritime and military literature. Pages clean. Minor professional reinforcement to small tears along the spine. Excellent copy. Attractive constructivist cover.