Heydrich. First off an amazing video as always. Secondly I was wondering if you could do a video on the Italian destroyer and forgive me if I say it wrong pompo Grano, or other Italians chores I don't think those have been talked about as much. Also, I'm question I'm hoping you can answer as a engineer. Why was it so difficult for the Axis powers in World War Two come up with a dual-purpose mount? I know the Japanese came up with a twin 100 m m later in the war, and I know the Germans only dreamt of one, but what about the Italians? And as always thank you in advance.
You have overlooked two awards - the Birkenhead Ferries Iris and Daffodil survived to returned to the Mersey after the raid and were permitted to carry the suffixes "Royal" to their name - Royal Iris and Royal Daffodil. Later Mersey ferries carried the same names to maintain the tradition.
Shame what happend to them. Ones stuck in 12 Quays dock and the other has what I can only describe as, dazzle camouflage meets disco. Pretty much a tourist attraction instead of useful transport from Liverpool to Birkenhead. Used to work on the Belfast ferry so got to watch them sail past every few days. Great bit of history
Thank You Jennifer... I often wondered about that "Royal" suffix when I started my seagoing career from Liverpool.... Now I know!! (Hasn't one of the later ferries of the same name ended up abandoned on the Thames?)
If I had a dollar for every time Drach said "but that's another story" I'd be a rich man. Just goes to show that history has history layered with more history.
I love how Drach is almost apologetic about the bicycle story. He's like 'I swear I'm not making this up! Multiple witnesses said so!' Also hats off to Sgt. Finch for being an indomitable MFer. I mean, all of the Victoria Cross fellows mentioned here deserve respect but there's just something about a man getting blown up, getting back up to keep givingsupport fire, and then getting blown up again, and surviving, just is awe-inspiring.
Call me lazy or not a team player, but I personally don't have the work ethic necessary to continue doing by job after having a bomb explode at my work station. Hats off to Sgt. Finch for true bravery.
I couldn't agree more, but I also feel I need to highlight Captain Carpenter. Ship being shot to bits right about him? No matter! Just focused on helping his crew function! It's a pity that every leader isn't of that caliber. And while we're at it, L.C. Dean sounds like exactly the sort of person I aspire to be.
"I say, Pitterpatter20, are those reports done yet?" "Sorry boss, my desk exploded. Some kind of bomb I think. I barely survived!" "So you're saying that they're NOT done, is that right?"
@@PitterPatter20 it's a matter of context. flinging a grenade back, slamming home a DC plug, drawing fire, etc. are done without a second thought in their respective environments; as it's just what is called for in those circumstances. However, a hand grenade landing tween your feet while editing an excel spreadsheet presents much more of a conundrum
Zeebrugge: "Successful" Retrieval of forces. 1/3 of soldiers dead. 400 Medals in one hour. St. Nazaire: "Ouch... But hey the Sacrifice was worth to keep a dock till 1956 out of commission." French: *Reeeeeeee*
@@fabianmichaelgockner5988 According to Drach's video on the St. Nazaire raid, the French government awarded medals to the British forces involved in that raid. If that's anything to go by, I have a feeling that the French forgave them.
@@Slavic_Goblin To be honest, all of France, and indeed all of Europe, was one big repair bill. I doubt St. Nazaire was even a drop in the bucket in all that France had to pay for.
Thanks for this. My grandfather was a telegraphist aboard the minesweeper at Zeebrugge. That was one of the two times that his ship was sunk, and he was reported MIA presumed dead, both times. Lucky for me, that proved not to be the case on either occasion.
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What a crazy operation. When I first played the Battlefiled 1 map, I thought it was a fictional operation :)
true, although the bf1 missed the opportunity with how the map started, instead of having an epic sequence with the ramps coming down the troopships you just kinda boat in
Way back in the mid 1970s I purchased a book about this raid, published by Ballentines Books. I was a teenager at the time, and very interested in military history. This was the first time I had heard about the raid. The video is a welcome addition to my knowledge about this part of the First World War.
Thanks for doing this, Drach. I have sort of known of this raid (though not in this detail) because my Great Aunt Rose lost her Fiancée there. She never married, though was a long-term member of the Salvation Army.
Another illustration of the insane cost of WW1. So many lives cut short. So many happy memories, and sons or daughters that simply never came to be, but would have, otherwise. Truly the tragedy that un-made Europe...
Most informative and certainly meritorious of the award's given to the participants once the after actions reports had been scrutinised. The valour of these men is astounding and similar to millions of their fellows throughout the 1st World War. Thank you for the telling of this action, one of many (I'm sure) that went on.
Thank you for a wonderfully interesting video. My grandfather served on HMS Erebus during WW1, and I had been aware of the ship’s part in the Zeebrugge raid, without knowing the details of the actual action. Thanks for filling in a massive gap in my knowledge.
The air with thick with smoke.. gas.. burning material etc.... everyone was deaf from explosions... and there were other issues... under such restrictions was not surprising that the German cyclists missed the fact that the way was gone and continued to their doom...
@michimatsch Not unsurvivable if they were very lucky... but if they were not rescued from the water within a few minutes at most.. I doubt they would survive.. ie injured... weight of wet uniform and equipment.. hit by falling bikes and rider... obstructions etc....
LOL, what doom for the German cyclists, as total German losses were 8 KIA and 16 WIA for the entire operation. Sounds like a little propaganda to add to the explosion of the sub, that a column of cyclists were blown up. I don't blame the British for claiming German losses were more considering their own heavy losses. Looks bad in the papers and upsets the public.
@Walter Schumann You seem to find the death of human beings amusing... which speaks volumes for your morality... as for the Wikipedia numbers I have seen several accounts of low german losses... I don't believe any of them.. most likely the actual number was attributed across other active areas or simply made up.... people dissapear and are misreported in wartime... sometimes in peacetime as well..
I was wondering why I got both notifications from you and Histrograph about the same topic at the same. Nevertheless, a surprise to be sure, but a most welcomed one
This a great video on a fascinating operation. I can imagine myself as a soldier being briefed on the operation saying, "We're going to do what?" In all seriousness I love learning about WW1 events that are separate from the famous battles on the front.
The Royal Navy's panache for engaging the enemy more closely is well to the fore here. I look forward towards a follow up to the early war actions at Ostend and Antwerp, and possibly even a potted history of the Royal Naval Division's activities on land.
On the way to see her husband off, Admiral Keyes' wife mentioned that the next day was St George's Day, so he sent the ancient British battle cry from the Middle Ages, "Saint George for England!" as a signal to the force after it had formed up. Also, Iris and Daffodil were renamed with the prefix "Royal" by order of King George V and carried the titles with them when they returned to a hero's welcome in Liverpool. Both ships had a plaque mounted in the passenger cabin to recall their gallant service. SS Royal Iris - Wikipedia SS Royal Daffodil - Wikipedia Admiral Keyes was recalled from retirement to be the first commander of the Commandos in World War II. Sadly, his son Geoffrey was killed leading a raid on what was thought to be Rommel's headquarters. Operation Flipper - Wikipedia
I first leaned of this action when I visited the Royal Marines museum in Eastney barracks, Southsea, in the sixties . They had a magnificent diorama of Vindictive up against the mole, very big and realistic to my young eyes. I wonder what ever become of that.
No one could help being impressed by the bravery on display in this action. One of your best videos, Drach, really gets into the details after explaining the strategic objectives very clearly. The list of decorations at the end was very appropriate. It's a wonderful indicator of the high morale of the crews that so many disobeyed (or creatively interpreted) their orders to man the ships with "a minimum crew" and effectively stowed away because they wanted their share in the glory.
I would never, ever , skipp your intro, like I do on other channels! The music, the old school BW footage, the guns echoing in the end... good stuff my friend!
An amazing retelling of this raid by Drach. I wish there was more revisiting of this type of action which doesn't get mainstream media attention such as the Battle of Tsushima. I have recently read Diary of a U Boat Commander which was translated from German by Stephen King Hall RN in around 1920. Hall found a U=Boat officer trying to retrieve a diary from a surrendered U Boat in Harwich in 1918. Its a brilliant diary which tells of the Flanders Flotilla from the German side. I once tried to find the bow of one of the block ships in Ostend many years ago but this was moved elsewhere and is still there to see near Ostende
@@calvingreene90 i know, in the rank of Obergefreiter wich translates to pfc. This did not make him a german. Why He became a german later is usually explained with a position he occupied in Braunschweig later.
@@michimatsch5862 He was enlisted in the Royal Bavarian Army (Bavaria was allowed to keep a nominally separate army after the Empire was established). Specifically, Reserve Infantry Regiment 16.
I don't know why "forlorn hope" attacks like this, St. Nazaire and Merrill's Marauders are so inspirational to me, except Andrews Raiders in the Civil War was one story that inspired me to join the Army several decades ago.
I had a cousin in Merrill's Marauders. He came back with a DSC, 3 Purple Hearts, 2 Silver Stars, and a Bronze Star. He paid quite a price for that hardware. The upside was that he married one of the nurses who took care of him.
@@kennethdelorey8842 my great uncle was gassed in World War I while serving as a runner (carrying messages). Same deal: he married a woman who cared for him while he was convalescing
@@edwardloomis887 I went to a DeLorey family reunion in Nova Scotia back in 2004. There were quite a few DeLorey's in the "Lest We Forget" marker in tiny Tracadie NS...IIRC, there were about 6-8 DeLorey's who didn't come back from WW1.
@@kennethdelorey8842 The Maurders weren't the only allied elite unit in Burma. A British Army officer who was an expert in behind the lines warfare called Orde Wingate formed a unit designed to penatrate deep into Japanese occupied Burma called 'chindits' made up of Australian, British and Gurhka troops.
Another succinct account of a complex and bloody action. This must have the closest a lot of regular sailors and marines, who were not part of the naval brigades, got to Western Front trench conditions. I'm looking forward to the Ostend companion piece. HMS Vindictive's bow section is displayed at Ostend harbour.
My grandfather never got near the front line in Flanders, but did go through the Battle of Jutland, aged 16. Left a definite impression on him. He didn't take part in any land actions in WW2, either. He had to make do with the Arctic convoys and mine clearing the approaches to the D-Day landings.
Me too, my Great Uncle was a Sub Lieutenant on the Vindictive for the Ostend raid and unfortunately perished in the action which was pretty much a failure, as they couldn't get the ship to scuttle at a large enough angle to block the passage. I attended the centenary remembrance celebrations in Ostend a few years ago with other family members of the crew members involved. It gave me great heart that the Belgian people of that area still honour the spirit of those who died trying to help them. The main event was held next to the Bow section out on the Sea Wall, a fitting location indeed.
The importance of access to the channel was such that it was a major factor in the flawed dispositions of the allies in 1940 - they believed the German offensive would be a frontal assault aimed first and foremost at the Dutch and Belgian ports to pursue a U-boat campaign. So they weakened their right flank in favour of their left ....
Was taken to Belgium by parents for holiday c.1964. We stayed in Ostend and visited Bruges and Zeebrugge among other places. I found a photo of me standing next to the memorial at Zeebrugge in my mother's photo albums recently. It's amazing to know that HMS Vindictive survived the raid, but I'll not spoil the story of what happened to her the following month.
This is the first time hearing of this raid. Forlorn hope is the only thing that came to mind but in the end it was successful. This was thrilling at 2x playback speed. Thank you.
Ever have one of those days like that bunch of engineers standing around a plan of a building looking down into a huge shaft while one of the other engineers on the platform they're all on hollers down into the pit "Stop digging we had the plans upside down!" Welcome back Drach :)
I think you glossed over a whole lot of interesting stuff in the three-word phrase "flat-packed U-boats." I actually WOULD like to know more, yes. Were all the steam fittings put together with Allen keys? Were the assembly instructions stamped top secret? Whole lotta questions....,
In WW2, It was too risky to send U-Boats into the Med via the Straits Of Gibraltar....so they sent them overland from Germany to the Black Sea (?) and thence into the Med. As I understand it....none survived.....70+ Boats were lost or scuttled.
Very interesting learning about the raid with the block ships, my great uncle was on one of them but unfortunately died of wounds later. He was laid to rest in Scarborough UK.
Hearing the incredible beating that the British took and once in, really speaks volumes of the incredible courage and loyalty that the soldiers had, to keep the operation going, in spite of everything. It is amazing how, unless there is a massive cock-up like at the Siege of Singapore, the British forces display habitual high morale and valor.
feel like im being pedantic, but the ferry Royal Daffodil you mentioned at 8:49 was only given that name after the first world war, as recognition of it's service. it's why the mersey ferries have the Royal Iris and the Royal Daffodil. back then, she was just the SS Daffodil, and then the HMS Daffodil
I like your two channels a lot. But when you two collab, I learn FOUR times as much. The visualisations and timeline help Historiograph provides, and then all the detail i want to know here
Our FOB in the Kajaki District of Helmand Province was named after this battle. We just knew it was named after a pretty epic fight in Belgium during WW1, thanks for giving the details they're amazing!
That is some insane action. The combination of use of marines back and forth and all the guns being blown off all the ships.. holy hell. And it was crazy mad fight at every turn.
19:50 " ... a .303 bullet which struck my tin hat... parted one of my puttees" This seems strange? Is this some extremely lucky shot that passed his head and then his ankle without hitting him, or is there some part of the helmet also called puttees, as I associate that word with the wrap around the ankle to help keep your boots dry.
@@myparceltape1169 I don't know if service members do the same, but I do know that in the absence of ballistics ID LEOs employ a shorthand to approximate the likely caliber. Everything's a .22, a 9mm, a 30.06 or rifle-caliber, bucksot, slug. It gives the listener a ballpark of what was being thrown at them.
The volunteers coming out of the woodwork (so to speak) sounds like the most British thing in the world during WW2. Just imagine some bloke popping out of a clothes locker right next to you, then without the slightest explanation asking for work to do. 😅
when you look at an arial picture of the zeebrugge harbor today it is shocking how simultaneously little changed, you can easily recognize it but also tons changed as massive port facilities were added within the area where the maul was, and seemingly a larger maul was added around it all, you can also see how the town just exists inbetween port facilities
Could you please do a video on the WWII LSM 203? This was my Dad's ship and had three battle stars (Guam, Tinian and Saipan - I think). There are now four generations of Naval service in our family, My Grandfather in WWI, my Dad in WWII, and me in the NAVMARCORPS MARS, and my Second Son Eric in the conflict in Iraq. Eric was an assault boat commander in the U.S. Navy. Thank you!
what absolute lunacy lmao. i will never not find it amusing how wwi/wwii british soldiers describe nearly dying 20 times over in as many minutes without the smallest hint of grandiose or care. this might be up there along with the taffy 3 and second pacific squadron videos as my favorites youve ever made. cheers
The smoke floats and all things pyrotechnic were designed by Commander Brock (Brock benefit expression). He was on the staff of Admiral Bacon. One of the Everard novels by Alexander Fullerton describes this raid in great detail as a fictional officer.
Commander Brock was the heir to the foremost British fireworks firm (founded in 1698!). It was a job he was born for. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brocks_Fireworks
Brock also took part in the Zeebrugge landing action. In german tales he was killed by Hermann Künne, a sailor of Torpedoboot S53. They stabbed each other dead and later the Kriegsmarine destroyer Z19 was named after Künne. Although both Brock and Künne died at Zeebrugge this story might be Propaganda, according to the casualty list of S53, five men of the ship died on 23.04.18 and Künne is reported to have died from an aerial bomb hit.
Pinned post for Q&A :)
HMS Marshal Soult huh. I see British love the Duke of Damnation. Video on her and HMS Marshal Ney soon?
Can we get a history and explanation of ceremonial royal titles in the navy? With a piece on Andrew and that shit show?
As someone who originally hails from Merseyside i'm wondering what if any modifications were done to the ferrys Daffodil and Iris?
Heydrich. First off an amazing video as always. Secondly I was wondering if you could do a video on the Italian destroyer and forgive me if I say it wrong pompo Grano, or other Italians chores I don't think those have been talked about as much. Also, I'm question I'm hoping you can answer as a engineer. Why was it so difficult for the Axis powers in World War Two come up with a dual-purpose mount? I know the Japanese came up with a twin 100 m m later in the war, and I know the Germans only dreamt of one, but what about the Italians? And as always thank you in advance.
Throughout the video you use old film footage that looks like its from a movie, was there some propaganda film produced about the raid?
"Their skipper having lit the fuze, they rowed with considerable enthusiasm." Now that's an understatement.
classic british understatement
I had to pause the video - I was laughing too hard and didn't want to miss anything.
Big 📠📠📠
row row row the boat
@@rascallyrabbit8548 "as fast as you fucking can"
You have overlooked two awards - the Birkenhead Ferries Iris and Daffodil survived to returned to the Mersey after the raid and were permitted to carry the suffixes "Royal" to their name - Royal Iris and Royal Daffodil. Later Mersey ferries carried the same names to maintain the tradition.
Shame what happend to them. Ones stuck in 12 Quays dock and the other has what I can only describe as, dazzle camouflage meets disco. Pretty much a tourist attraction instead of useful transport from Liverpool to Birkenhead.
Used to work on the Belfast ferry so got to watch them sail past every few days. Great bit of history
Thank You Jennifer... I often wondered about that "Royal" suffix when I started my seagoing career from Liverpool.... Now I know!!
(Hasn't one of the later ferries of the same name ended up abandoned on the Thames?)
@@patagualianmostly7437 Yes - the Royal Iris. Sad!
Wallasey ferries and not Birkenhead
@NighthawkAquila technically an adjective, not to be fixated by the theme
If I had a dollar for every time Drach said "but that's another story" I'd be a rich man. Just goes to show that history has history layered with more history.
Every field of knowledge is fractal
I love how Drach is almost apologetic about the bicycle story. He's like 'I swear I'm not making this up! Multiple witnesses said so!'
Also hats off to Sgt. Finch for being an indomitable MFer. I mean, all of the Victoria Cross fellows mentioned here deserve respect but there's just something about a man getting blown up, getting back up to keep givingsupport fire, and then getting blown up again, and surviving, just is awe-inspiring.
Call me lazy or not a team player, but I personally don't have the work ethic necessary to continue doing by job after having a bomb explode at my work station. Hats off to Sgt. Finch for true bravery.
I couldn't agree more, but I also feel I need to highlight Captain Carpenter. Ship being shot to bits right about him? No matter! Just focused on helping his crew function! It's a pity that every leader isn't of that caliber.
And while we're at it, L.C. Dean sounds like exactly the sort of person I aspire to be.
"I say, Pitterpatter20, are those reports done yet?"
"Sorry boss, my desk exploded. Some kind of bomb I think. I barely survived!"
"So you're saying that they're NOT done, is that right?"
@@arthurfisher1857 😅
@@PitterPatter20 it's a matter of context. flinging a grenade back, slamming home a DC plug, drawing fire, etc. are done without a second thought in their respective environments; as it's just what is called for in those circumstances. However, a hand grenade landing tween your feet while editing an excel spreadsheet presents much more of a conundrum
Germans at Zeebrugge: Damn ye, Perfidious Albion! You won’t get away with this!
Germans at St. Nazaire, 1942: Not this again! 😫
Zeebrugge: "Successful" Retrieval of forces. 1/3 of soldiers dead. 400 Medals in one hour.
St. Nazaire: "Ouch... But hey the Sacrifice was worth to keep a dock till 1956 out of commission."
French: *Reeeeeeee*
@@fabianmichaelgockner5988 According to Drach's video on the St. Nazaire raid, the French government awarded medals to the British forces involved in that raid. If that's anything to go by, I have a feeling that the French forgave them.
@@RadioactiveSherbet Probably... and then they saw the repair bill. ;)
@@Slavic_Goblin To be honest, all of France, and indeed all of Europe, was one big repair bill. I doubt St. Nazaire was even a drop in the bucket in all that France had to pay for.
@@RadioactiveSherbet Yes, I know. I was trying to be funny, I guess I failed.
I’m amazed they only had 1/3 casualties. My God, the balls on these guys! What an inspiring story, told with usual eloquence, well done.
My uncle was one of them
Thats including all the naval crews I think, so...
Wait wait wait.... 8:55 there were demolition subs C-1 & C-3, but they seriously didn't have a demolition sub C-4?! What a missed opportunity.
For what it's worth Composition C-4 did not exist at the time nor did it for nearly 40 years, C-3 was introduced mid WW2.
@@Dig163 makes sense, and thanks for the intel. Still would have been quite nice 😁
A little smart-aleck humor always welcome in such a grim tale.
dude you should call up an airline, they seriously need your sense of humor
@@touristguy87 yeah airlines love jokes about explosives.
As a Belgian living in Flanders I truly appreciate your perfect pronunciation of both Brugge and Zeebrugge
I would love to hear @drachinifel pronounce "Zuienkerke" lol.
@@daf106brugge4 hahaha, idd, geniaal.
@@MrNiobeehahahahaha
Ik ben van oostende waar de Vindictive gebruikt werd om toegang naar de haven te blokeren
Thanks for this. My grandfather was a telegraphist aboard the minesweeper at Zeebrugge. That was one of the two times that his ship was sunk, and he was reported MIA presumed dead, both times. Lucky for me, that proved not to be the case on either occasion.
What a crazy operation.
When I first played the Battlefiled 1 map, I thought it was a fictional operation :)
Loved that map, also huge shoutout to the lads who drove torpedo boats into the submarine pens lol
true, although the bf1 missed the opportunity with how the map started, instead of having an epic sequence with the ramps coming down the troopships you just kinda boat in
Way back in the mid 1970s I purchased a book about this raid, published by Ballentines Books. I was a teenager at the time, and very interested in military history. This was the first time I had heard about the raid. The video is a welcome addition to my knowledge about this part of the First World War.
Thanks for doing this, Drach. I have sort of known of this raid (though not in this detail) because my Great Aunt Rose lost her Fiancée there. She never married, though was a long-term member of the Salvation Army.
Another illustration of the insane cost of WW1.
So many lives cut short.
So many happy memories, and sons or daughters that simply never came to be, but would have, otherwise.
Truly the tragedy that un-made Europe...
@@MrNicoJac Well said. Not the "War To End All Wars"..... just the beginning.
As we are seeing today. Always some maniac somewhere who wants more.
Most informative and certainly meritorious of the award's given to the participants once the after actions reports had been scrutinised. The valour of these men is astounding and similar to millions of their fellows throughout the 1st World War.
Thank you for the telling of this action, one of many (I'm sure) that went on.
Thank you for a wonderfully interesting video.
My grandfather served on HMS Erebus during WW1, and I had been aware of the ship’s part in the Zeebrugge raid, without knowing the details of the actual action.
Thanks for filling in a massive gap in my knowledge.
The air with thick with smoke.. gas.. burning material etc.... everyone was deaf from explosions... and there were other issues... under such restrictions was not surprising that the German cyclists missed the fact that the way was gone and continued to their doom...
How high was the bridge?
It might not have been a deadly fall.
@michimatsch
Not unsurvivable if they were very lucky... but if they were not rescued from the water within a few minutes at most.. I doubt they would survive.. ie injured... weight of wet uniform and equipment.. hit by falling bikes and rider... obstructions etc....
LOL, what doom for the German cyclists, as total German losses were 8 KIA and 16 WIA for the entire operation. Sounds like a little propaganda to add to the explosion of the sub, that a column of cyclists were blown up. I don't blame the British for claiming German losses were more considering their own heavy losses. Looks bad in the papers and upsets the public.
@Walter Schumann
You seem to find the death of human beings amusing... which speaks volumes for your morality... as for the Wikipedia numbers I have seen several accounts of low german losses... I don't believe any of them.. most likely the actual number was attributed across other active areas or simply made up.... people dissapear and are misreported in wartime... sometimes in peacetime as well..
Yah not doom. Just a bad fall on a recently excevated bridge. Quite an ominous exaguration.
I was wondering why I got both notifications from you and Histrograph about the same topic at the same. Nevertheless, a surprise to be sure, but a most welcomed one
Yeah! I was like "wtf two channels, uploading the same time, same video title?!!"
I was surprised and pleased. I suspected it was a collaboration, and *bing* yes it is. 😊
The British do love their raids.
Your delivery of battle action reports and accounts never fails to make one laugh. Keep it up :)
As expected, every awarded man was a total badass!
Drach and Histrograph.....
No doubt it'd be a legendary content.
Battle of the Texel v2 would be awesome
The bravery of these men is simply incredible.
Drach, big fan of this episode. Thought it was very well done and I liked how you ended it with the awards given and were very thorough.
I like to hear more about that Stoker enjoying the stars while he worked and his later adventures
This a great video on a fascinating operation. I can imagine myself as a soldier being briefed on the operation saying, "We're going to do what?" In all seriousness I love learning about WW1 events that are separate from the famous battles on the front.
Damn! I'd never heard of this before. Brave men, unbelievable. Love the quotes taken from Diaries and reports. Thank you!
That small story about the "misspelt" historiograph is so wholesome.
Yes, from time to time I had wondered about that - good to have it resolved.
The Royal Navy's panache for engaging the enemy more closely is well to the fore here. I look forward towards a follow up to the early war actions at Ostend and Antwerp, and possibly even a potted history of the Royal Naval Division's activities on land.
It is always a good idea to look at different surces and not only the-" we the heroical british" channel(:-))
I believe you mean their penchant, but they do carry a great amount of panache every time they do it!
@@AnimeSunglasses Yeah you are right, searching for words when they prove elusive is becoming a regular for me.
Bump
17:16 Where can I find out more about W. J. Maxey (sp?)? I've always liked the stories of people who fought in both wars.
Same, I want to know what lunatic (affectionate) decided at 40+ to hit the beaches at D-Day
My grandfather fought in the Austrian army in WW1 and the Canadian army in WW2 .
On the way to see her husband off, Admiral Keyes' wife mentioned that the next day was St George's Day, so he sent the ancient British battle cry from the Middle Ages, "Saint George for England!" as a signal to the force after it had formed up. Also, Iris and Daffodil were renamed with the prefix "Royal" by order of King George V and carried the titles with them when they returned to a hero's welcome in Liverpool. Both ships had a plaque mounted in the passenger cabin to recall their gallant service.
SS Royal Iris - Wikipedia
SS Royal Daffodil - Wikipedia
Admiral Keyes was recalled from retirement to be the first commander of the Commandos in World War II. Sadly, his son Geoffrey was killed leading a raid on what was thought to be Rommel's headquarters. Operation Flipper - Wikipedia
‘Saint george for england’ isnt british, its english
@freebeerfordworkers say that to the Jacobites...
@@thecalmclone2813 True, my misteak!
@@colbeausabre8842
Np, tis cool
I first leaned of this action when I visited the Royal Marines museum in Eastney barracks, Southsea, in the sixties . They had a magnificent diorama of Vindictive up against the mole, very big and realistic to my young eyes. I wonder what ever become of that.
No one could help being impressed by the bravery on display in this action. One of your best videos, Drach, really gets into the details after explaining the strategic objectives very clearly. The list of decorations at the end was very appropriate. It's a wonderful indicator of the high morale of the crews that so many disobeyed (or creatively interpreted) their orders to man the ships with "a minimum crew" and effectively stowed away because they wanted their share in the glory.
I would never, ever , skipp your intro, like I do on other channels! The music, the old school BW footage, the guns echoing in the end... good stuff my friend!
I could hardly hear the intro. Something is up with the audio
Thanks Drach
A great video about men whose bravery is truly humbling. They knew there was a good chance of not coming back and never flinched.
An amazing retelling of this raid by Drach. I wish there was more revisiting of this type of action which doesn't get mainstream media attention such as the Battle of Tsushima. I have recently read Diary of a U Boat Commander which was translated from German by Stephen King Hall RN in around 1920. Hall found a U=Boat officer trying to retrieve a diary from a surrendered U Boat in Harwich in 1918. Its a brilliant diary which tells of the Flanders Flotilla from the German side. I once tried to find the bow of one of the block ships in Ostend many years ago but this was moved elsewhere and is still there to see near Ostende
“With the Netherlands neutral, Dutch ports were denied to them.”
Some German Corporal: Neutral… for now.
i think the person you refer too was an austrian PFC, austrian at that time.
If you mean a certain fascist dictator, he was Austrian.
A lot of Austrians would be miffed by that error.
@@ulrichkalber9039
He was in the German Army.
@@calvingreene90 i know, in the rank of Obergefreiter wich translates to pfc. This did not make him a german. Why He became a german later is usually explained with a position he occupied in Braunschweig later.
@@michimatsch5862 He was enlisted in the Royal Bavarian Army (Bavaria was allowed to keep a nominally separate army after the Empire was established). Specifically, Reserve Infantry Regiment 16.
Wonderful. More listening material trips this month, Thank you Papa Drach!
Lest we forget, Thank you so much for sharing this operation @Drachinifel
I don't know why "forlorn hope" attacks like this, St. Nazaire and Merrill's Marauders are so inspirational to me, except Andrews Raiders in the Civil War was one story that inspired me to join the Army several decades ago.
I had a cousin in Merrill's Marauders. He came back with a DSC, 3 Purple Hearts, 2 Silver Stars, and a Bronze Star.
He paid quite a price for that hardware. The upside was that he married one of the nurses who took care of him.
@@kennethdelorey8842 my great uncle was gassed in World War I while serving as a runner (carrying messages). Same deal: he married a woman who cared for him while he was convalescing
@@edwardloomis887 I went to a DeLorey family reunion in Nova Scotia back in 2004. There were quite a few DeLorey's in the "Lest We Forget" marker in tiny Tracadie NS...IIRC, there were about 6-8 DeLorey's who didn't come back from WW1.
@@kennethdelorey8842 The Maurders weren't the only allied elite unit in Burma. A British Army officer who was an expert in behind the lines warfare called Orde Wingate formed a unit designed to penatrate deep into Japanese occupied Burma called 'chindits' made up of Australian, British and Gurhka troops.
Another succinct account of a complex and bloody action. This must have the closest a lot of regular sailors and marines, who were not part of the naval brigades, got to Western Front trench conditions. I'm looking forward to the Ostend companion piece. HMS Vindictive's bow section is displayed at Ostend harbour.
My grandfather never got near the front line in Flanders, but did go through the Battle of Jutland, aged 16. Left a definite impression on him.
He didn't take part in any land actions in WW2, either. He had to make do with the Arctic convoys and mine clearing the approaches to the D-Day landings.
Me too, my Great Uncle was a Sub Lieutenant on the Vindictive for the Ostend raid and unfortunately perished in the action which was pretty much a failure, as they couldn't get the ship to scuttle at a large enough angle to block the passage.
I attended the centenary remembrance celebrations in Ostend a few years ago with other family members of the crew members involved. It gave me great heart that the Belgian people of that area still honour the spirit of those who died trying to help them.
The main event was held next to the Bow section out on the Sea Wall, a fitting location indeed.
Thanks!
I hadn't considered the implications of German access to the channel coast during WWI before.
Eye-opening!
The importance of access to the channel was such that it was a major factor in the flawed dispositions of the allies in 1940 - they believed the German offensive would be a frontal assault aimed first and foremost at the Dutch and Belgian ports to pursue a U-boat campaign. So they weakened their right flank in favour of their left ....
Watch you regularly but remain amazed at your attention to detail
The bravery of these men is outstanding !!!!!!
Was taken to Belgium by parents for holiday c.1964. We stayed in Ostend and visited Bruges and Zeebrugge among other places. I found a photo of me standing next to the memorial at Zeebrugge in my mother's photo albums recently. It's amazing to know that HMS Vindictive survived the raid, but I'll not spoil the story of what happened to her the following month.
This is what passed for a "good plan" and "successful mission" for WWI.
Drach always delivers!
This is the first time hearing of this raid. Forlorn hope is the only thing that came to mind but in the end it was successful. This was thrilling at 2x playback speed. Thank you.
Historygraph’s is video more exciting while Drach’s is more informative. Both videos are just outstanding. TH-cam is awesome these days.
Great collaboration. Having watched both they really do compliment each other to tell the story.
The bravery of our ancestors is often hard to comprehend.
Ever have one of those days like that bunch of engineers standing around a plan of a building looking down into a huge shaft while one of the other engineers on the platform they're all on hollers down into the pit "Stop digging we had the plans upside down!" Welcome back Drach :)
“We are getting you out of harm’s way.”
“Oi, you got a license to prevent us from fighting, mate?”
I think you glossed over a whole lot of interesting stuff in the three-word phrase "flat-packed U-boats." I actually WOULD like to know more, yes. Were all the steam fittings put together with Allen keys? Were the assembly instructions stamped top secret? Whole lotta questions....,
From, Ikea, no doubt
But a lot more worrying when you end up with fittings left over...
Ahh yes, SMS Ektorp and SMS Kivik from the 1917 U-boat summer sale.
Ünderhavsbööt, from Ikea.
In WW2, It was too risky to send U-Boats into the Med via the Straits Of Gibraltar....so they sent them overland from Germany to the Black Sea (?) and thence into the Med. As I understand it....none survived.....70+ Boats were lost or scuttled.
Very interesting learning about the raid with the block ships, my great uncle was on one of them but unfortunately died of wounds later. He was laid to rest in Scarborough UK.
What a crazy operation! Thanks for recounting it. Thoroughly enjoyed the story in a way that I'm sure the men involved, legends one and all, did not.
Hearing the incredible beating that the British took and once in, really speaks volumes of the incredible courage and loyalty that the soldiers had, to keep the operation going, in spite of everything.
It is amazing how, unless there is a massive cock-up like at the Siege of Singapore, the British forces display habitual high morale and valor.
told with great passion and detail.......thanks Drach.
feel like im being pedantic, but the ferry Royal Daffodil you mentioned at 8:49 was only given that name after the first world war, as recognition of it's service. it's why the mersey ferries have the Royal Iris and the Royal Daffodil. back then, she was just the SS Daffodil, and then the HMS Daffodil
Finally, caught a Drach video within the first hour!
Thank You.
Great listening to you narrate this.
Unbelievably brave men
Excellent collaboration, Drach. Great vid
Excellent presentation as usual Drac, thank you!
I never knew about this raid. Thanks for posting.
Come looking for the Wednesday Rum Ration, and BOOM here it is!!
I like your two channels a lot.
But when you two collab, I learn FOUR times as much.
The visualisations and timeline help Historiograph provides, and then all the detail i want to know here
Wow, incredible story. That picture of the superstructure just leveled and mangled is unreal.
That De Lacy painting is one of my all-time favorites.
I really do love your content man please keep up the good work hope your trip to the US went well or is going well
your writing style is *chefs kiss*
Our FOB in the Kajaki District of Helmand Province was named after this battle. We just knew it was named after a pretty epic fight in Belgium during WW1, thanks for giving the details they're amazing!
I have the old Ballentines book of the Zeebrugge/ Ostend raids. Fascinating story.
This is great stuff Drach!
Excellent presentation. I always enjoy learning more about WW1 naval operations. Thank you for this.
That is some insane action. The combination of use of marines back and forth and all the guns being blown off all the ships.. holy hell. And it was crazy mad fight at every turn.
"flat-pack u-boot"
Ikea should enter that market. I would buy the model "Søbmūrged", with the optional accessory "Snörkūl" of course.
My great uncle took part in this operation, and was nominated (posthumously) for the Victoria Cross.
That bridge biking bit is definitely an 'I shit you not' moment.
The whole time through I was wondering 'is this THE Historiographer that made you do your name differently?' Glad you mentioned it at the end.
Superb work on this remarkable operation Drach!
An amazing story of incredible bravery displayed by heroes during a daring mission.
Excellent - thank you!
great story with facts and photos to supplement the wonderful narration. Well done. thank you
Thank you, Drachinifel.
huge battle i had never heard of . fascinating stuff
Ye gads Sir!.....a heroic action....brave men .....respect.
one coolest detailed storys told thanks again great work!!!
“They took it from under our nose!” - German cyclists, 1918.
19:50 " ... a .303 bullet which struck my tin hat... parted one of my puttees"
This seems strange? Is this some extremely lucky shot that passed his head and then his ankle without hitting him, or is there some part of the helmet also called puttees, as I associate that word with the wrap around the ankle to help keep your boots dry.
Must have been lee harvey oswald brand ammunition.... Known for its impossible turns
He could have been lying prone; and the bullet hit his hat going horizontally to his legs, or a ricochet
How did he know what calibre it was?
Quite a story for later.
@@myparceltape1169 I don't know if service members do the same, but I do know that in the absence of ballistics ID LEOs employ a shorthand to approximate the likely caliber. Everything's a .22, a 9mm, a 30.06 or rifle-caliber, bucksot, slug. It gives the listener a ballpark of what was being thrown at them.
@@mbryson2899 Thank you for straightening that out.
The volunteers coming out of the woodwork (so to speak) sounds like the most British thing in the world during WW2.
Just imagine some bloke popping out of a clothes locker right next to you, then without the slightest explanation asking for work to do. 😅
And if he was a Glasgegian we would have said "I kin dae that gie's a gun" :>)
This was not WW2
The Shelby brothers perhaps.
*WW1
day made!!! thanks you guys!!!
I am constantly amazed at the fantastic and enduring esprit de corps of the Royal Navy.
when you look at an arial picture of the zeebrugge harbor today it is shocking how simultaneously little changed, you can easily recognize it but also tons changed as massive port facilities were added within the area where the maul was, and seemingly a larger maul was added around it all, you can also see how the town just exists inbetween port facilities
That picture @11:00 with all the sailors and the cat above them is awesome!
11:10 Man, even the Kitty was determiend to stick it out!
"Jellicoe", huh, well we can just imagine how well this all went, with 500 ships, a couple of submarines and 25,000 men in a raiding party.
Could you please do a video on the WWII LSM 203? This was my Dad's ship and had three battle stars (Guam, Tinian and Saipan - I think). There are now four generations of Naval service in our family, My Grandfather in WWI, my Dad in WWII, and me in the NAVMARCORPS MARS, and my Second Son Eric in the conflict in Iraq. Eric was an assault boat commander in the U.S. Navy. Thank you!
what absolute lunacy lmao. i will never not find it amusing how wwi/wwii british soldiers describe nearly dying 20 times over in as many minutes without the smallest hint of grandiose or care. this might be up there along with the taffy 3 and second pacific squadron videos as my favorites youve ever made. cheers
The smoke floats and all things pyrotechnic were designed by Commander Brock (Brock benefit expression). He was on the staff of Admiral Bacon. One of the Everard novels by Alexander Fullerton describes this raid in great detail as a fictional officer.
Commander Brock was the heir to the foremost British fireworks firm (founded in 1698!). It was a job he was born for. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brocks_Fireworks
Brock also took part in the Zeebrugge landing action. In german tales he was killed by Hermann Künne, a sailor of Torpedoboot S53. They stabbed each other dead and later the Kriegsmarine destroyer Z19 was named after Künne.
Although both Brock and Künne died at Zeebrugge this story might be Propaganda, according to the casualty list of S53, five men of the ship died on 23.04.18 and Künne is reported to have died from an aerial bomb hit.
I loved the black cat looking down on the sailors at 11:00