The Fascinating History Of WW1's Most Famous Sea Raid

100 years ago the Royal Navy sent three obsolete warships to fight the incessant German U Boat threat.

The ships were to block a strategic port entry in Zeebrugge to stop submarines from entering or leaving.

It would later become one of the most famed sea raids of the First World War, and Forces News has the Grandchildren of one of the men involved.

The grandson of HMS Thetis’s Captain, Commander Wykes Sneyd, took us through some of the raid’s memorabilia which has been handed down to him:

“We have one of my Grandfather’s photo albums, and it shows the crew forming up before the raid.

“Some other photographs show the ships underway, again before the raid- and some aerial photos taken directly before and then right after the raid.”

It isn't often you see a table full of privately owned artefacts from one of the most daring sea raids of World War One, making these documents a vital piece of history.

Adm Wykes Sneyd was shot in the leg during the battle and was evacuated back to the UK, and despite not being a complete success, Zeebrugge was celebrated and over the weeks and months that followed.

The men involved were hailed as being “magnificent for their efforts”, with eight Victoria Crosses being awarded for their valour.