Zeebrugge Memorial, Zeebrugge Churchyard

The Zeebrugge Memorial is located in the wall of the churchyard of the Zeebrugge Churchard cemetery. The memorial commemorates four British servicemen who died on 23 April 1918 during the British raid on the port. Their names are:

Wing Commander Brock, OBE

Frank Brock served on the Board of Inventions and Research. He had founded, organised and commanded R.N. Experimental Station at Stratford. He invented The Brock anti-Zeppelin Bullet, Colour Filter, Dover Flare and Smoke Apparatus. He devised, developed and superintended the use of the smoke screen employed in the attack on Zeebrugge, where he joined a storming party on the Mole and lost his life. (1)

Lieutenant-Commander Arthur Leyland Harrison, VC

Lieutenant-Commander Harrison was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on the night of 22-23 April 1918 during the raid on the harbour. The citation for the award is recorded as follows in the Supplement to the London Gazette on 17 March 1919:

“For most conspicuous gallantry at Zeebrugge on the night of the 22nd-23rd April, 1918. This officer was in immediate command of the Naval Storming Parties embarked in “Vindictive”. Immediately before coming alongside the Mole Lieut.-Commander Harrison was struck on the head by a fragment of a shell which broke his jaw and knocked him senseless. Recovering consciousness he proceeded on to the Mole and took over command of his party, who were attacking the seaward end of the Mole. The silencing of the guns on the Mole head was of the first importance, and though in a position fully exposed to the enemy's machine-gun fire Lieut.-Commander Harrison gathered his men together and led them to the attack. He was killed at the head of his men, all of whom were either killed or wounded. Lieut.-Commander Harrison, though already severely wounded and undoubtedly in great pain, displayed indomitable resolution and courage of the highest order in pressing his attack, knowing as he did that any delay in silencing the guns might jeopardise the main object of the expedition, i.e., the blocking of the Zeebrugge-Bruges Canal.” (2)

Location of Zeebrugge Memorial, Zeebrugge Churchyard

Related Topics

Zeebrugge Churchyard

30 of the 186 British & Commonwealth burials in the churchyard cemetery are casualties of the First World War.

Zeebrugge Churchyard

Raid at Zeebrugge 1918

Read about the daring raid on the harbour by British Naval and Marine forces.

British Naval Raids on Zeebrugge and Ostend, 1918

The Victoria Cross

Read about the history of this medal, the highest British award for gallantry while on Active Service.

Guide to British Awards for Gallantry or Meritorious Service in WW1

Acknowledgements

(1) Text by kind permission of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). For information about the history of the Commission, the work to maintain the many thousands of military graves and memorials, or to search for a person on the online register visit the website:

Website: www.cwgc.org

(2) The Supplement to the London Gazette 17 March 1919, p. 3590

Website: www.thegazette.co.uk 17 March p.3590