Zeebrugge - Barrie Pitt

On 23 April 1918 British warships raided the Belgian port of Zeebrugge. Their objective: to sink blockships in the mouth of the canal, stopping German U-boats from using it as a base. The men were all volunteers and knew they were unlikely to survive the storm of fire from the German batteries. They weren't wrong. The scenes in Zeebrugge harbour that morning made SAVING PRIVATE RYAN look like a playground squabble: not for nothing were eleven VCs awarded, not to mention 21 DSOs and 29 DSCs. It is the ultimate example of an heroic failure: the gallantry was unsurpassed, but the odds were too fearful. The obstructions were removed and the U-boats continued to operate that summer. This incredible story was written by Barrie Pitt at the height of his powers - a graphic page-turner that does full justice to a night of exceptional heroism.