HMS Vindictive Commemoration
The Radio Amateur Club of Ostend and the Ostend Section of the Royal Belgian Amateur Radio Union (UBA) in collaboration with the Belgian Sea Cadet Corps – Ostend Unit (BRSCC) commemorated the second raid on the port of Ostend of the first World war on Thursday 10 and Friday 11th of May 2018.
The special event radio station OS100V was operated by radio amateurs and by Sea Cadets
between 08.00 UTC and 20.00 UTC, located at the Belgian Sea Cadet Base in Ostend (Belgium).
A special QSL card and award could be obtained.
Historical Background
The HMS Vindictive was a British Arrogant-class cruiser built at the Chatham Dockyard. She was
Launched on 9th of December 1897 and completed in 1899. She served during many years in the
Mediterranean Squadron and as from 1909 in the Royal Navy home fleet.
Early in 1918 she was fitted out for the Zeebrugge Raid. Most of her guns were replaced[citation
needed] by howitzers, flame-throwers and mortars. On 23 April 1918 she was in fierce action at
Zeebrugge when she went alongside the mole, and her upperworks were badly damaged by gunfire,
The German Navy used the Port of Ostend as a Submarine base.
HMS Vindictive was sunk as a blockship at Ostend during the Second Ostend Raid on 10 May 1918.
HM Motor Launch 254 picked up 38 survivors of HMS Vindictive 55 crewmen.
Please remember them who fought for our freedom!