Alfred Francis Blakeney Carpenter

Supplement to London Gazette dated 19 February 1919.
Admiralty, 19th February, 1919.

DESPATCHES FROM THE VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER
PATROL, ON ZEEBRTJGGE AND OSTEND OPERATIONS, .22ND-23RD APRIL, 1918, AND OSTEND OPERATIONS, 10TH MAY, 1918.
REPORT OF VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER PATROL, ON OPERATIONS, 22ND-23RD APRIL, 1918.
Fleet House, Dover, 9th May, 1918

Extracts which mentions Captain Carpenter involvement.
IX.—THE RETIREMENT.
103. The viaduct explosion having duly taken place, and the blocking ships having
been seen proceeding shorewards, the main object of storming the Mole had been accomplished; and the only reason for prolonging the operation till the programme time for retirement was that of continuing the work of demolition. On the other hand, the only guns in " Vindictive " bearing on the Mole had been put out of action; the upper works of the ship and men in exposed positions were presenting an easy target to the shore guns, while, in view of the failure of the Mole anchors, the storming parties would be unable to embark if the " Daffodil " should be disabled. Captain Carpenter, regarding the " Daffodil's" escape up to this time as being almost a miracle, therefore, decided to give the order for the retirement, and in this I consider he acted with good judgment; in fact,' I had given orders for the " Warwick " to close the " Vindictive " so that I might inform Captain.Carpenter that I had seen the blockships proceeding in, ascertain the conditions on the Mole, and decide on further action, when I saw that she was hauling off.
104. The -searchlights, by which twenty minutes' warning was to be given, having been destroyed,' as well as the " Vindictive's "
syren, by which the executive" signal was to be made, the " Daffodil " made the latter signal at fifty minutes past midnight, and the' retirement commenced. About fifteen minutes later it was reported to the Captain that officers and men had ceased coming on board, a large number having already embarked by the same means as they had originally used for storming the Mole. To make doubly sure, Captain Carpenter waited till ten minutes past one, and after repeated assurances from officers and his
own observation that no more were returning, he ordered " Daffodil " to tow " Vindictive's "bow away from the Mole, the port cable was slipped, and towing commenced. The hawser parted. almost at once, but the ship's head was clear enough to allow her to proceed at full speed with helm hard-a-port' under cover of her own smoke screen. . 'A large bumpkin made of her own mainmast, rigged out

106. Although the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have most promptly recognised and rewarded the services of Acting Captain Carpenter by promoting him to the Post List, I should not like to end this part of my despatch without putting on record the praise which is due to him. An excellent staff officer, he rendered me invaluable assistance in the drawing up of the final operation orders, the preparations for which involved strenuous work by many officers and a vast amount of necessary detail. My account of the proceedings of the " Vindictive " outlines his personal share in the attack, but 'as showing the force which his example had on those under his command, I hear on all sides that the Captain's calm composure when navigating mined waters arid bringing his ship alongside the Mole in darkness, and his great bravery when the ship came under heavy fire did much" to encourage similar behaviour on the part of the crew, and thereby contributed greatly to the success of the operation.