HMS 'Vindictive'<br>
An annotated watercolour study of  the 'Vindictive', seen from off the port bow, as fitted out for the raid on Zeebrugge on 23 April 1918. Like PAE1864 it is squared up, probably for enlarging, and is taken from a slightly higher angle than that version and more loosely painted. Like PAF1864 it was a preliminary drawing, probably made in the 1920s, for Wylllie's oil painting of 'The Storming of Zeebrugge Mole, St George's Day, 23 April 1918' (exhibited at the Royal Academy, 1931), now at HMS 'Excellent', the naval gunnery school at Whale Island, Portsmouth, which shows 'Vindictive from this viewpoint. Wyllie's notes here indicate that the forecastle 7.5-inch howitzer was manned by five Royal Marines and that the brows were intended to land six men at a time.  Written on the left is 'Cap Osborn Devonport'.  This may be a reference to Commander Edward O. B. S. Osborne, who was serving on board the 'Arrogant', which was Vice-Admiral Roger Keyes' flagship in the raid, and his name appears in the list of special promotions and notations for early promotion that were announced in the 'London Gazette' of 21 May 1918. It is possible he was one of Wyllie's sources of information. See also PAF1787.
<bdi><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:William_Lionel_Wyllie" class="extiw" title="w:en:William Lionel Wyllie"><span title="English painter of maritime themes (1851-1931)">William Lionel Wyllie</span></a>
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1918-1920s
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