Dover+In+World+War+l

Dover in World War One

Meghan Blenck

Dover became one of the most important military spots in Britain. Soldiers crossed from Dover to France over the waterway called the English Channel. The English Channel created a military act called Dover Control, which consisted of warships and fishing vessels protecting Britain’s control of the English Channel. Dover patrol became one of the most important Royal Navy commands in the First World War.

The most memorable officer was Captain E.R.G.R Evans, who kept a penguin mascot on his ships mast. He became captain on April 19; 1917.He was promoted captain after a famous sea battle with German Destroyer. Under his control Britain sank German Destroyers G42 and G45. Another famous figure in Dover Patrol was Vice- Admiral Roger Keyes. He was in charge of blockading the Germans ,who held Belgian ports and u boats that were docked there. April 22 and April 23, 1918 marked the Dover Patrols finest hours. This is when the raid of Zeebrugge and Ostend took place.

Dover marks the spot of the first bombing in England by the Germans. The bomb landed on Christmas eve in 1914 ,close to Dover castle. Regular shellings from warships and bombing aereoplanes and zeplines forced the residents of Dover to hide out in caves and dug outs. The nickname of the town became Fortress Dover.

After the war ended a monument was made to the Dover Patrol. It is an obelisk that stands at St. Margaret’s bay. Standing as a reminder of the fallen during World War I in Dover.