Roger Keyes and the Zeebrugge Raid: Biography in Brief

ROGER JOHN BROWNLOW KEYES was already an experienced admiral prior to the Zeebrugge Raid. Born in the Punjab in 1872, he was only 13 years old when he began his Royal Navy career as a cadet. He steadily worked his way up, becoming lieutenant of HMS Turquoise at the tender age of 21.

Roger Keyes
Public domain photo
(The Seafarers) Arthur Corbett Smith

Fourth born to Sir Charles Patton Keyes, this British-Indian officer’s son declared from an early age he wanted to go the family way and serve the British Empire. And to this end, he became a confident and audacious naval officer who feared no challenge or opposition as he travelled throughout Europe, Africa and Asia. 

Chief missions include the suppression of the Slave Trade from Zanzibar, key involvement in the Dardanelles Campaign, commander of the Dover Patrol on the South coast of England, the Zeebrugge Raid in Belgium and the capture of Chinese destroyers during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900.

Keyes' Naval Career Upturn

Keyes feared mockery least of all, proving wrong his incredulous Russian naval staff when he disabled the Boxer defences who besieged parts of Peking after terrorizing Western nationals.

Keyes’ bold approach against the Boxer uprising formed the turning point in his career and he earned prestigious appointments within the Royal Navy, commanding numerous destroyers and battleships. In 1916, he inevitably earned a Distinguished Service Order for action in armed combat.

And yet, Keyes was already a naval veteran prior to the Zeebrugge Raid in 1918. Keyes loved the sea and he embraced any mission, no matter how formidable. His involvement in the Battle of Heligoland Bight in 1914, for instance, resulted in the sinking of several German vessels with the loss of 1000 German soldiers, but not without significant losses of his own men.

A year later, Keyes was appointed Chief of Staff to the Gallipoli Campaign, although his proposals to attack the Turkish forts from the rear were never carried out. Much of his frustration lay in his inherent need to ‘get things done’ rather than take the so-called unimaginative and stodgy approach of some of his bureaucratic fellow officers.

Sea Mines at the Straits of Dover

Keyes was the natural choice for the storming of Zeebrugge and Ostend, being pragmatic and experienced in raiding stratagems. But first, Keyes closed off the Straits of Dover to the German Uboats sneaking through allied defences at night. Keyes’ intelligent strategy involving the laying of sea mines at various depths sunk several German submarines within a mere month.

However, Keyes was almost drowned soon after when the seaplane he was travelling in had to crash land due to engine failure. But his greatest challenge was yet to come, as his flagship. HMS Warwick provided a conspicuous target for the German naval men stationed on the Mole off the coast of Zeebrugge. Keyes was consistent in his offensive approach and demonstrated to the public his iron will and determination, as well as that of his crew.

Although the outcome of the Zeebrugge Raid saw limited success – the German officers were able to clear the Bruges channel after being scuttled by allied blockships – Keyes was seen as a national hero along with his fleet.

Keyes' Later Life

Keyes continued in his involvement in the training of commandos in the raiding of hostile locations and also commanded various battlecruisers between the wars before becoming Admiral of the Fleet in 1935. But he saw little action at sea from then on, involving himself in politics and becoming MP for Portsmouth North. Active on the debate on the government’s effectiveness in war tactics, he was instrumental in Churchill’s rise.

Keyes proposed plans to raid Nazi occupied ports in Europe during World War II, but the chief of staff saw Keyes as being reckless and his plans were turned down. Replaced by Lord Louis Mountbatton as the director of Combined Operations Headquarters, Keyes felt betrayed by those he had supported.

To appease Keyes’ disillusionment, the title ‘Baron Keyes of Zeebrugge and Dover’ was offered. Keyes closed his career via a farewell tour around Canada, New Zealand and Australia on board HMS Appalachian. Sadly, Keyes suffered lung damage after inhaling aircraft smoke from Japanese aircraft and never fully recovered. He died of a heart attack a year later in 1945.

Through all the action Keyes had seen, he still wished to be buried amongst the men who had given their lives to the Zeebrugge Raid in 1918.