A painting of the Zeebrugge Raid in 1918 by Charles John de Lacy (1856 – 1929), who was one of the foremost British marine artists of his period. He was especially known for his warship imagery and was regularly commissioned by Elswick, Tyne and Wear shipbuilder W. G. Armstrong Whitworth.
The picture shows HMS Vindictive - a British Arrogant-class cruiser built at Chatham Dockyard. She was launched on 9 December 1897 and completed in 1899. It looks as though the other vessel may be one of the Mersey Ferries that took part in the Raid.
Early in 1918 HMS Vindictive was fitted out for the Zeebrugge Raid. Most of her guns were replaced 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. Her Captain, Alfred Carpenter, was awarded a Victoria Cross for his actions during the raid. The painting hangs in the Britannia Royal Naval College.
With thanks to the Rev. Nicholas Pye @RevdPye on Twitter for finding this painting.
Charles was the son of Robert de Lacy, a professor of music, and his wife Eliza, nee Smith. Charles was born in 1856 in Sunderland, County Durham, and grew up in the Bishopwearmouth area of the city. By 1870 his family had relocated from the North East of England to Lambeth in London. While in Lambeth he married Alice Harriet Hill in 1880 and they had two daughters, Constance Rosamond De Lacy (b. 1881) and Irene Valerie Cristoforo De Lacy (b. 1901).
He first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1889, having undertaken training at The National Gallery. Magazines such as “The Illustrated London News” were among early patrons.
Charles died in Epsom, Surrey on 13th December 1929.