THE Zeebrugge Bell rang out from the Town Hall at 12 noon yesterday to mark the 84th anniversary of the Dover Patrol's heroic and historic raid at the Belgian port.

Dover's Mayor, Cllr Diane Smallwood, rang the bell eight times as members of the armed forces, the Royal Marines Association and local ex-service organisations, paraded below.

Representatives from Belgium and the Port of Zeebrugge also attended. The Last Post and Reveille were sounded either side of a time of silence.

After the ceremony those taking part went to St James's Cemetery where the parade re-assembled for a short service and the placing of weaths at the Zeebrugge Memorial, near to the grave of Admiral Lord Keyes, who planned and led this daring raid. Many of the gallant Marines and sailors who lost their lives are also buried there.

The raid was an inspiring episode in British and Belgian history. Despite the terrible loss of life, the history books show that it had a significant influence in hastening the end of the First World War. Winston Churchill described it as one of the finest feats of arms ever known.

Cllr Smallwood said: "Remembering those who took part 84 years ago reminds us all of the sacrifices the armed services and civilian branches have made on our behalf down the years in other parts of the world. It is fitting that we should remember them and continue to remember them in this way."

At the weekend, a delegation from Dover, including the Mayor, the chairman of the twinning and civic functions committee Cllr Gordon Cowan, and Town Clerk Robert Bailey were invited to Zeebrugge where a similar parade and commemorative service took place.

During the war, the Dover Patrol kept the Channel safe for British troops and supplies crossing to France. On April 23, 1918, the Patrol launched an attack on Zeebrugge to try to seal the German U-boats in their home port. There were many casualties, but the raid is famous for raising the morale of the nation, bringing world-wide admiration and encouraging the Germans to decrease their submarine tactics.