HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN THE OPERATIONS AGAINST ZEEBRUGGE
AND OSTEND ON THE NIGHT OF THE 22ND-23RD APRIL, 1918.
Admiralty, 23rd July, 1918.
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned Officers and men:-

Lieutenant Percy Thompson Dean, R.N.V.R. (Motor Launch 282).
For most conspicuous gallantry. Lieutenant Dean handled his boat in a most magnificent and heroic manner when embarking the officers and men from the blockships at Zeebrugge. He followed the blockships in and closed "Intrepid" and "Iphigenia" under a constant and deadly fire from machine and heavy guns at point blank range, embarking over 100 officers and men. This completed, he was proceeding out of the canal, when he heard that an officer was in the water. He returned, rescued him, and then proceeded, handling his boat throughout as calmly as if engaged in a practice manoeuvre. Tnree men were shot down at his side whilst he conned his ship. On clearing the entrance to the canal the steering gear broke down. He manoeuvred his boat by the engines, and avoided complete destruction by steering so close in under the mole that the guns in the batteries could not depress sufficiently to fire on the boat. The whole of this operation was carried out under a constant machine-gun fire at a few yards range. It was solely due to this officer's courage and daring that M.L.282 succeeded in saving so many valuable lives.

Supplement to The London Gazette, 23 July 1918