The Great Minefield

Franklin Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 44, 22 April 1940, Page 2

The Great Minefield

RHYTHM OF HISTORY THE WORLD WAR AND TODAY Inevitably news of the laying of the great British minefield designed to seal all but a narrow passage from the Swedish coast into the North Sea raises memories of the Navy’s exploit in the World War when another great field was created to shut the diminishing U-boats from all waters outside that sea. That earlier minefield was laid in different circumstances from the present one, however. It extends from the Orkneys to the Norwegian coast, it was a joint effort by the British and American Navies, it was merely a barrage, and it consisted of 63,000 mines. Moreover, it covered only 233 miles, the British laying the two wings of 42 miles and 62 miles respectively, the United States Navy the middle section. It was when the German submarines began to creep past this barrage in territorial waters "that the Norwegians laid the supplementary fields to which Mr Churchill referred the other day.

A Vast Operation

This operation was a vast one, and it took months. Moreover, as it was aimed at submarines, the mines were laid at three different depths, and there was trouble through the premature explosion of some of the American mines and the fact that some British mines took up a shallower depth than had been calculated and had to be swept up and relaid.

The present minefield lias been laid ! quickly, probably from regular minelayers, and working from scratch. It is unlikely that Britain has carried out any mining in the same area beforehand, as she would be obliged, I under international law, to announce it so that neutrals'might not be victims of mines aimed at the enemy. Mines were, however, laid off Heligoland early in the war, and have been linked with the new field. The essence of successful minelaying is, first, to have a reliable mine, it. must be safe until it is laid. It must not be subject to mechanical failure. It must be able to maintain the required depth in all kinds of \ rather and for some time. In the interests of the belligerents themselves it must render itself safe if it bleaks from its moorings. British mines were not always equal to this last demand in the World War.

A Problem in Design When a minefield is to he laid if, Presents a problem in design. A simple straight line is easily and quickly laid, but it gives little trouble < nee it is located. Lines of mines laid in zig-zag pattern, especially when spaces of water are left clear, j present the greatest difficulty. These • fields demand very accurate plotting. ' From the strategic point of view, i the minefield is not often used by the Jslronger fleet, which generally prefers j a clear sea so that it may seek-* out j and destroy the enemy. In the present case, the circumstances are different. It is not practicable for the Navy to maintain* large forces indefinitely in the narrow waters of the Skaggerak and the Kattegat . The object of naval action there also is to make the waters impassable. The easiest way to achieve this is to create a minefield. This development explains the lack of news about what is going on in the Skagerrak for several days. The Navy moved into destroy and to 1 lockade, but also to clear the seas for the mine-laying fleet.

j Job For All Hands Probably every mine-layer available would be hastily dispatched on the work of blocking Hitler’s aggressive forces. Of these mine-layers Britain possessed seven in 1039, with five j more building. The later ones are i fast ships of large capacity, able to j do their important work rapidly and no doubt have been reinforced by converted merchant vessels. Once the minefields are established how- will they be maintained? Undoubtedly there will be patrol vessels on watch to see that, no large-scale attempt is made by the German minesweepers to sweep up the field in a hurry. The Germans will not be encouraged to attempt work by the krowledge that our submarine force and that of France is certainly strongly represented in the mined waters. The laying of the great minefields has perhaps, not closely sealed the Baltic, but it has enormously reduced the of water which will have to be watched. The blockade of the j Norwegian coast can be enforced with fewer ships and less risk, j It also makes it almost -out of the question f,or ships crammed with

hoops, and with very deficient lifesaving gear, to be sent across the sea, unless the Nazis are prepared 1o sacrifice large numbers of lives merely to get reinforcements to the Norwegian coast.