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Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VI, Issue 273, 3 November 1916, Page 7

Lieutenant. Reg. Baigent, now “somewhere in the North Sea,” in a letter to Mr. H. Baigent, Nelson, pays a glowing tribute to the work done by the mine sweepers. He says:—‘‘Mines are still being scattered indiscriminately and are taking their toll of ships, but the mine sweepers are keeping most of the tracks clear. Hats off to these men. You don’t read any glowing accounts of their deeds, but their work has been perhaps the most dangerous and nerve-racking of any. They don’t growl a bit though, fine wew.ther or foul. They keep the tracks clear for our enormous overseas trade. You will occasionally read in the paper a few lines: ‘H.M. trawler 99 wa? blown up yesterday. All hands lost.’ That’s all. No one takes any notice of it, or realises what a loss those fine fellows are to the nation, but another takes his place, and so the tracks are swept. There are also the small drifters, who in peace times kept the country supplied with fish, and on whom for many months the German submarines wreaked _ their hate. They steer mighty wide of them now!”