A WORD FOR MINESWEEPERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23732, 12 August 1940, Page 6

A WORD FOR MINESWEEPERS

It is well that the work of the minesweepers, especially round the British coast, is given to-day prominent space in the news. The high value of this work may easily go unnoticed aipid exploits more spectacular, but when consideration is given to the nature of the task and its steady achievement of essential success no praise of the '" cn engaged in it can be too great. They are following a fine tradition, established in the war of 1914-18. The enemy, in possession of a long adjacent coastline, stretching f IOITI Norway to the frontier of Spain, is able to sow minefields under advantageous conditions and with greater ease than in that previous war; this has made the task of defence against him much more exacting. There are constant risks, not only in the work itself but much more in attacks from the air, launched upon the little

craft with greater violence and accuracy than in that earlier experience. Casualties are reported to-day as not having been very heavy, but they have been heavy enough to indicate the gravity of the perils faced. It will be remembered that a number of these vessels took part in the epic rescue from Dunkirk; this increased both their casualty list and their fadeless honour. The whole achievement, going on day by day without cessation, makes a wonderfully heroic story of skill, courage and endurance, worthy to rank with anything else being now so splendidly done to keep open the ports upon whose untrammelled use depends the defence of Britain. Only a relatively small number of the craft employed have been built specially for the purpose ] the bulk are trawlers, drifters and paddlesteamers—not an impressive ty*pe of vessel for so responsible a job ; but in their handling "the fishermen of England" and others of like prowess have proved themselves valiant beyond estimation.