The Hidden Threat by Jim Crossley

Author:Jim Crossley
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781844684281
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Published: 2011-10-04T16:00:00+00:00

An idea of the work of paddle sweepers at this time can be given by quoting an account of an incident off Dunkirk in June 1917. Dunkirk was close to German bases in Belgium, and was frequently under artillery and air attack, but it was a vital base for the British forces and through it passed most of the food for the Army. The Germans were constantly mining the approaches to the harbour. At dawn, three Admiralty paddlers with Royal Navy crews, Kempton, Redcar and Gatwick, steamed out of Dunkirk to sweep mines reported off Calais. It was a calm day and at first nothing was found. As per standing orders, sweeping was halted two hours before low water, and the three little paddlers anchored in shore. While they were there a hired drifter approached and told them that mines had been seen in the fairway. The story is continued in the words of Lieutenant Thompson DSC, RN.

We were sweeping three abreast, the area was dotted with wrecks – quite safe for navigation but the devil as far as sweeps were concerned. As soon as we were coupled up the mines began bobbing to the surface. Then Gatwick's sweep parted so I ordered her to sink the three mines that had appeared while Redcar and ourselves continued to sweep.

No sooner had the signal been sent when Redcar struck a moored mine fair and square under her mess deck. The fore part of the ship was blown away as far as the bridge and the water was covered with debris and wounded men supporting themselves as best they could. The gun's crew and four other men in the bows were killed instantaneously.

The Admiralty built paddlers were more stoutly built than the ex pleasure steamers, and having ordered his crew to stand by the boat, Lieutenant Daniels, the Redcar's commanding officer, went below with the chief engineer to examine the foremost bulkhead of the boiler room. They found the bottom part of it blown away and water pouring into the hull. It seemed unlikely that what remained of the ship would stay afloat. Her wounded end was nearly under water and her stern lifting. Returning on deck Daniels ordered his crew to abandon ship in boats while he and the chief engineer remained on board to make fast a hawser in case the Redcar's stern portion could be taken in tow and salvaged.

We immediately closed the wreck and sent away all our boats to pick up survivors. Most of the survivors came on board my ship and as there was considerable delay in getting them inboard and I was anxious to get out of the area and to transfer the wounded onto the drifter for passage to Dunkirk, I left the bridge to try to hasten things.

On my way forward I found the chief engineer working over a casualty on the starboard sponson. The poor man had lost one foot and the other was hanging by about an inch of flesh, his abdomen was cut clean open, with the intestines hanging out.

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