HIS   MAJESTY'S   MINESWEEPERS

59

Bemment, R.N.R., who had rushed up from below and jumped into the boat as it was putting off, saw that they could not reach the spot in time. Without a lifebelt he dived overboard, swam to the drowning man, and at the risk of being blinded and choked by the oil-covered sea kept him afloat until the boat reached them.

When a hospital ship had been crippled off Tobruk by 18 dive-bombers, a minesweeper saved the entire ship's company, including her cat, and then escorted her while she was being towed to Alexandria.

Another sweeper, a South African whaler, went to the rescue of a petrol-carrying steamer which had been torpedoed off Tobruk. The blazing petrol tins which floated out from an enormous hole in the ship's hull had set the sea on fire all round her, the flames shooting 300 feet into the air. The whaler approached to within 300 yards, picked up 31 men from a boat and two rafts, and then cruised for an hour in search of seven missing members of the crew.

The sweepers are as ready to save ships as men. H.M.T. River Clyde (Lieutenant-Commander J. A. McArthur, R.N.) saw a merchant vessel hit three times by enemy aircraft. The after hold was flooded and she was down by the stern, but Lieutenant-Commander McArthur believed that if the after bulkhead held she might at least be beached. He towed her for seven and a half hours through the night until he was able to hand her over to a tug in coastal waters.

Many deeds of gallantry have been performed in saving the sweepers themselves. While carrying out a clearance off the East Coast, H.M.S. Selkirk, one of the Albury class, found a mine in her sweep. She was steaming at speed in an attempt to cut the mooring when the sinker of the mine broke surface. In the hope of recovering it, a signal was sent to the Base.

Within twenty minutes of receiving the signal, Commander W. R. Bull, D.S.M., R.N., the Port Minesweeping Officer, had

collected a tug (the Sunbeam II) and was under way. On reaching the Selkirk he found that a shackle on the mine had caught in one of the cutters. He had the sweep hove in so as to place the mine about five fathoms astern of the ship. A boat was lowered and, assisted by Able Seamen E. J. Quick and J. W. Clark, Commander Bull proceeded to salvage the sinker, mine and mooring. Although the sea was calm, there was a strong tide running and enough lop to make the operation extremely hazardous. One of the seamen had to hold the horns of the mine away from the boat, while the other dealt with the recovery wire. Both sinker and mooring wire were secured without mishap, and the tug towed the mine back to harbour for disposal. This was the first German live moored mine to be recovered complete with its sinker. For his courage and resource Commander Bull was awarded the D.S.C., and his two assistants received the D.S.M.

The work of the sweepers is not confined to British waters. They have had to clear minefields laid by the Italians in many parts

A QUIET JOB. At first it looks a casual scene. But note that the men in the dinghy wear steel helmets and life-belts, that their eyes are glued on the white object in the water. It is a tell-tale parachute. Below it is a live mine.