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INTO THE MINEFIELDS: The 20th (Minelaying) Destroyer Flotilla 1916-56
Published by Pen and Sword Books, 30 August 2005 at £19.99, 256 pages, illustrations, ISBN 1844152715
There can be few forms of bravery as cold-blooded as deliberately steaming into enemy wartime minefields to lay mines of your own in their own "safe" channels. Yet this is what was done time and time again by the men of one of the Royal Navy destroyer service's most secret units, the 20th (Minelaying) Flotilla in both World Wars. Here, for the first time in full, is their incredible story.
Formed early in the First World War when existing minelaying vessels were found to be far too slow to penetrate into enemy waters under cover of darkness and survive, the 20th Flotilla consisted of a group of fast destroyers, from which many of the guns and torpedo tubes could be quickly disembarked and mine-rails, mines and sinkers embarked in their place. These specialist ships were then despatched deep into German waters to sew their seeds of death. The flotilla's activities grew as the Great War progressed, and so did losses in this dangerous trade.
Between the wars the concept of Destroyer Minelaying was continued and several ships from the new destroyer classes were built with this dual capacity in mind, capable of fast conversion. When the second great global conflict broke out they were soon called into action again, off the German coast, off Norway and in the dangerous waters off occupied Netherlands. Again the risks were enormous and the casualties high, but the task was undertaken, time and time again.
Post-war the tradition was kept up and from the records of the Royal Navy mine school H.M.S. Vernon, and from interviews with the captains of the destroyers who undertook this dangerous work, a complete picture emerges for the first time of these unsung heroes. Illustrated with photographs, maps and diagrams.
Warships magazine said of the book that was an "example of the wide ranging, specialist books........ for which naval historians will ever be grateful..", while Warship World
wrote that "Peter Smith has an enviable reputation for well researched naval history books" and also has "a knack of exposing areas of naval history that are often ignored by others," while Ned Middleton described the book as "a fascinating read." A nominated book for the The Mountbattten Maritime Prize 2006.
Publisher enquiries welcome.