TRAWLER FLEET HEROES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 213, 28 May 1918, Page 6

TRAWLER FLEET HEROES

HINE-SffEEPINC IN THE DARDANELLES

A" PAGE, OF WAR HISTORY

(Published by authority of the War Office, per favour of the lioyal Colonial Institute.)

In March, 1915, the fishermen minesweepers wore set to work upon one of the most formidable tasks undertaken m connection with modem naval warfare. Some weeks before taen it became known at certain ports that a considerable number _of sweepers had been called in from the North Sea, refitted, and dispatched under sealed orders for an unknown destination. Naturally, there were various surmises as to where they were gone, but nothing definite was known until it transpired that the Allied lOcets of Great Britain and France were bombarding the forts and batteries at the entrance to the Dardanelles Then it became obvious that an attempt to force a way through the straits was in progress, and no one was surprised when the news arrived that the sweepers had begun to clear the mines sown in the reach leading up to Cape Kephez. This was soon accomplished, and, after the Queen Elizabeth had, *y high-angle fire ™ er , P ,ll!l P oli Peninsula, shelled Channk, on the Asiatic side of the entrance to the Narrows, further sweeping operations cleared the way for a bbnf, bardmont of the defences the mo=t 6trongly fortified part of the Dardanelles

Appreciations. A special correspondent wirin°- from lenedos on March 16, said: "Tho whole fleet is particularly appreciative of the work of the mine-sweepers, French and English, which, without armour or protection of any kind, are working constantly under the enemy's fire andvire opening, a way for tho big ships into the waters of the straits, impeded by their drags and the strong contrary current, they move so slowly as to be an excellent mark, and havo continuajly marvellous escapes. This work of fore-' ing an almost impregnable passage- is bound, unfortunately, to be costly." On the saino day; an Athens correspondent telegraphed that "last night min'e-sweep-orj, while continuing their work . . . were discovered by the Turkish land batteries, and a hail of shells was directed against them, the Turks ■ being assisted by powerful seal Alights. The. ships ering tho sweepers had much difficulty in discovering the enemy's guns because they wero being continually moved by powerful motor-cars. When eventually the guns were located by their flashes, a two hours' duol ensued and the batteries were sjlencej." Other accounts stated that the. sweopors worked Ui.dor the protection of the French squadron, and a French newspaper, the "Eclair," after referring to the fact that the men who manned the sweepers wero "fishermen volunteers recruited in 'he English fishing ports," added: "They are all powerful fellows and are accustomed to navigating with safety in. the midst of mines. They won their experience in the last few months off the English coasts." Tho, casualty lists issued by the Admiralty showed that the mine-sweepers wore paying tiie penalty of their dauntless daring, and during the third week in Marc a many moro sweepers wero hastily called in from the North Sea and several divisions of them sailed,from our ports to relieve thoso which, had been for many days under tho fire of the Turkish forts, ax the same time a fresh call was made for volunteers firm among the fishermen "for special duty iu the Mediterranean"—a call which, notwithstanding tho hefy drain already made on the fishing fleets, was readily responded to. A certain number of mou who had distinguished themselves wliilo taking part in the famous Scarborough sweep wero dispatched to tho Mediterranean, by an overland route, apparently in order that their services might be available in .connection with the renewed sweeping operations which followed closely upon the : bombardment of the Narrows forts and the sinking of some British and French ■ battleships.

j Of to the Mediterranean. i 'There were moving scenes at one of ! our ports wnea a large fleet ol sweeps ' started for too Dardanelles. From. 7 ' o'clock ol a oliill, misty morning »omen, :<girls, children, and a lew grey-bearded ■ hsliormcn were standing in uttie gioups ! along the quays beside which tiie dingy • slale-hued trawlers were moored. Tiie i harbour was almost crowded with mineI sweopers. For months they had been. I going out and coming in—six or eight I together—on their way to and from the enemy's minefiolds, but not for months i had so many been moored, two or three | deep, along t'he quays. A few weeks ! before only the usual number were in, i awaiting their turn to go out sweeping. ! They were still there, and day after day more had been summoned from other ports and the trade routes, and in the shipyards, where they were refitted, work went on day and night. "What was happening; were there no moro mines to be swept up?" These and similar questions wert repeatedly asked, but no one could give a satisfactory reply to them. ' About teu o'clock in the morning tho sweepers cast off their moorings, swung out into the tideway, and' dropped slowly down the river. The watchers on tho quays made a rush for the piers near the mouth of the harbour. Handkerchiefs fluttered, little flags were waved, | and cheer after cheer was drowned by the hooting and buzzing of tho sweepers. I Now and again there was a shieling ! wail from'a syren, ending with a yelp that cut through tho air like tho lash of a whip. One by ono the sweepers came looming down towards the crowns on the piers. Their names were obliterated from their sides, but the women and children knew them, and every minuto three or four handkerchiefs or flags were waved more frantically than the rest because "There's Jack!" or "Hero comes daddy's boats I" A listener on tho piers heard a curious mixture of dialects, for these mothers, wives and children had come from far and near— from Aberdeen, Grinit>by, North Shields, and other ports—to say "Good-byo" to their sons, husbands, and fathers. Ferr tears were 6hed. but who can say hofr many eyes were dimmed by tears unshed? Everyone knew the risk of mine-sweeping, but nearly everyone was laughing, and many jokes were bandied between boat and pier. "So long, mother; I've got th' muffler, you see. Makes mo look smarter than the Commodore!" "Fare-ye-well, lass. Mind what you're up to while Ah'm away. 'Ah may bo back afore ye expect me." "Good luck, Jim'! Don't let your wife ketcli you bringiii' 'omo one o' them Turkey gals." Packets of tobacco and bundles of cigars were flung on to the sweepers from t'lio piers. An old horseshoe, decked with red, white, and blue ribbons, was thrown, and falling on the deck of a sweeper, with a ringing clink, was picked up to be fastened on to the wheelliouse or galley door. The leading sweeper was at tlio harbour mouth, and her signal was run up for "fuil-spced ahead." Her hooter sounded a challenge "Cock-ndoodle-do!" It was repeated by the other boats, ami for a few minutes'everyone wns deafened by the din of whistle blasts and syrenwhoops. In turn the sweepers passed out of sight round the pier-head, the last to disappear being tho commodore's boat, a fine large steam trawler, flying both the White and Rod Ensigns. In Turkish Waters. And tin's is how wo hear of them again: "Every afternoon, generally about 5 o'clock, a cortahi agitation manifests itself among tho fleet, and, almost at tho same instant, a dozen or so of the email craft, detailed for mine-swooping, slip moorings, and glide oil to their dangerous work. They have hardly left their anchorage when three or four light and rapid destroyers shoot after them; then two or three cruisers or armour-clads file off in support. All take the direction of the Dardanelles. As soon as they arrive off the Strait, sharp flashes light up tho horizon; it is tho forts of Kum-Knlc and Sedd-el-Bahr opening fire. But other detonations of much greater power reach our ears. The armoured ships are replying to tho Turkish fiold guns, whilo the mino-Bwoepoi'B and the destroyers are swallowed up in the Strait. Tho cruisers and armournd ships do not accompany them insido, but aro content to

mount guard over the Channel that is lined with engines of death. All night long the mine-sweepers are engaged in hunting out the mines laid by the enemy, and only at daybr.eali do they return, followed'by their protectors, to their resting-place at the toot of Mount SI. Elias."

To this French account of the minesweepers' work may bo appended the tribute of (lie naval correspondent of the "Times," who, writing on April 21, said: "No move nerve-racking work can be conceived than that of the slow process of sweeping for mines under the Hre of the batteries from the shore. Jlsnied the stimulus of action and the"opportunity of hitting back, a high standard of 'courage, patience, and stoicism is demanded in such circumstances. Thn manner in which' for two months these, men have executed their dutv and endured the abnormal peril of (heir spocial work has won well-merited admiration/ 1 What It Felt Like,

Most of the fishermen thomselves found it easier to face the firo of tho Turkish guns than to ait down and write to friends at home about their experiences: but occasionally they gave us glimpses into their everyday life in Turkish waters. Skipper Limbrlck, of the Milfurd trawler Gwenllian,- wiote: "Of course, you 'arc aware we. are at the Dardanelles, and I may say well we know it. We are at war with a vengeance, and the one great fault is that we havo no chance of hitting back. ... I am bound to let you know that your little Owennie (the Gwenllian) has had a sixinch shell through her port side, and a pretty fine hole it made, but wo are patched up again, aiid workinx nwaj just' the same. The shell came in about six inches below the bulwarks, up tlirouiin the watorway, smashed clutch iever. wheel of brake, through some armour shield that covers the winch, spent its force there, and dropped down on tho deck, and never hurt tho mate, who was at the winch at tho time. So wo were lucky for once. . . . You will be Teuding about our doings out here. I saw that some had received the D.6.0. for their work in the North Sea. I was in tho North Sea for six months, but I havu been through more hero in less than tivu minutes than I went through there' the whole time—four mines exploded, sweep-, ing partner blown up, and a shell ] through you in that time will want, a bit of" beating. Don't you think so?" | A special correspondent who was on I board H.M.S. Triumph described tho '• mine-sweepers' work as "the most difli-1 cult and dangerous of all." "Before the \ Narrowa could bo tackled again," ho j said, "the channel must again be swept j of mines. The trawlers are there for that purpose, but sweeping for mines j in a channel which at the narrowest j point is less than two miles across, and for several miles of .its courso varies ; from twe to three miles in width, and j is swept by the fire of batteries and forts j from both shores, is on exceedingly diiß- j cult operation. The mine-sweepers must make it possible for the fleet to advance; \ but ttfe eaid mine-sweepers might well I retort that somebody must maire it ixw- j sibl6 for them to stay afloat while they I are doing so. The Eoynl Navy crews \ who man the trawlers are, of course, j willing to face the risks, but courage will j not deflect shells, and their part of the I job is in all seeming the most difficult j and dangerous of all. Jjet us hone that it will not bo the least appreciated by their countrymen at homo." c -A member of the crew of one of the mine-sweepers engaged in Turkish waters has related how five of the boats—the Okino, G.M., Beatrice, Achilles, and Eenarro—accompanied the cruiser Enrvalis to Smyrna,. where, on March fi, Hioy steamed within three miles of the forts without at fir it drawing their fire. Just as they were ready to get their sweeps out they received orders to- retire, and > as soon rs they started to como out the ! shoro batteries opened fire on them and j they were under llro for about forty I minutes, shells falling all nround them, | but without doing -any harm. Two days | later night-sweeping wns ordered, and the j Okino and the Beatrice were partner I boats. At the end of the sweep the : Beatrice' slinped her sweep wire for the j Okino to haul in, and five minutes later; the Okino was either mined or struck by I a stray shell, ten out of her crew of j fifteen being cither killed or drowned. At noon next clay a memorial service for the lost men was held on board one of the battleships.

Deed. From tho same source we have an account of the heroic conduct of Skipper Woodgato and the' crew of the sweeper Koorah.. The trawlers Gwenilian—tho "Little Gwennie" wo have already heard of—and Manx Hero were sweeping part- ! ners in the Dardanelles when the Manx 1 Hero was blown up. The Koorah and I other sweepers were on their way doirti to tho fleet when the explosion took ; place. Hearing eries for help, Skipper Woodgato turned his ship round and decided to save his fellow-sweepers. He called for volunteers to man the; small boat. It was thrown- over the ship's side, and into it jumped the boatswain, Joseph Abbot, and two deck hands, Thomas Thompson and Hobert Strachan. Away they -owed, with shot and 6hell falling thickly around their tiny craft, while Skipper Woodgato stoul at the helm of tho trawler, keeping her as near tho boat as possible. The Manx Hero's crow of -leven were eo rescued and brought on board the Koorah. Some skippers with such a hail of shell falling around then; would '.hen have cut the small boat adrift, but Woodgate-with tho defiant spirit of the fisherman who, when his boat, was loing fired upon by a German torpedo-boat, held up a fish-basket and invited the enemy gunners to "put 'em in there'r-order-jd the small boat to be 'novo aboard. The tackle was fastened to the bow ring, but scarcely had the bow of the boat moved deckward when a shell crashed into her and shattered her to matchwood. The Koorah was now the last sweeper on the scene, and with nowerful searchlights flashing upon her there seemed very little chance for her to get through, as she was tho centre of fire from the forts. Observing the faults of the gunners, however, Skipper Woodgato steered his trawler towards tho northern shore, and eventually brought her safely out of the zone of fire. This daring deed took nearly ninety minutes to accomplish. Tho operations of tho trawlers in Turkish waters were not confined to mine-sweeping. When, on April 25, the invasion of Ihc Gallipoli Peninsula took place, they had a sharo in the landing of troops from tho transports, and subsequently they were employed in conveying stores from ships to the shoro. For some months they were engaged in this and similar work. Mr. E. Ashmead fiartlett, who gave us some vivid descriptions of the Gallipoli fighting, unhesitatingly stated that the campaign would have been impossible without them. Tho lot of their crews, he said, was n hard one. "Thojr must go out in every kind of weather, and are often busy for sixteen hours cut of the twenty-four. They have to go right in to the beaches, and are constantly exposed to the enemy's shell fire." Their skippers "are no respecters of persons, audi their language towards their superiors, when ordered on some particular job they -lo not fancy, or when told to do a thing in a way thoy do not fancy, would ensure an instant court-martini for anyone in tho regular service. They are urcat grumblers, but their work is always done, and done efficiently." Sir fan Hamilton, in one of his graphic dispatches relates how, on May 22, 1915, when enemy submarines suddenly appeared on the scene, all transports had to be sent to Mudros for safety. "Thenceforth men, stores, guns, horses, etc., had to be brought from. Mudros, a distance of forty miles, in fleet sweepers and ether email and shallow craft, less vulnerable to submarine attack." Had thero not been good reason for being silent on the point, Sir Tan Hamilton might have added that among tho "etceteras" were largo numbers of troops on their way to tho front and of sick and wounded returning therefrom. Many of tho sweepers, as well as handv little drifters, were also "employed as patrol boats, and had orders to stop and search the many small sailing craft which abound in Mediterranean waters. Othcis were sent out to hunt for hostile Aihmnrine bases. . , . ''There's a d —d sight moro in being a trawler nowadays than thero used to be," said a skipper a. N ie-w days ago.