LONDON TUGS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 April 1940, Page 6

LONDON TUGS

ACTIVITIES IN WAR TIME. In "The Port of London Authority Monthly” for January. 1940. Mr Frank C. Bowen contributes an article on "London Tugs in War Time." in which he reviews the numerous duties which tugs, normally operating in the Port of London, carried out during the last war. "The work of die lugs in lhe boarding flotillas was particularly interesting. not only in the Downs, where they wore based on Ramsgate harbour, but in lhe Thames Estuary and various other points. Tugs wore found ideal for this work, better even than trawlers and drifters, and they were worked hard. The peace-time skippers were given commissions ns Lieutenant, R.N.R.. mid they had with them R.N.R. mid R.N.V.R. officers as Boarding and Witnessing oll'icers. Zl was the proud boast of the Downs Flotilla that il had never mice been proven led from carrying on; boarding duly on account of weather, although often enough conditions were such that they taxed even the skill of a Thames tug skipper Io the utmost. The* routine was lhe same in all the examination areas; as soon as a ship entered it the tug would go alongside to put the Boarding and Witnessing officers on board her. If her papers were satisfactory and there was no reason to suspect that she was breaking the blockade in any way. her captain mid pilot were given the safe route through the minefields and she | was told what flag to fly as a signal I to any other man-of-war that she | might meet. The signal was changed i al frequent, but irregular intervals, and ] the orders for each change were con -1 veyed by wireless in a very simple but ' effective code. The tugs themselves I were very seldom armed, all hough a I few rifles wove carried’ to sink any! floating mines that might be sighted.'