| ID | Description | Categories | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1742 | COWIE, J. S. Mines, Minelayers and Minelaying. xiv, 216p., illus., index. London: OUP, 1949.
A history of British mine warfare, with some 50 pages on WWII. |
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| 1743 | DEEBLE, Alfred E. Three Tiffies and a Sweeper. xi, 145p., illus. Edinburgh: Pentland, 1997. ISBN: 185821520X.
In 1943 the three "tiffies," slang for artificers or engineers, stood by the Algerines Aries and later Clinton, building in Canada. After an enjoyable time in North America, they sailed for the UK in December and were based in Granton. In mid-1944 one of the three was drafted to Portsmouth for an officer training course but was killed in an air raid on Southsea. Clinton moved to the Mediterranean in July for Operation Dragoon then was based at Malta, from which the second of the three was drafted in September after the two friends had fallen out. The 5th Minesweeping Flotilla, then moved to Piraeus, where Clinton was seriously damaged by a mine and after temporary repairs went to Taranto. |
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| 1744 | ELLIOTT, Peter. Allied Minesweeping in World War 2. 201p., bibliog., illus., index. Cambridge: PSL; Annapolis: NIP,1979. ISBN: 0850593506. Describes the mines, sweeping techniques and the work of the minesweepers in the various wartime theaters. Also includes anecdotal material and detailed accounts of particular operations such as the clearing of the Scheldt. Concentrates on the European theatre. |
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| 1745 | FANE, Robert. Ships May Proceed: More Tales of a Minesweeper. 63p. London: W. H. Allen, [1943].
More sketches of the everyday round of life on the auxiliary minesweeper "HMT Sea Mystery," giving a decidedly rose-coloured view of the war at sea. |
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| 1746 | FANE, Robert. We Clear the Way. 64p. London: W. H. Allen, [1943].
The fictitious trawler "HMT Sea Mystery" and her crew are described going about their minesweeping duties. The author, serving on such a vessel, presents a composite picture of his own and others' experience. Some of the stories first appeared in the Daily Mirror. |
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| 1747 | GREAT BRITAIN. Ministry of Information. His Majesty's Minesweepers. 64p., illus. London: HMSO; New York: Macmillan, 1943.
A popular account of the work of the minesweeping forces. |
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| 1748 | GRIFFITHS, Maurice. The Hidden Menace. 159p., illus., index. Greenwich: Conway, 1980. ISBN: 0851771866.
A history of mine warfare. Best on WWII, during which the author served, winning the George Medal for his work in defusing mines. |
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| 1749 | GROSVENOR, Joan, & BATES, Leonard M. Open the Ports: The Story of Human Minesweepers. 199, [8]p., illus. London: Kimber, 1956.
A history of the "P" Parties which helped open the ports of Europe by disarming mines underwater. |
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| 1750 | HARDY, Hilbert. The Minesweepers' Victory: A Silent Service of the Royal Navy. 346p., illus. Weybridge: Keydex, [1976]. ISBN: 0905720008.
A poorly written but fact-rich account of the role of the minesweepers in the war at sea. Concentrates on home waters. |
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| 1751 | HODGES, G. A. Of Mines and Men. ix, 94p., illus. [n.p.]: John Corrie, 1993. ISBN: 0952100401.
War memoirs of a George Medallist. He was posted to Vernon in 1939 and his gallantry in bomb disposal is described engagingly but modestly. In autumn 1942 he joined Abdiel as Torpedo Lieutenant and served until her sinking in Taranto Harbour in September 1943. After a series of brief appointments he had a staff appointment for D-Day, but by the end of the year had joined Apollo where he served until after VE-Day, then rejoining the staff of Vernon as a lecturer. |
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| 1752 | HOGBEN, Arthur. Designed to Kill: The History of British Bomb Disposal. 272p., illus. Cambridge: PSL, 1987. ISBN: 0850598656.
RN personnel were heavily involved in this work. An excellent account by an expert. |
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| 1753 | JONES, Albert H. & JONES, Michael H. Roll On My Twelve! Lower Deck Life On A Fleet Minesweeper 1943-1946. xviii, 235p. Upton: Square One, 2003. ISBN: 1899955534.
An autobiography. He served on Rosario in the Mediterranean. An earlier book covers his service on Illustrious in 1940-43. |
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| 1754 | LANGMAID, Kenneth. The Approaches Are Mined! 256p., illus., index. London: Jarrolds, 1965.
A history of mine warfare. About half concerns British and German offensive and defensive use of the mine in WWII. |
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| 1755 | LINCOLN, F. Ashe. Secret Naval Investigator. 207p., illus. London: Kimber, 1961. The story of the RN's Department of Torpedoes and Mines Investigation Section. He was a member of the RNV(S)R and a barrister, whose legal training was of value in sifting evidence of new German mine weapons. Describes how the German threat was neutralised. A new edition was published by Frontline in 2017, ISBN: 9781526701190. |
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| 1756 | LOTT, A. S. Most Dangerous Sea: A History of Mine Warfare and an Account of US Navy Mine Warfare Operations in World War II and Korea. xiv, 322p., bibliog., illus., index. Annapolis: USNIP, 1959.
Mainly concerned with WWII. A good detailed account of operations in all theaters. |
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| 1757 | LUND, Paul, & LUDLAM, Harry. Out Sweeps! The Story of the Minesweepers in World War II. 192p., illus. London: Foulsham, 1978. ISBN: 0572010117.
The authors use the reminiscences of numerous ex-crewmen to give a good account of this thankless and often forgotten area of the Royal Navy's work. |
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| 1758 | McARA, Charles. Mainly in Minesweepers: A Scot at Sea. [viii], 261p., illus. London: Leach, 1991. ISBN: 1873050070.
He joined up at the start of the war, failed flying training with the FAA, then took officer training and went to minesweepers. He joined Bude, sweeping in the Channel, then worked up Brixham which moved to the Mediterranean for Torch and the later invasions in Sicily and Italy and then work in Greek waters before returning to the UK in December 1944. He next joined Medway Queen in the Training Squadron at Granton as First Lieutenant. A nostalgic account of a "good war." |
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| 1759 | MAHER, Brendan A. A Passage to Sword Beach: Minesweeping in the Royal Navy. xvii, 249p., illus., index Annapolis: NIP; Shrewsbury: Airlife, 1996. ISBN: 1557505721.
Maher joined up aged 18 in 1943. After training he joined Jason as a midshipman and on 1 May 1944 was promoted Sublieutenant on ML 137, equipped for minesweeping, which she did off Sword Beach. ML 137 took part in the clearance of Cherbourg and Brest. In June 1945 he was injured in a minesweeping accident in the Netherlands and was hospitalised, completing treatment early in 1947, when he was discharged. |
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| 1760 | MELVIN, Michael J. Minesweeper: The Role of the Motor Minesweeper in World War II. vii, 226p., illus., index. Worcester: Square One, 1992. ISBN: 1872017576.
Celebrates the design, development and deployment of the 105-foot wooden Motor Minesweeper. |
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| 1761 | MILLER, John. Saints and Parachutes: Two Aspects of an Adventure. 171p., illus. London: Constable, 1951.
An autobiography, half of which covers the war. The author specialised in bomb and mine disposal. |
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