Into the Minefields: British Destroyer Minelaying 1916 - 1960

by Peter C. Smith

This is the story of the 20th Minelaying Flotilla in WW1 and WW2. During the early years of WW1 the existing minelaying vessels in service with the Royal Navy were found to be far too slow to penetrate into the strategically important waters around Holland, Denmark, Germany and Sweden under the cover of darkness and survive. As a result, a flotilla of fast destroyers was created that could be readily converted from their normal role into minelayers. Many of the guns and torpedo tubes could be quickly embarked and mine-rails, mines and sinkers fitted in their place. These specialized ships were then dispatched deep into enemy waters. As the war progressed they caused increasing havoc amongst enemy shipping but also suffered greatly as a result of their endeavors.

Between the wars a new minelaying class was built with dual capability. They were soon called into action at the outset of WW2 and laid minefields around Norway, Germany and occupied Europe. Full details of the operational history of the flotilla with details of the mines used and the special adaptations required to be fitted to destroyers, plus first-hand accounts from crew and officers who served on them are also covered.

256 pages, Hardcover

First published November 30, 2005

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Born Peter Charles Smith in North Elmham, Norfolk, in 1940, eldest son of Ernest & Eileen. Educated at Hamonds School, Swaffham. Married Patricia nee Ireson 1963. Two children, son Paul David and daughter Dawn Tracey.

Editor Balfour Books, Cambridge; Cape Sun, London; World War II Investigator, London.

After living in London, Kent and Cambridge now resides in a north-Bedfordshire village with his wife and Annie the Black Labby.

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Into the Minefields covers the operations of the 20th destroyer minelayer flotilla and other Royal Navy destroyer minelayer operations from their inception in the First World War to their Cessation in the early parts of the Cold War. The book ranges from discussing technical aspects of operating procedures, to descriptions of particular operations, and includes a number of well-chosen passages from interviews or older works on these operations. The images chosen for inclusion are also well-selected and of good quality (in context – the World War One images are understandably less clear than those of ships in the 1950s).

Highly readable (although it understandably uses a lot of nautical terminology) and easily recommended for people interested in naval mine warfare.