HEROIC DEEDS 



more about Aberdeen." And with a kind but un- 

 informative smile on his bronzed, hard-set face he 

 strolled away, not without a backward glance at his 

 beloved drifter, which he had just left, and which 

 was in the company of other little drifters, one or 

 two with wireless fitted, and each with the tiny gun 

 mounted, the like of which had proved so effective 

 against Germans, Austrians and other enemies. 



What could not that skipper have told of himself, 

 his crew and his wonderful steam-propelled wooden 

 tub which bore the registry letters of a Scotch port 

 600 miles away, and had braved the Biscay at the 

 time of autumn gales? Yet if he told a tale at all 

 it would surely be in curt replies to questions, and 

 then only when he was forced to answer. However 

 great his achievements might be, they would have 

 no record from his own mouth ; and as it was with 

 him so it was with most of his fellows, the result 

 being that almost the only published stories were 

 those which were officially prepared and based on 

 information possessed by the authorities. 



Examples of sweepers and patrollers' heroic deeds 

 have been given in previous chapters, and the tale 

 in this respect is continued. 



There is a fine old British regimental motto which 

 declares that no dangers daunt, and it could be well 

 applied to many of the personnel of the mine- 

 sweeping service, other than the actual fishermen. 

 Such a case was afforded in a number of incidents 

 taken from Admiralty records and officially made 



known for the encouragement of the public. It 



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