REMOVAL OF THE NORTH SEA MINE BARRAGE 



117 



A CURIOUS EXPLOSION 



While a sweeper was going alongside her mate to pass the sweep, a mine, from some 

 unknown cause, exploded between them. The entire after part of this vessel was drenched, 

 but the damage, fortunately, was not serious. 



ship which at the time had a mine on 

 board even went so far as to double the 

 risk by throwing it back into the sea. 



Infinite care, however, could not en- 

 tirely eliminate this particular danger. In 

 the first place, the mine could never be 

 seen until it was dangerously close to the 

 ship; then the course of action that was 

 chosen might or might not prove the 

 proper one. 



A TRAGIC MISHAP 



Two days after the Patuxent was dam- 

 aged an identical casualty befell the Bob- 

 olink, but with far more serious conse- 

 quences. The captain, as in the Patux- 

 ent's case, went aft to clear the mine 

 himself, sending all hands forward to a 

 place of safety except those actually re- 

 quired to assist him. 



The towing engine had been stopped as 

 soon as the mine was sighted, leaving it 

 somewhat submerged. It exploded be- 

 fore anything could be done to clear it. 



The commanding officer, Lieutenant 

 Frank Bruce, U. S. N., was killed. The 

 first lieutenant and several men were 



blown into the water, the first lieutenant 

 falling ioo feet from the ship. The men 

 who plunged in after them succeeded in 

 saving all, even though the first lieuten- 

 ant had been rendered unconscious by the 

 fall. 



The Bobolink was critically damaged 

 by the explosion. The entire after body 

 had been distorted, parts of the plating 

 being driven in two to three feet by the 

 concussion. The rudder was gone, the 

 engine disabled, and the ship was leaking 

 badly. Her boilers, which are well for- 

 ward, were not injured and enabled the 

 powerful wrecking pumps to take care of 

 the water. 



Two other sweepers towed the dam- 

 aged vessel to Scapa Flow, near Kirk- 

 wall, where she was docked and tempo- 

 rary repairs made. Later she was towed 

 to Devonport, where she still remained in 

 dock when the Mine Force sailed for 

 home, five months later. 



Seventeen days after the operation be- 

 gan, Group 12 was completed and the 

 vessels returned to port. Several other 

 accidents had happened, two of which 



