Swept Channel: Being an Account of the Work of the Minesweepers in the Great War (1935) By Taffrail (Taprell Dorling)
 
In two world wars starving Britain by cutting her shipping supply lines was a prime objective of enemy navies. In the First World War (1914-18) the mine was a comparatively new maritime weapon and little in the way of specilised counter-measures equipment or training was available to the RN.
 
This is the story of the "minesweepers war", how naval ships were developed to carry out the work, while fishing and other civilian craft were pressed into service to combat the mining menace. RN losses to mines during the war totaled 46 including five battleships, 225 naval auxiliaries were lost, 214 minesweepers, 259 merchant ships with a tonnage of 673,417, plus 63 fishing craft.
 
Minesweeping was intensely hazardous, so losses in personnel were tragically high. With war's end, minesweeping went on for some years, for not only did those mines set by the Allies have to be removed to make peace-time shipping safe, but also the fields that were laid by the enemy nations. Taffrail's book on minesweeping is a tribute to brave and determined men whose service did not bring battle honours, but was vital to Britain's survival.
 
First edition of 1935, 388 pages including six appendices, index, 24 b/w photos (many dramatic shots of mine damaged ships), 11 intext diagrams and maps.
 
Inscribed by Unknown (possibly R.N. Walker)
 
Hard Cover
388 pages
In Good Condition- has a tear on front spine cover.