The Navy Vol_37_Part1 (Feb-Mar-Apr, May-June-July 1975)

TONY RIGG WELDING& MANUFACTURINGDistributors and Fabricators for Lysaght SteelFraming. Houses. Garages. Machinery ShopsComplete Roof — Floor Systems in SteelEnquiries:PITT ST, NTH NOWRA, NSWTelephone: 2 4170COOKE'S TYRE SERVICEStockists of All Makes • New Tyres * Retreads• Recaps * Friendly Service Assured• • •Naval Personnel Enquiries169 KINGHORN ST, NOWRA, NSWTelephone: Nowra 2 3198Kindly Sponsored by .CRODAManufacturers ofCrocell Hot Dip StrippablePlastic CoatingMelbourne: 42 1737Sydney: 602 4922ARCH GATE NURSERY(Props: Hugh and Helen Sampson)• Servicing Nowra. Berry and SurroundingDistricts • Shrubs • Trees • Seedlings• Ornamentals • Stockists of Plants suitable forGrowth from Seaside to Tablelands • Fertilizersand Garden SuppliesOpen Seven Days a WeekGREENWELL POINT, NOWRA - 47 1159CULBURRA RD. PYREE108 QUEEN ST. BERRY - Nowra 64 1265BP CROSS COUNTRYSERVICE STATIONFor a Complete Range of Yamaha Cross Countryand Motor Cross Cycles — Spares and AccessoriesFriendly. Personalised ServiceNaval Personnel Enquiries:Top of PRINCES HWY, NOWRA, NSWTelephone: Nowra 2 4585Golden Fleece ServiceStation & Restaurant• For Delicious Meals in Friendly Atmosphere• Tasty Take-away Snacks • Prompt DrivewayService • All Golden Fleece Products in Stock• Naval Personnel are Assured of CourteousServicePRINCES HIGHWAY, NOWRA, NSWTelephone: Nowra 2 2074Navy Personnel of Albatross-Cresswell• All Prescriptions Dispensed • Full Range ofCosmetics. Toiletries • Friendly Service Assured0 Agents for the Products of Soul PattinsonKELLEHER'S PHARMACY102 JUNCTION ST. NOWRA. NSWTelephone: Nowra 2 0393AlsoBRUCE'S PHARMACY19 KINGHORN ST, NOWRA, NSWTelephone: Nowra 2 3166McCALLUM'SSPORT STORE• A Complete Range of Sporting Goods • FishingTackle and Bait • Cycles and Accessories • LargeRange of Fishing Rods and ReelsNaval Enquiries:47 KINGHORN ST, NOWRA, NSWTelephone: Nowra 2 2418Page Thirty-six THE NAVY May/June/July,Minehunter HMAS SNIPE at anchor in Jervis Bay.The devastating effectivenetsof the mine was firstdemonstrated by theJapanese seventy years agoin the Russo-Japanese War.Seven decades later, only twoyears ago, United Statesmines stopped completelyall North Vietnam's maritimetrade. Just this couldhappen to Australia's maritimetrade — not in fifteenyears but now — and wewould be hard put to identifywho had laid the mines.Since World War II. mines havebeen used in both the offensive(throttling an enemy's trade incoastal waters and port approaches)and defensive (inhibiting anenemy's amphibious attack) roles.The North Koreans used them inboth roles against the UnitedNations in the early nineteen fifties.The mines were laid by small craft. Anumber of United Nations minesweeperswere destroyed and severallarger craft damaged, and the threatof mines forced suspension of maritimeactivity on several occasions.Mines have been used on a numberof occasions in a defensive role inthe Suez area during the three majorconflicts there since 1948. Clearanceof the Suez Canal and itsapproaches of mines has been oneof the factors delaying the re-openingof the Canal.In the Bangla Desh War. of 1971.both Indians and Pakistanis usedmines. The Pakistanis attempted tobottle uo the Indian carrier TaskFores in Vishakapatnam. The Operationwas a failure — the Pakistanisubmarine PNS Ghazi was destroyedin the approaches to Vishakapatnam.The Indians used mines toprevent the escape of the Pakistanitroops in what became Bangla Desh.In 1972. US aircraft laid mines inthe approaches to Haiphong andother North Vietnamese ports. AllNorth Vietnam's external maritimetrade ceased, as did much of hercoastal trade, until the US Navycleared the mines from North Vietnamesewaters. This apart fromdemonstrating the effectiveness ofthe mine, this action finally laid torest the theory that an attack upontrade will result in escalation tonuclear war.Probably the most worryingaspect of the mine is the ease with,and low cost at. which it can be laid.Mines are cheap ,and relativelyunsophisticated — they can be andhave been used by Indian Oceanregional powers. They can be laidfrom merchant ships adapted for thepurpose — the adaption takes only afew weeks. They can be laid bypurpose built warships, by aircraftor by submarines. Today, there arefew purpose built minelayers in theworld — the job can be easily doneby other means.Contact mines — the type usedseventy years ago — are still in usetoday. However, other types of minesavailable today offer a far widerrange of capabilities. Types of minesin use today can be divided into twobroad types — moored mines andinfluence mines. A feature of bothtypes is that they are effective onlyin relatively shallow waters.Moored mines are exploded by avessel striking the mine itself or oneof its antennae. These mines arerelatively easy to clear with theconventional oropesa sweep towedby a minesweeper or helicopter.While the dangers of the mooredmine should not be underestimated,the mine clearance problemscaused by the ground (or influence)mines are much greater.There are three basic types ofinfluence mine:Acoustic Mines — exploded by thenoise of a ship's propeller ormachinery.Magnetic Mines — exploded by achange in the magnetic field resultingfrom the passage overhead of aMay/June/July, 1975 THE NAVY Page Thirty seven