| PAGE | |
| The North Sea Mine Barrage | Frontispiece |
| Mine Assembly and Storage Sheds | 22 |
| A Mine in Mid-Air, Being Hoisted in | 25 |
| Launching a Mine Through the Stern Port | 26 |
| The Sequence of Operations After a Mine is Launched | 27 |
| A Mine Carrier Steamer | 30 |
| Mines and Mine Anchors Awaiting Assembly | 35 |
| Loading Mines into Lighters | 36 |
| Squadron Flagship San Francisco | 37 |
| The Mine Squadron at Sea | 40 |
| Arrangement of Mine Tracks, Elevators, and Turntables, in Roanoke Class of Minelayers | 51 |
| The Squadron in Minelaying Formation | 59 |
| Approaching and Laying the Fourth Mine Field | 63 |
| The Boston-New York Passenger Liner Massachusetts | 101 |
| The 20-Knot Minelayer Shawmut | 102 |
| Organization of the Mine Force | 105 |
About This Book
An eyewitness account recounts the planning, assembly, and execution of a large maritime mine-laying campaign in the North Sea, describing bases, logistics of mine supply and assembly, conversion and operation of specialized minelaying ships, formation tactics, and daily life aboard. It explains technical challenges and adaptations, summarizes a sequence of numbered minelaying excursions, records incidents and coordination with escort forces, and assesses results and subsequent sweeping and postwar activities. Illustrations and chapterized sections document equipment, procedures, and organizational lessons learned.