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degaussed, was mined and sunk to the east of St. Helen's Road on the 22nd. LL sweep also exploded two mines off Portland during the week. Dover and the Downs have also been mined by aircraft during the week and LL sweeps have exploded two mines in the Downs and one off Dover.

33. On the night of the 25th minelaying was suspected off several of the East Coast ports, in consequence of which the Tees, Hartlepool and Sunderland were closed. Earlier in the week (the 22nd) the French Patrol Vessel La Basiase, degaussed, was mined and sunk close outside the Tees and the river was closed for over nine hours.

34. It is known that a U-boat laid about a dozen mines in the Bristol Channel at the end of November and it is thought that one of these mines may have been responsible for the sinking of the Panamanian James McGee on the 20th June. A dangerous area was declared after she had been sunk and new searched channels established. Barry and the ports to the eastward were closed for about eighteen hours. Further minelaying was suspected off Avonmouth on the 20th and the port was closed. It was reopened with the other ports on the 21st.

35. U-boats have been reported or suspected in Belfast Lough and off Thurso, but the subsequent searching of these areas failed to discover any mines.

36. The River Gironde has been visited at least twice by minelaying aircraft during the week. On the 21st June 12 mines were seen to drop between Le Verdon, at the mouth of the river, and Pauillac, twenty-five miles up. LL trawlers were operating in the river and off La Rochelle and Bayonne until the evacuation of all British and Allied troops and British refugees had been completed.

37. The total of magnetic mines dealt with is now 288, of which LL sweeps have been responsible for 144, and skids 49.

38. A contact mine was swept in the Flamborough Head area on the 19th June. This was probably a mine with a delayed action of about twelve days, since the waters had been frequently swept and in constant use. Sweeping in the Would has been started again and one mine was exploded in the sweep on the 24th and another cut on the 25th, both close to dangerous area. The total of contact mines cleared is now 424.

39. There are now nearly seventy LL trawlers in commission at various Flower class corvettes which ports. LL equipment is to be fitted in eight are under construction.

40.

A number of French minesweepers, trawlers and other small craft have arrived at English ports. These include electric minesweepers which are being inspected by the Vernon. The Vernon is to carry out trials in two Dutch schoots to determine whether this type of vessel is suitable for minesweeping in moderate weather conditions.

Enemy Minesweeping.

41. Groups of two and three unknown trawlers have been reported by our aircraft operating to the eastward of the Mine Barrier east of Lowestoft. The trawlers had paravanes or trawls out, and it is suspected that they were enemy vessels carrying out mine searching operations.

Enemy Minelaying in the Mediterranean and British Minesweeping.

42. A Greek ship was mined on the 18th June in the Channel between Sicily and Pantellaria, presumably by a recently-laid Italian mine. The Italians. have declared a dangerous area. New searched channels have been established at Alexandria.

Enemy Minelaying and British Minesweeping on other Stations.

43. Two more mines have been swept in the dangerous area 60 miles north of Auckland, New Zealand, and another field has been discovered by the cutting of four mines by paravanes in the eastern approach to Auckland.

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