mhifle Posted 9 September , 2006 Share Posted 9 September , 2006 Hi just thought I would post some news we recieved on the Norwegian Oil Rig I am working on. Cheers Mark "Mine found near Langeled route A First World War mine has been found near the route of the Langeled gas pipeline in the Troll/Sleipner area of the North Sea. A search for possible further mines is now under way. The mine is approximately one metre in diameter and filled with roughly 150 kg of explosive. The old mine was discovered during the laying of the route of the Langeled pipeline from Nyhamna to Sleipner. The mine was first identified on 17 August and was then classified as 'a metal object of unknown origin'. More detailed investigations now reveal this to be a mine dating from the First World War, most probably laid between 1917 and 1918. Bjarne Jensen, manager for natural data, mapping and geotechnics explains that the mine was located only three metres from the pipeline route. "It's now been moved two kilometres away and will be destroyed by the navy at the end of this week," he says. Mr Jensen emphasises that the controlled explosion will not have any effect on work in the area or constitute any danger. During the war, many mines were generally laid in the same area and now the seabed is being thoroughly investigated to see if further mines lie hidden there. Mr Jensen says there are many rocks in the area and often these are not always easy to distinguish from metal. The mine was discovered by the Normand Tonjer survey ship which filmed the seabed around Langeled with a video-equipped ROV (remotely operated vehicle). "This was a simple routine inspection," says Mr Jensen, who maintains that the find will not result in any delays in pipelaying work. " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhifle Posted 10 September , 2006 Author Share Posted 10 September , 2006 Here is a map of the pipeline. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Lowrey Posted 10 September , 2006 Share Posted 10 September , 2006 Northern Barrage mine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhifle Posted 10 September , 2006 Author Share Posted 10 September , 2006 Would that be British or German? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Lowrey Posted 10 September , 2006 Share Posted 10 September , 2006 Probably American actually. Part of an antisubmarine mine field laid between the northern UK and Norway in the late summer of 1918. Big untertaking which accounted for an unknown number of U-boats in September and October 1918. Best wishes, Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhifle Posted 10 September , 2006 Author Share Posted 10 September , 2006 Thanks Michael, Just found this map on the internet of the site of the minefields, and a picture of the mines used. Cheers mark Probably American actually. Part of an antisubmarine mine field laid between the northern UK and Norway in the late summer of 1918. Big untertaking which accounted for an unknown number of U-boats in September and October 1918. Best wishes, Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Hesketh Posted 10 September , 2006 Share Posted 10 September , 2006 Fascinating discovery. I suppose there must be hundreds of these things, from both wars, down there still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 10 September , 2006 Share Posted 10 September , 2006 When sailing Harwich to the Hook in the mid 50s on troopships, I always wondered whether a left over mine was sitting out there. Were any ships sunk by mines after the war`s end? Phil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhifle Posted 10 September , 2006 Author Share Posted 10 September , 2006 There is a mine used as a War Memorial on the harbour front in Kristiansund, Norway. I was wondering if this was the same type of mine. Cheers Mark QUOTE (Phil_B @ Sep 10 2006, 10:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> When sailing Harwich to the Hook in the mid 50s on troopships, I always wondered whether a left over mine was sitting out there. Were any ships sunk by mines after the war`s end? Phil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Lowrey Posted 10 September , 2006 Share Posted 10 September , 2006 Phil, There are a couple pages in Lloyd's War Losses: The First World War just on ships lost to mines after the war ended. Best wishes, Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 10 September , 2006 Share Posted 10 September , 2006 Phew! Thank goodness I didn`t know that. Phil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Lowrey Posted 11 September , 2006 Share Posted 11 September , 2006 Phil, The last one was in 1925 though. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 11 September , 2006 Share Posted 11 September , 2006 That`s 7 years after WW1 which takes us to 1952 after WW2! Anyway, they`ve just found another, so who knows? I assume it could have still gone off? I don`t suppose modern soldiers have the pleasure of a sea cruise to their place of work. Sailors are probably used to it, but when you`re crammed in down below among the great military unwashed and you`ve heard that the doors are kept locked, you get to thinking about what`s just outside the thinnish steel plate next to you! Phil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Lowrey Posted 11 September , 2006 Share Posted 11 September , 2006 Phil, I would expect that there would be more mines like this still out there -- it's a mine that didn't deploy. As it's one the ocean floor, it's not a danger to shipping. Best wishes, Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ste Posted 11 September , 2006 Share Posted 11 September , 2006 A few years ago I was lucky enough to have a tour of HMS Chiddingfold, a serving RN mine countermeasures ship. [For more info see: HMS Chiddingfold on the Web] A member of the crew told me that something up to half of their time was still spent clearing the legacy of the two World Wars. That is a serious amount of mines! Ste Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhifle Posted 11 September , 2006 Author Share Posted 11 September , 2006 Here is a picture of the Normand Tonjer survey ship which located the mine. Mark A few years ago I was lucky enough to have a tour of HMS Chiddingfold, a serving RN mine countermeasures ship. [For more info see: HMS Chiddingfold on the Web] A member of the crew told me that something up to half of their time was still spent clearing the legacy of the two World Wars. That is a serious amount of mines! Ste Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 11 September , 2006 Share Posted 11 September , 2006 Here is a website with a map -scroll further down- of the North Sea minefields, showing English and German mines as well as cleared routes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 11 September , 2006 Share Posted 11 September , 2006 German minesweeper memorial in Cuxhaven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFF Posted 27 September , 2006 Share Posted 27 September , 2006 An Account of the North Sea Mining operation can in found in "American Heritage" magazine April/May 1983 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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