The Cuxhaven raid--The Sylt raid--Enemy patrol boats sunk--Loss of the _Medusa_--The flagship rams an enemy destroyer--Saving of the _Landrail_. CHAPTER VI THE PATROLS 97 Raids on enemy trawler fleets--The unsleeping watch--Patrolling the Channel barrage--Patrolling the mine-net barrage--The patrols in action. _Part II_ THE HARWICH SUBMARINE FLOTILLA CHAPTER VII COMPOSITION OF THE FLOTILLA 113 The shore establishment--Heavy losses of the flotilla--Humorous incidents--Drowning the mascot--Bluffing the Huns. CHAPTER VIII RECONNAISSANCE AND MINE-LAYING 127 The eyes of the Fleet--The _Westphalen_ torpedoed--Mine-laying submarines--Destruction of U boats. CHAPTER IX FINE SUBMARINE RECORDS 145 Some narrow escapes--Sinking a Zeppelin--The doings of the E9--Sinking of the _Prince Adalbert_--The decoy trawler. CHAPTER X GERMAN CRIMES 163 Loss of the E 13--Inhuman Hun methods--Stranding of the U.C. 5--German traps--Risky salvage work. _Part III_ THE HARWICH AUXILIARY PATROL AND MINE-SWEEPING FORCE CHAPTER XI THE ROYAL NAVAL TRAWLER RESERVE 181 Mine-sweeping trawlers--Captains courageous--Scotch drifters--The motor launches--Keeping open the swept channels. CHAPTER XII WORK OF THE AUXILIARIES 207 Mine-sweeping methods--Indicator nets--Heavy losses--Brilliant rescues. CONCLUSION 231 _Part I_ THE HARWICH FORCE CHAPTER I THE OPENING OF THE WAR CHAPTER I THE OPENING OF THE WAR The light cruisers and destroyers--Harwich in war time--The Harwich Force goes out--The first shots of the naval war--Sinking of the _Koenigin Luise_--Loss of the _Amphion_. He who undertakes to write the history of the Naval Forces which had Harwich as their base during the Great War will have a wonderful story indeed to tell--from the sinking, within a few days of the declaration of war, of the German mine-layer _Koenigin Luise_ by a section of the force, down to the day when there steamed into Harwich harbour, under the escort of the Harwich Force, the surrendered submarines of the beaten enemy. To those who manned our ships during those four terrible years it must all seem now like some strange dream--the weary, watchful patrolling through storm or fog, with no lights showing on sea or shore; the feeling of the way by dead reckoning and lead in dark wintry weather along the enemy's coasts, with an ever-vigilant foe above, below, and on the surface of the sea; the amazing adventures; the risks boldly taken; and ever and anon an action fought with a fierce determination on both sides.