Photograph titled "Engine room of a motor minesweeper during sweeping operations"

Silver gelatin print issued by the Admiralty, 1940-1945 (Crown Copyright). Caption on verso: "Life on board a little boat that goes right into the heart of known zones to clear the way of mines for ships of the Navy and Merchant Navy. In shallow waters a sweep wire is trailed below the surface by two minesweepers, an arrangement on the wire cutting the mooring cables of the mines so that they rise to the surface and can be exploded harmlessly with rifle or machine gun fire. In deeper seas a single minesweeper trails wire equipped with a cutting device from her bows. At the end of the wires are paravanes or oropesa floats, which carry the wires at the correct angle for cutting mine cables. Photo shows -- Men of a British motor minesweeper carrying out their dangerous and uncomfortable job with cheerful courage."