Are German seaplanes engaged in laying mines or acting as supply columns to some of their U-boats?
The movements of Nazi planes over the North Sea during the last few days suggest that this may be the case and it is generally admitted both by naval and air experts that the plan is feasible.
One of the enemy seaplanes was seen to alight on the sea off the east coast and remain for some time, and it would seem possible that it was either sowing a mine or endeavouring to work in conjunction with one of their submarines.
It is known that both Germany and ourselves possess flying boats equipped for carrying mines, but the mines would be of a much lighter type than those carried by submarines or mine layers.
ONLY IN CALM WEATHER
They are carried in special racks fitted in the body of the flying boat and are launched outwards in a similar manner to that in which rubber dinghys are released. The operation, however, could only be possible in exceptionally calm weather.
There is a possibility that the seaplanes might drop the mines without actually alighting on the water provided that they had no desire to plant them in any particular spot.
Some of the German flying boats have a range of 5,600 miles fully loaded and it is thought these might be used for carrying supplies of all kinds to U-boats which have been driven far afield from the ordinary shipping channels.—P.A. War Special.
Shields Daily News, Tynemouth, England, November 23, 1939
