SCOTT
remained for much of the next two years employed on mining,
providing precise positioning for the minelayers and, where
necessary, carrying out surveys of the intended minefields before
they were laid to determine the depth of water, and hence the length
of mooring needed, as well as measuring the tidal streams and
currents which the minelayers could expect to encounter. She was
principally engaged on the northern barrage, between Scotland,
Iceland and Greenland. Only the week before the Bismarck's break‑out
in May 1941 SCOTT was in the waters the German squadron passed
through, surveying for the next tranche of the barrage. Those who
were in her at the time tell with feeling of the lonely nature of
her work, and of the discomfort of bobbing about in a sounding boat
moored to a deep‑laid beacon in the middle of the Denmark Strait
observing currents. One
little-known exploit was that when Bismark broke out SCOTT was send
ahead of Hood and Prince of Wales to check on the position of the
edge of the pack ice off
Greenland. Fortunately for her she did not encounter the German
squadron.
As well as making the
surveys to provide data before laying, SCOTT also herself
accompanied the minelaying sorties for the northern barrage, and
surveying officers were carried in each of the minelayers, mainly
large converted merchantmen.
Source: EXTRACTS from: Charts and Surveys in Peace and War – The
History of the RN Hydrographic Service 1919 – 1970 by Rear Admiral R
O Morris CB
