Page 290 - Il Mediterraneo quale elemento del Potere Marittimo - Atti 16-18 settembre 1996

276 THEAN D. POTGIETER

o ne crew member survived <93). In or der to make up che losses, two other South
African minesweepers stationed at Alexandria, the Langlaagte and Imhoff, were or-
dered to che Aegean.
Throughout 1945 South African minesweepers were involved in a considera-
ble amount of work including dan-laying and mine destruction. 1t was not until
12 December 1945, that the Iast South African minesweeper, the Lang/aagte, arri-
ved in Durban from the Mediterranean <94>.

HMSAS Gamtoos and sa/vage work
During the war in the Mediterranean and parcicularly during the first few years,
salvage vessels were urgently needed to clear captured harbours. Adm Cunningham
send a personal signal to the South Mrican prime minister, Field Marshal Smuts,
asking him to provide a salvage vessel and equipment for urgent service in the Me-
diterranean. Cunningham further stated that he would be pleased if such a ship
could be manned by South Africans as they had clone excellent work in che Medi-
terranean and he had "always been able to place complete reliance in them" (95>.
·smuts agreed in Aprii 1942 and the Gamtoos a "rugged little coalburning" coaster
with good seaworthiness, displacing 794-gross ton, was surveyed and found suita-
ble for conversion to a salvage vessel. After being requisitioned from a sugar ma-
gnate, she was immediately converted and on 19 November 1942, the HMSAS
Gamtoos sailed from Durban for the Mediterranean. On her way co Alexandria che
she participated in che raising of HMS Antwerp and HMS Ma/ines in Port Said <9 >.
6
After arriving in Alexandria, the Gamtoos was assigned che task of clearing
the entrance to the Tripoli harbour. The retreating Axis armies had effectively blocked
this harbour with seven blockships, filled with submerged obstructions. The Gam-
toos arrived off the T ripoli on 23 January 1943 but as there was a heavy swell alongside
the outside wreck, it was at times impossible a~ to do any salvage work. However,
with che aid of pumps, air compressors and charges set by divers, the Gamtoos sera-
peci into the harbour on 30January and distinguished herselfby becoming the first
7
Allied ship to enter Tripoli harbour after the Axis evacuation <9 >. Work went ahead
and within a week, it was possible for the first two merchant vessels to berth along-
side with supplies for the Eighth Army, which was advancing against the retreating
Axis forces in North Africa. The Admiralty regarded Gamtoos' work as "admira-
ble" (98) and congratulations were received from Mr Winston Churchill and Ge-
nerai Montgomery; Mr Churchilllater coming aboard, when he visited Tripoli <99>.
The Gamtoos added to che "already considerable reputation" of South African ships
in che Mediterranean by clearing Tripoli harbour ahead of schedule and so ena-
0
bling supplies by sea to reach the Eight Army 0° >.
During February, the Gamtoos continued salvage and clearance work at Tripoli
despite an average of two air attacks per day and the mines which made work dan-
gerous. She even assisted vessels in distress and had a narrow escape when the Ocean
Voyager, fully laden with ammunition, blew up dose to her oon. Divers from che