Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1917-06-28
PATROL GUARDING
BRITISH ! COAST
German Invasion Of England
Is a Hopeless Task.


dence. )-Since the beginning of the
war the coasts of the United King
dom have been guarded by the Bri-
tish bicycle militia or "Cyclist Pa
troll, and today the cyclists still
are on guard against German in
vasion. But the golden opportun-
ity for a German assault in force
on British shores has now pass
ed. No longer dol a few cyclists
stand guard alone over important
landing places, as they did for many
days after the war was declared.
''The danger of invasion appear
ed very great to US Yin those days.
said the commanders of one of the
Cyclists battelions the other day.
We had to put forth Sthe most colos-
sal efforts to get ourAdefense organ
ization up to adequate pitch.
IF the German regarded an in
vasion of England as fearsome
task then, he must regard it as a
hopeless impossibilty now. Where
we formerly had onlya small detach-
ment Of cyclist troops to guard a
possible landing place, there ARE
now thousands Of !. trained soldiers
living in huts or hillets close to
hand, with guns, trenches, and dug
outs all along the sand dunes, and
plenty Of support Also from aero
planes, observation'ba balloons, sub
marines and coasts defense vessels.
In 1914 the ,Germans invader would
have been disposed largely by half
trained troops straight from work.
shops and Offices. while today he
would have to meet men, the equal
in physique and fighting ability Of
anything the world: has ever seen.
The actual work of protecting
landing places has long since been
taken out of the hands of the Cyclist
Battalions, who haN become. more
purely a coast patroL.-N Their du-
ties nowadays occasionally are va
ried by the capture of various OBJ
jects of interests washed up by the
tide, such as mines, bodies, wreck
age, and lifebuoys. The mines are
destroyed by guncotton, affording a
few moments of pleasant excite
ment for the patrol.
Hundreds of sailors from torped-
oed ships have received their first
welcome to land from cyclist patrols
along lonely coasts. Company head
quarters contain dozens of accounts
of such encounters, always in the
stiff official language in which the
British army and navy always cloths
it's deeds of heroism. Here is, such
a report from cyclist patrol, Gull
ed at random from file at Head
quarters:
Sighted small open boat drift
ing towards shore. This about dawn
during binding snowstorm. Occu-
pants too exhausted to use oars.
Big seas running. Boat reached the
breakers and overturned. Patrol
with assistance from nearest huts
summoned by rockets, succeeded saw
ing all but three who too numbed
from exposure to make any effort.
One our motor transports arrived
promptly took survivors farmhouse.
Bodies three drowned later taken
headquarters
On dark nights, the patrols fire.
quently encounter small ships which
have gone on sand bars owing to the
lack of guiding land lights. A pa
troll must take every precaution a.
gainst some enemy ruse in such a
case. AS soon as word is received
that a ship is approaching the shore
q force of reserves is summoned
and takes up defensive position
with machine guns. Then a board
ing party is sent aboard the vessel
to examine her and make q report.
Even If there is nothing suspicious
about the vessel guard is left a.
board to prevent anyone coming a
shore or possibly communicating
with hostile agents on shore.
!, The coast patrols are. on duty on
practically every mile OF the British
coast night and day. A cyclist pa
troll is usually on his "beat'' for
three hours, returning to quarters
for rest period which is followed
by the days routine Of physical
musketry practice, bayonet
practice, and maneuverss similar to
that following in regular infantry
camps.
Most Of the cyclist forces hope
one day to be- called 3 across q, the
Channel. Tho day for which they
look isE the time when "a great mo-
bile force will be required n Bel