The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-06-15
COAST DEFENSE
OF ENGLAND IS
NOW COMPLETE
Patrols of Cyclists Comb
Beaches Under Hidden
G;:nss.

Headquarters Of British Home De-
Tense Armies, England, June II
Since the beginning of the war the
coasts of the United Kingdam have
been guarded by the British bicycle
militia or ''Cyclist PATROL" and today
the cyclists still are on guard against
German Invasion. But the golden
opportunity for a German assault in
force upon Rritain's shores has now
passed. No longer do few cyclists
stand guard alone over important
landing places, as they did for many
days after war was declared.
1.-THE danger of invasion appeared
very great to us in those days." said
the commander of one of the Cy-
cltsts' battalions the other day. We
had to put forth the most colossal
efforts to get our defense organiza-
ton up to adequate pitch.
eff the Germans regarded an in
vasion-f England as a fearsome task
the,<,/he must regard it as a hopeless
impossibility now. Where we for
merly had only a small detachment
of cyclist troops to guard a possible
landing place, there are now thous-
ands of trained soldiers living in huts
or billets close to hand. with guns,
trenches, and dugouts all along the
sand dunes and plenty of support
also from aeroplanes, observation
balloons, submarines and coast de-
Tense vessels. In 1914 the German
invader would have been opposed by
mostly half-trained troops straight
from workshops and offices, while to-
day 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 land
ing places has long since been taken
out of the hands of the Cyclist Bat
talions, who have become more purely
a coast patrol. Their duties now
adays occasionally are varied by the
capture Of various objects of interest
washed up by the tide, such as mines,
bodies, wreckage, and lifebuoys. The
mines are destroyed by guncotton,
affording a few moments of pleasant
excitembent for the patrol.
Hundreds Of sailors from torpedoed
ships have received their first well
come 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 Brit
ish army and navy always clothes its
deeds of heroism. Here is such a
report from a cyclist patrol. culled
at random from a file at Headquar-
tiers:
Sighted small open boat drifting
towards shore. This about dawn
during binding snowstorm. Occu-
pants too exhausted to use oars. Big
sea running. Boat reached breakers
and overturned. Patrol with assist
ance from nearest huts summoned
by rockets, succeeded saving all but
three who, too number from exposure
to make any effort One of our mo-
tor transports arrived promptly took
survivors farmhouse. Bodies three
drown later taken headquarters"
On dark nights, the patrols fire.
auently encounter small ships which
have gone on sand bars owing to the
lack Of guiding land lights. A pa
troll must take every precaution
against some enemy ruse in such a
case. AS soon as word Is received
that a ship is approaching the shore,
a force of reserves is summoned and
takes up a defensive position with
machine guns Then a boarding
party is sent aboard the vessel to ex.
anime her and make a report. Ever
if there is nothing suspicious about
the vessel a guard is left aboard tc
| prevent anyone coming ashore or pos
sibly communicating with hostile
agents on shore. -
The coast patrols are on duty on
practically every mile of British coast
night and day. A. cyclist patrol is
usually on his beat" for three hours
returning to quarters for a rest per-
iod by the days routine of physical
training, musketry practice, bayonef
practice, and nanoeuvres similar to
that followed in regular infantry
camps.
Most OF the cyclist forces hope one
day to be called across the CHANNEL.
The day for which they look is the
time when a. great mobile force will
be required in Belgium and Germany
to pursue a retreating and democrat
lied enemy.
n U-