TOLL OF ENEMY SUBMARINES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 156, 3 July 1940, Page 7

TOLL OF ENEMY SUBMARINES.

ITALIAN AND NAZI.

Eleven Fascist Craft Now

Accounted For.

RECENT SHIPPING LOSSES

United Press Association.—Copyright.

(Received 10 a.m.)

LONDON, July 2.

A naval communique from Cairo states that British naval and air forces in the Eastern Mediterranean sank four Italian submarines besides the destroyer Espero between June 2t and 30.

It is added in London that the total number of Italian submarines sunk, between June 10 and 13, including the four mentioned in the Cairo communique, is 13. It is understood that there were some survivors from the four, all of whom were rescued. Cairo reports state that 44 survivors were picked up from the destroyer Espero, which was sunk by British naval forces on June 27. The Admiralty, confirming the destruction of the four mentioned, adds: "Near home we have also taken our toll of U-boats in the past week." The Admiralty has announced that British losses were 88,259 tons of merchant shipping in the week ended June 24. During the worst period in the last war—April, 1917—Britain lost nearly thrice that number of merchantmen and twice the tonnage weekly compared with the losses for the month ended June 24. The sinkings were considerably heavier than in previous weeks due to the increased number of U-boats operating mainly in the western approaches to the Bay of Biscay, probably from French ports. Despite heavy losses Britain's actual tonnage position is better than it was' last December, due to new construction, captures from the enemy and transfers from other flags. Italian mercantile losses to June 30 were 229,000 tons and German losses 807.000. The total British losses include 30,446 tons lost during the combined operations off French ports, and, therefore, the losses are not mercantile losses in the ordinary, sense. Similarly 33,020 out of 69,770 tons of Allied shipping was lost in like circumstances.

The net mercantile losses, therefore, were:—British, eight ships of 57,813 tons; Allied, eight ships of 36,750; neutral. 11 ships of 34,882; total, 27 ships, of 129,445 tons.

It is learned that no British or Allied ships were sunk in the Mediterranean.

FALSE NAZI, CLAIM.

BRITISH CRUISER SUNK. (Received 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, July 2. It is authoritatively stated that the German claim to have torpedoed a cruiser off Brest is without foundation.