U-BOAT ACTIVITY SLACKENED

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23802, 23 November 1942, Page 5

U-BOAT ACTIVITY SLACKENED

NAVAL SITUATION IN MEDITERRANEAN STATEMENT BY ADMIRAL CUNNINGHAM (Rec. 11.40 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 22. “The U-boat problem is still the greatest menace facing the United Nations, but I have no doubt we shall overcome it by breaking the morale of the submarine crews,” said Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham, Allied Naval Commander, at a press conference at Allied Headquarters in North Africa. “The activity of U-boats in the western Mediterranean has definitely slackened in the last 48 hours. The Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force have given the German and Italian submarines a good knocking about. Fifty enemy submarines have been operating in the western Mediterranean and in the Atlantic just off Gibraltar, but the losses in the opening stage of the North African campaign were considerably below expectations and not out of proportion to the results obtained. The Luftwaffe has harassed our ships supporting the troops entering Tunisia, but the damage has been minor.” Admiral Cunningham said he doubted whether the French Fleet at Toulon would ever join the Allies. Some units of the Italian fleet had been moving westward, but contact had not been established. If the Germans and Italians were cleared from North Africa the Mediterranean would be opened to fast convoys, although some ships would still have to use the Cape route. It was conservative to say that the reopening of the Mediterranean would save 2,000,000 tons of merchant shipping. _, , As a result of the United States Navy’s efforts in the Pacific and the acquisition of North African bases, the Allied naval situation was improving every day, particularly in the Atlantic. The United States naval victory in the Solomons was a very fine show. The United States Secretary of the Navy (Colonel Knox) said that many Axis submarines were concentrated close to North Africa, and others were still operating in the Atlantic. He said that Marshal Rommel probably would not leave Africa without making another stand, as he still possessed considerable forces.

ATTITUDE OF SPAIN

“ CHANGE TO STRICTER NEUTRALITY ” (Rec. 11,30 p.m.) NEW YORK, Nov. 21. The Washington correspondent of the "New York Times” says: “It is authoritatively stated that Spain’s attitude is changing to one of stricter neutrality, which it is expected will be maintained unless the Axis invades Spanish territory. “Informed circles say that some members of the Madrid Cabinet are now considered to be friendly to the Allies. It is also significant that an increasing amount of news from Allied sources is appearing in the Spanish press. "The Spanish rulers have perhaps not quite concluded that the democracies will win, but they seem convinced that we will not lose the war. In spite of German propaganda depicting Spain mobilising against the Allies. Washington officials believe that Spain fears an Axis invasion by way of the Pyrenees. This was borne out by an official, who said in a j Madrid broadcast that Spain’s position resembled Turkey’s.” 1