WAR AT SEA

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24027, 16 August 1943, Page 5

WAR AT SEA

Allied Position Improves U-BOAT ACTIVITY DECLINES (8.0. W.) RUGBY, Aug. 14. More than 90 U-boats were sank at sea during May, June, and July —an average loss of nearly one a day. During 1943 new ships completed by the Allies exceed all sinkings by more than 3,000,000 tons. These highly encouraging facts are given in the August monthly statement on the Axis U-boat warfare, issued jointly by Mr Roosevelt and Mr Churchill. The statement says:— “(1) During July very poor results were obtained by U-boats from widespread efforts against shipping. A steady flow of essential supplies on the greatest scale was conducted unmolested, and such sinkings as have taken place in these areas have had an insignificant effect on the conduct of the war by the Allies. July was probably our most successful month, because imports have been high, shipping losses moderate, and U-boat sinkings heavy. “(2) During the descent upon Sicily an armada of warships, troop transports, supply ships, and landing craft proceeded through Atlantic and Mediterranean waters with scarcely any interference. Large reinforcements have also been landed in that island. More than 2500 vessels were involved, and losses are only about 50,000 tons. On the other hand the U-boats which attempted to interfere suffered severe losses. “(3) Offensive operations against Axis submarines continue to progress most favourably in all areas. During May. June, and July we sank at least 90 U-boats—an average loss of nearly one daily over the period. “(4) The decline in the activities of U-boats is illustrated by the following figures: in the first six months of 1943 the number of ships sunk a U-boat operating was only half that in the last six months of 1942, and only a quarter of that in the first half of 1942. “(5) The tonnage of shipping in the service of the United Nations continues to show a considerable net increase. During 1943 new ships completed by the Allies exceed all sinkings from all sources by upwards of 3,000.000 tons. “(6) In spite of this very favourable progress, it must be remembered that the enemy still has large U-boat reserves completed and under 1 ' construction. It is -necessary, therefore, to prepare for an intensification of the battle both at sea and in the shipyards, and to use our shipping with the utmost economy to strengthen and speed the general offensive of the United Nations. But we can expect continued success only if we do not relax our efforts in any way.” MESSAGE TO N.Z. DIVISION CONGRATULATIONS FROM KING (8.0. W.) RUGBY. Aug. 13. A special message from the King to the members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Middle East is contained in an order of the day published by the General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Division (Lieutenant-General Bernard Freyberg, V.C.). “I am issuing this special order of the day because I shall not have the opportunity of speaking to units in the near future,” said Lieutenant-General Freyberg. “While passing through England during my journey from New Zealand, I was received in audience by His Majesty, who commanded me to bring a special message to the New Zealand Forces. His Majesty much regretted that during his visit to North Africa he was unable to see the New Zealand Division. He sent all ranks of the Expeditionary Force his congratulations on the part they have played in the long desert campaign. His Majesty said that he had the greatest confidence in the ability of the New Zealand Division to carry out any rok which it might be given, and he sent his best wishes for the future." At the end of the order LieutenantGeneral Freyberg told the New Zealanders: “We are now training for the next role. In this new phase of the war the fighting will be hard, and, knowing our enemy, we do not underrate him. But, equipped, trained, and armed as we will be, I am certain that we can look forward to the future with confidence.” In the course of his tour LieutenantGeneral Freyburg visited England, America, Australia, and Sicily. He conferred with General MacArthurani General Sir Thomas Blarney and the Australian War Cabinet, and in London with Mr Churchill. He also discussed’ future operations with the Allied Command in Sicily. MANPOWER IN AMERICA NEW DRAFTING PROGRAMME (Rec. 11 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Aug. 15. A far-reaching programme for putting into war work of the armed services all able-bodied men between 18 and 35 years of age was announced by the Manpower Commissioner (Mr Paul McNutt). The programme prevents changing jobs for more money and aims to add 2,000.000 to the armed services and 160,000 to the war labour force by July, 1944. It also wipes out fatherhood deferment and adds 118 jobs to the nonexempt list. DUMINI SHOT AT DERNA CLAIM BY AUSTRALIAN OFFICER (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) MELBOURNE, Aug. 15. Amerigo Dumini who organised the murder of Matteotti, the Italian anti-Fascist leader in 1924, was shot dead in Libya two years ago, and an official Rome News Agency report cabled on August 13 of his arrest at the direction of Marshal Badoglio is a fake. This allegation has been made by an Australian Army officer who claims to have shot Dumini at Derna during the retreat from Benghazi to Tobruk in April, 1941. “I was captain in charge of a company that had been left at Derna to guard 400 Italian war prisoners, including Dumini, who had been arrested by the British authorities and kept in gaol,” states the officer. “Dumini was awaiting trial for espionage and for the murder of British subjects. When I told Dumini I was going to take him back to Tobruk with us, he made a rush for the door. We struggled. He broke free and I drew my service pistol and called on him to halt as he was bolting for the door," Dumini, added the officer, was known to be a dangerous character, and was suspected of being a leading Gestapo agent in Libya. He lived in a palatial home with a host of servants and had his private aeroplane with his own landing ground. He spoke English fluently and before his arrest had been entertaining British officers. An Australian war correspondent back from the Middle East says Dumini was a man one could never mistake. His left hand was badly maimed as a result of a,dagger injury received in an initiation ceremony by which he became a member of the Mafia secret society.