SEA WARFARE

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 September 1940, Page 7

SEA WARFARE

FEWER SINKINGS FOR WEEK. [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, September 17. Mercantile losses due to enemy action for the week ending September 8-9, were: British, ten vessels, 28,000 tons; Allied, four vessels, 18,499 tons; neutral, two vessels, 7,848 tons. The figure for the losses of British tonnage does not include the tonnage which may prove to have been sunk by air attacks on September 7-8-9, full of which are not yet available. Subject to this proviso,' the tonnage lost during the week fell to little more than the average for the previdus 52 weeks, namely 53,900 tons, and the, British tonnage lost was below the average for the same period of 30,100 tons. Germany claims that merchant shipping sunk between midnight on September 1 and midnight on September 8, totalled 188,500 tons. DESTROYERS RE-NAMED. RUGBY, September 17. j The question of the naming of the | 50 destroyers transferred to the Brit- ; ish Flag by the United States was. raised in the Commons. I Mr A. V.” Alexander stated that, by ■ agreement between the two Govern- ■ ments, the original American names' would not be used. He disclosed the names which the King had approved ; for the first flotilla, as' follows:— - Churchill (leader), Caldwell, Cam- I eron, Castleton, Chelsea, Chesterfield, Clare, and Campbelltown.

Mi’ Alexander pointed out that these were all the names of towns or villages, common to the United Kingdom and the United States. Names on a similar basis for the other American destroyers would shortly be given, and these would include the special choice of a few names common to the West Indies as well. BIG CASUALTY LIST. (Recd. September 18, 11.25 a.m.) LONDON, September 17. An Admiralty casualty list contains the names of 804 men, from various war hazards not connected [with a particular operation or ship. Thirty-one officers and 19L ratings killed, 36 officers and 219 ratings missing, 30 officers and 269 ratings wounded, six officers taken prisoner. FRENCH SUBMARINE USED. (Recd. September 18, 1.10 p.m.) LISBON, September 17. It is believed a French submarine, manned by Germans, was responsible for the torpedoing of the Stagnes on September 14, 600 miles west of Lisbon. The Exochorda rescued the crew, thirteen British officers; and 51 Indians, on whom the submarine fired twelve times after the crew took to the boats. There were no casualties.