NAVY'S CEASELESS WATCH

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 July 1941, Page 7

NAVY'S CEASELESS WATCH

SUCCESSES AGAINST U-BOATS MARINES’ GREAT WORK RUGBY, July 16. Speaking in London of the tasks imposed on the British Navy, the First Lord (Mr. A. V.' Alexander) said: “Let me impress upon you that the supreme qualities of the Navy are shown in the accomplishment of such a great' and intricate operation as the safe transport of the armies and their equipment and supplies to Egypt, and above all, in the work of the escort and protection of our merchant shipping in the Battle of the Atlantic. This battle is continuous. It is not a battle which flares up and dies away. It is on the whole time. What is called for in seamanship, endurance, and courage defies description. The situation is always difficult, and to relax for a moment would be fatal; but there are great encouragements. Our escort ships have increased in number, although it wants many more. Our merchant ships are better armed. The operations of the Coastal Command of the R.A.F., strengthened by flyingboats from the United States, are steadily increasing on oui' trade routes, and are most valuable. R.A.F. bombers and fighters, by their increasing attacks on German-occu-pied bases, shipping and communications, are all interfering with the enemy plans. “It is on the Atlantic that our life depends, and if we defeat the Üboats and long-range aircraft our strength will steadily become overwhelming. As to the defeat of the U-boats, ‘I am not going to give you the facts and figures, for which the German intelligence service would certainly be prepared to pay many thousands of pounds. I will tell you, however, that during a recent period I received a series of reports which would encourage any First Lord. “It is not only our shipping which is being sunk . The Navy and Air Force, singly or in fine co-operation, have been taking a heavy toll of German and Italian merchant ships. Recent figures of enemy losses in this direction have been highly satisfac-. tory. The heavy strain upon the Axis transport system is thereby greatly increased. Moreover, every enemy ship thus destroyed makes it more difficult for Hitler to organise his projected invasion of this island. In this connection, you may care to hear that aircraft pilots frequently take trips in destroyers, and that officers from destroyers have opportunities of flying as passengers. In this way, they learn each other’s difficulties and requirements. “When all the branches of those who serve afloat are serving so well, I hope it will not be thought invidious if I refer specially to the Royal Marines. No regiment or corps has a finer or more honourable record. They have been tried to the limit in every quarter of the globe, and have never finled. Ln the last hours of the fierce battle of Crete, it was the Marines who fought the rearguard action, never flinching and never yielding. Thev suffered grievous losses, but proudly sustained the immortal traditions of the corps.”— 8.0.W. PLANES AND U-BOATS LONDON, July 16. , U-boat Commander Schroeder, in an article in the “Hamburger Fremdenblatt,” stated: “Germans often ask whv the U-boats do not blockade the British ports. The answer is that the R.A.F. keeps a constant watch on the coast and the approaching waters, togethei; with which the British Fleet has established practically an unbreakable watching system. The risks for the U-boats have proved too great, and the tactics of attack had to be abandoned.”