U-BOAT MENACE

Grey River Argus, 23 November 1942, Page 5

U-BOAT MENACE

STILL THE GREATEST Admiral Cunningham’s Hopes [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Rec. 12.50) LONDON, Nov. 22. “The U-boat problem is still the greatest menace that is facing the United Nations but I have no doubt that we will overcome it, by breaking the morale of the submarine crews.” said Admiral Cunningham in a press conference at the Allied Headquarters .in North Africa. “The activity of the U-boats in the Western Mediterranean has definitely slackened during the last fortyeight hours,” he said. “The Royal Navy and R.A.F. have given German and‘ltalian submarines a good knock. About fifty enemy submarines have been operating in the Western Mediterranean .and in the Atlantic, just oft Gibraltar, but our losses in the opening stage of the North African campaign have been considerably under expectations, and have not been out of proportion to the results obtained. The Luftwaffe has harassed the ships supporting the troops entering Tunisia but the damage "done is minor.” Admiral Cunningham said that there was a doubt whether the French Fleet in Toulon would ever join the Allies. Some units of the Italian Fleet, he stated, have been moving westward, but cont/act has not been established.

If the Germans and the Italians were to be cleared from North Africa, the Mediterranean must be opened t 0 fast convoys, he added. Although some ships would still have to use the Cape of Good Hope route, it would be conservative to say that a reopening of the Mediterranean would save two million tons of merchant shipping. As a result of the United States Navy’s efforts in the Pacific and of 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.

Enemy Destroyer and Tanker SUNK BY BRITISH SUBMARINES (Rec. 8.30) LONDON, Nov. 21. The Admiralty, in a communique, stated: An enemy destroyer and an enemy tanker have been sunk, and an enemy destroyer and a supply ship probably have been sunk by British submarines operating in the Mediterranean.