Britain Loses 355,132 Shipping Tons In May

Northern Advocate, 21 June 1941, Page 6

Britain Loses 355,132 Shipping Tons In May

(Rec. noon.) RUGBY. June 2C. The monthly statement of shipping losses for May has been issued by the Admiralty. Seventy-three British vessels of 355,132 gross tons, 20 Allied vessels of 92,201 tons and five neutral vessels of 14,095 tons have been lost.

Once again the total tonnage lost is about half that claimed by the enemy. The enemy’s own losses for the month were 299,000 tons, and his total losses up to June 10 are: German, 1,888,000; Italian, 1,239,000; and shipping of countries now under enemy control, 84,000; giving a total of 3,211,000 tons. British and Allied losses for May are slightly less than for the past two months, and though there is no inclination to view them with anything but concern, it may be pointed out first that in the month’s total are included the relatively heavy losses suffered in the Mediterranean as the result of the operations in Crete, which, should not recur again. Secondly, the fact that the German blockade of Britain has not been as successful as the enemy could have wished caused him to alter his tactics, and send his U-boats and heavy bombers further afield, and, as often results from a change of tactics, initial successes were gained.