Merchant Ship Losses BRITAIN’S PROBLEM

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 5 December 1940, Page 7

Merchant Ship Losses BRITAIN’S PROBLEM

The latest official figures of merchant shipping losses show that there has been no casing in the rate of destruction. During the week ended November 24-25. the enemy sank a total of 22 ships aggregating 87,975 tons, of which 19 vessels of 75,560 tons were British and three were allied ships totalling .12.415 tons. During the 12 weeks from the beginning of September to November 25 the total losses of merchant ships by enemy action have been 223 vessels of 960,278 tons, of which 159 .ships totalling 730,156 tons gross register were British and 64 of 224.142 tons were allied and neutral ships. These are grave figures and hear out. the recent statements or Mr. Churchill that losses of merchant ships in recent months have been more serious from the military damage point of view than the air raids on Britain. Inrreasecl Sinkings Most of the sinkings have been due to the great activity of the enemy’s U-boats, hut the depredations of surface raiders in various parts of the world have also gone to swell the total. It cannot be too strongly emphasized that every merchant ship sunk is a definite loss to the military effort of Great Britain. As is well known the losses of refrigerated cargo ships in the New Zealand and Australian trades have been serious. The total losses of British. Allied and neutral shipping during the first twelve months of the war were 762 vessels totalling 2,550,870 tons, of which 406 were British ships. This represents an average of slightly over 14 ships and 54,800 tons a week. Losses during the twelve weeks to November 25 were 223 ships of 960,278 tons, thus making a total from the beginning of the war of 985 vessels aggregating 3,811.148 tons, bringing the average loss up to nearly 60,000 tons a week. For the latest twelve weeks the average weekly loss has been 80.000 tons, of which 61,300 tons is British. German Expectations The figures are undoubtedly serious, but they are far and away less than those claimed by U-boat commanders aiKl given out to the world by Germany. They have a particular significance when they are placed against those that are known to have been the German estimate of the effect of a submarine onslaught on world shipping at the outset of the war. Their expectation was that seaborne trade, proceeding on its normal peace-time routes at the start of the war, would be overwhelmed by their lightning Üboat attacks, and that at least 2,000,000 tons would be sunk in the first month. The total effect of the first year’s war against seaborne trade was that enemy U-boats, mines and aircraft succeeded in doing in twelve months rather more damage than their programme allowed for one month. In a year they averaged weekly sinkings of about onetenth of the amount they were ordered to sink in each of the first four weeks. Nevertheless the position today is one that must be regarded as serious. As has been pointed out in previous articles, the recent great increase in merchant ship losses is undoubtedly due to the enemy’s possession and organization of advanced U-boat bases on the French coast, the inability of Britain, due to her heavy commitments in the Mediterranean, to provide adequate escorts for the greatly increased numbers of convoys, and her non-possession of anti-submarine bases in Southern Ireland. Losses In 1917 In some respects the position today bears a close resemblance to that of 1917-18, when Germany’s total U-boat warfare was being waged. The figures already given can he compared with rhe losses of British, Allied and neural shipping during 1917, which were .is follows:—

In comparing the figures it has to be remembered that the average size of cargo ships today is considerably in excess of that of 1914-18. Replacement Of Losses The losses of British merchant shipping during the first 12 months of this war were virtually offset by new construction, captured enemy vessels and purchases of foreign ships. But if the present rate of loss, roughly two ships a day, is maintained, it is obvious that the flow of new ships will not make good the sinkings, nor can we hope for captures of many enemy ships. There remains the purchase of foreign shipping, but even this source of supply is limited. There is definitely a large influx of new ships from British yards and it will increase, but here again the demands of the Navy set a limit to the output of new merchant tonnage. Apart, too, from the ships actually sunk, there are a great many vessels that reach port in a more or less seriously damaged condition. Such ships are out of service for as long as it takes to repair them, and the demands upou the repair facilities of many shipbuilding yards is a i further hindrance to the output of new I tonnage. ! As is reported in today’s cable rues- | sages the United States is making j available to Great Britain some thoui sands of tons of merchant shipping. I Many ships have already been puri chased in that country, but most of I the tonnage available dales from the j end of last war, and is not nearly as I efficient in operation as present-da.v | types of shipping. | Destruction Of U-Boats ! There is another side to the picture | —the price paid by the enemy for the ! tonnage sunk. No figures are pubI lished of U-boat sinkings. It i.s known | that the U-boat flotillas suffered a heavy material defeat in the first four or five months of the war. The secrecy of underwater attack and counter-attack compels an almost complete silence on the results of encounters. But the U-boats suffer almost. continuous losses, and it has been proved by experience that the depressing and harassing effect on the German personnel and of their loaders of 11 to total lack of information about what happens to their missing boats is of great importance. War on U-boats and their bases and on those under construction i.s being waged ceaselessly by the B.A.F. The submarine campaign of the enemy must and will ho defeated as it was in 1918. J (S.D.W.)

1017. British. World total. January .. 153,COG 308,521 February .., .. £13,486 540,006 March .. 353, ITS 593, S41 April .... 881,027 May 596,029 June .. 417.925 087,507 •Inly .. 304,858 557,OSS August .. 329,810 511,730 September .. .. 196.212 351,74S October .. 270.132 458,558 November . .. 173,500 289,212 December ., .. 253, OS ■ 399,111 Total . 3,729,785 0,235,STS