NAVAL DAMAGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23995, 19 June 1941, Page 10

NAVAL DAMAGE

FIRST LORD'S REVIEW

LOSS OF DESTROYERS

AMAZING RECOVERY LONDON, June 18 The First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. A. V. Alexander, speaking to the Hoyal Fmpire Society, revealed that after the defection of the French fleet and the operations by the Navy in connection with the evacuation of Norway. Holland. Belgium and France, there were more than TO destroyers undergoing repairs in dockyards due to enemy damage. Ten or 11 destroyers had been sunk, and heavy casualties had been suffered. The effect, lie said, was that there was an immediate increase in the less of merchant shipping tonnage, which was not surprising. The first, requirement was to place the damaged ships in service again. This was done in spite of the fact that the shipbuilding and repairing industry had been allowed to drop to too low a level in peace time, which meant the organisation of additional workers and the training of workers, in itself a largo task. Tremendously Important Ships Nevertheless, the ships came out, and, though Mritain did not build to the extent she desired, it was amazing how much she did to stiflen the strength of the licet in the succeeding months. In addition to new destroyers and cruisers, there had been added to

the lleel the trt'iuendouslv important ships known as corvettes, which Britain now had in very largo number - -, and which he hoped' to got in over increasing iinmhcr.s. Mr. Alexander added that the detection of the French Fleet required the drafting of ships engaged on escort dtttv in the Atlantic, to the Mediterranean to take the place of casualties, which made the task of the other escorting ships more difficult.

"I will say that, in spite of any 1 criticism, the work has been done with j such a measure ol success as to enable i all of us not to know anything ol ihe i pangs of hunger." he said. Dealing with the Battle of the Ati lantie, Mr. Alexander declared it. was . quite certain that in the last four months the improved organisation ol th(> north-west approaches had resulted in such a weight ol attack on enemy submarines that tin l enemy could not stop there, but had to go to other areas. Menace from the Air Regarding the menace ironi air attack, lie pointed out that, in the whole of the last war, when the huge total of 12.000,000 tons was sunk by enemy action, only 8000 tons succumbed to ail attack. To-day. Britain had to face air attacks on her shipping, not only in her coastal waters but also iu the Mediterranean. What the ltoyal Navy rejoiced to see was the extent to which the air force, in the last lew weeks, ♦was beginning to take toll ol enemy shipping, of which Britain had already sunk or captured .'J.200.000 tons since the war started In a tribute to the work ol the Merchant Navy, Mr. Alexander concluded: "it: is perfectly grand when one hears of a merchant ship putting down a submarine, or of a little ship oil the north-east coast of Scotland coming into port with the remains ol two aeroplanes on its decks, or to hear of a sea rescue tug shooting down a great and powerful long-range Nazi bomber." GREEK NAVAL SUPPORT LONDON, June 18 A senior Greek naval oflicer lias re vealed that a cruiser, seven destroyers, two torpedo boats and live submarines have reached Alexandria and are non-co-operating with the British Mediterranean Fleet. ACCIDENT SUGGESTED BOMBING AT CHUNGKING j TOKIO, June in | Following the American Ambassador, i Mr. Joseph Crow's, sharp protest, j against bouili damage to the American j safety zone at Chungking. Viscount Isliii said Japan was investigating the incident, but he was ot the opinion that the bombing was accidental.

JAPANESE OFFICIAL

SHOT BY A' GUNMAN SHANGHAI, June 18 Mr. Chikayuki Akagi. Japanese special Deputy Commissioner on the Shanghai Municipal Council, lias been assassinated by a gunman. The Japanese officials have blamed the Chungking Government terrorists.