SMALL SHIPPING LOSSES

Southland Times, Issue 25703, 12 July 1943, Page 5

SMALL SHIPPING LOSSES

EXCELLENT RESULTS IN JUNE (Rec. 6.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, July 10. A joint official announcement by the British and American Governments disclosed that the losses of Allied and neutral merchantmen from U-boat attacks in June were the lowest since the United States entered the war. TransAtlantic convoys were practically unmolested. In future Mr Churchill and President Roosevelt will issue an approved statement on the shipping position once a month. U-BOAT FEWER STATEMENTS (Rec. 9 p.m.) ' LONDON, July 10. “The United States and British Governments are concerned at the number of statements which public personsand newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic are making about the U-boat war and the methods and devices employed,” says a Downing Street statement. “The enemy, by piecing together these statements, may glean more information than is desirable. “A statement, approved by President Roosevelt and Mr Churchill will, therefore, be issued on the tenth of every month. This will be the only statement made on behalf of the two Govern-

ments, apart from specially authorized announcements, statements or censored accounts of particular incidents and actions. All departments have been so instructed. It is hoped the Press, as far as possible, will co-operate in keeping technical discussions of U-boat warfare within the limits of the official announcements so as to leave the enemy in his present state of doubt and anxiety upon this most important aspect of our successful warfare at sea.” Summing up the June results of the anti-submarine operations, the state-i ment continued: — (1) The losses of Allied and neutral ships from submarine attack were the lowest since the United States entered the war. The loss from all forms of enemy action was the lowest recorded since the outbreak of war between Britain and Germany. (2) The targets offered to the antisubmarine vessels and aircraft of the United Nations were not as numerous in June as previvously, but the sinkings of Axis submarines were substantial and satisfactory. (3) Tile heavy toll taken of U-boats during May showed its effect in June, when the main trans-Atlantic convoys were practically unmolested. U-boat attacks on our shipping occurred in widely separated areas, however. Every opportunity was taken to attack U-boats leaving and returning to their bases on the west coast of France. (4) The merchant shipping tonnage of the United Nations has shown a large increase every month of 1943, also antisubmarine vessels and aircraft are coming into service in considerable numbers.