ENEMY KEPT IN DARK

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVII, Issue 21504, 17 November 1939, Page 7

ENEMY KEPT IN DARK

Censorship Of Naval News Severe Test For U-Boat Morale British Official Wlrelees (Received November 16, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, November 15. The public is coming to realise that the strict an possibly irksome censorship of naval news is not imposed \ thout good reason. Reports of quite Innocent events may convey valuable information to the enemy. For instance although the Ashing Aeets are carrying out their usual operations and plentiful supplies of fish are being landed, no mention of their exploits will be •found in the newspapers. Fish are found on certain grounds at certain seasons and if particulars of ports, the number of vessels, or even the catches were published, the enemy from this Information could discover which ground was being used and it would be profitable to subject it to a quick raid. By reason of the might of the Allied Navies German Sea activities are confined almost to submarine operations. It is of the greatest importance to k x ep the German Admiralty as blindfolded as possible because, for instance, one of the main causes of the collapse of the German submarine campaign in the last war was the breakdown of the morale of U-boat crews. This was largely attributable to the censorship as a result of which the Germans were seldom able to find out how, when and where U-boats were destroyed. The Germans knew only that submarines left their bases and that many never returned. Successes against U-boats are, therefore, not announced. These craft operated according to a prearranged plan. When an announcement of the destruction of a U-boat is made giving the position or other clue, the gap in the scheme would at once be filled by another submarine—or if others had disappeared In the same locality a safer beat might be selected next time. Loss of Supply Ships News of the capture or the sinking of tankers or other supply ships is also withheld. It is easy to imagine the consternation of the U-boat or surface raider short of fuel and 1000 miles from home, when a supply ship falls to arrive at an appointed rendezvous. The release of such a story might well prevent a U-boat or raider from eventually being caught—at the same rendezvous perhaps. Reports of gunfire or explosions off coasts are usually censored as these often indicate anti-submarine operations. The Admiralty’s communiques are necessarily brief, being designed to tell the enemy no more than they saw ft.' themselves. The operation over and ships back in harbour, fuller press accounts may be released and British losses are always announced. It should be realised that wireless silence when at sea is Imperative or the enemy will learn where ships are. The names of officers are omitted from accounts of naval operations as their Inclusion would enable the enemy to learn the disposition of the forces from pre-war navy Ijsts giving the names of the officers in each British ship. Warships look much alike from the air and naval actions are fought at such ranges that the identification of individual ships is impossible. Neither is the name of a commander of a merchant ship wlpch may have distinguished herself, released. Many will remember that Captain Fryatt of the S.S. Brussels was marked down and eventually murdered by the Germans in the last war. In certain cases even the knowledge of what naval news is withheld may be of use to the enemy.

NAVAL CO-OPERATION

Decisive Factor In War British Official Wireless RUGBY, November 15. Many competent naval authorities believe that the close co-operation between the French and British navies is likely to prove one of the decisive factors in the war. The Anglo-French naval co-operation was planned before the outbreak of war and the exchange of visits by French and British warships to each others' ports this summer was an example of the close touch maintained between the two administrations. The result was that when war was forced upon the Western democracies by Hitler, the plans for close naval co-operation between the Allied navies were ready to be put into immediate execution. There was a firm basis of understanding between the personnels, and when the war broke out the French Navy at once took over control of certain patrol zones where It is constantly at sea, hunting German submarines, protecting sea-borne Allied commerce and sweeping German trade off the seas. Both Fleets Expanded Both fleets were being expanded meanwhile upon a war footing. Numbers of vessels with normally peaceful careers were taken over and fitted out as reinforcements for the fleet. Notable among these were a number of large and exceptionally seaworthy trawlers, which are now playing an Important part with the patrolling forces. With this expansion, the French patrol zones were widened, and they have now been largely merged into the British zones so that French and British patrols are working in a closely dove-tailed scheme. Some Convoys are operated entirely by the French Navy. Others are under its protection during part of a voyage. Others again have escorts provided by both the French and British fleets. Increased French Contribution The French Navy is also playing a notable part in circumscribing the activities of German surface raiders. That the two German pocket battleships which are at large have done so little damage to the sea-borne trade of the Allies must be ascribed to their

reluctance to risk being brought to action by Allied naval units. The co-operation between the two Navies is constantly under review. It is likely that the French Navy’s contribution to the Allied war effort on the sea may Increase, not in order to reduce the burden on the British Navy, but to assume an even more effective Allied command of the seas, and reply to the German war upon merchant vessels. FRENCH CONTRABAND HAUL United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph —Copyright (Received November 16, 10.37 p.m.) PARIS, November 16. Tile Minister of Blockade (M. Pernot) said that to November 10 the French Navy had seized 223,297 tons of merchandise consigned to Germany, including more than 100,090 tons of petroleum.