LOSSES AT SEA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 June 1941, Page 5

LOSSES AT SEA

STILL HIGH IN MAY | — BUT LOWER THAN IN TWO PRECEDING MONTHS. FIGURES FOR MEDITERRANEAN INCLUDED. I (Bv Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON. June 20. British, Allied and neutral shipping losses by enemy action during the month of May were still high, but were lower than in the two preceding months. Total losses in May (British, Allied and neutral) amounted to 461,328 tons, as compared with 505,750 tons in March and 581,251 tons in April. The April figures, as now revised, have been increased by the losses incurred during the evacuation of Greece, the May losses include those that occurred in the Eastern Mediterranean during the evacuation of Crete. Total enemy shipping losses since the outbreak of war now stand at 3.250,000 tons. Details given in a British Official Wireless message show that 73 British vessels, of 355,032 gross tons, 20 Allied vessels of 92,201 tons and five neutral vessels of 14.095 tons, were lost in May. Once again the total tonnage lost is about half that claimed by the enemy. The enemy's shipping losses for the month of May were 299,000 tons and his total losses up to June 10 are:— German. 1.888,000 tons; Italian, 1.239,000 tons, and shipping of countries now under enemy control, 84,000 tons, giving a total of 3,211,000 tons. ■ The 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 relatively heavy losses suffered in the Mediterranean as the result of operations in Crete, which should not recur; secondly, the fact that the German blockade of Britain lias not been as successful as the enemy could have wished and has 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.