LAST WEEK’S LOSSES AT SEA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 68, 21 March 1940, Page 6

LAST WEEK’S LOSSES AT SEA

NONE OF NINE SHIPS WAS BEING CONVOYED LONDON, March 19. The British Admiralty announced that for the week ending March 17 three British ships (with a total tonnage of 5499), two French (3172 tons) and four neutral (15,321 tons) were lost as a result of enemy action. None were being convoyed. The majority of the vessels were sunk by illegal mines and only four ships have been sunk by U-boats since February 24. Those U-boats which escaped destruction were presumably withdrawn so that the crews may rest and recover from shattered nerves. Of £12,816 British Allied, and neutral ships convoyed to March 13 only 28 were lost. The French Navy convoyed more than 2000 vessels, of which only four were lost. German claims about British losses at sea are the subject of the following Admiralty statement: — “Fantastic and untrue statements of British losses at sea are constantly being made by the enemy, very often to obtain ,information. A statement containing a full list of all British. Allied, and.neutral mercantile marine losses by enemy action is issued weekly by the Admiralty and this statement is the British answer to all such German claims. It is also the policy of the Admiralty to publish the loss of British ships as soon as the next of kin of the casualties have been informed.”