ATLANTIC CONVOYS

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 22660, 13 July 1945, Page 3

ATLANTIC CONVOYS

75,UUU SHU'S fcSCuK I bl> LOSSES TOTAL 574 (Official Wireless) (Received July 13, 1 p.m.) RUGBY, July 12 Only one ship was lost in every 131 that sailed in the Battle of the Atlantic. This is one of many striking facts disclosed by the Admiralty in an account of the contribution made by the Royal Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy, the other Dominion navies and European navies working under British control, and by the Royal Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force and other Dominion Air Forces toward victory in the Battle of the Atlantic, the longest and one of the most crucial battles of the war.

In five years and eight months, 75,000 merchant ships were escorted in or across the Atlantic in 2200 ocean convoys, the largest of which totalled 167 ships. The total number of ships lost was 574.

There were days when there were as many as 700 cargo ships at sea in the Atlantic and 100 warships protecting them. More than 200,000,000 miles were sailed by merchant ships in convoy in the Atlantic and naval escort vessels made about 13,200 separate escort voyages of many days’ duration protecting them.

They were also escorted by aircraft of the Coastal Command and the Royal Canadian Air Force r involving no fewer than 43,800 sorties.

Nearly 260,000 British mines were laid in all theatres of war. A total of 460 German and 65 Italian submarines was sunk by our naval and air forces. In addition, from preliminary information obtained from German records and captured officers, about 120 more U-boats appear to have been sunk from various causes not assessed. In addition, 81 midget U-boats were captured or sunk in the North Sea. All these U-boats are distinct from those which surrendered after May 8. /