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Catalogue Reference:cab/66/14/17
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SECRET.
Copy No.
W.P. (40) 4 8 7
(Also Paper No. C.O.S. (40) 1056)
-December 19, 1940
TO BE K E P T UNDER LOCK AND KEY,
It is requested that special care may be taken to
ensure the secrecy of this document.
WAR CABINET WEEKLY
(No.
RESUME
68)
of the
NAVAL, MILITARY AND AIR SITUATION
from 12 noon December 12th to
12 noon December' 19th,
[Circulated with the approval of
the Chiefs of Staff. I
Cabinet War Room
NAYAL SITUATION. General Review.
Naval forces in the Eastern Mediterranean have been continuing operation ­
in support of the Army in the Western Desert.
Although the tonnage which has been reported lost due to enemy action is
considerable, the actual losses of merchant shipping during the week under
review, as far as is known at present, were not excessive. Minelaying by enemy
aircraft has been concentrated on the south-ea,st coast.
'
.
Home Waters.
2. M.T.Bs. carried out a sweep off the Belgian coast on the night of the
13th December but sighted no enemy ships. During a similar operation on the
night of the 17th/ 18th a large armed merchant vessel was torpedoed and sunk
off Zeebrugge, one armed trawler was hit by machine-gun fire and another possibly
hit by a torpedo. No casualties or damage were sustained by our forces.
The British-manned French torpedo-boat Branlebas apparently broke her
back and foundered off the Lizard in heavy weather while escorting a convov
to Dartmouth on the 14th; 3 survivors were picked up. On the 17th H.M
Destroyer Acheron sank following an explosion whilst carrying out high-speed
turning trials off the Isle of Wight. Some survivors were picked up. The cause
of the explosion has not been ascertained, but a new contact minefield is suspected
in this area.
On the 15th December H.M. Minesweeper Britomart was damaged in collision
off the Orkneys and will require docking. On the same day the Polish destroyer
Blyskawica dragged on to H.M. Canadian destroyer Skeena in the Clyde and
damaged her above the waterline.
The Town class destroyers (ex-US.S.) Reading and Ramsey have arrived in
home waters from Canada.
H.M. Cruiser Mauritius was commissioned on the 14th December.
North Atlantic.
3: During the week a force, which included heavy ships, has carried out
a patrol in the Azores area, and additional submarine patrols have been stationed
in the Bay of Biscay.
Mediterranean.
4. Naval units of the Mediterranean Fleet have been engaged in harassing
the retreat of the Italians, supplying our forward troops and evacuating
prisoners. H.M. Monitor Terror, with Swordfish aircraft co-operating, success­
fully bombarded Bardia. During this operation Terror was ineffectively
attacked by an E-Boat. The Italian submarine Naiade, which attempted to
interfere with these operations, was sunk by H.M. destroyers Hyperion and
Here-ward, on the morning of the 14th, five officers and 42 ratings being taken
prisoner.
H.M.S. Coventry was torpedoed by a U-Boat on the 13th, but was only
slightly damaged.
Fleet Air Arm aircraft from Malta successfully attacked Tripoli on the
night of the 13th/14th, obtaining three direct hits on two ships alongside as well
as inflicting damage on warehouses, and bombing ships in harbour.
H.M. Submarine Truant reported that she sank one and possibly two loaded
merchant ships off Cape Spartivento on the night of the 13th/14th, and a large
south-bound tanker in the Gulf of Taranto on the night of the 15th/16th.
H.M. Submarine Triton and the Free French submarine Narval are both
overdue. The former was on patrol in the South Adriatic, and the latter between
Sicily and Tripoli.
Anti-Submarine Operations.
5. H.M. Submarine Thunderbolt reported that she successfully attacked an
Italian U-Boat escorted by three trawlers off the Gironde on the 15th December.
H.M.S. Bridgewater, which was escorting a merchant ship to Freetown,
chased a U-Boat of unknown nationality i n a position 150 miles west of Dakar.
An attack was made by one of our aircraft on the 13th December eight miles
north-west of Newquay, and one hit Was claimed with a 100-lb. bomb. Destroyers
and aircraft continued to search and H M . A / S Yacht Migrante attacked a firm
contact 30 miles to the northward on the following day.
;
Enemy Intelligence.
.
German.
6. Air reconnaissances of the German naval ports on the 14th and
15th December produced the first substantial information of German main units
available for some time. The battleships Bismarck and Tirpitz were seen at
Hamburg and Wilhelmshaven respectively ^ A t Kiel the pocket battleship Lutzow
had moved out of dry dock and was alongside. The two old Schlesien class
battleships were both in Kiel, one in dry dock and one in a floating dock.
A six-inch cruiser, probably Niirnberg, was also in dry dock at Kiel. Six
destroyers were seen in the German ports as a whole, and one in dry dock. There
was no indication of the whereabouts of either Scharnhorst or Gneisenau.
Italian.
7. Air reconnaissance of Italian ports on the 17th and 18th December
observed one cruiser in dock at Naples, and a number of merchant ships in the
port; one 6-inch cruiser at Messina; and two Cavour class battleships, one 6-inch
cruiser and five destroyers at Taranto. There were no reports of the whereabouts
of the other battleships.
U-Boats.
8. In the earlier part of the week there were five or six German and two
or three Italian U-Boats in the North-West Approaches. There are indications
that in this area the Germans have been moving gradually northwards and the
Italians have correspondingly moved to the central part of the area. The present
dispositions suggest that when the Germans leave patrol, they may return to
Bergen in preference to Lorient. One or two German U-Boats are in the Cape
VerdeiArea and to the south of it (one may possibly be Italian) and perhaps two
Italian U-Boats near the Azores.
There is no further news of the two Italian U-Boats which left Tangier on
the 13th December.
Enemy Attack on Seaborne Trade.
AOTE.—The following figures give the losses which have been reported
during the period the llth-lQth
December.
They should not be
confused with the figures shown for the last week in the diagrams of
shipping losses attached at the back of the Resume, which show the
actual losses for each complete iveek since the outbreak of war and are
only made up to midnight of Sunday-Monday
of the week immediately
preceding that covered by this Resume. Later figures are not included
in the diagrams as they are likely to be unreliable, owing to delayed
notifications and uncertainty regarding the result of recent attacks.
9. Details of shipping losses are given in Appendix I.
23 ships
totalling 114,863 tons were reported lost by enemy action. Of these, 16 ships
(86,837 tons)' were British; 14 ships (90,657 tons) were sunk by U-Boats (12 in
the North-Western Approaches and 2 off the Spanish coast); 3 ships (12,038 tons)
by raider and E-Boats; 1 ship (1,673 tons) by aircraft; and 5 ships (10,495 tons)
by mines. 8 British ships and 1 Swedish ship were reported damaged by enemy
action. During the period from noon the 11th December to noon the
18th December only 6 ships (4 British), 3 of which were sailing out of convoy,
were reported attacked by U-Boats, and of these 4 were sunk, 5 British ships
were mined off Southend, of which 4 were sunk, and 3 ships were attacked by
aircraft. Mr. Howe, the Canadian Minister of Munitions, was among the
survivors from the s.s. Western Prince, which was torpedoed and sunk far out
m the North-Western Approaches on the 14th December. On the same evening
a single E-Boat torpedoed and sank the Danish s.s. Monberg in a southbound
convoy off Yarmouth. The British s.s. Newton Pine reported that she was
[22038]
'
B
attacked by a U-Boat about 700 miles south-west of Freetown on the
13th December. The ship was first attacked by torpedo, which was avoided
and then unsuccessfully engaged by gunfire for half an hour.
On the 18th the British merchant ship Duquesa, on her way from Montevideo
to Freetown, reported that she was being shelled by an enemy raider 700 miles
south-west of Freetown. The report, which was incomplete, indicated that the
raider was the A dmiral Scheer. Dispositions were made to meet this situation.
Protection of Seaborne Trade.
10. During the week ending noon Wednesday, the 18th December, 671 ships,
including 134 allied and 20 neutral, were convoyed, of which seven were lost by
enemy action. These seven ships include three in a homeward-bound convoy from
Flalifax. Other ships in this convoy were sunk before the arrival of the local
escort, and have, therefore, been excluded from the losses in convoy. One battle­
ship, one cruiser, ten armed merchant cruisers, 35 destroyers and 28 sloops and
corvettes were employed on escort duties.
Since the beginning of the war 207 ships, including 23 allied and 16 neutral,
have been lost out of 47,281 ships, including 5,110 allied and 4,221 neutral, which
have been convoyed.
Imports into Great Britain by ships in convoy during the week ending the
14th December totalled 904,673 tons, compared with 571,979 tons during the
previous seven days and an average of 822,773 tons for the previous ten weeks.
Fifteen tankers brought 165,522 tons of oil, compared with 126,348 tons in thirteen
tankers during the week ending the 6th December.
Mineral imports were
255.545 tons, of which 180,097 tons were steel, scrap iron, pig iron and iron ore.
Timber and pulp imports were 66,513 tons, an increase of 9,825 tons. Cereal
imports were 221,743 tons, compared with only 41,225 tons in the previous week.
Twenty-six ships were fully laden with grain.
British Minelaying.
11. During the week H.M.S. Adventure laid 560 mines in the St. George's
Channel, and H.M. Ships Teviot Bank and Icarus laid mines off the Firth of
Forth in the East coast mine barrier.
Enemy Minelaying, British Minesweeping.
12. During the week mineiaying by enemy aircraft was confined to the East
coast, from the Humber southward, except on the night of the 17th December,
when minelaying at Belfast was suspected. The Thames Estuary has been visited
most nights, the raids being particularly intense on the nights of the 12th/13th
and the 13th/14th December. Both the Thames and the Medway were closed
for over 30 hours from early on the 13th December, though traffic was allowed
to proceed in the London area after being stopped for about 10^ hours.
No casualties were caused by mines during the week until the 17th December,
when seven ships were mined early in the day off Southend. The mines, which
had been laid three or four nights previously, were delay action and must have
become active just about the time the ships were passing, as these waters had
been swept during the night without result, the sweeping being completed about
two hours before the first ship was mined.
An enemy aeroplane was seen laying mines about nine miles east of Yarmouth,
to the westward of the War Channel on the 16th December. The area was
searched by LL and S.A. Trawlers, and the latter detonated 3 mines.
LL.Sweeps have detonated 6 mines during the week, two in the? Barrow
Deep, three in the Thames-Medway area and one off Plymouth. A skid detonated
one mine off Yarmouth.
One acoustic mine was detonated in the Barrow Deep on the 12th December
besides the three mentioned above in the Thames-Medway area, and two mines
were detonated in the Barrow Deep on the 16th December.'
13. During the week nine mines and nineteen explosive cutters have been
found in the Dover minefield, making a total of twenty mines and twenty-nine
explosive cutters found in this field. The explosive cutters are much more efficient
than they have been previously, cutting the sweep every time. (Owing to the
duplication of a minesweeping report last week the total of contact mines-in this
field must be reduced by two.)
Paddle Minesweepers, operating in the outer Thames Estuary, have
destroyed two contact mines.
The mine totals are as follows: acoustic 96, magnetic 820, contact 761.
Temporary arrangements are being made to transfer as many motor coasting
ships as possible from East to West coast trading, as it is considered desirable,
on account of the danger from acoustic mines, that as few as possible should be
trading on the East coast south of the Firth of Forth.
H.M.A.S. Bathurst, the first of her class of minesweepers, was commissioned
on the 6th December.
Enemy Merchant Shipping.
German.
14. The Baden (8,204 tons), which, has been in the Canaries since the
outbreak of war, sailed from Teneriffe on the 16th December, and the Madrid
(8,777 tons) left Las Palmas on the 11th December in a Northerly direction.
The tanker Rekum (5,540 tons), which left Teneriffe on the 17th July, is said
to have arrived at St. Nazaire on the 8th October and landed a wounded seaman
from the Cymbeline (sunk by a German raider on the 2nd September). An Italian
broadcast on the 12th December stated that the Helgoland (3,664 tons), which left
Puerto Colombia on the 28th October, had reached a German port. This ship is
suspected of having acted as a supply ship to a raider.
Four German merchant ships are now reported to be trading between East
coast Spanish ports and Marseilles and Genoa with cargoes of fruit.
In the Black Sea the Ithaka (1,773 tons) left Galatz about the 12th December
with a cargo of .720 tons of German munitions consigned via Batum to the Persian
Government.
Italian.
15. The Fortunata (2,715 tons), previously taken in prize by the French, is
believed-to be at P o r t Lyautey, Morocco, where she was recently unloading her,
cargo of toluol. A n Italian crew is reported to have arrived at Larache via Spain.
MILITARY SITUATION.
The Balkan States.
Greece and Albania.
(See also para. 20 below.)
16. Though there have been no spectacular events during the past week, the
Greek advance has continued slowly along the whole front. On the coastal sector
Tepelene is now under heavy artillery fire. The town stands at the end of a
strongly fortified gorge, and its capture will be an event of considerable
importance. In the mountains more snow has fallen and most of the front is
now under a depth of three feet. Voskopoja has had 18 degrees of frost.
17.
The following personnel arrived at Athens on the 9th December : —
Majority of Military Mission (No. 27). Detachment of Kent Corps Troops R.E. Bomb Disposal Unit. 25 Specialist Officers. Bulgaria.
18 Heavy rain has caused flooding throughout Southern and South-Eastern
Bulgaria, and dislocation of traffic on roads and railways, while deep snow is
still lying in the Sofia area and the Balkan mountains. Aerodromes in the SouthEast are unserviceable.
;
Italy and Italian Possessions.
. 1 9 - The Italian people must by now be aware of reverses in Albania and
Libya, but it is improbable that the true state of affairs has been allowed to leak
out A rumour regarding the resignation of Marshal Graziani has had some
T
circulation. The Western Desert has been successfully cleared of Italian troops
and the offensive is being carried into Libya. I t is difficult to forecast future
Italian intentions now that they have been deprived of the bulk of their native
troops, which were used as so much " cannon fodder."
20. . In Albania the Italian withdrawal appears to be slowing up. Units
have been reinforced individually by small drafts sent by air and sea. It is not
known whether the Italians will continue their withdrawal to a pre-arranged
defensive line, or whether the question of an evacuation is being considered.
Middle East.
Egypt.
21. By the 13th December the elimination of the Italian 64th Division
(captured complete at Buq Buq) and 1st and 2nd Libyan Divisions had been
confirmed, and the number of prisoners taken was estimated at 25,000. The enemy
was then withdrawing from the Bir Sofafi area towards Sollum, pursued by a
mobile column formed from the 7th Armoured Division. The withdrawal was
subject to heavy air bombing.
22. On the 16th December Sollum and Fort Oapuzzo were evacuated, the
garrisons withdrawing into the Bardia defences, the exit from which was blocked
by 4th Armoured Brigade astride the Tobruk road.
23. By the 17th December the frontier forts of Musaid, Sidi Omar and
Sheferzen had been captured, and a further 800 prisoners and a battery of
artillery taken. The 16th Australian Brigade, operating from Siwa, dispersed
an enemy column,withdrawing from Jarabub.
-; i 24. On the 19th December advanced elements of our troops, which have
successfully contained numerically superior forces of the enemy in Bardia, were
being steadily reinforced, and the position of the Italian Army in this area may
be regarded as precarious.
25. The number of prisoners taken so far is 31,546, including 1,626 officers.
Several thousand more prisoners are being evacuated from the battle areas.
26. The total British and Imperial casualties reported up to the
16th December are 72 killed and 738 wounded.
Sudan.
27. In the Kassala and Gallabat sectors our patrols have been active.
Enemy positions have been harassed by artillery fire and a number of casualties
inflicted. A few casualties but little material damage have been sustained as a
result of enemy air and artillery action.
The 144 Field Regiment, R.A., has.arrived in the Sudan.
East
Africa.
28. On the 16th December El Wak (90 miles N.E. of Wajir) was success­
fully raided by a force composed of 1st South African Brigade and 24th Gold
Coast Brigade from Wajir. Fifty of the enemy were killed and a number of
prisoners taken. A quantity of material, including 13 small and 2 heavy guns,
was captured.
Far East.
Indo-China.
29. The Japanese garrison in Indo-China is thought to be not more than
the 6,000 men allowed by arrangement with the French. There are no signs of
any further southward advance, and at the moment economic discussions hold
the field. Further reports of the disorders in the Saigon area, which are thought
to be Communist, show that they were serious. The French state that the
uprisings have been almost mastered.
;
Thailand. ----- .; . ..
30. Frontier clashes with the French and aerial bombing reprisals have
been continuing, but there are now signs of negotiations to settle the dispute
amicably.
AIR
SITUATION. General Review. 31. Unfavourable weather conditions have again restricted our operations
against the enemy. The outstanding event of the week was the heavy and success­
ful attack on Mannheim on the night of the 16th-l7th December. Important
targets at Naples and Milan have also been attacked. Aircraft of the Coastal
Command made several successful bombing attacks on enemy shipping during
the week.
Adverse weather also affected the operations of the enemy against this
country, though a particularly heavy attack was made on the Sheffield area on
the night of the 12th-13th December.
In Egypt and Libya our aircraft have again given effective support to the
military forces, and have achieved a decisive ascendancy over the enemy. In
Greece our operations were hampered by bad weather conditions, but successful
bombing attacks were made on Valona and Durazzo.
Operational aircraft battle casualties and extracts from recent Raid Assess­
ment Reports are given in Appendices V I and V I I .
Germany and Occupied Territory.
32. During the week 9 day and 280 night sorties were flown by Bomber
Command and numerous additional attacks were made by Coastal Command
aircraft. Bad weather has either cancelled or restricted our operations on three
nights, but the week has two outstanding attacks.
33. Berlin was bombed during protracted operations over a wide area on
the night of the 15th/16th December, and transportation, power and armament
targets were attacked in excellent visibility. On the following night the sole
objective was the industrial centre of Mannheim on which 108 tons of high­
explosive and over 13,000 incendiary bombs were dropped. Countless fires were
started and aircraft which arrived late in the night reported that many blocks
in the Western and South-Eastern areas were ablaze. Aircraft visited the town
on the two following nights and reported many fires still burning after the
previous attacks, and smoke hanging over the town.
34. Further operations comprised a highly successful attack on the inland
port of Frankfurt, where the docks were severely damaged, and raids on the K r u p p
Shipyards and docks at Kiel. The submarine bases at Brest and Bordeaux were
visited on several occasions, and Channel ports and aerodromes, including
Guernsey, Lorient, Brest and Lanvedoc, were bombed by aircraft of both Bomber
and Coastal Commands. Three Coastal Command aircraft on a special mission
to Norway attacked the Bergen-Oslo Railway and scored a direct hit on a station.
Italy.
35. Naples was attacked by eight Wellingtons from Malta on the night of
the 14th/15th December. Hits were made on a concentration of cruisers,
destroyers and battleships, and an Italian report admitted damage to a medium­
sized naval unit, with fifty casualties. Naples Aerodrome and Margellingo
Junction were also attacked at the same time.
36. The Pirelli Rubber Factory at Milan was attacked by Wellington
aircraft from England on the night of the 18th/19th December and, amidst
other fires, a large rectangular building was observed to catch fire and burn
fiercely with frequent explosions. Single attacks were also made on the railway
at Novara and the docks at Genoa and were observed to start bright fires.
.
Great Britain.
37. Fighter Command flew 42,7 patrols involving 1,057 sorties by day and
81 by night. These figures show a further decrease, and the number of German
aircraft which operated against this country during the week was much smaller
than during the previous week, 335 by day as compared with 670, and 755 by night
as compared with 1,095. Our fighters destroyed seven enemy aircraft during the
week and suffered two casualties.
[22038]
c
38. The enemy's daylight activities consisted mainly of poastal reconnais­
sances. Only one fighter sweep was made during the week—on the 12th December
by forty aircraft over South-East England; two of these were shot down by our
fighters.;
..
,
'
' '
''
39. Adverse weather has limited-the German effort by night. On three
nights of the week no enemy aircraft flew inland, and on two other nights
penetrations were few. However, on the- two .nights when conditions were
favourable the enemy continued his policy of making heavy attacks on industrial
areas. On the night of the 12th-13th December, 380 enemy aircraft were employed
against this country, mainly against Sheffield, Leeds and other industrial centres
in the Midlands and North-East England, and on the night of the 15th-16th,
110 aircraft delivered attacks mainly against the Sheffield, Coventry and Derby
areas.
Coastal.
40. During the week 155 patrols, involving 449 sorties (including 186 convoy
escorts), were flown by aircraft of the Coastal Command, in addition to the
bombing attacks on objectives in France and Norway already reported. Mines
were laid off Brest, Lorient and the Ems River, and many photographic
reconnaissances were made by our aircraft along the French, Belgian, Dutch,
German and Norwegian Coasts.
41. Enemy Coastal shipping was attacked, and a 2,000-ton merchant vessel
received two direct hits on the bridge, off the Norwegian coast. Two other
merchant vessels were hit off Brest and Lorient, and a ship in convoy off Boulogne
was seen to list after attack.
42. Enemy mine-laying took place on the, first four nights of the week, with
an average of 25 aircraft per night. Attacks by enemy aircraft on our shipping
were negligible during the week, although German Coastal units operated over
the North Sea and Western Approaches, and slight activity was reported from
the enemy long-range aircraft over the Atlantic.
Malta.
43. Adverse weather conditions caused some diminution in our air activity.
Several reconnaissances were made by our aircraft of Naples, Taranto, Brindisi,
Messina and the Ionian Sea. The successful attacks, by Wellingtons on Naples,
and by Fleet Air Arm aircraft on Tripoli, have already been described.
Enemy aircraft unsuccessfully attacked the Island on three occasions. Their
bombing was inaccurate and the only damage caused was to civilian property.
Greece and Albania.
.44. Bad weather conditions have continued to make air operations over
Albania extremely difficult. Nevertheless, successful raids have been carried out
by our aircraft against Valona and Durazzo, where ships in the harbours,
barracks, dumps and motor transport were hit. Several reconnaissances over
the Ionian Sea have also been flown.
Italian aircraft have been employed in supporting their troops in Albania
and in attacks on villages and communications, but their bombing continues to
be comparatively ineffective.
Egypt and Libya.
45. Intensive air operations in support of[J.and offensive continue. Our
bombers have flown approximately 250 bombing sorties and have carried out
numerous reconnaissances. Our fighters, in addition to harassing enemy land
forces and inflicting heavy casualties on troops and motor vehicles, have destroyed
twenty-seven bombers and eighteen fighters in the a i r - t w e n t y on one day.
46. The main harbours, fuel, stores and munition dumps and military
objectives of every kind have been heavily attacked, especially at Bardia, which
was visited no less than thirteen times and where it is considered that very
heavy damage was done.
,
47. Many enemy aerodromes and landing grounds have been heavily
attacked, extensive damage being done to hangars, administrative buildings' and
aircraft on the ground. The heaviest of these attacks was made on the night of
the 17th/18th December against a concentration of enemy aircraft a t Beniha.
Two Blenheims and seventeen Wellingtons took part and, in addition to the
destruction of hangars, it is estimated that forty enemy aircraft were rendered
unserviceable; twelve of these were set on fire and six destroyed or seriously
damaged. Ten fighters were taken on the ground at Sollum.
48. Italian air operations have been concentrated on an attempt to stem
the British advance by bombing and machine-gun attacks on our armoured and
motorised columns and troops. These attacks have riot met with much success
a result of our defensive fighter patrols and repeated raids on enemy
aerodromes.
a s
Sudan and East Africa.
49. Our aircraft have continued to maintain considerable activity against
enemy aerodromes, dumps and troop positions in this region, Assab Asmara
Gura and El Wak being the chief objectives. Direct hits were registered on
aerodromes and hangars, on stores and on transport parks. El Wak was
heavily and successfully attacked on the 16th and 17th December
Offensive
reconnaissances were again flown by aircraft of the South African A i r Force.
50. Enemy bombers attacked Port Sudan on the 16th and 17th and
succeeded m destroying 10,000 gallons of petrol. Our fighters intercepted and
damaged one enemy aircraft.
Aden.
51. Air operations against the Quteibi continue, but there are signs that
the tribesmen are tiring of resistance and a meeting is being arranged.
Air Intelligence.
Russia.
no J,P;
P
d that operations were carried out during the night of the
26/27th October last in order to test the air defences of the region of the Baku
oilfields According to the statement made after the exercises, the aircraft
engaged were able to penetrate the air defences of Baku, but failed to locate the
oil refineries, which had been camouflaged.
i s
r e
o r t e
HOME SECURITY SITUATION.
General.
52A. The extent of enemy air activity is summarised under Air Situation.
Only one serious incident occurred by day; this was at Chesterton, near
Newcastle-under-Lyme, where 15 people were killed.
53. The principal events of the week were attacks on Sheffield on the nights
of the 12th-13th and 15th-16th, which rendered approximately 16,000 people
homeless. On the night of the 16th-l7th minor incidents were reported from
many parts of the country, including London. No attacks were made on the night
of the 17th-18th and the 18th-19th.
Damage.
Sheffield.
54. An attack lasting nearly nine hours was made on the night of the
12th-13th and was concentrated mainly on the centre, north-west and south-east
of the City. Although over 200 incidents were reported, the main Steel Valley
largely escaped, and onlv four cases of substantial damage have been reported.
The attack on the night of the 15th-16th lasted three hours, and was mainly
in the east and east centre; many factories were hit, but only nine of these suffered
substantial damage.
55. The effect on war production has not been serious, except indirectly
through damage to public utilities. The Neepsend Gas Works' were severely
damaged, and this, together with many broken mams, resulted in extensive failure
of gas supplies. Electricity was not so badly affected, but the water distribution
system in three of the city's zones of supply suffered considerable damage, and it
has been necessary to supply them from carts.
56 Transport was badly disorganised and many roads and main-line
railways were temporarily blocked. A start has been made in restoring tram
routes for munition workers, but it will be some time before trams run through the
centre of the city.
57. The material damage caused was extensive, particularly in the central
commercial part of the city, where numerous fires were started.
Service Property.
58 Military Headquarters and offices were damaged at Canvey Island on
the night of the 14th/15th December and military billets suffered extensively at
Butlin's Camp, Clacton, on the 16th December; some damage was done to Fort
Burgoyne, Dover, on the night of the 15th/16th December.
Civilian Casualties.
59 For the week ending 0600 the 18th December the approximate figures
are 627 killed and 895 injured and include the following
i
S e r i o u s
Sheffield, 12th/13th and 15th/16th
Birmingham, 11th/12th
...
Cheltenham, 11th/12th
...
Killed.
370
95
19
Injured.
455
235
1 6
Unexploded Bombs.
60. The total outstanding has fallen from 2,240 to 2,104.
Civil Defence Operations.
61. The Sheffield raid of the 12th/13th December fully extended the Civil
Defence Services. Police, fire and rescue party reinforcements were called in, and
some 2,000 troops were provided to help the Chief Constable and City Engineer.
APPENDIX
Enemy Attack on Trade.
Noon, December 11, to Noon, December 18.
Section (A).-Merchant Vessels (excluding Commissioned Merchant Vessels) of all tonnages reported lost by enemy action,
(Mote.—Tonnages are gross unless otherwise stated.)
o
CO
I.
'
By Submarine.
5
Date.
Dec. 2
Dec. 2
Dec. 2
Dec. 2
Dec. 2
Dec. 2
Dec. 3
Dec. 7
Dec. 8
Dec. 9
D e c . 11
D e c . 11
D e c . 12
D e c . 14
N a m e and
Tonnage.
... Gwalia
...
(1,258 t o n s )
... Ville D'Arlan
...
(7,555 t o n s ) ... Victoria
City
...
(4,739 t o n s ) .
... M / V . T a n k e r
Victor
Ross
(12,247 t o n s ) ... Goodleigh
(5,448 t o n s )
... M / V . Lady
Glanely
(5,497 t o n s )
... Daphne
...
(1,513 t o n s )
Farmsum
(5,237 t o n s )
... Calabria...
(9,515 t o n s )
... Empire
Jaguar...
(5,186 t o n s )
... Rotorua...
(10,890 t o n s )
. . . Towa
(5,419 t o n s )
... Macedonier
(5,227 t o n s )
... Western
Prince
(10,926 t o n s )
Nationality.
Swedish
...
Milford
Belgian
General...
British
Steel
H o w sunk.
T o -
From—
Cargo.
Haven
I n Convoy
or n o t . *
Lisbon
Torpedo
... Y e s
Liverpool
Torpedo
..
London
Torpedo
Yes...
F a t e of C r e w a n d o t h e r R e m a r k s .
Position.
230 m i l e s W e s t
Cape Roca North'Atlantic
of
4 survivors. F a t e of c r e w n o t k n o w n . Halifax-
...
Yes....
F a t e of c r e w n o t k n o w n . ... N o r t h A t l a n t i c
Halifax British
Ballast
N e w Y o r k ... T o r p e d o
... N o t
British
Timber
New Westand lead
minster
W h e a t and Vancouver
general
Oban
Torpedo
... Y e s . . .
... T o r p e d o
... Y e s . . .
Torpedo
Yes...
Torpedo
... N o t . . .
British
Buenos
Aires
General... Table Bay... Clyde
Torpedo
Not
British
G e n e r a l . . . Cardiff
Torpedo
... N o t
Torpedo
... Y e s
Torpedo
... Y e s . . .
... T o r p e d o
... Y e s . . .
N e w Y o r k . . . L i v e r p o o l ... T o r p e d o
... N o t . . .
British
Swedish
Dutch
British
Dutch
Belgian
British
...
...
L i v e r p o o l ...
Glasgow
London
... L i s b o n
Blyth
Pbiladelphia
G e n e r a l . . . L y t t e l t o n ... A v o n m o u t h
Grain and
trucks
Phosphates
Special
cargo
Montreal
Halifax
... O b a n
Tees
3 5 5 m i l e s W . N . W . of
Bloody Foreland F a t e of c r e w n o t k n o w n . 4 1 0 m i l e s W e s t o f 37 s u r v i v o r s , 1 m i s s i n g . ­
Bloody Foreland ... 4 1 0 m i l e s W e s t of F a t e of c r e w n o t k n o w n .
Bloody Foreland
... Off S . W . c o a s t
Spain
5 0 0 m i l e s W e s t of
Ireland
300 miles
W.S.W.
Slyne H e a d
2 5 0 m i l e s W e s t of
Ireland
110 m i l e s N . W . b y
W. St. Kilda
90 miles W. by N.
Flannen Is.
... 1 m i l e . W e s t of S t .
Kilda
400 m i l e s
W.N.W.
Cape W r a t h
1 s u r v i v o r , 18 m i s s i n g .
F a t e of c r e w n o t k n o w n .
F a t e of c r e w n o t k n o w n .
F a t e of c r e w n o t k n o w n .
S u r v i v o r s : 88 officers a n d c r e w a n d
18 o t h e r s .
15 s u r v i v o r s ; a l s o 2 D e m s . g u n n e r s .
37 s u r v i v o r s , 4 m i s s i n g .
154 s u r v i v o r s a r r i v e d G r e e n o c k , 6 "pas­
sengers a n d 9 crew lost.
* T h i s i n f o r m a t i o n is p r o v i s i o n a l a n d m a y b e m o d i f i e d s u b s e q u e n t l y o n r e c e i p t of C o m m o d o r e ' s r e p o r t .
By Surface Graft.
N a m e and
Tonnage.
Date.
Nationality.
A u g . 10 ... S / V B a r q u e Killoran
(1,817 t o n s )
Cargo.
1
From—
T o -
Finnish
N o v . 29
... Nowshera
(7,920 t o n s )
British
D e c . 15
... N.G. Monberg
(2,301 t o n s )
... B r i t i s h
G e n e r a l . . . Adelaide
... D u r b a n
London
Tyne
H o w Sunk.
I n Convoy
or not.*
Position.
F a t e of C r e w a n d R e m a r k s .
Raider
Not
Off L a s P a l m a s
M a s t e r and crew in F r a n c e ,
Raider
Not
S.E.
F a t e of c r e w n o t k n o w n .
E-boat
torpedo
Yes...
Off Y a r m o u t h
9 survivors.
Yes
Thames Estuary
Formerly damaged, now reported total
loss.
of
Madagascar
By Aircraft.
Nov. 7
.. Astrologer
(1,673 t o n s )
British
Wheat
London
... L e i t h
Bomb
By Mine.
Rosario
London
Thames Estuary
Formerly damaged, now reported cons t r u c t i v e t o t a l loss.
British
Hull
London
At Southend...
4 survivors, 1 wounded, 8 missing
British
Sunderland
London At S o u t h e n d . . .
15 s u r v i v o r s , 6 m i s s i n g .
At Southend...
2 survivors, 1 wounded, 3 dead.
At Southend...
2 survivors.
O c t . 21
..
M/V
British
D e e . 17
..
Malrix
...
(703 t o n s )
D e c . 17
..
Beneficent
(2,944 t o n s ) D e c . 17
..
M / V Aqueity
(370 t o n s )
D e c . 17
..
Inver
(1,543 t o n s )
Houston
City
(4,935 t o n s )
Grain
Coas ting
... B r i t i s h
British
Blvth
Cowes
T h i s i n f o r m a t i o n is p r o v i s i o n a l a n d m a y b e m o d i f i e d s u b s e q u e n t l y o n r e c e i p t of O o m m o d o r e ' s r e p o r t .
M
Section
Date. (B).—Merchant
Vessels (excluding Commissioned Merchant Yessels) of all tonnages R E P O R T E D d a m a g e d by Enemy A c t i o n .
N a m e and Tonnage. N o v . 27
... 8/T Rattray
(182 t o n s )
Nov. 27
... S/T
Gharmouth
(195 t o n s )
Nationality.
From—
T o -
Fish
A / C , M.G.
British
Fish
A/C.,
British
Grain and Montreal
trucks
D e c , 11
... Saxon Queen
(482 t o n s )
... B r i t i s h
D e c . 11
... Tor
(1,130 t o n s )
Swedish
D e c . 13
... M/V
Orari
(10,350 t o n s )
British
D e c . 14
... Empire
Razorbill B r i t i s h
(5,118 t o n s )
D e c . 16
... Bic Island (exCapc
Noli)
(3,921 t o n s )
... Belvedere
(869 t o n s ) ... M a n c h e s t e r
Grangemouth
London
...
British
Refrig.
a n d wool
Coal
B.
British
... Y e s I
E x t e n t of D a m a g e .
On Milfard
Haven
B u l l e t holes in hull.
Off M i l f o r d
Haven
Cannon
hull.
shell holes
Casualties t o
Crew and other
Remarks.
in
2 wounded.
Not
195 m i l e s N . W .
of R o c k a l l
Shrapnel damage
No casualties.
b.
: Not
340 m i l e s W . by
S.of Tory Island
R u d d e r gone.
' ...
Not
A/a,
b.
Yes
S / M . T.
Not
A/a,
North. A t l a n t i c . . .
Yes
A/C
M.
Position.
Decks
and
fittings
damaged. Vessel and
engines badly shaken
Severely shaken.
Air
Thames Estuary
compressor and dy­
namo smashed
Damage
to
engineThames Estuary
room. Making water;
arrived Surrey Docks
445 miles W . S . W . Arrived Clyde
of F a s t n e t s
... S y d n e y , N . S . S.M., G.
L i v e r p o o l ... H a l i f a x
...
& G.
A/C., M.G.
Melbourne... Clyde
.... S w a n s e a
I n Convoy
or n o t . *
Cause.
... B r i t i s h
D e e . 2 - 3 ... Quebec
City
(4,745 t o n s )
D e c . 17
Cargo.
At Southend
... P a r t l y
submerged.
T h e r e is p r o s p e c t of
her being floated and
b r o u g h t in
No casualties.
No casualties.
to
No casualties.
1 dead, 4 missing,
9 w o u n d e d
landed
* T h i s i n f o r m a t i o n is p r o v i s i o n a l a n d m a y be m o d i f i e d s u b s e q u e n t l y o n r e c e i p t of C o m m o d o r e ' s r e p o r t .
N O T E . - T h e f o l l o w i n g v e s s e l s s h o w n i n p r e v i o u s s t a t e m e n t s of d a m a g e d v e s s e l s h a v e n o w b e e n t r a n s f e r r e d t o l i s t of v e s s e l s r e p o r t e d l o s t ( s e e S e c t i o n A ) —
Lady
Killoran ( F i n n i s h ) ; Ville D'Arlan
Glanely,
Empire
Jaguar (all B r i t i s h ) .
( B e l g i a n ) ; Farmsum
(Dutch);
Givalia
(Swedish);
Calabria,
Victoria
City,
Goodleigh,
Astrologer,
Houston
City,
Victor
Ross,
(C) Number and Gross Tonnage of Merchant Yessels (other
than Commissioned Ships) sunk up to Noon,
Wednesday, December 18, 1940.
British.
By Submarine
Mine
Surface craft
...
Aircraft
Other causes and
unknown
No.
Gross
Tonnage.
280
148
61
106
1,535,130
391,112
325,989
309,386
30
64,338
625
2,625,955
cause
Neutral.
By
Submarine
Mine
S u r f a c e craft ...
Aircraft...
M i n e or t o r p e d o
Other causes and
unknown
No.
Gross
Tonnage.
170
79
5
26
1
550,918
232,452
12,242
71,149
2,434
cause
22,218
288
891,413
518
257
78
170
1
2,423,340
717,237
403,539
542,170
2434
46
126,639
1,070
4,215,359
Summarised, the Totals are:
Allied.
By Submarine
Mine
S u r f a c e craft ...
Aircraft...
Other causes and
u n k n o w n ...
337,292
93,673
65,308
161,635
68
30
12
38
cause
40,083
B y S u b m a r i n e ...
Mine
Surface craft
Aircraft
Mine or torpedo
Other
causes
and
c a u s e u n k n o w n ...
697,991
157
N O T E . - " A l l i e d " f i g u r e s i n c l u d e P o l i s h , F r e n c h ( t o J u n e 2 5 , 1 9 4 0 ) , " F r e e " F r e n c h (from
J u n e 2 5 , 1 9 4 0 ) , N o r w e g i a n ( f r o m A p r i l 9 , 1 9 4 0 ) , D u t c h a n d B e l g i a n ( f r o m M a y 1 0 , 1 9 4 0 ) and
Greek (from October 28, 1940).
" N e u t r a l " figures i n c l u d e I t a l i a n ( t o J u n e 1 0 , 1 9 4 0 ) a n d " V i c h y " F r e n c h ( f r o m J u n e 25,
1940).
A P P E N D I X III.
(D) Additions and Deductions of British Mercantile Sea-going Yessels of
500 gross tons and over.
From September 3, 1939-December 15, 1940.
Additions.
Tankers.
New vessels
...
.­, -­E n e m y vessels captured
...
( (i) D a n i s h flag
,
(ii) F r e n c h flag . . .
Transfers from i ^
R o u m a n i a n flag
I ( i v ) O t h e r flags
Other additions
- ­
(Great Lake vessels converted
to
Ocean use)
Total
Additions
No.
9
1
10
2
12
11
Tonnage.
73,000
6,000
42,000
57,000
11,000
83,000
17,000
50
289,000
: 6 4 5 v e s s e l s of 2 , 8 0 2 , 0 0 0 t o n s .
Other
No.
164
48
113
79
Vessels.
Tonnage.
892,000
247,000
302,000
369,000
101
90
517,000
186,000
595
2,513,000
Deductions.
Tankers.
No.
57
. ,1
8
Losses by e n e m y a c t i o n (i) S u n k
...
(ii) Seized'
...
'
Other t o t a l l o s s e s
1
66
Total
Other
No.
461
5
123
Tonnage.
441,000
i ' - 6,000
22,000
469,000
589
!
Vessels.
Tonnage.
2,130,000
16,000
394,000
2,540,000
: 6 5 5 * v e s s e l s of 3 , 0 0 9 , 0 0 0 t o n s .
Deductions
* Excluding t h e following commissioned vessels which, being King's ships, are not regarded
a
as Josses of M e r c a n t i l e t o n n a g e : —
2 t a n k e r s of 1 3 , 0 0 0 t o n s a n d 2 3 o t h e r v e s s e l s of 2 1 7 , 0 0 0 t o n s .
N O T E . - T h e s t a t u s of t h e f o l l o w i n g B r i t i s h v e s s e l s d e t a i n e d i n F r e n c h p o r t s h a s n o t
been d e t e r m i n e d : —
1 t a n k e r of 4 , 0 0 0 t o n s a n d 1 9 o t h e r v e s s e l s of 6 5 , 0 0 0 t o n s .
vet
J
T h e a v e r a g e w e e k l y i n c r e m e n t of B r i t i s h s e a - g o i n g m e r c h a n t s h i p s a n d t o n n a g e o v e r t h e
67 w e e k s w a s a b o u t 9 - 6 s h i p s a n d 4 1 , 8 0 0 g r o s s t o n s , c o m p a r e d w i t h a n a v e r a g e w e e k l y l o s s d u e
to e n e m y a c t i o n a l o n e , f o r t h e s a m e p e r i o d , of 7 - 8 s h i p s a n d 3 8 , 7 0 0 g r o s s t o n s , a n d a n a v e r a g e
w e e k l y l o s s f r o m a l l c a u s e s ( i n c l u d i n g M a r i n e r i s k s ) of 9 - 8 s h i p s a n d 4 4 9 0 0 ^ r o s s t o n s
Yesseis under Construction in United Kingdom on December 14, 1940.
Tankers
...
O t h e r v e s s e l s ...
Total
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
3 5 v e s s e l s of
* 1 4 7 v e s s e l s of
289,780 gross tons. 824,675 gross tons. 1 8 2 v e s s e l s of 1 , 1 1 4 , 4 5 5 g r o s s t o n s .
* I n c l u d i n g 2 M e r c h a n t vessels (18,100 t o n s ) t a k e n over by t h e N a v y a n d 4 cargo vessels
(26,320 t o n s ) b u i l d i n g a t H o n g K o n g , b u t e x c l u d i n g 1 0 v e s s e l s of m e r c h a n t t y p e b u i l d i n g for
the Navy.
Yesseis under Repair.
T h e g r o s s t o n n a g e of B r i t i s h s e a - g o i n g m e r c h a n t v e s s e l s of 5 0 0 g r o s s t o n s a n d o v e r
which w e r e u n d e r g o i n g or a w a i t i n g r e p a i r in U n i t e d K i n g d o m p o r t s d u r i n g t h e w e e k e n d e d
D e c e m b e r 1 2 , 1 9 4 0 , w a s a b o u t 1 , 4 0 0 , 0 0 0 t o n s , of w h i c h a b o u t 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 t o n s w a s i n r e s p e c t of
damage d u e to e n e m y action.
[22038]
E
(E) Enemy Losses of Mercantile Tonnage to 18th December, 1940.
German.
Captured or seized
...
Scuttled or sunk
Unidentified ships reported by S / M :
A / C as sunk or destroyed (c) ...
Italian.
Captured or seized
Scuttled or sunk (a)
Unidentified ships reported by S / M :
A / C as sunk or destroyed (6) (c)
No.
60
74
Tonnage.
268,642
405,034
110
550,000
244
1,223,676
29
15
150,762
77,184
37
185,000
81
412,946
In addition to the above losses, a further 27 vessels under enemy control or
useful to the enemy have been sunk, totalling 44,190 tons.
The total enemy losses are now 352 ships, totalling 1,680,812 tons,
approximately.
(a) The Alabama (6,725 tons) and Dentice (5,281 tons), scuttled off
Maracaibo, have been refloated and interned at Puerto Cabello, Venezuela.
As they represent a total loss to the enemy, they are included in the above
figures.
(b) A source, reliability unknown, has stated that among 9 cargo vessels
recently sunk at Otranto were: Antoinetta
Costa, 5,900; Catalani, 2,429;
Numidia, 5,339; Sanandrea, 5,077.
These have not yet been included in Italian losses pending further
confirmation.
(c) The tonnage of unidentified ships is estimated only, as in most cases
specific details are not known.
A P P E N D I X Y.
The following casualties have occurred to H.M. Auxiliary Patrol vessels
during the week under review :—
Night of 15th-16th.—Examination Vessel Sir Walter Raleigh damaged by
a near miss bomb during an air raid on Plymouth.
16th.—Armed Drifter liberty damaged by aircraft machine-gun fire off
Lowestoft. Four of the crew were wounded.
18th.—M/S Trawler Refundo damaged by a near miss mine off Harwich and
subsequently sank with the loss of 2 killed and 5 wounded.
18th.—M/S Trawler Delphinus slightly damaged by a near miss mine in the
Medway Channel.
Casualties to Naval Personnel.
During the period under review the following
reported :—
Officers : 16 killed, 4 wounded.
Eatings : 52 killed, 77 missing, 41 wounded.
casualties have been
Operational Aircraft Battle Casualties.
hrs. Thursday, 12th December, 1940, to 0600 hrs. Thursday,
19th December, 1940.
Metropolitan Area.
British.
Bombers ...
Fighters ...
Coastal ...
In the
...
:..
...
...
...
....
...
. . . . . .
...
...
Total
Air.
...
...
...
5
2
4
...
11
On the
Ground.
Nil
1 fighter p i l o t k n o w n t o b e s a f e .
German.
Bombers
...
Fighters
...
Miscellaneous
Probably
Destroyed.
1
1
Destroyed.
3
2
2
...
...
...
..
...
...
. . . . . . . . .
Total
7
Damaged.
4
3
2
7
No a c c o u n t is t a k e n of a i r c r a f t d e s t r o y e d o n t h e g r o u n d .
Of t h e a b o v e t o t a l s , 2 a i r c r a f t w e r e d e s t r o y e d , 1 p r o b a b l y
by A.A. fire.
destroyed,
and
2
damaged
Italian.
No aircraft w e r e d e s t r o y e d or d a m a g e d o v e r t h e U n i t e d
Kingdom.
Middle East.
I n
British
Bombers...
Fighters
Coastal ...
...
...
---
...
.-.
.--
Total
...
...
t h e
A i r
G n
-
4^
"
t h e
G n m n d
-
4
"'
-
. - .
12
4
No aircraft were destroyed over Greece.
Probably
Italian.
Bombers
Fighters
...
Miscellaneous
...
Total
...
. . . . . .
Destroyed.
34
48
7
89
Destroyed.
8
11
Damaged.
2
0
These totals include aircraft k n o w n to have become casualties on t h e ground.
5
Air Attacks on Enemy Territory in Europe.
Extracts from Recent Raid Assessment Reports.
The following reports of damage have been received during the past week
from air reconnaissance and Intelligence sources :—
Germany.
Hamburg.—On the night of the 14th November three oil tanks on the West
bank of the Elbe were hit and fires caused which took two days to extinguish.
Some 600 houses in the harbour area have been completely destroyed and one
informant observed that two ships had been burnt out. Between the 17th and
the 22nd November the Dammtor Railway Station was severely damaged.
Berlin.—The West and the Klingenberg Power Stations have both been hit.
The damage is stated to be serious and although these stations are still working
they are so doing on a greatly reduced scale. '.
Oberhausen.—Serious damage was caused to the armament factories in the
first fortnight of November.
Cologne.—Humboldt Deutz Motoren A.G. is unable to fulfil contracts owing
to severe damage.
Bremen.—An informant observed that, as well as several buildings, seven oil
tanks and a timber yard next to the harbour had been hit and damaged.
Osnabriick.—In the month of November the copper and wire works were hit
and fired, and production had not recommenced by the 5th December. The metal
works has been hit, but not sufficient to cause a complete cessation of work. A
paper factory has been destroyed, and hits obtained on railway goods sheds.
Warehouses and two factories, particulars of which- are unknown, have also
suffered some damage.
]
Wesermunde.—Eighteen
warehouses have been fired, the harbour heavily
damaged and the station hit.
Belgium.
The Purfina Plant at Terneuzen on the Ghent Canal is completely destroyed.
Mining.
The motor ship Glengarry, which was building at Copenhagen for a
British firm and had been taken over by the Germans, sank on her voyage from
the shipyard to Germany towards the end of November, it is believed as a result
of striking a mine.
Air Attacks on Enemy Territory in Europe.
Extracts from Recent Raid Assessment Reports.
The following reports of damage have been received during the past week
from air reconnaissance and Intelligence sources :—
Germany.
Hamburg.—On the night of the 14th November three oil tanks on the West
bank of the Elbe were hit and fires caused which took two days to extinguish.
Some 600 houses in the harbour area have been completely destroyed and one
informant observed that two ships had been burnt out. Between the 17th and
the 22nd November the Dammtor Railway Station was severely damaged.
Berlin.—The West and the Klingenberg Power Stations have both been hit.
The damage is stated to be serious and although these stations are still working
they are so doing on a greatly reduced scale. '.
Oberhausen.—Serious damage was caused to the armament factories in the
first fortnight of November.
Cologne.—Humboldt Deutz Motoren A.G. is unable to fulfil contracts owing
to severe damage.
Bremen.—An informant observed that, as well as several buildings, seven oil
tanks and a timber yard next to the harbour had been hit and damaged.
Osnabruck.—In the month of November the copper and wire works were hit
and fired, and production had not recommenced by the 5th December. The metal
works has been hit, but not sufficient to cause a complete cessation of work. A
paper factory has been destroyed, and hits obtained on railway goods sheds.
Warehouses and two factories, particulars of which are unknown, have also
suffered some damage.
]
Wesermunde.—Eighteen
warehouses have been fired, the harbour heavily
damaged and the station hit.
Belgium.
The Purfina Plant at Terneuzen on the Ghent Canal is completely destroyed.
Mining.
The motor ship Glengarry, which was building at Copenhagen for a
British firm and had been taken over by the Germans, sank on her voyage from
the shipyard to Germany towards the end of November, it is believed as a result
of striking a mine.