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T H I S D O C U M E N T IS T H E PROPERTY OF H I S B R I T A N N I C M A J E S T V S
GOVERNMENT
Copy No.
SECEET
W . P . (41) 125
/
(Also Paper No. C.O.S. (41) 357)
/
June 5 , 1 9 4 1
/
TO BE
K E P T
UNDER LOCK AND KEY.
I t is requested t h a t special care may be t a k e n to
ensure the secrecy of this document.
WAR CABINET WEEKLY RESUME (No. 92) of the
NAVAL, MILITARY AND AIR SITUATION from 12 noon May 29th, to 12 noon June 5th, 1941 [Circulated with the approval of
the Chiefs of Staff.]
General Review.
Cruisers a n d destroyers of the M e d i t e r r a n e a n Fleet have been e n g a g e d in
the e v a c u a t i o n of our m i l i t a r y forces from Crete.
T h e G e r m a n cruiser Prinz Eugen h a s been located a t Brest.
S h i p p i n g losses have been about the average.
Home and Atlantic.
2. T h e G e r m a n cruiser Prinz Eugen, w h i c h was last seen i n company w i t h
the b a t t l e s h i p Bismarck d u r i n g the evening of the 24th May, w a s not a g a i n located
u n t i l noon on the 4 t h J u n e , when an a i r reconnaissance showed her in dry dock
a t Brest. D u r i n g the i n t e r v e n i n g period H . M . S h i p s Repulse a n d Suffolk, a f t e r
searching a n a r e a to south-west of Greenland for possible supply ships, proceeded
t o reinforce ocean escorts for convoys sailing from H a l i f a x , while H . M . Cruisers
Aurora a n d Kenya continued on p a t r o l to s o u t h w a r d of Greenland. P a t r o l s by
cruisers a n d armed merchant cruisers have been m a i n t a i n e d i n the D e n m a r k
S t r a i t , to s o u t h - e a s t w a r d of Iceland a n d in m i d - A t l a n t i c between the W e s t I n d i e s
and Freetown.
3. D u r i n g the n i g h t of the 4 t h / 5 t h a t r a w l e r on p a t r o l intercepted the
F i n n i s h s.s. Modesta (3,830 tons) a n d sent her into K i r k w a l l u n d e r armed g u a r d .
Single enemy a i r c r a f t were shot down by H . M . Destroyer Tartar to the
w e s t w a r d of I r e l a n d , by H . M . T r a w l e r Chiltern
off P l y m o u t h a n d by H . M .
T r a w l e r Northern Sky to the north-west of t h e H e b r i d e s .
D u r i n g the period two escorted F r e n c h m e r c h a n t ships (6,825 tons) have
passed G i b r a l t a r westbound and five ( u p w a r d s of 8,531 tons) eastbound.
Casualties to H . M . A u x i l i a r y vessels a r e given in A p p e n d i x V.
Mediterranean.
4. N O T E . — O p e r a t i o n s in t h e vicinity of Crete have been dealt w i t h u n d e r
" Military Situation."
H . M . A u s t r a l i a n destroyers Vendetta
a n d Waterhen
have continued to
t r a n s p o r t personnel, supplies ' a n d a m m u n i t i o n into T o b r u k d u r i n g h o u r s of
darkness. E n e m y shelling of T o b r u k a n d the h a r b o u r h a s been intensified since
t h e 2nd J u n e .
Two M . T . B . ' s a n d a s q u a d r o n of Swordfish a i r c r a f t are o p e r a t i n g from
F a m a g u s t a (Cyprus).
West Indies.
5. D u r i n g the n i g h t of the l s t / 2 n d J u n e the D u t c h cruiser Van
Kinsbergen
intercepted to the e a s t w a r d of A n t i g u a the F r e n c h s.s. Arica (5,390 tons) bound
e a s t w a r d s from M a r t i n i q u e a n d escorted her to T r i n i d a d .
Enemy Shipping Losses.
6. A p p r o x i m a t e l y 21,200 tons of enemy s h i p p i n g have been sunk or damaged
by a i r c r a f t of t h e Coastal a n d Bomber Command. Of this total, 13,000 tons were
in t h e M e d i t e r r a n e a n and 8,200 tons in the H o m e W a t e r s . D e t a i l s of a t t a c k s are
given in t h e A i r Section.
Anti-Submarine Operations.
7. T h e r e have been eight a t t a c k s on TJ-Boats d u r i n g the week. F o u r of
these were by surface vessels a n d four by a i r c r a f t . Of these, three were to the
s o u t h w a r d of I c e l a n d (c), two w e r e to the w e s t w a r d of G i b r a l t a r , two were in
the N o r t h - W e s t e r n Approaches, a n d one w a s off the Gironde. N o definite results
were obtained. A i r c r a f t also c a r r i e d out six h u n t s for TJ-Boats, but these were
unsuccessful.
I
1
I
i
I
Enemy Intelligence.
German.
8. Reconnaissance of Kiel showed t h a t the battleship Tirpitz h a d left the
floating clock a n d w a s alongside on the 30th May, but h a d sailed by the 3rd J u n e .
The pocket battleship Admiral Scheer w a s also seen alongside and the 8-inch
cruiser Hipper in dry dock. T h e Pocket Battleship Lutzow is reported to have
been a t Swinemunde and the cruisers Kola. and Emden a t Gdynia on the
14th May. I t is believed t h a t except for t h e ships at Brest the r e m a i n i n g enemy
m a i n u n i t s a r e in the Baltic. Reconnaissance of Brest a t 1250 on the 4th J u n e
showed t h a t the new 8-inch cruiser Prinz Eugen was in the eastern d r y dock.
Scharnhorst
and Gneisenau were in their usual positions.
Italian.
9. N o change h a s been reported i n the position of main units. A larger
number of cruisers has been employed i n escorting convoys between Sicily and
N o r t h Africa.
U^Boats.
10. The G e r m a n s have m a i n t a i n e d some fifteen U - B o a t s in the NorthW e s t e r n A p p r o a c h e s throughout the period under review. The majority have
been w^ell out to t h e w e s t w a r d in the area, to the south-east of Greenland west of
3 5 W., b u t two or three have torpedoed ships in a more easterly a r e a to the
southward of 5 0 N., about 700-1,000 miles west of Ushant. Though there have
been one or two I t a l i a n s i n the N o r t h - W e s t e r n Approaches, their m a i n concen­
t r a t i o n h a s been to the w e s t w a r d of G i b r a l t a r . I n the southern a r e a the Germans
have m a i n t a i n e d four or more submarines between Cape V e r d e and the Equator,
of which three have been working w i t h i n 200 miles of Freetown. A German
U-Boat h a s also operated off St. Vincent, Cape Verde Islands, and one has also
visited Accra.
0
o
Enemy Attack on Seaborne Trade.
11. D u r i n g the period the greater p a r t of shipping losses from torpedo attack
has occurred in the Cape V e r d e I s l a n d s to Freetown area a n d a ship was sunk
while at anchor off Accra (Gold Coast). Other losses were sustained to the
w e s t w a r d of G i b r a l t a r . I n the N o r t h - W e s t e r n Approaches casualties have been
exceptionally light, as also have been losses from mine. Only slight losses were
sustained by coastal convoys although they were attacked on six occasions by
a i r c r a f t off the E a s t Coast between Dover a n d Cape W r a t h .
Protection of Seaborne Trade.
12. D u r i n g the week e n d i n g 4th J u n e , 903 ships, of which 150 were allied a n d 14 neutral, were convoyed.. Three battleships, one battle cruiser, two cruisers, ten a r m e d merchant cruisers, two submarines, 55 destroyers a n d 58 sloops and corvettes have been employed on escort duties. I m p o r t s into Great B r i t a i n by ships in convoy d u r i n g the week ending 31st
M a y a g a i n exceeded 1,000,000. The figure was 1,008,485 tons compared w i t h
664,736 tons d u r i n g the previous seven days a n d an average of 742,130 tons d u r i n g
t h e past ten weeks. Oil imports, in 31 tankers, totalled 331.217 tons compared
w i t h 133,559 tons in 14 t a n k e r s d u r i n g t h e seven days ending 24th May. Mineral
imports were 157,997 tons, of which 101,337 tons were steel, p i g iron, scrap iron
and iron ore. Timber i m p o r t s were 38,759 tons, and flour and cereal imports
were 244,269 tons. Twenty-seven ships were fully laden w i t h grain. Other food
imports were also most satisfactory, the total being 163,511 tons, compared
w i t h only 22,434 tons d u r i n g the previous week. The p r i n c i p a l imports were :
s u g a r a n d molasses 63,835 tons, r e f r i g e r a t e d and t i n n e d meat, bacon and hams
28,491 tons, b u t t e r 13.887 tons, tinned a n d dried f r u i t 11,140 tons, cheese 6,889
-tons, cocoa 1,890 tons a n d eggs 1,692 tons. Tobacco imports totalled 1,203 tons.
T h e r e were large q u a n t i t i e s of a m m u n i t i o n a n d w a r stores, a n d among
m a n u f a c t u r e d goods were 2,541 tons of machine-tools.
British Minelaying.
13. The only minelaying operations for the period u n d e r review have been
in the E a s t Coast B a r rier, where H . M . S . Teviot Bank laid 270 mines on the
1st J u n e a n d H . M . S Plover 100 on the same day. T h e r e h a s been some slight
minelaying activity by a i r c r a f t in the C e n t r a l M e d i t e r r a n e a n .
Enemy Minelaying, British Minesweeping.
Home
Waters.
- 14. E n e m y a i r c r a f t have not laid mines on a n extensive scale in any area.
Liverpool B a y h a s been visited on four n i g h t s d u r i n g t h e week, t h e Bristol
Channel a n d the Thames E s t u a r y have each h a d one r a i d a n d the H u m b e r
three r a i d s .
There h a s been only one casualty due to enemy mines in Home W a t e r s d u r i n g
the period u n d e r review.
Two contact mines have been cut i n the F a l m o u t h minefield. Only eight
magnetic mines and six acoustic mines have been detonated d u r i n g the week, a n d
the mine totals are magnetic 1,174, acoustic 633, contact 874.
Foreign
Waters.
Minelaying a i r c r a f t r a i d e d A l e x a n d r i a d u r i n g the n i g h t s of the 30th and
31st May. T h e p o r t was closed for a time, b u t was reopened a t 0100/1st J u n e .
S h i p p i n g is at present proceeding normally t h r o u g h the Suez Canal.
M a l t a w a s reopened on the 1st J u n e , having been closed since the 7th May.
A searched channel about eighty miles long has been established for
Massawa, E r i t r e a .
A t least six ex-Norwegian whale catchers now in South A m e r i c a n p o r t s will
be sent to I n d i a and Colombo for conversion to L L Sweep for service i n the
Mediterranean.
Enemy Merchant Shipping.
-
German.
15. T h e Flans Arp, 2,645 tons, arrived a t Trieste on 24th May w i t h a cargo of
bauxite from Yugoslavia. A report has been received s t a t i n g t h a t B u l g a r i a n and
Greek ships i n T u r k i s h ports will be chartered by the G e r m a n Government a n d
will operate u n d e r their own flags. T h e Carissa, 1,819 tons, Ithaka, 1,773 tons,
a n d Norburg, 2,392 tons, are all reported to have been sunk. None of them have
been reported since they reached the i E g e a n in the m i d d l e of May. The
Windhuk,
16,662 tons, has received h e r clearance p a p e r s and w a s said to be sailing from
Santos on 4th J u n e , but may be detained by the B r a z i l i a n authorities.
Italian.
.
16. There is now evidence to show t h a t t h e Conte Rosso, 17,879 tons, was the
l a r g e liner sunk by H . M . S . Upholder on 24th May. T h e Florida II, 3,313 tons,
w i t h a c a r g o of phosphates, was h i t by three bombs a n d set on fire when attacked
by Blenheims on 31st M a y about 4 miles east of Sfax. The F r e n c h t a n k e r Massis,
5,022 tons, is said to have been sold on 10th May at Sete a n d t r a n s f e r r e d to the
I t a l i a n flag. A n o t h e r F r e n c h tanker, the Roussillon, 9,967 tons, is also believed
to have been t r a n s f e r r e d to Italy.
T h e r e is considerable activity among I t a l i a n ships in Brazil.
Economic Warfare.
17. D u r i n g the month of May 3,548 tons of cargo destined for the enemy were
seized i n prize, the m a i n items being 2,600 tons of foodstuffs a n d beverages and
631 tons, of textiles which were almost entirely from F r e n c h ships. T w o packets
of diamonds valued a t over £20,000 were also seized last month as contraband.
T h e total seizures since the beginning of t h e w a r to t h e end of M a y amount
to 784,759 tons.
MILITARY
SITUATION. Crete.
18. On the n i g h t of the 2 6 t h / 2 7 t h May our position in the M a l e m e - S u d a
area w a s broken, and on the next day the Commander-in-Chief, Middle E a s t ,
ordered evacuation.
19. The H e a d q u a r t e r s were moved to S p h a k i a on the n i g h t of t h e
2 7 t h / 2 8 t h , and subsequently evacuation was carried out from there a n d
Heraklion.
20. T h e m a i n body embarked in cruisers and destroyers from S p h a k i a
d u r i n g the nights of the 29th, 30th and 31st and about 17,000 troops, of whom 500
were casualties and 250 prisoners of war, were landed at Alexandria, about 5,500
being left a t S p h a k i a a n d about 2,000 a t Retimo. I n the w i t h d r a w a l from S u d a
Bay the Royal M a r i n e s of the base defence organisation were formed into a
rearguard.
21. D u r i n g the evacuation a i r operations over Crete were mainly directed
t o w a r d s the reduction of the scale of German a i r attack on our navaL forces.
A t t a c k s were carried out a g a i n s t aerodromes in Rhodes and Scarpanto in the
Dodecanese, and at H e r a k l i o n a n d Maleme in Crete. F i g h t e r s provided cover
d u r i n g the passage of the ships to A l e x a n d r i a . A t least thirteen, probably twenty,
enemy a i r c r a f t were destroyed by fighters, while a considerable number were shot
down and damaged by a n t i - a i r c r a f t fire from H . M . Ships. Supplies were also
dropped on our troops a t Sphakia.
22. I n a d d i t i o n to the casualties to H . M . Ships reported last week,
H . M . S . Calcutta a n d H . M . Destroyers Imperial a n d Hereward were sunk, a n d
H . M . S . Orion and H . M . Destroyer Napier were damaged. Casualties to naval
personnel are reported to total 100 officers and 1,700 r a t i n g s .
23. The total number of German forces employed against Crete is difficult
to estimate. I t is t h o u g h t t h a t about 6.000 p a r a c h u t e troops were landed, of
which about 2,000 were in the M a l e m e - C a n e a area, 1,500 at Retimo and 2,500
near Heraklion—followed by about 11,000 -airborne troops, of which all but a
small number a t H e r a k l i o n were landed a t Maleme or on adjacent beaches.
F u r t h e r details may alter this figure, but a total of 17,000 p a r a c h u t e and air­
borne troops is r e g a r d e d as a m i n i m u m estimate. (See m a p at end.)
E g y p t a n d Libya.
24. After the enemy counter-attack reported in last week's Resume h a d
regained the g r o u n d they lost on the 15th May the situation has crystallised and
r e m a i n s comparatively static in t h e Tobruk a n d W e s t e r n Desert forward areas.
On the n i g h t of the 26th May our troOps in Tobruk made a further small advance
a g a i n s t the enemy salient and consolidated their new positions.
Enemy long-range shelling, both a t Tobruk a n d in the Sollum area, has been
a f e a t u r e of this period.
25. D u r i n g the p a s t few weeks reinforcement of Libya o n a considerable
scale has been u n d e r t a k e n by the I t a l i a n s . D u r i n g the past two months two a r m y
corps a n d at least one division have been reconstituted and t h e Conte Rosso,
recently torpedoed, was reported to have a large I t a l i a n force on board.
In
Libya itself there h a s lately been an eastward movement of I t a l i a n divisions
formerly stationed between Z u a r a a n d M i s u r a t a , and there is now no complete
division between these two places, a distance of 235 miles. D u r i n g the p a s t
month no i m p o r t a n t G e r m a n reinforcements a p p e a r to have been sent to Libya.
Abyssinia.
26. The roads from Dessye to Gondar and to Assab have both been found
blocked and work is proceeding to clear them.
P a t r i o t s have been active i n the Lechemti a r e a a n d have cut the B a c o Lechemti road to the n o r t h of Gimma : on the 30th M a y they c a p t u r e d an enemy
advance post at Billo, 40 miles south-east of Lechemti.
27. On the 28th May. i n t h e G o n d a r area a f u r t h e r advance was m a d e a n d
our troops are now south of Debarech. D u r i n g this operation, the p a t r i o t
casualties were 1 5 0 : the enemy lost 400 dead. T h e G o n d a r - D e b r a Tabor r o a d
h a s been cut.
- .
,
28. On the 27th M a y General C a f a r a t i s u r r e n d e r e d to our forces i n the
Soddu area. I n spite of heavy r a i n s , mine-fields a n d demolitions, our ,troops have
reached the bridge across the "River Omo on the S o d d u - G r i m m a road : the enemy
have r e t i r e d across the river, a n d a r e holding a strong position on the west bank,
from which they cover the bridge. A small bridgehead was established. on the
2 n d J u n e . T h e river, 100 y a r d s wide, is r u n n i n g fast, a n d crossing is difficult.
R e m n a n t s of an I t a l i a n division located 10 miles south-west of Soddu have
refused to surrender, a n d steps are being taken to cut off their retreat.
Iraq.
29. On the 28th M a y the i n f a n t r y brigade o p e r a t i n g from B a s r a reached
U r , a n d on the 2nd J u n e Al Khiclhr (50 miles further N . W . ) . The roads in this
area are flooded and unfit for Motor T r a n s p o r t . On t h e 3rd J u n e I r a q i troops
a t Q u r h a retired on orders from B a g h d a d .
30. Two columns from ITabforce reached the o u t s k i r t s of B a g h d a d on the
30th M a y . I n the meantime, R a s h i d A l i and his Cabinet having fled to I r a n ,
a Committee of four u n d e r the Lord Mayor asked for an immediate armistice,
which w a s g r a n t e d . There w a s some r i o t i n g which w a s quelled by I r a q i troops
from K i r k u k . Our troops moved into B a g h d a d on the 2nd J u n e .
Small B r i t i s h mobile columns and air-borne troops reached Mosul on the
3rd J u n e .
Intelligence.
31. Syria.—The
r e p o r t t h a t G e r m a n troops have landed in Syria has not
been confirmed. I t is reliably reported t h a t aviation fuel and munitions a r e being
sent there by Germany. Two reports state t h a t instructions have been issued by
the F r e n c h authorities to villagers in Syria to expect a n d help p a r a c h u t i s t s .
32. G e r m a n A i r Force personnel are established a t Aleppo, Damascus and
P a l m y r a (in the central S y r i a n desert). There is little doubt t h a t the G e r m a n s
a r e m a k i n g their main base a t Aleppo, w i t h others at Hassiche (nearly 200 miles
further to the east) a n d a t Tel Kotchek (on the S y r i a - I r a q border, 70 miles N . W .
of Mosul). Thus, a line of bases across N . S y r i a to I r a q a n d parallel to the
T u r k i s h frontier is designed to link u p w i t h those in the E a s t e r n M e d i t e r r a n e a n ,
thereby f u r t h e r i n g the encirclement of Turkey.
33. Iran.—The
I r a n i a n A r m y is being increased from sixteen to eighteen
divisions and the garrisons in the neighbourhood of the A n g l o - I r a n i a n Oil
Company's Concession in S.E. I r a n are being reinforced. There is no sign of
a n y reinforcement of the garrisons in N o r t h e r n I r a n near the Soviet border, which
may i n d i c a t e t h a t there is a t present less fear t h a n usual of a R u s s i a n a t t a c k
from Trans-Caucasia.
34. Turkey.—There
a r e indications t h a t the activities of the German
Intelligence Service have recently "been on the increase in Turkey. A new
whispering campaign t h a t she is the next country on the list of those to be let
down by G r e a t B r i t a i n has been started.
35. Russia.—It
would seem t h a t G e r m a n p r e p a r a t i o n s for an a t t a c k on
Russia (concentrations of. forces,.establishment of dumps, improvement of railway
facilities a n d intensification of F i f t h Column activities) must be practically
complete, b u t t h e s e ' p r e p a r a t i o n s m a y still be used merely to ensure compliance
w i t h G e r m a n demands in t h e negotiations which a r e believed to be t a k i n g place.
I f Russia declines to co-operate fully, m i l i t a r y action by Germany a p p e a r s likely.
AIR
SITUATION. General Review.
36. Operations by Bomber Command have again been restricted bv
unfavourable weather. Enemy night operations a g a i n s t this country have been
on a heavier scale.
A i r c r a f t from E g y p t have provided cover for the w i t h d r a w a l of our forces
from Crete.
O p e r a t i o n a l a i r c r a f t battle casualties and extracts from recent R a i d Assess­
m e n t R e p o r t s are given in Appendices V I and V I I .
Germany a n d Occupied Territory.
General.
37. ^ Bomber Command flew 131 sorties by day a n d 186 by night. T h i s was
a reduction i n the scale of effort by day compared w i t h the previous week, but an
increase by night.
Day.
38. On the 2nd J u n e , when Blenheims of Bomber Command were engaged
on a t t a c k s on s h i p p i n g in the Kiel a r e a (see Coastal Operations), Naval Barracks
a r e believed to have been hit by H . E . bombs, while a building near Rendsburg and
a small factory near Brunsbuttel were set on fire. On the same day a Blenheim
of Coastal Command scored direct h i t s on an a i r c r a f t factory at Havre, which
was also set on fire. T h e p o r t of Zeebrugge was attacked on the 4th J u n e by
Blenheim bombers and numerous bursts were observed on t h e Mole, where two
emplacements were machine-gunned.
39. D u r i n g the period under review offensive fighter operations were carried
out over N o r t h - E a s t F r a n c e and along the Belgian and French Coasts. M i l i t a r y
t r a n s p o r t a n d columns of troops were attacked and two H u r r i c a n e s , one armed
w i t h cannon, sank a 300-ton trawler off Dunkirk.
40. Strong fighter escorts were provided ori the 4th J u n e for two attacks
by Blenheim bombers on s h i p p i n g a t Boulogne; S u p p o r t i n g sweeps for these
operations resulted in the destruction of three enemy fighters, w i t h four damaged,
a g a i n s t a loss of two Spitfires.
4 1 . T h e results of attacks on s h i p p i n g carried out by the day bombers
d u r i n g these operations a r e reported under Coastal Operations.
Night.
42. Owing to very unfavourable weather conditions d u r i n g the week our
n i g h t bombers were unable to operate except on one occasion, when Dusseldorf was
the m a i n objective, w i t h lighter a t t a c k s on Duisburg and Berlin.
43. A t Dusseldorf 127 tons of h i g h explosive bombs, including a number of
the heavier types, a n d 13,000 incendiaries, were dropped i n the t a r g e t areas.
I n d u s t r i a l a n d ground haze h a m p e r e d the observation of results, but many large
fires were started, followed in some cases by heavy explosions. Fires were also
s t a r t e d in the D u i s b u r g area. B e t t e r weather conditions were experienced over
Berlin, and many large fires a n d explosions were caused in the Western area of
the City. D u r i n g these operations one enemy n i g h t fighter was probably destroyed
and four of our a i r c r a f t failed to r e t u r n .
United Kingdom.
44. F i g h t e r Command flew 977 patrols, involving 2,183 sorties by day and
295 patrols, involving 433 sorties, by night. Compared w i t h last week these
figures show a reduction by day but an increase by n i g h t . By day there was a
f u r t h e r reduction in German A i r Force operations, but a t n i g h t the total effort
was more t h a n double t h a t of the previous week, and, except on the
2 9 t h / 3 0 t h May, when weather conditions were p a r t i c u l a r l y bad, an average of
120 a i r c r a f t operated round and over our coasts.
45. Of the 250 long-range bombers a n d bomber reconnaissance a i r c r a f t
plotted by day, the majority were engaged in coastal a n d s h i p p i n g reconnaissance,
a n d only 36 p e n e t r a t e d inland. W e a t h e r conditions were generally unfavourable
for interception, but two J u . 88s were destroyed a n d several others damaged by
our fighters.
46. E n e m y a i r c r a f t d r o p p e d bombs o n D u b l i n on the n i g h t of the
3 0 t h / 3 1 s t May. On the n i g h t of the 1 s t / 2 n d J u n e a concentrated attack Was
m a d e on Manchester by about 75 aircraft, a n d on two other n i g h t s over 100 bombers
o p e r a t e d overland a g a i n s t Merseyside, the M i d l a n d s , and dispersed t a r g e t s on
t h e South side of the Thames E s t u a r y . A considerable p r o p o r t i o n of the enemy
effort w a s devoted to s h i p p i n g reconnaissance and t o minelaying,; in the l a t t e r
about 150 a i r c r a f t were engaged. D u r i n g t h e week fifteen enemy a i r c r a f t were
destroyed, e i g h t by n i g h t fighters.
Coastal O p e r a t i o n s .
47. Coastal Command flew 243 patrols a n d provided e s c o r t s f o r 92 convoys
involving a t o t a l of 682 sorties.
S h i p p i n g protection patrols carried out by
F i g h t e r C o m m a n d totalled 546 a n d involved 1,114 sorties.
48. V i g o r o u s operations a g a i n s t enemy s h i p p i n g by a i r c r a f t of Bomber and
Coastal Commands were continued. Bomber C o m m a n d claimed direct hits on five
m e r c h a n t vessels t o t a l l i n g 10,200 tons. Of these one vessel of 1,200 tons r a n into
the bank of t h e Kiel Canal a t a point S o u t h - W e s t of Rendsburg, and another of
500 tons w a s sunk alongside the Mole at Zeebrugge. A n a t t a c k by two a i r c r a f t
on a ship of 5,000 tons located a t E g e r s u n d was p a r t i c u l a r l y successful, four
direct h i t s being scored. F o u r Blenheims were lost in the course of these
operations.
49. I n a d d i t i o n to numerous routine and special patrols, a i r c r a f t of Coastal
Command c a r r i e d out attacks on 2 1 enemy m e r c h a n t vessels, some of which were
escorted by F l a k ships or n a v a l u n i t s . No ships a r e claimed as sunk, but many
were machine-gunned after bombs h a d n a r r o w l y missed their targets. Activities
a g a i n s t U-boats are reported u n d e r " Naval S i t u a t i o n . "
50. G e r m a n bomber reconnaissance u n i t s from Norway a n d F r a n c e operated
over the W e s t e r n a n d N o r t h - W e s t e r n A p p r o a c h e s and in the English a n d
St. George's Channels. Enemy reconnaissances of s h i p p i n g were also made off
the E a s t Coast of E n g l a n d a n d Scotland.
51. S h i p p i n g w a s a t t a c k e d about 200 miles W e s t of the Faroes in daylight
on the 1 ^ J u n e . On the n i g h t s of the l s t / 2 n d a n d 2 n d / 3 r d further attacks on
s h i p p i n g were made 15 miles N o r t h - E a s t of C a p e W r a t h and off the E a s t a n d
N o r t h - E a s t Coasts respectively.
The long-range bomber force in Norway is
believed to have been engaged on these operations.
Malta.
52. Blenheims have a g a i n m a d e successful attacks on s h i p p i n g between
Sicily a n d the L i b y a n Coast. On the 31st M a y t h r e e direct h i t s were made on
a d a m a g e d m e r c h a n t ship a t anchor off Sfax, and on 3rd J u n e five Blenheims
were despatched to a t t a c k a convoy of six merchant ships escorted by six
destroj^ers, w h i c h h a d previously been located by a i r reconnaissance forty miles
S.S.E. of P a n t e l l a r i a . A t t a c k s were carried out w i t h great determination, and
as a result one ship of 8,000 tons blew u p w i t h a violent explosion, a n d another
of about 5,000 tons w a s left ablaze after being h i t by four bombs from a n a i r c r a f t
which crashed after being struck by the flying debris.
53. Our reconnaissance a i r c r a f t have constantly patrolled the coasts of
T u n i s a n d T r i p o l i a n d the I o n i a n Sea. D u r i n g one of these flights a Maryland
destroyed an I t a l i a n seaplane on the water a t Argostoli (Cephalonia). A few
minelaying sorties have also been flown.
54. No serious a t t a c k s were made on M a l t a d u r i n g the week.
however, considerable enemy reconnaissance activity.
There was,
Libya and Egypt.
55. On six nights Wellingtons attacked Benghazi and many fires were seen
to break out in the vicinity of the harbour. Violent explosions were also seen
n e a r a new l a n d i n g ground south of Berka aerodrome.
56. H u r r i c a n e s of the South A f r i c a n A i r Force carried out reconnaissance
flights and attacked thirteen enemy aircraft on Gambut l a n d i n g ground, destroy­
i n g at least three of them. S t a n d i n g patrols were maintained over s n i p p i n g IN
the Tobruk area.
57. Several daylight attacks were made on Tobruk by German bombers
escorted by German and I t a l i a n fighters, on one occasion a total of fifty being
employed. No serious damage has been reported, and our A.A. fire destroyed a t
least fourteen enemy aircraft. On two nights about five enemy aircraft, one of
which was destroyed by A . A . fire, were engaged in minelaying off Alexandria,
a n d a number of small bombs were dropped on the air port.
Iraq and Syria.
58. D u r i n g the week a i r c r a f t o p e r a t i n g from P a l e s t i n e continued to recon­
noitre Syrian aerodromes, roads and harbours, and were on one occasion attacked
by two French fighters, which damaged one of them. Blenheims bombed the
aerodromes a t Horns and Aleppo, destroying one twin-engined aircraft by a
direct hit a n d d a m a g i n g several others. A petrol dump, at Beirut was attacked
on two occasions, and two cisterns were set on fire. -An. tfafioaa bomber attacked
a road construction p a r t y in Transjordan, near the Syrian frontier.
59. I n I r a q our bombing and machine-gun attacks continued u n t i l the
cessation of hostilities. Screaming bombs were dropped on R a s h i d (Bagdad),
where a large fire was started in an M.T. depot. A i r reconnaissance was used
to ensure t h a t the I r a q i s were w i t h d r a w i n g in accordance w i t h the terms of the
armistice. T h e Mosul area was reconnoitred and troops were subsequently flown
there by t r a n s p o r t a i r c r a f t escorted by Blenheims.
Abyssinia.
60.. O u r land operations in the West and South of Abyssinia have been
supported by the Royal A i r Force in the Sudan, the South A f r i c a n A i r Force
in Kenya, a n d the Free French A i r Force. Enemy troops, positions and t r a n s p o r t
have been subjected to repeated bombing and machine-gun attacks, and many
direct hits were made by Wellesleys and Blenheims on buildings and troop
columns. Our a i r c r a f t from Aden have reconnoitred the Assab and J i b u t i areas.
T h e only enemy aircraft encountered was attacked and damaged near Soddu by
one of our fighters.
General Air Intelligence.
Iraq and Syria.
61. T h e German A i r Force detachment in I r a q has been w i t h d r a w n a n d is
probably in Syria. There have recently been certain changes i n the organisation
and dispositions of the French A i r Force in Syria. The changes have been made,
firstly, to conform with the requirements of the Armistice Commission, and,
secondly, in a d a p t a t i o n to German intervention.
Russia.
62. I t is reported t h a t work on roads and aerodromes in Poland and
Roumania has been in progress for some time, and there are other indications
t h a t Germany is p r e p a r i n g to enforce her demands on the Soviet Union, if
necessary by military force.
J apan.
- 63. There are reports t h a t the number of aircraft in Formosa has recently
been increased. The object of this move is not at present clear, but it may be a
defensive measure a g a i n s t American activity in the P h i l i p p i n e s .
HOME SECURITY SITUATION. General.
By Day.
64. Enemy bombing has a g a i n been on a small scale. Bombs were dropped
by single a i r c r a f t a t P e t e r h e a d , P o r t l a n d , F r a s e r b u r g h , Wick, Cowes a n d in open
country near Middlesbrough.
By
Night.
65. Enemy bombing has not been on a heavy scale, a l t h o u g h it shows a
considerable increase on t h e previous week. R a i d s were m a d e on Merseyside on
t h e n i g h t s of the 3 0 t h / 3 1 s t M a y a n d the 31st M a y / 1 s t J u n e . A s h a r p r a i d w a s
m a d e on Manchester and Salford on the n i g h t of t h e l s t / 2 n d J u n e . A few bombs
w e r e dropped a t H u l l a n d Tweedmouth on the n i g h t of the 2 n d / 3rd J u n e . On
t h e n i g h t of the 4 t h / 5 t h J u n e a n a t t a c k w a s m a d e over a wide a r e a in the
M i d l a n d s , b u t most of the bombs fell ineffectively outside B i r m i n g h a m ; a few
bombs also fell in the M e d w a y area. On other n i g h t s of t h e week only a few
m i n o r incidents were reported.
Damage.
Merseyside,
31st May j 1st June.
66. H y d r a u l i c pressure a n d electric power were cut off a t the E a s t Gladstone
Dock and fires, which were soon u n d e r control, were s t a r t e d a t W e s t Gladstone
Dock. Serious d a m a g e w a s done to the N o r t h Section of the H o r n b y Dock, and the
P o r t of Liverpool w a s closed for forty-eight h o u r s .
Manchester and Salford, 1st/2nd
June.
67. D a m a g e in the centre of Manchester w a s mainby to business premises,
but production at t h r e e i m p o r t a n t factories w a s affected. Some d a m a g e was also
done to commercial premises in the Dock area.
68. T r a n s p o r t was r e s t r i c t e d by the closing of the m a i n r a i l w a y line to
Bolton and the north, a n d the blocking of m a n y roads by debris a n d craters.
Casualties.
69. Casualties for t h e week e n d i n g 0600 hours, 4th J u n e , a r e estimated a t
178 killed a n d 185 seriously i n j u r e d . 70 people were killed a n d 86 seriously
i n j u r e d at Manchester a n d Salford d u r i n g the n i g h t of the 1 s t / 2 n d J u n e .
Situation in Plymouth.
70. A l t h o u g h a few bombs have d r o p p e d in P l y m o u t h d u r i n g May, these
have not interfered w i t h the work of r e p a i r necessitated by the heavy r a i d s which
took place in the l a t t e r p a r t of A p r i l .
71. R e s t o r a t i o n of U t i l i t y Services has been facilitated by the reduced
n u m b e r of buildings to be served; this p a r t i c u l a r l y applies to electricity, which
is now supplied to the whole area.
W i t h the exception of two 8-inch mains, w a t e r supplies have now been
restored in all areas.
A l l gas consumers in Saltash are now receiving a full supply by means of a
connection from E x e t e r ; the P l y m o u t h Gas Company is p r o d u c i n g 40-50 per
cent, of its p r e - w a r o u t p u t a n d should be able to supply all habitable p r o p e r t y
in i t s a r e a by the end of J u n e . T e m p o r a r y a r r a n g e m e n t s have been made a t
Devonport gas works, a n d it is hoped t h a t this a r e a will be supplied in a few days.
Millbay R a i l w a y S t a t i o n is still closed to passenger traffic, b u t all lines a r e
cleared.
Goods traffic is r e s t r i c t e d by d a m a g e to warehouses, sheds a n d
commercial premises.
A l l telephone j u n c t i o n a n d t r u n k circuits have been repaired, and all
subscribers in undemolished b u i l d i n g s in Saltash, Torpoint a n d Crown H i l l are
now connected. R e p a i r s have been completed to a p p r o x i m a t e l y half the lines to
undemolished buildings served by the P l y m o u t h a n d Devonport exchanges.
APPENDICES
I, II and
III
will be published monthly.
APPENDIX
IV.
Enemy Merchant Ship Losses up to Wednesday, 3rd June, 1941.
German.
C a p t u r e d o r seize
seizedd
S c u t t l e d o r s u n k ..
....
Unidentifiedd ship
Unidentifie
shipss reporte
reportedd
b y S/M
S/M,, A/C
A/C,, & c , a s sun
sunkk
o r d e s t r o y eedd
(tonnag
(tonnagee
' ' estimated)
..
.... -
No.
Gross
Tons.
61
106
Italian.
Together.
No.
Gross
Tons.
No.
Gross
Tons.
274,000
601,000
40
86
189,000
445,000
101
192
463,000
1,046,000
192
960,000
117
585,000
309
1,545,000
359
1,835,000
243
1,219,000
602
3,054,000
I n addition, 42 ships of 72,000 gross tons u n d e r e n e m y control or useful to t h e e n e m y have
been sunk.
Also s o m e 53 ships, totalling 320,000 gross tons, have been placed under protective custody
in U n i t e d S t a t e s and South A m e r i c a n ports to p r e v e n t sabotage by their crews.
A P P E N D I X V.
Casualties to H.M. Auxiliary Vessels and to Naval Personnel.
The,.following casualties have occurred to H.M. A u x i l i a r y Vessels d u r i n g the
period u n d e r review :- May 31.—H.M.S. Folk (Auxiliary A / S Vessel) was bombed and
d a m a g e d in an air r a i d on Tobruk.
June 1.—H.M. T r a w l e r Stora w a s destroyed by a n explosion in her
m a g a z i n e at Aberdeen.' One r a t i n g believed killed.
June 3.—Fleet tender " C " was-destroyed as the result of r u n n i n g into
a wreck and being a f t e r w a r d s torpedoed by an E - B o a t to N o r t h - E a s t of
Skegness. Two casualties.
June 4.—Ex-Dutch Minelayer Van Meeriant
sunk by mine in the
T h a m e s E s t u a r y . 3 Officers and 39 R a t i n g s missing.
The following casualties to naval personnel have been reported :—
Officers: Killed a n d missing, 9 0 ; wounded, 18. R a t i n g s : Killed and missing, 429; wounded, 7 1 . Operational Aircraft Battle Casualties.
0600 hours, Thursday, 29th May, 1941, to 0600 hours, Thursday, 5th June, 1941.
Metropolitan Area.
British
Bombers
Fighters
Coastal
In the
...
Total
...
....
...
...
Air.
...
6
...
3
5
...
14
On the
Ground.
N u m b e r of fighter pilots k n o w n to be safe, 1.
German.
Probably
Destroyed.
2
Destroyed.
9 .
4
6
Bombers
Fighters
Miscellaneous
Total
Damaged. 5
1
1
19
3
6
No a c c o u n t is t a k e n of aircraft destroyed on the ground. Of t h e above t o t a l s , 1 b o m b e r and
2 m i s c e l l a n e o u s aircraft were d e s t r o y e d , a n d 1 b o m b e r a n d 1 m i s c e l l a n e o u s aircraft were
p r o b a b l y d e s t r o y e d by A.A. fire.
Middle East.
British
In the
Bombers... F i g h t e r s ... Coastal ...
...
B o m b e r s ...
F i g h t e r s ...
Miscellaneous
Total
On the
Ground.
. . . 6
Total
German.
Air.
13
Destroyed.
13
1
43
Probably
Destroyed.
6
1
24
57
31
Damaged.
3
16 19
Of t h e a b o v e t o t a l s , 2 b o m b e r s a n d 12 m i s c e l l a n e o u s aircraft w e r e d e s t r o y e d , a n d 1 b o m b e r
w a s p r o b a b l y d e s t r o y e d b y A.A. fire ; and 2 b o m b e r s a n d 17 m i s c e l l a n e o u s aircraft were
d e s t r o y e d , 11 m i s c e l l a n e o u s aircraft were p r o b a b l y d e s t r o y e d , and 12 m i s c e l l a n e o u s aircraft
w e r e d a m a g e d by N a v a l A.A. fire.
Italian.
1
B o m b e r s ...
Fighters ...
Miscellaneous
i
Total
2
Air Attacks on Enemy Territory in Europe. Extracts from Recent Raid Assessment Reports. T H E following reports of damage have been received d u r i n g the p a s t week
from A i r Reconnaissance a n d Intelligence sources :—
Germany.
Mannheim.—In
t h e r a i d on the 9 t h / 1 0 t h May, 1,200 tons of corn a n d 1,500
tons of peas were destroyed in warehouses which h a d been taken over by the
Government. A t the Mercedes Benz W o r k s a large stock of spare p a r t s for
engines a n d some of their rubber stocks were destroyed by fire. 200 persons
were killed.
T h e r e have been several reports of t h e closing of rail traffic between
M a n n h e i m and L u d w i g s h a f e n for three days or longer consequent upon recent
a t t a c k s . T h e p h o t o g r a p h s of the 17th M a y have been examined by a railway
e x p e r t a n d disclose a notable absence of railway activity N o r t h of M a n n h e i m
s t a t i o n a n d on t h e bridge over the R h i n e to Ludwigshafen. Only a few vehicles
were to be seen near t h e s t a t i o n ; no engine power w a s visible and the bridge and
the a p p r o a c h e s on both sides of the river were completely devoid of traffic.
Cologne -Two
reports have been received from which it a p p e a r s t h a t the
h a r b o u r a r e a has suffered severely, a n d ten R h i n e vessels have been sunk. The
D e u t z motor works were p u t out of action. D a m a g e was caused to t h e railway
tradks leading to Bonn, Aachen and Dusseldorf, a n d over 400 goods t r u c k s were
destroyed. T h e factory of " Schutte " (engineers and machine tool makers)
received t h r e e hits and a warehouse was completely destroyed.
Photographs
taken on the 24th M a y disclose possible d a m a g e to the roof of the n o r t h transept
a n d to the eastern end of the cathedral. I n f o r m a t i o n received from other sources
h a s s t a t e d t h a t a chapel and one spire of the cathedral have been hit.
Hamburg.—Two
reports tell of bombs having fallen in the town hall square
a n d the A l s t e r d a m m (heart of the city). The Reichsbank and the Exchange are
among the i m p o r t a n t buildings t h a t have been hit. Over' 5,000 houses are said
to h a v e been destroyed or damaged. Food supplies were i n t e r r u p t e d and the
p o p u l a t i o n have become depressed a n d r a t h e r tired, for they have been disturbed
by a l a r m s on nights when our bombers have, in fact, gone to other targets.
Emden.—About
15,000 people (nearly half the population) have been
evacuated.
Frankfurt.—In
the r a i d on the 5 t h / 6 t h May the residential district in the
W e s t of t h e town and to the N o r t h of t h e m a i n station suffered the greater p a r t
of the damage.
France.
Brest.—According
to workers in the arsenal employed in r e p a i r i n g both the
B a t t l e Cruisers they will not be ready for sea before the end of J u n e at the
earliest.
Havre.—In
the r a i d on the 2 6 t h / 2 7 t h May a ship was h i t a n d sank i n
t h e roads.
Cherbourg.—The
daylight attack on the 17th A p r i l resulted in t h e machine
room a t the arsenal being p u t out of action and the laboratory and a h i g h press
room being damaged.
Norway.
Norway.—In
t h e r a i d on K r i s t i a n s a n d
35 G e r m a n s were killed a n d 97 wounded.
South
on
the
9th/10th
May
THE
GERMAN
INVASION
OF
CRETE
G.S.O.R. 5 4 3 8
C R E T E
SCALE:
\OVz MILES TO I INCH
10
MILESIO
I i
ffe/nforcements
landed at
Arjaleme aerodrome
and on
neighbouring
Seeches by
iroop-carrying
aircraft
and
i
MAIN ROADS
OTHER ROADS
HEIGHTS IN METRES
glider.
Sea-borne
landing
ZOO strong
about
24/5.
-1472
20
SECRET
LEGEND
30
I
Parachute tps. landed
Note: Arrow
indicates
direction in which para­
attacked
chute tps.
after
landing.
Sea-borne
landings.
German.
Italian.
Progress
of enemy
ground
operations.
German.
Italian.
-3*
-5*
Posns. occupied by
German
parachute
and airborne
tps.
in opera tions sub ­
sequent
to landing.
Aerodrome
Landjng
ground
Dates against
names
of towns
indicate
date of capture
by
enemy.
23/5
0
O
CANE A
27js
THE
GERMAN
INVASION
OF
G.S.O.R. 5 4 3 8
C R E T E
SCALE:
10/A MILES TO I INCH
Reinforcements
/anded at
AJa/sme aerodrome
and on
neighbouring
Seaones by
troop-carry ing aircraft
andg/ider
Main R o a d s
Other Roads
H e i g h t s in M e t r e s
Sea-borne
about
/an
eO0
strong
ding
24/5.
CRETE
LEGEND
Parachute tps. landed
Note: Arrow
indicates
direction in which para­
attacked
chute tps.
after
landing.
Sea-borne
/andings.
German.
Italian.
Progress
of enemy
ground
operations.
German.
Italian.
Posns. occupied by
German
parachute
and airborne
tps.
in operations
sub­
sequent
to landing.
Aerodrome
Landing
ground
Dates against
names
of towns
indicate
date of capture by
enemy.
C
23/5
0
O
A N f c A
27/5