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THIS DOCUMENT IS T H E PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S
SECRET
GOYERNMENT
Copy No.
W.P. (41) 102
(Also Paper No. C.O.S. (41) 311)
May 15, 1941
TO B E K E P T
UNDER
JLQCK A N D
KEY.
I t is requested t h a t special care may be taken to
ensure the secrecy of this document.
WAR CABINET WEEKLY RESU:
of the
, MILITARY AND AIR SITUATION
from 12 noon May 8th, to 12 noon May 151 1941 [Circulated with the approval of
the Chiefs of Staff.]
2
v
" A N important convoy from the U n i t e d Kingdom has' reached Alexandria
via' the Mediterranean.
­
The port of Benghazi has twice been successfully bombarded by our light
forces.
1
Our s h i p p i n g losses d u r i n g the week are r a t h e r lower than of late.
Home Waters.
2. Cruiser patrols have been maintained in the I c e l a n d - F a r o e s channel
a n d in the Denmark S t r a i t s throughout the week.
M.T.Bs. carried out offensive sweeps off the Belgian and Dutch coasts.
3. Blenheims of the Bomber Command claim to have sunk a destroyer, or
naval auxiliary, of 2,000 tons off the Texel on the night of the 8 t h / 9 t h . Our
aircraft d u r i n g the week have sunk or damaged nine enemy merchant vessels in
Home W a t e r s totalling 39,600 tons.
D u r i n g a i r raids on the night of the 1 0 t ) h / l l t h on London, the A u x i l i a r y
P a t r o l Depot Ship Gypsy and 8 motor-boats were sunk at Tower P i e r a n d the
A. A. Ship Goat fell Was damaged. On the night of the l l t h / 1 2 t h the torpedo
w a r h e a d and depth-charge store at Felixstowe was demolished, a n d some damage
was done in the dockyard at Pembroke. On the n i g h t of the 1 2 t h / 1 3 t h one
oil cistern was set on fire at Devonport.
' - I n addition to the casualties mentioned above, 4 auxiliary vessels were sunk
a n d 4 were damaged. Details are given in A p p e n d i x V.
;
u;
North A t l a n t i c .
4. H.M. Armed Merchant Cruiser Salopian was torpedoed and abandoned
650 miles south-west of Iceland early on the 13th. 278 survivors are on board
H.M. Destroyer
Impulsive.
The I t a l i a n tanker Gianna M. (5,719 tons) was captured on the 10th by
H.M. Ocean Boarding Vessel Hilary 325 miles north of the Azores.
The German trawler Munchen has been captured in northern waters by
H.M. Destroyer Somali.
D u r i n g the week five French merchant vessels eastbound and six westbound
have passed G i b r a l t a r under escort.
H.M.S. Illustrious has arrived in American waters for refit.
South Atlantic.
5. The Vichy French s.s. Criton (4,564 tons) was intercepted by H.M.
Armed Merchant Cruiser Cilicia on the 9th, 400 miles North of Freetown, a n d
has been escorted into t h a t port. The Master stated t h a t instructions to scuttle
French ships if intercepted are no longer in force.
The French s .s. Bourbonnais
(4,484 tons), carrying 400 native troops to
Madagascar, was intercepted by H.M. A r m e d M e r c h a n t Cruiser Bulolo on the
13th, 100 miles S.W. of D a k a r , and is being taken in to Freetown.
Mediterranean.
6. The Mediterranean Fleet and the G i b r a l t a r Force have been engaged in
escorting and covering important convoy movements. One convoy of five ships
carrying m i l i t a r y stores and supplies from the U n i t e d Kingdom passed through
the S t r a i t s of G i b r a l t a r and arrived on the 12th at A l e x a n d r i a w i t h the loss of
one ship, the Empire Song (9,228 tons), which was mined and sunk in the Sicilian
Channel. The s.s. New Zealand Star also struck a mine but proceeded w i t h the
convoy. Two convoys from A l e x a n d r i a arrived a t M a l t a on the 9th without
mishap, although the harbour had been heavily mined by enemy a i r c r a f t and h a d
to be cleared by emergency measures. Exceptional weather conditions of poor
visibility persisted throughout almost the whole of these operations. No enemy
surface w a r s h i p s were encountered, but repeated air attacks were ineffectually
made by German a n d I t a l i a n bombers and torpedo-bombers, which were beaten
off by our naval fighters and by the ships' guns. One destroyer, H . M . S . Fortune,
was hit, but was able.to proceed a t reduced speed. N i n e enemy a i r c r a f t were
shot down for the loss of seven F A . A . aircraft, of which two only were due to
enemy action.
7. Benghazi has twice been shelled by H . M . Ships d u r i n g the week.
H.M. Cruiser Ajax w i t h four destroyers, on the n i g h t of the 8 t h / 9 t h , sank a n
ammunition ship of 5,000 tons and another supply vessel of 3,000 tons approaching
the harbour. H i t s were also obtained on other s h i p p i n g inside the port. On the
second occasion, the night of the 1 0 t h / 1 1 t h , four destroyers fired nearly 900 rounds
a t very close range at s h i p p i n g and m i l i t a r y objectives. They were attacked by
dive-bombers w i t h o u t success.
,
H . M . Gunboat Ladybird shelled a landing ground a t Gazala d u r i n g the n i g h t
of the 10th/11th, causing several fires. Gazala was a g a i n bombarded on t h e
night of the 1 3 t h / 1 4 t h by H . M . Gunboat Gnat.
On the afternoon of the 13th,
dive-bombers attacked and sank H.M.S. Ladybird in Tobruk harbour.
!
H . M . Submarine Usk is overdue a t M a l t a and must be considered lost.
8. On the 12th Swordfish of the Fleet A i r A r m attacked an enemy convoy
bound for Tripoli and h i t a destroyer and a merchant vessel of 8,000 tons.
9. M e r c h a n t s h i p p i n g lost d u r i n g the t r a n s p o r t of the expeditionary forces
to Greece totalled 36,000 tons, w i t h 6,000 tons damaged. D u r i n g the evacuation
from Greece the totals were 147,000 tons lost and 57,000 tons damaged.
'
10. The French Gallium (1,775 tons) was intercepted on the 8th by
H.M. Submarine Truant 180 miles east of Gibraltar, but was released from escort
by a French destroyer.
Anti-Submarine Operations.
11. F o u r attacks were carried out by H.M. Ships d u r i n g the week on
U-Boats, all in the N o r t h - W e s t e r n Approaches, b u t without conclusive results,.
The most promising of these was made on the 9th by H . M . Destroyers Niagara
and St. Clair, 150 miles W . N . W . of Blacksod Bay. A Catalonia flying-boat, on
the 11th, made an attack 100 miles west of Ireland.
Enemy Intelligence.
-
German.
­
12. The m a i n strength of the G e r m a n Fleet is now believed to be at K i e l
and in the Baltic, except for the battle-cruisers Scharnhorst a n d Gneisenau, which
remain a t Brest, and the 8-inch cruiser Seydlitz, which was photographed a t
Bremen on the n i g h t of the 9 t h / 1 0 t h . Three destroyers which were in Bordeaux
on the 5th May arrived at L a Pallice on the 11th May.
*
A succession of t r a n s p o r t s is reported to have proceeded from Germany to
Northern Norway d u r i n g late March and early A p r i l .
U-Boats.
13. There have been fourteen or fifteen German U-Boats and five or s i x
I t a l i a n s in the N o r t h - W e s t e r n Approaches d u r i n g the week. They have been
disposed much as before, but activity has been on a low scale except for a
prolonged attack on an outward-bound convoy S.W. of Iceland, which lasted for
three days.
[22521]
B
j J n addition to the main concentrations in the North, there have been some
t h r e e Germans west of Freetown, one or two I t a l i a n s in the M a d e i r a - C a n a r i e s
a r e a , and possibly one German off the coast of Brazil.
E a r E a s t e r n Intelligence.
14. There is evidence t h a t the J a p a n e s e have not u p to d a t e made any claim
for the use of naval bases in I n d o - C h i n a .
Enemy A t t a c k on Seaborne Trade.
15, S h i p p i n g losses d u r i n g the period have been below the average for the
p a s t two months, They have been mainly due to TJ-boats, which made a successful
a t t a c k on an o u t w a r d bound convoy to the south-west of Iceland (C) a n d sank
several ships to the westward of Freetown.
A i r attacks on coastal convoys, although persistent, were not very effective;
but some losses were caused by a i r c r a f t o p e r a t i n g in the North-Western
Approaches. Several ships were damaged d u r i n g the air r a i d s on Hull.
According to the information available up to the 14th May, shipping losses
i n A p r i l (details of which are given in A p p e n d i x I ) were 177 ships totalling
523,000 tons, of which 45 ships were Allied or neutral.
T h i r t y - n i n e ships (230,000 tons) were sunk by U-boat, 31 of them in the
A t l a n t i c and N o r t h - W e s t e r n Approaches, and 8 off Freetown. Sixty-four ships
(249,000 tons) were sunk by aircraft, 40 of them in the Mediterranean, and the
r e m a i n d e r in Home W a t e r s and the N o r t h - W e s t e r n Approaches.
For the first time losses by a i r a t t a c k have exceeded those by U-boats, but
t h i s is due to the heavy casualties incurred in the M e d i t e r r a n e a n . A p a r t from
the Mediterranean, s h i p p i n g losses have tended to show a slight improvement.
Protection of Seaborne Trade.
16. D u r i n g A p r i l 3,372 ships were convoyed a n d twenty-two ships, totalling
120,471 tons, were sunk while under escort. Eleven of these ships were lost through
U-boat a t t a c k on two convoys. I n the week under review two battleships, one
cruiser, 9 armed merchant cruisers, one a n t i - a i r c r a f t ship, 5 submarines, 60
destroyers and 65 sloops and corvettes were 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 e n d i n g the
10th M a y totalled 891,156 tons, as compared w i t h the 557,968 tons for the previous
week, and an average of 695,048 tons for the past ten weeks. Twenty-six tankers
brought in 245,291 tons of oil, as compared with 171,809 tons of the previous
week. M i n e r a l imports were 209,223 tons; eight ships being loaded w i t h iron
ore, two w i t h manganese ore, three w i t h phosphates a n d phosphate rock a n d three
w i t h scrap iron. Timber imports were 31,922 tons and cereals 239,528 tons
Twenty-one ships were laden w i t h wheat, three with g r a i n and one w i t h pulse.
Other food imports totalled 131,962 tons and included q u a n t i t i e s of meat, tea,
b u t t e r and cheese. Two ships brought in 18,761 tons of sugar.
British Minelaying.
. 17. There has been no minelaying by surface craft d u r i n g the period under
-review, but a few mines have been laid by aircraft off the French Channel a n d
A t l a n t i c ports and a few off the G e r m a n North Sea Coast!
;
Enemy Minelaying, British Minesweeping.
Home
Waters.
18. Mines were dropped from a i r c r a f t in the Thames on the night of the
1 0 t h / 1 1 t h May a n d have been suspected d u r i n g the week off ports in the south­
west of E n g l a n d and in large numbers off the D u r h a m coast. Mines were also
dropped in Liverpool Bay on two n i g h t s early in the week, but otherwise there
h a s been no minelaying on the west coast n o r t h of Milford Haven. The enemy
has taken to d r o p p i n g mines w i t h o u t parachutes.
The organisations for mine-watching have proved very valuable both in the
Thames a n d on the Clyde. D u r i n g the heavy raid on London d u r i n g the n i g h t
of the 1 0 t h / 1 1 t h May many mines were dropped in the T h a m e s ; these were
marked and the River w a s closed for only one day
Twenty magnetic mines and four acoustic mines have been exploded d u r i n g
the week in Home W a t e r s in widely separated localities.
The mine totals
(including Foreign Waters) are now 1,140 magnetic, 597 acoustic and 864 contact.
Foreign
Waters.
19. The Suez C a n a l h a s been raided on three nights of the week. Many
mines and bombs were dropped in and about the northern section of the Canal,
which is closed. Five mines have been detonated.
A t least three mines were detonated d u r i n g the week at M a l t a a n d three.have
been accounted for off A l e x a n d r i a .
.Dangerous areas have been declared off the T u n i s i a n Coast, where enemy
mines are suspected.
S.A. Trawler Aurora II a n d the L.L. W h a l e r Svana swept a channel to
Gazala on the 11th May p r e p a r a t o r y to the bombardment of this port by H.M.S.
Ladybird.
;
Enemy M e r c h a n t Shipping.
20. Two Norwegian oil refinery ships, each of about 12,000 tons, which
were captured by a German raider in the South A t l a n t i c in m i d - J a n u a r y were
at Bordeaux on the 5th May.
A B u l g a r i a n ship of 1,994 tons and a German ship of 1,756 tons, fully­
loaded, passed Istanbul bound for the JEgean on the 7th and the 8th respectively.:
One I t a l i a n of 3,175 tons and a Bulgarian of 2,300 tons a r r i v e d a t Istanbul on
the 10th May to load for the JEgean.
T h r e e German ships are reported to have left Constanza for Salonika on the,
12th loaded w i t h ammunition under a covering of forage.
;
MILITARY
SITUATION.
Operations.
Egypt and Libya.
2 1 . A t Tobruk on t h e 10th May our patrols surprised and shot u p a working
p a r t y of 300 I t a l i a n s a n d w i t h d r e w before enemy t a n k s could intervene.
I n the Sollum area an a t t e m p t was made on the 8th M a y to dislodge the
enemy from Halfaya. This however failed and on the 9th M a y enemy armoured
forces advanced from Sidi Omar towards Sidi Suleiman. Our troops engaged
them a n d subsequently w i t h d r e w without serious loss. Since then sand storms
and extreme heat have limited activity.
A byssinia.
' '
22. Activity continues in the Amba Alagi area. On the 5th May we
occupied further h i g h ground c a p t u r i n g one company of the M.T. battalion of the
Grenadier Division. D u r i n g an attack on the 9th May heavy casualties were:
caused by bombs thrown by I t a l i a n s flying a white flag.
Iraq.
23. A s a result of vigorous ground and air action the enemy force concen­
trated at Habbaniya w i t h d r e w on the 9th May eastwards to F a l l u j a h and west­
ward to R a m a d i c a r r y i n g out demolitions and inundations covering these two­
towns.
[22521]
B 2
O n the 11th M a y R u t b a h was abandoned by the enemy a n d has been occu­
pied by armoured cars of the A r a b Legion.
Conditions a t B a s r a a p p e a r to be r e t u r n i n g to normal.
24.
The following u n i t s have arrived in I r a q :Strength.
!
Three battalions and Force H.Q., H . Q . 2 1 Ind. Inf. Bde.
...
...
...
Remainder of second B r i g a d e Group, base and L. of C. u n i t s
Field regiment, field company, administrative u n i t s
2,500
2,500
3,000
Crete. ­
25. The present garrison in Crete under the command of Major-General
Freyberg consists of :—
14 Inf. Bde. One A u s t . Bde. Two N.Z. Bdes. Three light A . A . Btys. Two heavy A . A . Btys. and ancillary units.
I n a d d i t i o n there are Greek troops u n d e r t r a i n i n g who a r e being organised
for the defence of the island.
Intelligence.
Syria, Iraq and
Turkey.
26. There are strong indications t h a t Germany intends to send to I r a q the
assistance for which the latter country is urgently asking. Three German a i r c r a f t
arrived at Aleppo on 9th May, alleging t h a t they h a d lost their way. They left
for an u n k n o w n destination. The a r r i v a l of some G e r m a n a i r c r a f t in Damascus
is also reported.
T h e French authorities are known to have sent two train-loads of
a m m u n i t i o n eastwards, but deny t h a t they are destined for I r a q on German
demands.
27. Enemy agents are believed to be entering I r a q from T u r k e y a n d I r a n ,
presumably to assist the F i f t h Column already organised there a n d to p r e p a r e
for the reception of German airborne troops. G e r m a n y is reported to have
promised to come to the help of I r a q w i t h i n a fortnight irrespective of whether
T u r k e y agrees to the passage of troops or not.
28. I t is reported t h a t Germany intends to isolate T u r k e y by occupying
S y r i a r a t h e r t h a n to a t t a c k her directly. I t seems, however, impossible for
G e r m a n y to send a n effective land force to Syria or I r a q w i t h o u t using the land
r o u t e across A n a t o l i a . There a r e other indications t h a t the centre of gravity
of G e r m a n activities at the moment h a s moved to S.E. Europe, a n d i t seems
probable t h a t developments in I r a q have led the Germans (whatever their earlier
p l a n s may have been) to concentrate for the moment on the eastern M e d i t e r r a n e a n
a n d beyond.
By advancing through T u r k e y into S y r i a a n d at the same time renewing
t h e i r offensive in N o r t h Africa they could develop once again the pincer movement
-vvhich they have used so consistently in all their recent campaigns.
Yugoslavia and Greece.
29. The I t a l i a n s announce their occupation of Southern Yugoslavia,
proceeding from E a s t e r n Albania, u p to the line P e c s - P r i z r e n - T e t o v o - K i c e v o ,
and of E p i r u s , A c a r n a n i a a n d Altolia in Greece, i.e., of the whole of Western
Greece n o r t h of the Gulf of P a t r a s . There are unconfirmed reports of guerilla
activity in Montenegro and in Southern Serbia.
Nearly all the islands, including Chios, Mitylene, Samos, K y t h e r a a n d Melos.
a r e now in enemy h a n d s .
;
1
Roumania.
.
'.' V-'-. -'
'
30. W h a t e v e r G e r m a n y ' s real intentions in S.E. Europe may be, Roumanian
military circles are being led to expect t h a t the co-operation of the Roumanian
army will shortly be required for an attack on Russia. Roumanian irredentism
over Bessarabia is being openly encouraged and the usual sources indicate t h a t
conversations between the German and Roumanian staffs a r e in progress. Russian
military m a p s a r e being issued t o all Roumanian officers. Such a policy does not
necessarily indicate t h a t an a t t a c k on Russia is planned for the immediate future..
Spain.
31. Ail the indications point to preparations for a move into Spain being
almost complete, but German thoroughness may w a n t to be assured of additional
railway facilities before commencing operations. If there were no Spanish
resistance the occupation of the country could be carried out by the troops already
near the Spanish frontier, and consequently very little w a r n i n g (in the form of
troop concentrations, heavy t r a i n movements, &c.) could be expected.
Portugal.
32. German p r o p a g a n d a has been making play w i t h alleged British and
American intentions to occupy the Azores and is h i n t i n g at the necessity for
" p r o t e c t i n g " P o r t u g a l . A report that Germany has assured Salazar t h a t
Portuguese neutrality will be respected has in itself a somewhat sinister ring.
Morocco.
33. I t is reported t h a t w a r material has been filtering through from S p a i n to
Spanish. Morocco, and it is possible t h a t some of it at least is intended for German
use, for other reports refer to the passage of German motor transport through
Tunis to Tripolitania. There are indications t h a t Germany has p u t pressure
on Vichy to deliver u p a large number of motor vehicles already in North
Africa, I t is believed t h a t the Vichy Government agreed, but t h a t General
Weygand, after consenting to deliver not more t h a n 200 vehicles, subsequently
declined to h a n d over any at all. F u r t h e r information is lacking, b u t t h a t this
demand should have been made at all by Germany confirms the view /that
t r a n s p o r t difficulties are h a m p e r i n g German operations in Cyrenaica.
U.S.S.R.
34. A d d i t i o n a l confirmation has been received of the gradual strengthening
of G e r m a n forces all along the Russian frontier from the North of Norway to
the Black Sea, and. it is suggested that p r e p a r a t i o n s for operations against
Russia will soon be complete. I t is also reported t h a t S.S. contingents are being
formed among emigrants from the U k r a i n e and t h e Baltic States, a n d t h a t proGerman Governments for these territories are being planned.
There are indications of possible Roumanian co-operation in a move against
Russia, a t least as far as Bessarabia is concerned.
35. R e p o r t s from various quarters—some of them probably inspired by
Germany—stress the inevitability of a clash between Germany and Russia
eventually, b u t they differ as to the probable date. J u n e and J u l y are mentioned
as the earliest possibilities, but this seems somewhat optimistic.
I t is probable t h a t no decision has yet been taken as to whether Russia is to
be persuaded by threats to comply w i t h German wishes or should be attacked.
AIR
SITUATION.
General Review.
36. D u r i n g the week, Bomber Command
of the w a r . Our aircraft have again made a
enemy coastal shipping.
A heavy concentrated a t t a c k was made on
been conspicuously successful. M a l t a and Crete
carried out their heaviest a t t a c k
number of successful a t t a c k s on
London. Our night fighters have
were attacked on several occasions.
Germany and Occupied Territory.
General.
37. D u r i n g the week Bomber Command flew 85 day and 953 n i g h t sorties,
which is a decrease in the scale of day operations and an increase in night
operations as compared w i t h the previous week. The largest number of aircraft
yet detailed since the outbreak of war, namely 383, were despatched on the night
of the 8 t h / 9 t h M a y to attack targets in Germany, the m a i n efforts being
concentrated on H a m b u r g and Bremen.
Day.
38. Most of t h e daylight attacks have again been directed against enemy
coastal shipping, details of which are given under Coastal Operations. The
naval base a t Heligoland was attacked on the 13th M a y b y ten Blenheims.
Bombs were d r o p p e d on jetties and buildings, causing a number of fires, a n d
barracks and gun positions were attacked w i t h machine-gun fire.
r
Night.
39. A i r c r a f t of the Bomber Command, t a k i n g a d v a n t a g e of good visibility,
made heavy attacks on several i m p o r t a n t enemy objectives on five nights of the
week. The s h i p y a r d s a n d the i n d u s t r i a l centre of H a m b u r g were attacked on
three nights by a total of 357 aircraft, a n d similar t a r g e t s at Bremen were
attacked on two n i g h t s by a total of 198. Nearly 280 tons of H . E . bombs,
including twelve 4,000-lb. bombs, a n d 25,000 incendiaries were dropped on
H a m b u r g , and 180 tons of H . E . bombs a n d 35,000 incendiaries on Bremen.
Direct h i t s were scored on the Blohm a n d Voss shipyards, the Rhenania Ossag
oil refinery, and the Tiefstack electrical power station, a t H a m b u r g , and on the
shipyards at Bremen. L a r g e fires were s t a r t e d in both cities, and those at
H a m b u r g could be seen seventy miles away.
40. The i n d u s t r i a l centres of M a n n h e i m and L u d w i g s h a f e n were attacked
twice, by a total of 185 aircraft. On the first occasion visibility was good a n d
excellent results were obtained, nearly sixty tons of H . E . bombs and 7,500
incendiaries being dropped into the t a r g e t area. The large concentration of
fires which resulted could be seen by our r e t u r n i n g a i r c r a f t when they were
ninety miles away.
A t t a c k s on a smaller scale were m a d e on the i n d u s t r i a l centre of Berlin a n d
on the docks a t Bremerhaven, Emden, R o t t e r d a m , Ostend a n d Calais.
41. A i r c r a f t of Coastal Command! a t t a c k e d the docks a t St. Nazaire on two
occasions and direct hits were obtained on dock buildings, on the railway station
and on the customs house. Other successful attacks were made on enemy supply
ships and on oil stores at L a Pallice, on " E " Boats at Boulogne and a t I j m u i d e n
and on several aerodromes in Norway.
42. F i g h t e r Command a i r c r a f t carried out offensive p a t r o l s over the Low
Countries and N o r t h e r n France on six n i g h t s of the week. Bombs were dropped
on several aerodromes.
United Kingdom.
43. F i g h t e r Command flew 2,661 patrols, involving 3,808 sorties, by day,
and 1,402 a d d i t i o n a l sorties were flown by night. The daylight effort of the
enemy fighter force was slightly increased, b u t at n i g h t 1,070 long-range bombers
were employed, which showed a reduction compared w i t h the previous week.
44. By day, t h e usual enemy reconnaissances were flown, and defensive
fighter patrols were m a i n t a i n e d over the Dover S t r a i t s a n d over coastal areas.
A number of small-scale offensive daylight sweeps covered K e n t and South and
South-West Coastal regions; our fighters destroyed eighteen Me. 109's, and
probably destroyed six others. W e lost six aircraft, but four of the pilots were
saved. Ten Me. 109's dived from 29,000 feet to 100 feet to attack Rochford
aerodrome, and destroyed the control office.
45. London w a s heavily attacked on the night of the 1 0 t h / 1 1 t h M a y ; it is
estimated t h a t 320 Bombers were engaged, about 30 of which carried out two
sorties. D u r i n g this attack, o u r n i g h t fighters destroyed twenty-seven of the
raiders, probably destroyed five a n d damaged eleven others; a n t i - a i r c r a f t guns
shot down six. I n addition, our bombers destroyed five enemy aircraft d u r i n g
their operations over Germany. Details of other n i g h t attacks a r e referred to i n
the Home Security S i t u a t i o n ; these were mostly of a scattered nature, and a
feature h a s been the decline i n effort since the full moon a n d t h e heavy losses
sustained on the 10th/11th. Sixty-four enemy n i g h t bombers were destroyed
d u r i n g the week.
46. Royal A i r Force Stations were bombed on many occasions, more
p a r t i c u l a r l y on the night of the 11th/ 12th May, when thirty-nine stations reported
attacks. T h e damage was not of a serious nature, but some buildings and h a n g a r s
were h i t a n d a number of a i r c r a f t were damaged, and casualties occurred amongst
the personnel. D u r i n g one night, 200 bombs were dropped a t St. Eval, the a t t a c k
lasting over four hours. A t W a t t o n , a J u . 88 machine-gunned the station and
was brought down by A.A. Lewis guns.
Coastal Operations.
47. Coastal Command flew 275 patrols and provided escorts for 95 convoys,
involving a total of 865 sorties. I n addition, Fighter Command flew 1,908 sorties
on s h i p p i n g protection patrols.
48. Bomber Command a i r c r a f t have a g a i n made several successful a t t a c k s
on enemy s h i p p i n g . The following received direct hits :—
A 700-ton Flak-ship off Stavanger.
A 500-ton M.V. off the D u t c h Coast.
A 350-ton trawler off the D u t c h Coast.
A 2,000-ton destroyer or n a v a l a u x i l i a r y off Texel. Believed sunk.
Two 500-ton coasters a t Maasluis. Probably sunk.
A 12,000-ton supply ship a t St. N a z a i r e .
A 2,000-ton M.V. off U s h a n t . Left sinking.
Three M.V.S of 5,000, 4,000 and 1,600 tons respectively off the I s l a n d
of Wangeroog. A l l set on fire.
Several other ships were attacked but results could not be observed.
On the 14th May a Coastal Command Beaufort torpedoed an enemy supply
ship of 5,000 tons in an escorted convoy off the D u t c h Coast.
49. T e n successful minelaying sorties were flown by Bomber Command, and
nine by Coastal Command. Enemy minelayers operated on a larger scale than
in the previous week, covering the E a s t Coast, the Bristol Channel, Liverpool Bay
and the Southern I r i s h Sea.
50. Enemy bomber-reconnaissance a i r c r a f t carried out normal routine
patrols d u r i n g the week. The Condor U n i t , which is o p e r a t i n g H e . I l l as well
as F . W . 200 aircraft, carried out reconnaissance flights over the W e s t e r n a n d
N o r t h - W e s t e r n Approaches. W e a t h e r flights from Trondheim have also covered
the area of J a n Mayen Island a n d to n o r t h of Iceland (C) on two or three
occasions d u r i n g the week. A few long-range torpedo-carrying reconnaissance
float-planes operated over the Bay of Biscay. A detachment of about six J u . 87
dive-bombers engaged on armed reconnaissance of shipping is now operating
from Banak, near Hammerfest. These a i r c r a f t have a maximum r a d i u s of action
of 180 miles.
Malta.
51. Five n i g h t attacks were m a d e on the I s l a n d by G e r m a n a i r c r a f t ; on
the n i g h t l l t h / 1 2 t h May t h i r t y enemy bombers m a i n t a i n e d the a t t a c k for five
and a half hours. The m a i n t a r g e t w a s L u q a aerodrome, which w a s damaged,
together w i t h some buildings; a h a n g a r w a s also hit, a n d one Maryland a n d a
Wellington were destroyed and other a i r c r a f t seriously damaged. I n addition,
damage was inflicted on civilian p r o p e r t y a n d many houses were demolished.
Two b a r r a c k blocks were destroyed a n d d a m a g e was caused to the dockyard
and to a hospital. Three attacks were also made in daylight, when fighters
predominated.
52. Beaufighters on a standing p a t r o l shot down a J u . 88, a n d H u r r i c a n e s
on two occasions intercepted J u . 87's a t t a c k i n g shipping, and destroyed two of
them a n d probably destroyed two others. A Sunderland was attacked a t its
moorings by seven Me. 109's a n d set on fire, while five H u r r i c a n e s were shot down
by enemy fighters and one Beaufighter is missing.
53. On the 10th May nine Beaufighters made a very good a t t a c k on Catania
and Comiso aerodromes, where considerable damage is believed to have been
inflicted. Two J u . 52's, three bombers, a n d a number of other a i r c r a f t were set
on fire a n d further a i r c r a f t damaged. A.bout 30 officers were machine-gunned
on the run.
Crete a n d E a s t e r n M e d i t e r r a n e a n .
54. On the n i g h t of 12th / 13th May enemy aircraft o p e r a t i n g singly bombed
Suda Bay for seven hours. The a t t a c k was repeated d u r i n g daylight on 13th and
14th May, and included the aerodromes a t Heraklion and Melemo, but no serious
damage resulted. E i g h t enemy a i r c r a f t were shot down and another was damaged.
55. Over 500 German t r a n s p o r t a i r c r a f t a r e concentrated in Greece, the
majority i n t h e neighbourhood of Athens. A t least twenty-five of the fifty I t a l i a n
long-range bombers a t present in the /Egean are now equipped for torpedo carry­
ing. Two Me. 110 units, totalling about sixty aircraft, are reported to have been
fitted w i t h e x t r a tanks. One of these m a y operate from Rhodes, w i t h i n r a n g e of
A l e x a n d r i a . Rhodes may also be reinforced by additional German aircraft, con­
sisting of J u . 88 and Me. 110. T h e Germans are believed to be p r e p a r i n g an air
base on the I s l a n d of Melos, about eighty miles south-east of Athens.
E g y p t a n d Libya.
56. Our bombers continued their attacks on the enemy aerodromes a t Derna,
Jedabaya, Benina a n d Gazala. On the n i g h t of 1 1 t h / 1 2 t h May, Wellingtons
destroyed one Me. 110 a n d four H e . l l l ' s at B e n i n a and, a t D e r n a a n d Gazala,
bombs burst amongst grounded a i r c r a f t destroying four single-engined fighters,
in addition to which about six a i r c r a f t were severely damaged by machine-gun
fire. Benghazi harbour was a t t a c k e d a n d some large fires were s t a r t e d ; bombs
were also seen to drop very near two 5,000 ton vessels, and on buildings near the
military h e a d q u a r t e r s and Government House.
On the n i g h t of 1 0 t h / 1 1 t h May, four Wellingtons from M a l t a scored several
h i t s on the Spanish Mole, and n e a r the P o w e r Station at Tripoli. A t the same
time four Swordfish laid sea mines in the harbour.
57. M . T . vehicles were attacked w i t h good results on a number of occasions.
On 12th May, twenty-two H u r r i c a n e s a n d Blenheims successfully machine­
gunned the enemy d u r i n g his w i t h d r a w a l from Sofafi to t h e Capuzzo area.
58. Enemy aircraft, believed to be German, attacked Tobruk harbour on
four occasions. On the first, A.A. guns accounted for three of these a n d probably
destroyed two others. The t h i r d attack, which was on the 12th May, was
carried out by forty-six enemy aircraft, on the south of the harbour. T w o A.A.
positions were h i t and one gun was p u t out of action. T h r e e of the a t t a c k i n g
a i r c r a f t were probably destroyed, and, d u r i n g a subsequent attack, several others
were damaged.
59. T h e r e has been a slight increase in German long-range bombers in
Libya, but the reinforcement Of t h i s t h e a t r e is proceeding comparatively slowly.
Iraq.
60. A t H a b b a n i y a , the situation h a s remained quiet since the I r a q i s were
driven from their positions overlooking t h e cantonment. R u t b a h was evacuated
on the 11th M a y after action by Royal A i r Force armoured cars and repeated
attacks by aircraft.
61. A p a r t from reconnaissance and s t a n d i n g patrols, operations have been
confined to a t t a c k s on I r a q i aerodromes and military establishments. Rashid
was bombed by Wellingtons and by a i r c r a f t of No. 4 F l y i n g T r a i n i n g School;
direct hits were obtained on hangars, barracks a n d other buildings, a n d on three
occasions the petrol d u m p a t the aerodrome w a s attacked. A t t a c k s were also
made on B a g h d a d A i r P o r t , a n d on aerodromes a t Baquba, Mosul, and Shahraban.
A t Mosul, twelve direct hits were registered on the barracks and, at Shahraban,
ten a i r c r a f t were destroyed on the ground. B a r r a c k s were also h i t a t Washshash,
Masiriya and Qaraghan.
62. On t h e 13th May, a Blenheim fighter on a reconnaissance over Mosul w a s
intercepted by a Me. 110; the enemy broke off the engagement after four very
determined a t t a c k s ; i t m a y have been h i t by the Blenheim r e a r gun. On the
14th May, six monoplanes, believed to be Me. 109's, were seen a t Erbil, fifty miles
east of Mosul, and three Heinkel l l l ' s have also been reported.
63. W i t h their present commitments in Libya and the vEgean, t h e Germans
might make available u p to t h i r t y fighters and t h i r t y long-range bombers for
operations in I r a q . Sufficient t r a n s p o r t a i r c r a f t for the supply of this force
could also be found. I t h a s been reported t h a t approximately t h i r t y German
a i r c r a f t have landed in S y r i a u p to the 12th May, at Damascus, Aleppo and
Rayak. The passage of German a i r c r a f t through Syria to I r a q appears to be
effected w i t h t h e connivance of the French Authorities.
64. I t is estimated t h a t the I r a q i A i r Force has now been reduced to a total
of about fifty a i r c r a f t of which only six are first line operational types.
Abyssinia.
65. Our a i r c r a f t continued their attacks on enemy positions a t Amba A l a g i
in close support of land operations. The fort was hit on several occasions. .
A i r c r a f t also attacked enemy positions and M.T. near W a d e r a , Gimma,
Uondo a n d Sciasciamanna in Southern Abyssinia, and N o r t h of Debareeh in
N o r t h e r n Abyssinia.
General Air Intelligence.
Dispositions of the German Air Force.
66. A table showing the general disposition of the German A i r Force is
given at Appendix V I I I . Movements indicate t h a t a certain a m o u n t of refitting
is in progress. A p a r t from the slight increase of long-range bombers in North
Africa, t h e most interesting feature is t h e concentration of t r a n s p o r t aircraft i n
Greece. Local movements a r e reported i n the relevant p a r a g r a p h s above.
A zores.
67. Reports received suggest t h a t the Portuguese Government is m a k i n g
serious efforts t o provide for the air defence of the Azores. I t is stated t h a t one
fighter squadron, probably equipped w i t h fourteen Gladiators, will be transferred
to A c h a d a from the m a i n l a n d in the near future, and t h a t the A c h a d a landing­
ground is itself in course of improvement. A stock of 100-kg. bombs has been
shipped to P o n t a Delgada, a n d a n A.A. battery is understood to have been
established at a point near Arrifes.
HOME SECURITY
SITUATION.
General.
By
Day.
68.
By
Enemy bombing has been negligible.
Night.
69. The principle event of the week was a heavy and concentrated bombing
attack on London on the 1 0 t h / 1 1 t h May, causing considerable damage and many
casualties. On the first two nights of the period B a r r o w and H u l l were bombed
and N o t t i n g h a m had its first serious attack. On the 1 1 t h / 1 2 t h M a y bombing was
widespread, many R . A . F . aerodromes being attacked. On the last three nights
bombing was on a very minor scale.
O t h e r places attacked were chiefly in the north of E n g l a n d and in the south
and south-west. Some damage and casualties were caused.
[22521]
c
Damage.
London.
70. The main weight of the attack fell on the Central and City areas, but
bombing was also widespread and affected sixty boroughs.
The m a i n problem was the incendiary bomb and the fire situation, a g g r a v a t e d
b y a serious water shortage. Damage to residential, commercial and public
property was very extensive.
71. Damage to the docks is substantial, b u t the ability of the p o r t as a whole
t o handle traffic is probably little affected.
The river wall at Southwark and the embankment at Chelsea were damaged.
Tower P i e r a n d the floating pier a t Billingsgate were hit. The river, however,
remained open except for a few restrictions.
72. There was considerable dislocation of transport, especially the railways.
A t o n e time all the railway t e r m i n i were closed except Marylebone.
U t i l i t y services stood up to the attack well. G a s was most affected; five gas
works and many mains were damaged. W a t e r pressure was low in most boroughs
a s the result of the fracture of 47 large and 100 smaller mains. Six electric power
stations were hit, but i n t e r r u p t i o n of services was only temporary. D a m a g e to
telephone services and equipment seriously affected communications from London
to various p a r t s of the country.
73. Damage to public buildings was extensive. Amongst the buildings
damaged were the Houses of P a r l i a m e n t , Westminster Abbey and the B r i t i s h
Museum. Several H a l l s of City Companies were destroyed and five churches and
fourteen hospitals affected.
About eighteen i m p o r t a n t i n d u s t r i a l concerns received hits d u r i n g the r a i d .
Hull.
74. There were extensive fires in the Dock area, affecting especially the
K i n g George and A l e x a n d r a Docks. R a i l w a y dislocation seriously interfered
w i t h dock working.
U t i l i t y services escaped lightly, but damage to p r o p e r t y was widespread and
caused a large increase in the number of homeless.
Seven factories were affected, some receiving severe damage.
Nottingham.
75. I n its first r a i d considerable damage was caused by fire to shops, offices
a n d commercial premises; 500 houses were demolished.
Severe damage was caused to u t i l i t y services, especially those of w a t e r and
gas, but only two factories were reported as damaged.
Elsewhere.
76. Some damage was caused in Docks a n d to a few factories, but chiefly to
private property.
General Situation
on Merseyside.
77. The dock system is chiefly affected by the major working difficulties of
the railways, inside and outside the dock area, b u t clearance of lines is being
effected.
On the 12th May road t r a n s p o r t was still i n operation to railheads, and
workers could be taken to and from work without difficulty by road. I n spite of
t h e heavy loss of vehicles, considerable quantities of goods are being moved daily
from the docks.
U t i l i t y services have greatly improved, but difficulty has occurred in
obtaining rail borne coal and gas supplies.
Casualties.
78. Casualties for the week e n d i n g 0600 hours, the 14th May, a r e estimated
a t 2,055 killed a n d 2,685 seriously injured.
Seriously
These figures i n c l u d e injured
London (for period)
1,212
1,769
Hull­
K
l%)
Nottingham, 8 t h / 9 t h M a y '
U
U
d
150
127
A P P E N D I X I.
SECTION A.-Merchant Vessels (excluding Commissioned Merchant Vessels) of all tonnages
t o
lost during the
month of April by enemy action. (Note.—Tonnages are gross unless otherwise stated.) By Submarine. t o
Date,
Apr. 1
Apr. 2
Apr. 2 Apr. 3 Apr. 3
Apr. 3
Apr. 3
Apr. 3
Apr. 3
0
REPORTED
Apr. 4
^ Apr. 4
Apr. 4
Name and Tonnage.
Nationality.
S/S Cargo Ena de
j British
Larrinaga
(o,200)
M / V T a n k e r British
IReliance
(7,000)
S/S Cargo Beaverdale..]
British
(9,95'()
8/S Tanker British
j British
.
Viscount
(6,895)
S/S Cargo Alderpool ... British
(4,313)
S/S Cargo Westpool ... British
(5,724)
S/S Cargo Belle
... Norwegian
(2,467)
8/S Cargo Indier
... Belgian
(5,409)
S/S Cargo Leonidas Z
Greek
Cam banis
(4,274)
S/S Cargo Athenic
... British
(5,351)
S/S Cargo Harblcdoivn i British
(5,414)
. I
S/S Cargo Welcombe...\
British
(5,122).
Cargo.
From-
To-
How sunk.
I n Convoy
or not.
Position.
Casualties to Crew and Remarks.
Coal
Hull
Buenos
Aires
Torpedo..
Not
205 miles E. of St. Some survivors picked*up.
Paul's
Gas oil
Aruba
Clyde
Torpedo..
Yes
680 miles W. of B u t t All saved.
of Lewis
St. John,
Liverpool ... Torpedo..
,N.B.
... Curacao ... Scapa Flow Torpedo..
Not
540 miles W.N.W. of 33 picked up. F u r t h e r 20 men
Rockali
seen in boat by aircraft.
650 miles W. of B u t t 18 crew, 2 gunners, landed Liver­
of Lewis
pool.
General
Fuel oil
Grain
Torpedo..
Yes
Scrap iron... Baltimore... Leith
Torpedo..
Yes
Steel and
pulp
Steel and
general
Wheat
St. John,
London
N.B.
New York ... Glasgow
Torpedo..
Yes
.
Torpedo .
Yes
... Swansea
.
Torpedo..
Yes
Grain
London
Portland
(Or.)
Portland
Loch E w e .
. (Or.)
B a l t i m o r e . . . Loch E w e .
Torpedo..
Yes
Torpedo..
Yes
Torpedo,.
Yes
Grain
Grain
New York ... Liverpool .
Yes
Halifax
680 miles W. of B u t t
of Lewis
650 miles W. of B u t t
of Lewis
350 miles W. of
Roekall
650 miles W. of
B u t t of Lewis
650 miles W. of
B u t t of Lewis
220 miles
Rockall
310 miles
Rockall
350 miles
Rockall
No information regarding crew.
2 Europeans, 3 lascars
Liverpool.
All landed Liverpool.
landed
3 crew, 1 gunner, landed Liver­
pool.
29 in H.M. ships.
W.
of
All crew landed Liverpool.
W.
of
W.
of
25 landed Liverpool. 16 crew,
2 Naval staff missing.
24 crew, 2 gunners, landed Liverpool.
H
1
1
Date.
Name and Tonnage.
Apr. 4
Apr. 6
Apr. 8
...
Apr. 8
...
Apr. 8
...
Apr. 8
...
Apr. 8
...
Apr. 8
...
Apr. 10 ...
Apr. 11 ...
Apr. 12 ...
Apr. 13 ...
Apr. 13 ...
Apr. 15 ...
Apr. 20 ...
British
Cargo.
From-
To-
Iron, jute, Calcutta ... London, via
oilcake,
Freetown
ground nuts
... Ballast
Freetown ...
... St. John,
S/S Cargo Portadoc
... British
N.B.
(1,746)
Reykjavik...
M/V Tanker
Lincoln Norwegian
Trinidad ...
Ballast
...
Ellsworth
(5,580)
Tyne
British
S/S Cargo Helena
Takoradi ...
Ballast
...
Margareta
(3,316)
Liverpool ..
British
S/S Cargo Tweed
Pepel
Ballast
...
(2,697)
Tees
British
S/S Cargo Harpathian
W.C. Africa
(4,671)
Curacao ... Gibraltar ..
Spirit
M/V Tanker Duffield "... British
(8,516)
Hull
British
. . Coal
Buenos
S/S Cargo Eskdene
Aires
(3,829)
Demarara ... London
Sugar
S/S Cargo Prins Wil­ Dutch
lem II
(1,304)
Loch E w e . . . Durban
Dutch
Coal
S/S Cargo Saleier
(6,563)
Buenos
Greek
ILK.
Wheat
S/S Cargo /Egon
Aires
(5,285)
Montevideo Hull
Grain and
S/S Cargo St.
Helena... British
(4,313)
general
Buenos
Freetown
S/S Cargo Gorinthic
... British
Grain
Aires
and U K
(4,823)
Steel, tools, New Y ork ... Liverpool ...
Belgian
S/S Cargo Ville de
wheat,
Liege
bacon
(7,463)
Manganese Takoradi ... Workington
British
S/S Cargo Aurillac
ore
(4,733)
Government Swansea ... Alexandria
British
S/S Cargo Empire
stores
Endurance
(8,570)
S/S Cargo Marlene
(6,507)
Apr. 4
Nationality.
How sunk.
I n convoy i
or not,"
'
-;
;
T. ...
Position.
Casualties.to Crew and Remarks.
Torpedo. . Not
... 70 miles W. of Free­ 22 Europeans, 25 natives arrived
town
Freetown. 9 Furopeans missing.
Torpedo... Not
... 250 miles W. of Free­ Crew landed French
town
7 sent Freetown.
... 140 miles W.S.W. Crew picked up.
Reykjanes, Iceland
Torpedo... Not
Guinea.
Torpedo... Not
... 350 miles
Madeira
Torpedo... Not
... 100 miles off Free­
town
... 290 miles W. of
Madeira ... 340 miles W. by S.
Madeira ... 300 miles W. of
Madeira ... 360 miles W.N.W.-
Rockall 15 landed Konakry. Rest arrived
Dakar.
21 landed Teneriffe.
... 558 miles W. of
Rockall ... 160 miles S. by W.
of Freetown
... 100 miles off Free­
town
... 92 miles W. by S. of
Freetown
... 570
miles
N.W.
Rockall
picked up.
63
Torpedo... Not
Torpedo... Not
Torpedo... Not
Torpedo... Not
Torpedo... Not
Torpedo... Not
Torpedo... Yes
Torpedo... Not
Torpedo... Not
Torpedo... Not
Torpedo... Not
W.
of
9 in H.M. Ship.
27 believed lost.
arrived Teneriffe.
27
All arrived Pernambuco.
13 saved,
missing.
3
drowned,
1
boat
23 landed, 8 killed.
40 in H.M. Ship.
2 killed, 28 landed Freetown.
11 saved, remainder ('? 52) adrift
in boats.
... 470 miles W. of Cape 22 landed Madeira, 19 picked up,
St. Vincent
1 died.
... 470 miles W. of Slvne 24 landed Greenock, 1 boat
Head
missing.
Date.
Name and
Tonnage.
Nationality.
Cargo.
From—
Apr. 21 ... S/S Cargo and Passen­ British
ger Oalchas
(10,305)
General and Sydney
Refrig.
Apr. 27
... M/V Cargo
Ballast
Apr. 27
(10,160)
... S/S Cargo Rimfaltse
(1,334)
Beacon
Grange
Apr. 28 ... S/S Cargo Port
(8,897)
... Norwegian
Hardy
Apr. 28 ... M/V Tanker Oilfield
(8,516)
Apr. 28 ... M/V Tanker
(9,892)
How
Sunk.
In Convoy
or not.
... L i v e r pool Torpedo... Not
via
Dur­
ban
Tyne
Buenos
Aires
Loch E w e . . .
Reykjavik ...
W.S.W. 18 Europeans, 13 Chinese lost;
35 and 3 passengers saved.
Torpedo... Not
340 miles W.N.W. 41 picked u p ; 1 boat missing.
of B u t t of Lewis
Torpedo... Not
130 miles N.W. of
B u t t of Lewis
7 landed Serabster; 12 possibly
prisoners in U-boat.
Wellington,
Dunedin
Avonmouth
Torpedo... Yes
About
300
miles 84 crew, 4 gunners, 10 passenW.N.W. of B u t t of
gers landed, 1 missing.
Lewis
... British
Benzine
Aruba
Loch E w e . . . Torpedo... Yes
About
300
miles 8 landed Londonderry, 3 injured,
W.N.W. of B u t t of
2 dead; 2 gunners among saved.
Lewis
British
General
Glasgow
... Freetown ... ? Torpedo Not
500 miles W. of Ire­ 9 boat loads picked up by H.M.
land
ship.
... British
Fuel oil
... Curacao
... Scapa Flow Torpedo... Yes
340 miles W.N.W. 35 saved, 11 missing.
of B u t t of Lewis
Diesel oil ... Aruba
Clyde
Torpedo... Yes
British
Iron ore
Barrow
Torpedo... Not
... S/S Cargo Nerissa
(5,583)
British
General
Apr. 30 ... M/V" Cargo Lassell
(7,417)
British
Ballast
Apr. 30
530 miles
Canaries
Casualties to Crew and Remarks.
General
Caledonia Norwegian
Apr. 29 ... S/S Cargo Henri
(2,564)
Position.
British
Apr. 28 ... S/S Cargo City of
Nagpur
(10,146)
Apr. 28 ... M/V Tanker Gapidet
(8,190)
British
To-
Mory
... Bermuda
Halifax-
Liverpool ... Torpedo... Not
... Liverpool ... Buenos
Aires
Torpedo
Not
* ... About
300
miles 25 survivors landed Greenock.
W.N.W. of B u t t of
Lewis
300 miles W.
Achill Head
of
3 saved, 29 missing.
92 miles N.W. by W. 84 survivors.
Bloody Foreland
950 miles W. by N. Survivors picked up by Spanish
Freetown
ship.
W
By Aircraft.
Date.
Name and Tonnage.
Apr. 1
Apr. 1
Apr. 2
Apr. 2
Apr. 2
Apr. 3
Apr. 4
Apr. 5
Apr. 5
Apr. 6
Apr. 6
Apr. 6
Apr. 6
Apr. 6
...
...
...
...
S/S Tanker San
Conrado
(7,982)
M/V Tanker Hidlefjord
(7,639)
S/S Cargo Home field ...
(5,324)
S/S Cargo Fermain
...
(759)
S/S Cargo
Coulouras
Xenos
(4,914)
S/S Cargo
Northern
Prince
(10,917)
S/S Cargo Salvus
(4,815)
S/S Cargo St. Clement
(450)
S/S Cargo
Uattray Head
(496)
Steam Trawler
DaweZand
(289)
S/S Cargo Dunstan
...
(5,149)
Nationality.
Cargo.
From—
British
Spirit
Curacao
Norwegian
Spirit
Aruba
To-
How sunk.
... Milford
I n Convoy
or not.
... Yes
13 miles
Smalls
Bomb
... YeB
Bomb
... Yes
Bomb
... Yes
Bomb
... Yes
20 miles N.W. of
Smalls
Gavdo Is., E. Medi­
terranean
26 miles E. of Spurn
Head
Off Gavdo Is., E.
Mediterranean
Bomb
... Yes
Bomb
... Yes
... Aberdeen ... Bomb
... Not
Stromness... Bomb
... Yes
Avonmouth
Ballast
Piraeus
P o r t Said ...
British
Coal
Sunderland
Cowes
Greek
Casualties to Crew and Remarks.
Bomb
Haven
British
Position.
Piraeus
Port Said ...
N.W. of
All safe, 5 injured.
5 survivors.
No casualties reported.
15 saved, 1 injured.
Not known.
British
Government
stores
Suez
British
Cereals
Eosario
British
British
General and Kirkwall
Livestock
Bricks
Methil
British
Pishing
Bomb
... Not
30 miles off Rathlen All saved, 3 injured.
0'Byrn
British
General
Liverpool ... Pernambuco Bomb
... Yes
78 miles N.W.
B u t t of Lewis
Clyde
... Bomb
... Not
Bomb
... Not
65 miles N.W. Bloody 30, saved, 3 wounded, 1 missing.
Foreland
Pirasus
Not known.
Bomb
...
Piraeus
M/V Cargo Olga S.
... British
(2,252)
S/S Cargo
British
Cyprian Prince
(1,988)
S/S Cargo Clan. Fraser British
(7,529)
Vehicles
Glasgow
and Army
stores
London
Takoradi
... Piraeus
Anti Kithera Chan­ None reported.
nel,
E. Mediter­
ranean
Off Cromer ...
40 survivors.
4 miles off Ythan 10 saved, 1 missing.
River
Off Aberdeen
8 saved, 2 missing.
of
Not known.
Not known.
Date.
Name and Tonnage.
Apr. 6
Apr. 6
...
Apr. 6
...
Apr. 6
...
Apr. 6
...
Apr. 6
...
Apr. 6
...
Apr. 7
...
Apr. 9
...
Apr. 9
Nationality.
S/S Cargo
City of Roubaix
(7,108)
S/S Cargo P a i n s
(1,706)
S/S Cargo Constantinos
Louloudis
(4,697)
S/S Cargo Styliani
...
(3,256)
S/S Cargo Petalli
(6,565)
S/S Cargo Nicolaou
Zograyhia
(7,156)
Steam Trawler
Naeraberg
(352)
Steam Trawler Sylvia
(213)
S/S Cargo Dudley Rose
(1,600)
... M/V Tanker
(5,187)
!
,
From—
T r
i
0
-
How
Sunk.
I n Convoy
or not.
Position.
British
Bomb
...
Piraeus
British
Bomb
...
Piraeus
British
Bomb
...
Piraeus
British
Bomb
...
Piraeus
Greek
Bomb
...
Piraeus
Greek
General
Calcutta
... Liverpool ... Torpedo... Not
Faroes
British
Pishing
British
Coal
Casualties to Crew and Remarks.
Not known.
...
Not known.
Not known.
...
Not known.
Not known.
140 miles W. by N. All saved.
Barra Head
Bomb
... Not
Between Orkneys and No casualties.
Faroes
Bomb
... Not
20 miles S.E. Nolso
Bomb
... Yes
150 Berry
miles
Head
Head
-a
Crew 11, 1 missing, 5 wounded. Bueston Norwegian
Apr. 11 ... Hospital ship Attiki
(2,561)
Apr. 11 ... S/S Cargo Evoikos
(4,792)
Apr. 12 ... Cable ship Retriever
(674)
Cargo.
Kerosene
and
Benzine
Barry
Portsmouth
Bay town ... Milford
Haven
4
19 survivors. Bomb
...
150 Berry
miles
... Greek
Bomb
...
Off Karystos, Greece 28 lost. Greek
Bomb
...
Piraeus
Bomb
...
Bomb
...
Bomb
...
... British
... M/V Tanker
British
Marie Maersk
(8,271)
Apr. 12 ... S/S Cargo Kexhohn
... Swedish
(3,815)
Apr. 12
...
Buenos
Aires
Gothenburg
Yes
4 7 survivors. Off Paleva, Greece ...
Piraeus
120 miles N.W. of
B u t t of Lewis
Not
None reported. 35 survivors, 11 missing. Not known. All saved, 2 wounded. an
em
Date.
Apr. 13
Apr. 13
Apr. 13
Apr. 14
Apr. 16
Apr. 16
Apr. 16
Apr. 16
Apr. 16
Apr. 16
Apr. 17
Apr. 18
Apr. 19
Apr. 21
Apr. 21
Apr. 21
Name and Tonnage.
Nationality.
Cargo
From—
How sunk.
S/S Cargo City of
British
Karachi
(7,140)
M/V Cargo Brattdal
.. Norwegian
(4,968)
S/S Cargo Arbel
(90.1)
S/S Cargo Trabzon
...
(2,485)
M/V Cargo Sioedru
..
(5,379)
S/S Cargo
Anglesea Rose
(1,151)
S/S Cargo Amiens
(1,548)
S/S Cargo Memas
(4,359)
S/S Cargo Bolette
...
(1,167)
S/S Cargo Favorit
(2,826)
S/S Cargo
Petrakis
Nomikos
(7,020)
S/S Tanker
British
Science
(7,138)
S/S Cargo Margit
(3,257)
S/S Cargo Moseha L.
Goulandris
(5,199)
Hospital Ship Esperos
(1,461)
Hospital Ship Ellenis..
(876)
Belgian
..
Coal
Maryport
British
British
British
Coal
Norwegian
Bomb
Piraeus
None reported.
OffLand'sEnd
17 saved, 3 missing.
Not
E. Mediterranean
Yes
Bristol
Channel
Bomb
Not
158 miles W. of 33 saved, 1 killed.
Bloody Foreland ...
Near L a n d ' s E n d ... None reported.
Cardiff
Bomb
Yes
Near Land's E n d
...
Bomb
Steel and
Scrap
Bristol
Channel
Boston,
U.S.A.
Haifa
... All
saved.
Not known.
... None
reported.
Not
Near L a n d ' s E n d
Bomb
Yes
180 miles N.W. B u t t 51 saved.
of Lewis
Piraeus
Not known.
Yes
E. Mediterranean
Bomb
... All saved.
Panamanian Ballast
Bomb
Malta
Not known.
Greek
Bomb
Chalkis
Not known.
Bomb
Off Missolonghi
Not known.
Bomb
Patras
Not known,
barked.
Greek
Greek
Piraeus
oc
Chalkis, Greece Bomb
Bomb
Fuel Oil
... Not known.
Bomb
Greek
British
None reported.
Duala
Greek
Norwegian
Casualties to Crew and Remarks.
Piraeus
Bomb
W.A.
Produce
Position.
Bomb
Bomb
Turkish
I n convoy
or not.
All wounded disem­
Date.
to
w Apr. 22
bo
1
Apr. 24
Apr. 24
Apr. 24
Apr. 24
Apr. 24
Apr. 24
Apr. 26
Apr. 26
Apr. 26
Apr. 27
Apr. 27
Apr. 27
Apr. 27
^ Apr. 29
Apr. 29
Nationality.
Name and Tonnage.
S/S Cargo Teti
(2,747)
S/S Cargo DimUrioa
Nomieos
(1,171)
Hospital Ship PolicoB...
(875)
Hospital Ship Andros...
(2,068)
S/S Cargo Teti
Nomicou
(1,882)
S/S Cargo Kyriaki
(5,528)
S/S Cargo George A.
Dracoulie
(1,570)
S/S Cargo Mount-park...
(4,648)
S/S Cargo Nicolaou
Georgios
(4,108)
Hospital Ship Sokratis
(1,134)
S/S Cargo Celte
(943)
S/S Cargo
(1,712)
S/S Cargo
(1,459)
S/S Cargo
(2,113)
S/S Cargo
(722)
Passenger
Cargo.
Prom—
To-
How sunk.
I n Convoy
or not.
Casualties to Crew and Remarks.
Position.
... Not known
Greek
Bomb
...
Piraeus
Greek
Bomb
...
Piraeus
Not known.
Greek
Bomb
...
Methana
No casualties.
Greek
Bomb
...
Loutraki
Some crew casualties.
Greek
Bomb
...
Piraeus
Not known.
Greek
Bomb
...
Suda Bay, Crete
Presumed no casualties.
Greek
Bomb
...
Piraeus
Not known.
Bomb
... Not
Greek
Bomb
...
150
miles
N.W. 35 saved, 6 killed.
Bloody Foreland
Not known.
Nauplia ?
Greek
Bomb
...
Nauplia ?
Bomb
... Not
110 miles S.W.
Faroes
SO
British
Grain
British
Manchester
Bahia
Blanca ;
Reykjavik
Hull
Not known.
of
23 saved, 2 wounded.
Maiotis
Greek
Bomb
Pirasus
Not known.
Ypants
Greek
Bomb
Pirasus
Not known.
... Greek
Bomb
Piraeus '?
Not known.
Off Tyne
No casualties.
E. Mediterranean
Not known.
Danapris
Kaloa
S/S
Slamat
British
Dutch
General
Tyne
Bomb
Bomb
Yes
II
(11,636)
OS
-.
Date.
Name and
Tonnage.
Nationality.
British
... S/S Cargo
Santa Clara Valley
(4,665)
Dutch
Apr. 29 ... Passenger S/S
Pennland
(16,381)
Dutch
Apr. 29 ... Passenger S/S
Costa Bica
(8,672)
Apr. 29
Cargo.
From—
Piraeus
To-
Nauplia
How
sunk.
In Convoy
or not.
Position.
Casualties to Crew and Remarks.
Bomb
...
E. Mediterranean
... Crew saved, 1 died, 1 injured.
Bomb
...
E. Mediterranean
... Not known.
E. Mediterranean
... Not known.
E . Mediterranean
... Not known.
Bomb
By Cause Unknown.
Apr. 15 ... S/S Cargo Agios Markos
(4,514)
Greek
Buenos
Pirseus, left
Aires
Port Said
April 13
Apr. 21 ... S/S Cargo Urania
(1,953)
Apr. 25 ... S/S Cargo Messarya
Nosicou
(985)
Apr. 25 ... S/S Cargo Sofia
(1,722)
Apr. 26 ... S/S Cargo Point Judith
(4,810)
Panamanian
Tobruk
Greek
Greek waters
Not known.
Greek
Greek waters
Not known.
Greek
Greek waters
sumably
...
Not known.
pre- No casualties.
By Mine.
Date. t o
Name and Tonnage. Nationality.
Cargo.
From-
To-
How sunk.
I n Convoy
or not.
Casualties to Crew and Remarks.
Position.
t o
' Apr.
7 ..
S/S Cargo Elizabeth
(945)
Apr. 8 .. S/S Tanker Ahamo
(8,621)
Apr. 9 .. S/S Tanker Lunula
(6,363)
... British
British
... British
Apr. 15 .. S/S Cargo Clan
Gumming
(7,264)
Apr. 17 .. S/S Cargo Profit
(1,608)
Apr. 18 .. Steam Trawler
Millimumul
(287)
Coal
Port Talbot
Poole Not
Ballast
London
Curaijoo
Yes
Spirit
Halifax
Thameshaven
(arrived 9/4)
Alexandria
British
Pirasus
5 miles E.S.E. Port \ 9 survivors.
Scatho
i
Off Skegness
34 saved, 14 missing.
Thameshaven,
don
Off Piraeus
:
SPNorwegian
London
.':".! H u l l
British
Yes
Lon- i About 20 killed, rest ashore and
j safe.
...
. '
Barrow Deep
No details known.
iI
­
5 survivors, 4 injured, 13 missing,
Off Newcastle,
j 5 survivors, 7 missing. N.S.W. ' By Surface Graft.
Apr. 17
S/S Cargo Effa
(1,446)
S/S Cargo Nereus
(1,298)
Apr. 28 ...1 S/S Cargo
Ambrose
Fleming
(1,555)
British
Dutch
British
Coke
Potatoes
Ballast
Middlesbro' j London
Near Cross Sand L.V. 27 saved, 2 missing.
..J Near Cross Sand L. V. All saved.
Dundee
London
' London
... Burntisland
... Off Cromer
...! 11 saved, 11 missing.
a
M,
CD OO
SECTION B.
Name and Tonnage. Date.
Apr. 1 Apr. 1 Apr. 1 Apr. 2 Apr. 2 Apr. 3 Apr. 6 Apr.
6
Apr. 8 Apr. 9 Apr. 9 Merchant Vessels (excluding Commissioned ^Merchant Vessels) of SOD gross tons and over REPORTED damaged
during thesmonth of April by Enemy Action. Vessels suffering superficial or minor damage excluded.
M/V Tanker
Kaia Knudsen
(9,063)
M/V Tanker
Adellen
(7,984)
M/V Tanker
Chesapeake
(8.955)
S/S Cargo
Melrose Abbey
(1,908)
/S Cargo Wild
Rose
(873)
S/S Cargo Oed­
dington Court
(6,903)
S/S Cargo
Glenfinlas
(7,572)
S/S Cargo Katie
Muller
(3,100)
S/S Cargo
Chaucer
(5,792)
S/S Cargo
Kylegorm
(622)
S/S Tanker.Bri­
tish
Workman
(6,994)
Nationality.
From-
Cargo.
To-
Cause.
I n convoy
or not.
Position.
Casualties to
Crew. Other
Remarks.
E x t e n t of Damage.
A/C
Yes
20 miles N.N.W. Damaged in engine room. 2 wounded,
of Smalls
Towed into Milford Haven
1 killed.
..J Milford
Haven
A/C
Yes
Baltimore... Avonmouth
A/C
British
London
...1 Clyde
M.
British
Dublin
...! Rosslare
A/C
Off Milford Haven Fire damage and hole on
port side.. Taken into
Milford Haven
(1) Off Smalls ... U.X.B. in tank—removed—
(2) OffSt.Govans repairs effected and later
left for U.S.A.
N. of Aberdeen, Large hole amidships. En­
River Ythan
.gine room, stokehold and
bunkers flooded
St. George's
Beached off Rosslare, later
Channel
refloated
and
berthed
Dublin
E. of Montrose... 2TJ.X.B.'sonboard, damage
below water line. Arrived
Rosyth 9.4.41.
Off Orfordness . Damage to engine room and
boilers
Norwegian.
Oil fuel
Curacoa
British
Oil fuel
Curacoa
British
Petrol
...1 Milford
Haven
"
\
'
-
British
Ballast .
Tees
Halifax and A/C
U.S.A.
Yes
British
General.
Yokohama... A/C
London,
Tees
Not
British
Govt.
British
.
A/C
Piraeus
Halifax
A/C
At anchor near Towed into Hull.
H u m b e r L.V.
room damage
Off St.
Head
Coke
Sunderland
Burry Port
A/C
British
Ballast
London
Aruba
A/C
Yes
1 wounded.
No casualties.
No casualties.
No casualties.
11 killed,
1 wounded.
E x t e n t not known. Arrived
Suez, April 26, 1941,
Hull
British
1 killed,
4 wounded.
Engine No casualties,
Anne's Beached Milford Shelf
Off Moray F i r t h
...\ No casualties
P u t into Kirkwall. W i l l ' 4 injured,
require dry docking for
repairs
'
Date.
Name and
Tonnage.
Apr. 11 ... S/S Cargo
Kronprinsessan
Margareta ...
(3,746)
Apr. 12 ... S/S Cargo
Dartford
(4,093)
Apr. 13 ... S/S Cargo Baron
Belhaven
(6,591)
Apr. 13 ... S/S Cargo Veni
(2,982)
Apr. 1-21 S/S Cargo Draco
(2,018)
Apr. 15 ... S/S Cargo
Ooalpara
(5,314)
Apr. 15 ... S/S Cargo Quiloa
(7,765)
Apr. 17 ... S/S Cargo
Montalto
(623)
Apr. 17 ... S/S Cargo Ethel
Radcliffe
(5,673)
Apr. 18 ... M/V Tanker
Scottish
Musician
(6,998)
Apr. 18 ... S/S Cargo Csikos
(3,938)
Apr. 21 ... S/S Tanker
British Lord
(6,098)
Nationality.
Swedish
Cargo.
From—
... Paper,
Honey
Montreal
Cause.
To-
... Portishead
Ballast ... Avonmouth
British
Ballast ... Belfast
Norwegian
Timber ... Louisburg... Grange­
mouth
Govt.
...
Position.
... A/C
Not
1£ miles S. of
Mumbles Lt.
A/C
Yes
Off Milford
A/C
Yes
... Cardiff
Haven
British
Govt.
A/C
...
and
Pirseus ...
British
Govt.
...
A/C
Piraeus...
British
Cement...
A/C
Rochester
British
Grain
British
Ballast ... Falmouth ... Aruba
Panamanian
Steel and
scrap
British
Govt.
Badly damaged after two 1 killed.
attacks
Seriously damaged
and Not known.
beached; probably total
loss owing evacuation
Seriously damaged
and Not known.
beached; probably total
loss owing evacuation
Submerged on even keel.
Will be refloated when
tides serve (end of May)
Beached
off
Yarmouth.
Cargo being discharged to
enable vessel to be floated
Arrived Milford
Haven.
Hole in deck star, side
piercing No. 6 tank and
penetrating bottom
Making water in all holds.
Arrived Ardrossan April 29
Yes
Near Cross Sand
I. V., Yarmouth
A/C
Not
Off St.
Head
Gibraltar ... Ardrossan ... A/C
Yes
120 miles W.S.W.
of Bloody Fore­
land
S.W. of Gavdo Engines damaged.
arrived Port Said.
Island, Eastern
Mediterranean
... Abadan
London
listing None reported.
Struck by bomb amidships No casualties.
starboard side. Engines
disabled and towed Cardiff.
Engine room damaged. Ar­ 4 killed.
rived Milford H a v e n and
later arrived Barry in tow
None reported.
Considerable damage
... E - B
St. John,
N.B.
Casualties to
Crew. Oth er
Remarks.
N. Atlantic
A/C
Tobruk ...
British
E x t e n t of Damage.
Portishead Dock Fire damage
badly.
A/C
British
Swansea
1 ^ Convoy
i or not.
Suda Bay ... A/C
Anne's
No casualties.
1 wounded.
2 killed, 4 injured.
2 killed,
2 wounded.
Later None reported.
Date.
Name and
Tonnage.
Apr. 21 ... M/V Tanker
British
Renown
(6,997)
Apr. 21 ... S/S Pass. Cargo
Maidstone
(688)
Apr. 21 ... S/S Cargo
Bank lira
(3,185)
Apr. 24 ... M/V Cargo
Dolius
(5,507)
Apr. 25 ... M/V Tanker
Polarsol
(10,022)
Apr. 29 ... S/S Cargo
Gorglen
(2,822) .
Apr. 29 ... S/S Cargo
Askeladden
(2,496)
Apr. 29 ... S/S Cargo
Konistra
(3,537)
Nationality.
Cargo.
From—
To-
British
Ballast ... Dartmouth,
Falmouth
British
Govt.
...
A/C
British
Govt.
...
A/C
British
G e n e r a l . . . Hong Kong, London
Table Bay
Norwegian... Ballast ...
British
Coal
British
Coal
Greek
...
Mersey
Tyne
Methil
Pirseus
Curacao
In Convoy
,
or not.
Cause.
Not
... A/C
...
,, ...
Position,
3 miles S.E. of
Dartmouth
Plymouth
E x t e n t of Damage.
Casualties to
Crew. Other
Remarks.
Engine room flooded and No casualties.
down by the stern. Re­
turned Dartmouth
Bomb penetrated engine No casualties.
room. Vessel grounded
A/C
Yes
Curacao
A/C
Not
London
A/C
Yes
London
A/C
Severely damaged. Engine None reported.
room
and
stokeholds
flooded
20 miles N. of Aground Largs Bay, later 1 wounded.
Bell
Rock,
refloated and docked Leith
Firth of Tay
130'
Myrdals Fire in engine room.
ProJokul Lt. 180
ceeding Reykjavik in tow
miles Iceland
and thence Rothesay.
Off Tyne
Extensive damage amid- 1 killed, 1 injured.
ships. P u t back to Tyne
in tow
Off Tyne
P u t into Tyne in tow
No casualties.
Alexandria
A/C
Suda Bay, Crete
Tobruk
Bombed and ashore
None reported.
Merchant Ships (all sizes) other than Merchant Ships Commissioned for Naval
Service reported lost by Enemy Action up to Noon, Wednesday, 14th May.
1941.
British.
By-
Gross
Tons.
No.
S u b m a r i n e ...
.. .
Mine
Min e ...
.. .
Surfac
Surfacee Craft
Craf t
Aircraf
Aircraftt
Othe
Otherr c a u s e s , o r c a u s e
unknown
Allied.
Neutral.
Gross
Tons.
No.
Together.
Gross
Tons.
No.
Gross
Tons.
No.
385
196
120
199
39
2,180,000
499,000
603,000
601,000
83,000
99
39
39
99
12
489,000
106,000
253.000
407,000
50,000
181
79
6
34
10
588,000
232,000
18,000
90,000
32,000
665
314
165
332
61
3,257,000
837,000
874,000
1,098,000
165,000
939
3,966,000
288
1,305,000
310
960,000
1,537
6,231,000
N O T E . — " A l l i e d " figures include P o l i s h ; all F r e n c h u p 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 ; Norwegian from April 9 , 1 9 4 0 ; D u t c h a n d B e l g i a n from M a y 1 0 , 1 9 4 0 ;
Greek from October 2 8 , 1 9 4 0 ; a n d Yugo-Slavian from April 6 , 1 9 4 1 . " N e u t r a l " figures include
I t a l i a n up t o J u n e 1 0 , 1 9 4 0 ; " V i c h y " F r e n c h from J u n e 2 5 , 1 9 4 0 ; and Yugo-Slavian t o
April 6 , 1 9 4 1 .
APPENDIX
III.
(1) Additions to and deductions from British Sea-going Merchant Tonnage
(ships of 500 gross tons and over), including Merchant Ships Commissioned
for Naval Service, from 2nd September, 1939, to 11th May, 1941.
Tankers.
Gross Tons. No. British
Britis h ships
ship s o n S e p t e m b e r 2 , 1 9 3 9 Additions—
New
Ne w ship
shipss
E n e m y ship s c a p t u r e d ...
.. . Ship
Shipss t r a n s f e r r e d fro
from
m o t h e r flags—
flags —
Danish
...
.. .
.. .
.:.
.: .
French
..
....
. . . . . .
R o u m a n i a n ..
....
Estonian
Latvian
Other
Otherss
Othe
Otherr a d d i t i o n s ...
.. .
T o t a l addition
additionss
...
.. .
Deductions—
Ship
Shipss s u n k b y t h e e n e m y —
(i)) M e r c h a n t ships
(i
ship s commissione d for
fo r
N a v a l Service
Servic e
(ii
(ii)) O t h e r s
Ship
Shipss c a p t u r e d b y t h e e n e m y ...
.. .
Ships
Ship s d e t a i n e d i n F r e n c h p o r t s
Othe
Otherr d e d u c t i o n s (includin
(including
g Marine Risk)—
(i)
(i) C o m m i s s i o n e d for
fo r Nava l Servic
Servicee
(ii
(ii)) O t h e r s Total deductions Net
Ne t a d d i t i o n s (-)(-)-)) o r d e d u c t i o n s ( - ) ..
....
British
Britis h ships
ship s o n M a y 1 1 , 1 9 4 1
-
Others.
Gross
Tons.
No.
519
3,275,000
3,578
15,390,000
21
1
155,000
6,000
213
52
1,157,000
274,000
8
12
2
66,000
60,000
11,000
115
107
2
13
11
85,000
16,000
22
3
14S
92
305,000
502,000
8,000
37,000
6,000
789,000
185,000
68
399,000
754
3,263,000
2
91
1
1
13,000
698,000
6,000
4,000
32
693
5
18
280,000
3,195,000
16,000
59,000
2
9
2,000
49,000
22
162
62,000
540,000
106
772,000
932
4,152,000
38
481
-
373,000
2,902,000
-
178
3,400
-
889,000
14,501,000*
* Of t h e t o t a l Non-Tanker t o n n a g e , vessels r e p r e s e n t i n g about 4 , 1 0 0 t h o u s a n d gross tons are ­
engaged on Naval, Military or R . A . F . Services (including s o m e c o m m i s s i o n e d for Naval Service),
some of which bring cargoes t o t h e United Kingdom on their h o m e w a r d voyage.
After
allowing for vessels ( 1 ) trading p e r m a n e n t l y abroad and ( 2 ) u n d e r g o i n g or a w a i t i n g repair,
including t h e fitting of defensive protection, t h e balance is a l i t t l e u n d e r 7 million gross t o n s , .
some p a r t of which is engaged in t h e coasting t r a d e of t h e United K i n g d o m and Eire.
(2) Total losses of, and other deductions from, British Sea-going Merchant Ships
of S00 gross tons and over, including Merchant Ships Commissioned for
Naval Service, expressed as approximate annual rates of loss.
Total losses sunk or
Approximate annual
captured by t h e e n e m y ,
loss if c o l u m n (2) losses
and other d e d u c t i o n s in
continued for a year.
the period.
Period. U)
-
(2) (3)
First 9 m o n t h s of war :
i.e., from S e p t e m b e r 3, 1939, to M a y 31,1940'
Gross Tons.
1,098.000
Gross Tons.
1,500,000
Following 3 m o n t h s :
i.e., from J u n e 1, 1940, t o August 3 1 , 1940...
Month of September, 1940
October, 1940
,,
November, 1940
.,,
D e c e m b e r , 1940
...
,,
J a n u a r y , 1941
,,
F e b r u a r y 1941
March, 1941 April, 1941 1,051,000
345,000
321,000
380,000
334,000
226,000
376,000
369,000
369,000*
4,200,000
4,200,000
3,800,000
4,600,000
3,900,000
2,700,000
4,800,000
4,300,000
4,500,000*
* These figures r e l a t e to losses so far notified, and m a y be increased by late notifications.
(3) Merchant Ships (100 gross tons and over) under construction in British
Yards in the United Kingdom and abroad in week ending 8th May, 1951.
No.
6
40
Colliers and coasting ships
Other ships ...
Tankers.
Gross Tons.
4,000
333,000
46
337,000
* I n c l u d i n g 5 vessels (33,000 gross t o n s ) building
tons) t a k e n over by t h e Navy d u r i n g construction and
type i n t e n d e d for N a v a l use.
I n addition, there are 183 m e r c h a n t ships, totalling
to order i n t h e United Kingdom a n d abroad (including
APPENDIX
Others.
No.
33
130*
163
Gross Tons.
39,000
858,000
897,000
abroad, 2 m e r c h a n t ships (18,000 gross
8 ships (16,000'gross tons) qf m e r c h a n t
1,220,000 gross t o n s , on order or proposed
19 t a n k e r s of 122,000 gross tons).
IY.
Merchant Ships (all sizes) lost by the Enemy up to 13th May, 1911.
German.
C a p t u r e d or seize
seizedd
Scuttle
Scuttledd o r s u n k ..
....
Unidentifiedd ship
Unidentifie
shipss reporte
reportedd
b y S/M
S/M,, A/C
A/C,, &c
&c,, a s sun
sunkk
o r destroye
destroyedd
(tonnag
(tonnagee
estimated) Together.
Italian.
No. Gross
Tons. No.
Gross Tons.
No.
Gross
Tons.
61
103
274,000
589,000
39
72
183,000
397,000
100
175
457,000
986,000
182
910,000
104
520,000
286
1,430,000
346
1,773,000
215
1,100,000
561
2,873,000
I n addition, 38 ships of 67,000 gross t o n s u n d e r enemy control or useful to t h e enemy have
been s u n k .
Also some 53 ships, totalling 320,000 gross tons, have been placed u n d e r protective custody
in U n i t e d S t a t e s and S o u t h A m e r i c a n p o r t s to prevent sabotage by t h e i r crews.
Casualties to H.M. Auxiliary Vessels and to Naval Personnel.
The following casualties have occurred to H.M. Auxiliary Vessels d u r i n g
the period under review :—
8th May.—M/S
T r a w l e r Sicilia mined a n d sunk in the Humber. Seven
of crew missing.
8th/9th May.—A/S
Trawler Grampion slightly damaged by air attack
off Aberdeen. No casualties.
8thI'9th May.—Mine Detection ship Queensworth sunk by air attack off
the Outer Dowsing. No casualties reported.
9th110th May.—Free
French Submarine-chaser Chasseur Al slightly
damaged by a i r attack off Portsmouth.
10th/ilth
May.—A/P
Depot ship Gipsy sunk in Thames and A / A
Vessel Goat fell damaged d u r i n g air r a i d on London.
11thI'12th May.—A/P
Drifter Eunice and Nellie slightly damaged by
air attack off Brightlingsea. One casualty.
j
lAth May.—Examination
Vessel M.A.
West bombed and sunk off
Yarmouth.
l&h May.—Harbour
Defence Vessel Minicoy and E . A . F . Launch 316
mined and sunk off Mil ford Haven.
T h e following casualties to naval personnel have been reported :—
Officers : Killed 29, missing 7, wounded 16.
R a t i n g s : Killed 112, missing 256, wounded 76.
The missing include the r a t i n g s lost in H.M. Destroyers Diamond
Wryneck on the 8th A p r i l .
and
A P P E N D I X YI.
Operational Aircraft Battle Casualties.
0600 hours, Thursday, 8th May, 1941, to 0600 hours, Thursday, 15th May, 1941.
Metropolitan Area.
British
In the Air.
On the Ground.
B o m b e r s ...
F i g h t e r s ...
Coastal ...
1
2
30
11
3
Total
44
German.
Probably
Destroyed.
11 '
8
6
Destroyed.
63
21
29
Bombers
Fighters
Miscellaneous
Damaged.
31
5
14
50
Total
25
113
No a c c o u n t is t a k e n of aircraft destroyed on t h e ground.
Of t h e above totals, 7 b o m b e r s , 1 fighter and 14 " m i s c e l l a n e o u s " aircraft were destroyed,
2 " miscellaneous " aircraft were probably destroyed and 1 " m i s c e l l a n e o u s " aircraft was d a m a g e d
by A.A. fire.
Middle East.
British
In the
Bombers...
F i g h t e r s ...
Coastal ...
...
...
1
Air.
On the
Ground.
8
Total
[22521]
'
11
E
German.
Destroyed.
5
B o m b e r s ...
F i g h t e r s ...
Miscellaneous
-2
3
Probably
Destroyed.
2
1
18
Damaged.
1
Total
10
21
1
Of t h e above totals, 2 bombers and 3 " miscellaneous " aircraft were destroyed and 5
" miscellaneous " aircraft were probably d e s t r o y e d by A.A. fire.
Italian Aircraft Losses: Nil.
A P P E N D I X YII.
Air Attacks on Enemy Territory in Europe.
Extracts from Recent Raid Assessment Reports.
The following reports of damage have been received d u r i n g the past week
from air reconnaissance and Intelligence sources :—
:
Germany.
Berlin.—On
the l 7 t h / 1 8 t h A p r i l a bomb " of tremendous power " fell in
a n open space between the Bredscheider Strasse and the Rognitz Strasse
(Charlottenburg area). The two nearest houses were razed to the ground and
t h e interior a n d windows of all houses w i t h i n a r a d i u s of 500 y a r d s were ruined.
The blast effect was such t h a t some of the soldiers quartered in the exhibition
buildings nearby were found w a n d e r i n g aimlessly. On the 9 t h / 1 0 t h A p r i l one
corner where the Mittelstrasse crosses the Friedrichstrasse was completely
demolished and many houses i n the vicinity were rendered uninhabitable. A
m i l i t a r y store was fired, and the bomb which fell on the Sans Souci palace caused
serious damage to the interior. The " Swiss House " and the G r a p h i c and
P r i n t i n g I n s t i t u t e , modern buildings in the h e a r t of Berlin, were both destroyed.
Kiel.—An informant who visited the town on the 17th A p r i l described it as
a picture of destruction. H e saw 136 houses in varying stages of ruin, and was
told t h a t from many of them bodies had not yet been recovered. A naval engineer
stated that, while work on several vessels under construction h a d h a d to be
suspended, the damage was not such as to cause total suspension on some of them
for more t h a n 10 days. H e was informed t h a t the casualties were between 800
a n d 1,000 and t h a t there h a d been a considerable shortage of A . R . P . workers to
alleviate the distress. I n the r a i d s on the 2 4 t h / 2 5 t h a n d the 2 5 t h / 2 6 t h A p r i l
domestic property suffered severely and the damage was considerable. Casualties
were h i g h and two special t r a i n s were sent from Berlin w i t h doctors and medical
equipment.
Wilkelmshaven.—In
the r a i d on the 2 4 t h / 2 5 t h A p r i l the W e s t e r n Section
of the p o r t suffered most. I t is said t h a t approximately 25 per cent, of the houses
in the p o r t neighbourhood have been rendered uninhabitable.
France.
Brest.—Several
reports have been received of v a r y i n g degrees of reliability
which a r e unanimous in s t a t i n g t h a t both the Scharnhorst
and the Gneisenau
have been hit. One source, believed reliable, states t h a t the Gneisenau received
three direct h i t s on the n i g h t of the 1 0 t h / 1 1 t h A p r i l , when over 100 of her crew
were killed, a n d a further direct hit on the n i g h t 1 2 t h / 1 3 t h . She is said to
have her forward t u r r e t out of alignment and the armoured deck behind this
t u r r e t is broken up. H e personally observed two tugs working pumps lying
alongside the Scharnhorst,
which was down by the stern. I t is said t h a t the
Gneisenau may be out of commission for at least three months. On the 2 7 t h / 2 8 t h
A p r i l a p a t r o l vessel in the harbour was severely damaged and photographs taken
on the 8 t h May, while not enabling the actual damage to the battle cruisers to be
assessed, confirmed the success of the a t t a c k on the night of the 7 t h / 8 t h . They
172 29
,show considerable fresh damage to buildings and sheds in close proximity to the
battle cruisers.
St. Nazaire.-Photographs
taken on the 6th May show t h a t in the r a i d s on
the 4 t h / 5 t h a n d 5 t h / 6 t h hits were obtained on one of the h a n g a r s of the seaplane
station and the marshalling y a r d of the Gare de 1'Ouest, where the damage
appears to extend over about four lines a n d should hamper traffic to the main
station. I t is thought t h a t the general store and d r a w i n g office of the ship­
building y a r d Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire was also hit.
Cherbourg.-Or\
the 1 0 t h / 11th M a r c h a tanker was h i t and it is thought
will be a total loss.
Calais.—In the r a i d on the 2 3 r d / 2 4 t h March Lieutenant-General Cranz was
among those kdled. H e w a s a Divisional Commander a n d h a d led h i s troops w i t h
conspicuous success in the B a t t l e of France.
Belgium.
Ostend.-In
the first week of A p r i l the main r a d i o station for submarines
recently constructed by the Germans was completely destroyed as a result of a i r
attack.
APPENDIX
YIII.
Disposition of the German Air Force as at the 13th May, 1941.
Figures represent Establishment in I n i t i a l E q u i p m e n t Aircraft.
Fighters.
LongLong Transport
B o m b e r Dive
Div e
Army
rang
rangee
Total..
Coastal.
Coastal . Total
recce.
recce . bombers.
bombers .
Aircraft.
Aircraft .
Co-op
Co-op..
bombers.
Short- Long­
r a n g e . range.
Area.
Area .
Norway and Den­
mark
France,
Belgium,
H o l l a n d and N.W.
Germany
E. G e r m a n y , P o l a n d ,
etc.
Balkans,
Aegean
and R h o d e s
Central
Mediter­
r a n e a n and I t a l y
North Africa
Central G e r m a n y
Total
...
90
243
50
144
2,463
200
Nil
Nil
Nil
100
90
108
Nil
639
600
60
21
Nil
Nil
270
100
45
30
18
9
Nil
141
60
180
159
12
25
16
664
400
450
480
1,050
450
340
250
4,420
1,500
30
48
30
Nil
45
Nil
870
246
60
681
264
198
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
180
51
90
120
78
36
75
30
9
212
1,400
'
50
BRITISH (red)
AND FOREIGN (BLACK) MERCHANT SHIPPING LOSSES BY
DIFFERENT FORMS OF ENEMY ACTION.
Vote: ­ includes vessels of all tonnages I but excludes ComjiusslonedShips.)
/taudn. losses are Included up to June. lO. 1940.
500
250
20O
150
100
V a v a / I n t s l l i g e n c e D i v i s i o n . March. 194-1.
This graph, is basedon-infornvaticrv
received in the Admiralty
up to 1200 on April
12 194-1.