SEA LANES STILL OPEN

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 23, 22 October 1942, Page 5

SEA LANES STILL OPEN

530 Axis Submarines Sunk Or Damaged NAVY’S VITAL ROLE LONDON, October 20. Today, on the eve of Trafalgar Day, the First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. Alexander, revealed that more than 530‘Axis submarines have been sunk or damaged by Britain and the United States. This figure does not include any attacks made by the Russian Navy or by the French before June, 1940, nor are the American figures complete. During the last war the enemy lost fewer than 200 U-boats. Paving a tribute to the Royal Navy, Mr. Alexander quoted what Napoleon said in captivity: “It is the British Navy that has ‘thwarted me at every turn. Mr. Alexander remarked: “Hitler may well say the same when, his turn comes for removal.” He emphasized three particular changes in sea warfare since 191418 which had enormously increased the task of the Navy and the threat to our communications —the greatly-increased radius and striking power of aireratt, the far greater endurance and capabilities ot U-boats, and the big extent and variety of enemy mining operations. Heavy Casualties. Countering these, he said, was the main task of our naval effort, and it was in doing so that the Navy had suffered most of its casualties. These casualties had been large, even by the standards of the last war, said Mr. Alexander, but they had not been in vain, for the sea lanes of the United Nations were still open. They must be kept open, so as to get fuel for R.A.F. bombers over Germany and so that supplies could be sent to Russia and our outposts like Malta. . Mr. Alexander reminded his listeners that no second front would be possible unless the Allies controlled the sea as well as th? air. United States Navy planes operating from Iceland destroyed a U-boat which was caught and bombed on the surface by Catalina flying-boats. The crew of 52 were made prisoners. . As a result of a Russian submarine torpedoing the German ferry-boat Deutschland,' carrying 1000 German soldiers returning from leave, five were killed and 29 injured, and an unknown number drowned. The ferry, which was travelling between Sassnitz and Trelleborg, was badly damaged, but managed to reach Trellehorg.