ENEMY SUBMARINES

Evening Star, Issue 23699, 5 October 1940, Page 11

ENEMY SUBMARINES

NINE DESPATCHED RECENTLY ITALIAN DESTROYER SUNK TORPEDOED IN ADRIATIC LONDON, October 4. (Received October 5, at noon.) The Admiralty announces that in ad* dition to seven German U-boats, two Italian submarines have been sunk and others damaged. The s Admiralty communique adds; “ It has never been the policy of the Admiralty to annourica successes ' against U-boats when they occur or at regular intervals, since such! announcements would bo of operational value to the enemy. It is known, moreover, that the moral effect of the disappearance of a U-boat without indication of the cause of its loss is a potent* factor among U-boat personnel.” An interesting light is thrown on this communique by a report received today from Balkan sources that the published statistics of certain German insurance companies reveal that the average life of an officer or man serving in, German submarines is 62 days.

It was also announced by the Admiralty that the British submarine Osiris torpedoed and sank an Italian destroyer in the Adriatic on September 22, Two weeks earlier it sank an Italian supply ship of 3,000 tons.

The destroyer was of the Courtatone class, and was of 1,000 tons, a type used for mine-laying. It had a speed of 32 knots and carried a complement of 105 men.

It was stated by the Admiralty that attacks on merchant shipping by enemy submarines recently had been more sue. cessful than earlier in the war. This was to be expected after the collapse of France and the seizure of' its Atlantia ports by the enemy, as U-boats operat. ing from these ports could remain longer at sea.