LOSSES OF SHIPPING

Southland Times, Issue 24882, 23 October 1942, Page 5

LOSSES OF SHIPPING

DECREASE SINCE JUNE

(Rec. 7 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Oct. 21. The Battle of the Atlantic claimed its five hundredth announced submarine victim with today’s announcement of the loss of a medium-sized freighter in July in the North Atlantic. This ship was attacked by three submarines. The survivors were landed, but the captain was imprisoned on the submarine.

According to the Associated Press of America tabulations show that in 500 announced sinkings of United States and Allied merchant ships since Pearl Harbour 3400 lives have been lost and more than 1954 seamen and passengers are missing, most of whom are considered dead. More than 15,462 have been rescued and landed safely at Western Atlantic ports. At least 60 ships’ captains are known to be war casualties, including 12 imprisoned aboard Axis raiders’ between June and August 1942. On the basis of announced sinkings June, with 111 ships lost, was the most costly month of the war. Since then sinkings have decreased steadily, being 48 in August, 14 in September and four so far in October. Since Pearl Harbour the losses are at least 191 American merchantmen, 86 British and 48 Norwegian. A later Washington message says the Navy Department announced that a medium-sized Panama merchantman was torpedoed and sunk early in October off the northern coast of South America. Twelve members of the crew were drowned when a life-boat overturned after catching the rigging of the sinking vessel. Thirty-seven others reached South American ports.