SUBSTANTIAL TOLL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 February 1942, Page 4

SUBSTANTIAL TOLL

TAKEN OF JAPANESE NAW SINCE PACIFIC WAR BEGAN. ENEMY & ALLIED SHIPPING LOSSES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 12.5 p.m.) RUGBY, February 27. The Japanese have lost thirty warships, ranging from capital ships to submarines, since their entry into the war, according to figures derived from official British and Allied statements. Cruisers provide the most impressive item in the list. Seven have been sunk, eight seriously damaged and 12 others damaged. In addition to losses of larger ships (one Japanese battleship sunk and three damaged; one aircraft-carrier sunk and another damaged) twelve Japanese destroyers have been sunk, four seriously damaged and another seven damaged. Nine submarines have been sunk and two damaged. The Allied have sunk 79 Japanese transports and merchant ships, while fifteen ships in this category have been seriously damaged, and 32 damaged. On the other side of the picture, Allied shipping losses in the Far East and on the east and north-east coast in recent weeks have undoubtedly been heavy, but it is authoritatively learned in London that in the last 2j months, British losses in the ordinary sphere of the Battle of the . Atlantic have continued to show an improvement over the previous five months. Sinkings in the Western Atlantic have all been of ships not in convoy, and no doubts are felt that the United States is taking steps to provide the protection of convoys for shipping off their eastern coasts. The toll of U-boats during recent weeks has been encouraging, though there is still room for improvement.