WAR AT SEA

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20920, 27 September 1939, Page 7

WAR AT SEA

U-BOATS DESTROYED GRATIFYING RESULTS MR CHURCHILL’S SUMMARY (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. 27, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 26

In a statement on the war at sea, supplementary to that made by Mr Chamberlain, Mr Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, gave interesting figures showing the progress of measures for dealing with the U-boats’ campaign. The convoy system was now in full operation both ways. The arming of merchantmen was proceeding apace and in a very short time the

immense mercantile marine of the British Empire, of which about 2000 ships were usually at sea every day, would be armed. Referring to the curious circumstances that he was back at tne Admiralty again after 25 years, moving over the same course against the same enemy in the same month of the year, Mr Churchill said it gave him an opportunity to compare as no one else could, and he said “I see how much greater are the advantages we possess today in coping with Üboats than we did 25 years ago.” Hunting U-Boats After detailing the improvements in the methods of hunting U-boats, Mr Churchill said it was no exaggeration to say that the attacks upon U-boats had been five or six times as numerous as at any period in the Great War. The figure of six or seven U-boats destroyed mentioned by Mr Chamberlain a week ago was probably an understatement, and since then they had had some fruitful and hopeful days, but even taking six or seven that was one-tenth of the total enemy submarines fleet, as it existed at the declaration of the war, destroyed in the first fortnight of the war and probably a quarter and perhaps even a third of the U-boats which had been actively employed. In the first week the losses of British shipping amounted to 65,000 tons, but in the second week it had dropped to 46,000 tons and in the third week 21,000 tons, and for the last six days only 9000 tons. German merchandise seized and converted to British use was 67,000 tons more than British merchandise sunk by U-boats. Britain had more supplies today than she would have had if no war had been declared..

Loss of H.M.S. Courageous

Mr Churchill said: “ The U-boats now seem to prefer neutrals.” He explained that when H.M.S. Courageous turned into the wind at duck to enable aircraft to land on the deck, by a ten to one chance the vessel was attacked by a U-boat on an unpredictable course. He continued: “ One U-boat commander who sent me a personal message is now in our hands. I feel that at the end of the three weeks’ warfare the Admiralty’s pre-war judgment does not need revision. It will take a long time to starve us out.” Mr Churchill continued: “ A third of the damage in the last war was done by 25 experienced U-boat commanders.”

It will be easier for Germany to build more boats than to replace the skilled officers and crews who have been captured or destroyed.”