ALL LOSSES ANNOUNCED

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20957, 9 November 1939, Page 7

ALL LOSSES ANNOUNCED

CAPTURES FROM ENEMY

GAIN IN SHIPPING Proceeding with his review of the naval position, Mr Churchill said: “During the opening phase of the war the Royal Navy suffered a greater loss of life than all the other forces of the French and British on sea, on land, and in the air combined. Every loss inflicted on us by the enemy had been at once announced. Loss Not Published “In addition, since the outbreak of the war one of our submarines, H.M.S. Oxley, has been destroyed by an accidental explosion in circumstances which made publication of the news inadvisable at the time.

“The war at sea has been the only war which has been proceeding on a full scale, but the House will not suppose that losses are the only events which have been taking place at sea.

“we are gaining definite mastery over the enemy’s U-boat attack. “In the second four weeks of the war the British tonnage lost by enemy action, 72,000 tons, was less than half the amount lost during the first four weeks, and against that loss we may set 52,000 tons captured from the enemy, 27,000 tons purchased from foreigners, and 57,000 tons of new-built ships, leaving in these four weeks a net gain of 64,000 tons.

“During the first eight weeks of the war our net loss of tonnage has been less than one-third of one per cent. This takes no account of important chartering operations from the neutrals now in progress.

“It is interesting to note that one of the most valuable of recent prizes was captured from the enemy by the Ark Royal, which the German wireless has sunk so many times. “When I recall the absurd claims they shouted round the world I cannot resist saying we should be quite content to engage the entire German Navy using only the vessels which at one time or another they have declared they destroyed.”

Proceeding, Mr Churchill said more than 10,000,000 tons of cargo were brought into this country in British and neutral ships in the first eight weeks of the war; less than 250,000 tons have been lost. Over 400,000 tons of cargo consigned to Germany have been captured. “Even taking into account the 250,000 tons of imports which we have lost there remains a balance of over 100,000 tons in our favour.” Anti-U-boat Operations Turning to the offensive against U-boats, Mr Churchill said it was very difficult to give assured figures because many marauders sunk in deep waters left no trace behind. There must be doubt and dispute about every case in which there was not a survivor, or corpse, or wreck to show, but a conservative estimate would be that the losses of U-boats lay between two or four every week. There, however, was another factor to be considered which he had not hitherto mentioned—namely, German building. They must assume that, perhaps, two new U-boats were added every week to the hostile strength. "At any rate,” Mr Churchill continued. “our expectation is that we must face the fact of 100 U-boats being available in January, leas

whatever sinkings may have occurred in the interval. It is a matter which cannot now be predicted.

“It will be seen, therefore, that although we are making headway, a long and unrelenting struggle lies before us. For this our preparations are moving forward on the largest scale. “Three times as many hunting craft are now at work as at the outbreak of the war and a very large reinforcement of vessels specially adapted to this task will flow in increasingly from the spring of 1940 onwards.” Submarine Warfare Referring to measures to combat the submarine warfare, the First Lord added: “Judged on a material basis alone, we may face the future with confidence, but it is not only the material basis which will deside the struggle. The training of crews, especially skilled officers, will be the hardest part of the enemy's task. Moreover, a conflict from which one in four on each excursion fails to return, and others return with grievous experience, must have many deterring factors. We are making successful headway against an attack, justly considered abominable.” The First Lord added: “I must warn the House again that continual losses must be expected. No immunity can be guaranteed at any time. There will not in this war be any period where the seas will be completely safe, but neither will there be, I believe and trust, any period when the full necessary traffic of the Allies cannot be carried on.

"We shall suffer, and we shall suffer continuously, but by perseverance and by takinr measures on the largest scale I feel no doubt that in the end we shall break the enemy’s heart.”