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other U-boats may be moving towards the Western Atlantic. During the latter part of the period there has been no indication of any U-boats operating in the Atlantic south of 30° north. There is evidence from prisoners that one or more German U-boats refuelled from merchant ships lying in Vigo about the middle of this month.
A considerable number of German U-boats are now operating in the Mediterranean, of which four or five were operating near Alexandria during the early part of the week.
Enemy Attack on Seaborne Trade.
11. During the week a British and Norwegian ship in a homeward-bound convoy were sunk by U-boats west of Cape St. Vincent and Cape Finisterre respectively. Another Norwegian ship was torpedoed in the Gibraltar area. Two ships were torpedoed and sunk in the Eastern Mediterranean and several ships have been attacked by Japanese U-boats off the Eastern Pacific coast. On the British East Coast six ships have been mined, of which three were sunk and two were beached. A laden British tanker was bombed and abandoned off the Welsh coast, and a Russian ship was sunk by Japanese aircraft in the China Sea.
Protection of Seaborne Trade.
12. During the week ending the 24th December, 949 ships, including 251 Allied and 33 neutral, were convoyed. One armed merchant cruiser, one ocean boarding vessel, four anti-aircraft ships, 84 destroyers (including 27 United States destroyers) and 79 sloops, corvettes and minesweepers were employed on escort duties.
Imports into the United Kingdom during the week ending the 20th December totalled 890,000 tons, compared with 1,043,000 tons during the previous seven days and an average for the past ten weeks of 942,000 tons. Oil imports were 290,807 tons.
During the month of November imports other than those in tankers were as follows: Ministry of Food 954,400 tons, Ministry of Supply 1,099,500 tons, Board of Trade 86,500 tons, Eire 72.500. Total 2,212,900 tons.
British Minelaying.
13. During the week mines were laid by surface craft off the Flemish coast, off the Butt of Lewis and in the Bay of Biscay area. Minelaying by aircraft has continued both in the Bay of Biscay area and off the German North Sea coast.
Enemy Minelaying, British Minesweeping.
Home Waters.
14. Considerable minelaying activity has been shown by the enemy during the past week, both E-boats and aircraft having been employed. Aircraft have laid mines off the East Coast between Flamborough Head, the Tyne and the Thames Estuary, off Milford Haven and in Liverpool Bay. E-boats which were active between Yarmouth and Cromer on the night of the 19th/20th December were believed to be minelaying.
Eighteen magnetic and 13 acoustic mines have been detonated during the week, 17 of which were detonated in the Humber and its approaches. The mine totals, including those detonated in Foreign Waters, are 1,638 magnetic, 1,207 acoustic and 1,063 contact mines.
Mediterranean.
During the week ending the 14th December, four minelaying raids were suspected off Tobruk, and three minelaying raids took place the following week. Seven magnetic mines and five acoustic have been detonated.
Vichy Merchant Shipping.
15. There have been several reports to show that Vichy is arming certain merchant ships to act as escorts for convoys, and thus relieve the French Navy of this work.
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