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(c) All vessels not in convoy to sail in groups, at present unescorted until
trawler escorts become available.
(d) Ships sailing out of convoy in daylight to be within prescribed areas where air escort and protection will be provided. This arrangement has been made with a view to limiting the area in which it is necessary for the Royal Air Force to afford air protection, while the group sailing will further facilitate location and protection by fighter aircraft.
(e) All northbound shipping from the Firth of Forth to be sailed at dusk so as to make as much northing as possible in dark hours, and all vessels capable of inclusion in convoy to sail in Outward Norwegian convoys. (f) Improved arrangements for communicating distress messages to Fighter
and Coastal Command groups.
It is intended, as soon as trawler escorts are available, to institute daily slow convoys both ways between Humber and Southend, and later to provide trawler escort during daylight hours between Humber and Tyne.
12. There are in all about 320 ships between 500 and 2,000 gross tons on the East Coast at sea and in harbour on a given day. Of these, 90 are already armed with a 12-pdr. and 16 others are now in hand for arming. In order to complete remaining ships in this class with minimum delay, urgent action has been taken through the Ministry of Shipping with the Area Committees at the ports to lay up these ships in rotation for arming as quickly as possible, and it is expected that all vessels of over 500 gross tons trading regularly on the East Coast will have a 12-pdr. gun mounted by the end of March.
13. A pool of 120 Lewis guns manned by naval personnel is established on the East Coast. These men are detailed for ships trading regularly between ports from the Firth of Forth to London. In certain cases they are retained in ships proceeding onwards to the North of France and Channel ports. These equip- ments are moved from ship to ship as circumstances require. One hundred additional Lewis guns will be distributed in the immediate future for other vessels sailing on the East Coast not hitherto provided for. These guns will be manned by merchant navy personnel as naval ratings are not available.
14. Schermuley rockets are being distributed to East Coast ports now for supply to merchant ships and fishing vessels generally. Trials have recently been carried out at Portsmouth with a lethal head which is to be attached to these rockets. The result of these trials is not yet known.
Approval is being given for the purchase of a further 20,000 Schermuley rockets, and a high degree of priority is being given to other and more effective weapons for defence against low-bombing and machine-gun attacks.
15. Shipowners have already been given detailed advice concerning the protection of helmsmen, look-outs and other exposed personnel from machine gunfire. The majority of ships have already fitted some kind of protection, e.g., sand bags. Other and more effective means of protection, such as steel pill boxes and concrete blocks, have been recommended and immediate action is now being taken through the Ministry of Shipping to ensure that all ships in an area subject to air attack are provided with some adequate means of protection of this kind.
16. Forty-five trawlers have already been armed with 12-pdrs., and 8 others have been selected for similar armament. Of the 450 trawlers operating in the North Sea, Lewis guns have been distributed for all except about 38. Approxi- mately 300 additional Lewis guns will be required for the drifter fleet in April when fishing is due to start. Training of fishing personnel in the use of these guns is in progress at fishing ports on the East Coast and is being received with enthusiasm by the men concerned.
Anti-submarine Operations.
17. Five or six U-Boats have been operating during the past week, the latest reports of their positions being off the Portuguese and Spanish coast, in the Bay of Biscay, in the Western Approaches, to the northward of Scotland and in the Moray Firth.
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