CAB80-13 — Page 51

Page 51

4

Page 51

Oil and petrol imports in 45 tankers were 522,635 tons, of which 56,687 tons were for France. Mineral imports were 222,577 tons, cereals were 16,589 and other food imports, 111,152 tons, of which 35,053 tons was sugar.

Anti-Submarine Operations.

13. No promising attacks have been carried out in Home Waters during the period, but three are reported from the Mediterranean as follows:-

10th June. North of Sollum by H.M.S. Decoy. Submarine was hunted and attacked during the night and a large patch of oil was seen at daylight.

12th June-Off Malta by HMS. Diamond. This attack was probably successful.

12th June. -Off Ceuta by H.M.S. Watchman. It is believed that the submarine may have been sunk or badly damaged,

Enemy Minelaying and British Minesweeping.

14. During the week the 5th June to the 12th June magnetic mines have been dropped off Portsmouth, Portland, Poole, the Needles, Dover, Harwich and the Humber, and in the Thames Estuary. Minelaying has also been suspected off coastal headlands.

Le Havre, Cherbourg, Dieppe, Ovistreham (the port of Caen) and St. Malo have also been closed for varying periods on account of magnetic mines.

15. Two ships of the 1st Minesweeping Flotilla fitted with LL sweeps, Bramble and Speedy, exploded 3 mines in the Moray Firth. The whole area has been thoroughly searched.

Mines exploded by LL sweeps now number 112, the total of magnetic mines dealt with being 246, the number of contact mines is 406.

Ten Minesweeping Drifters are to be converted to LL sweepers. Four Whale Catchers under the Norwegian Flag are also to be equipped with LL sweeps.

16. A new contact minefield has been found in the war channel about 12 miles S.E. of Flamborough Head. The mines are reported to be Dutch, and as the channel is in constant use they must have been laid only a few hours before they were discovered. A dangerous area was declared, and clear water found to the westward, through which convoys are being swept.

Fishing is now prohibited in certain areas in the North Sea where it was formerly allowed, and inshore fishing off the greater part of the East and South coasts is restricted to daylight hours only. The gaps left for fishing vessels through the East Coast Mine Barrier have been cancelled.

Information has been received from a moderately reliable source that, after the departure of the United States relief ship, the enemy would attempt mine- laying round the Irish coast.

Mediterranean.

17. It is reported from a moderately reliable source that the Italians have laid minefields at Tobruk and Benghazi. They have declared the Sicilian Channel, between Sicily and Africa, to be mined and advise neutral ships to use the Straits of Messina. On the 6th June the Italians declared that the waters within 12 miles of the coasts of Italy, Albania, the Italian colonies and possessions were dangerous to navigation.

British Minelaying.

18. H.M.S. Teviot Bank and H.M.S. Plover laid 340 mines in the East Coast Barrier on the 6th June and a further 340 on the 10th June. There has been some minelaying by aircraft.

Casualties to Naval Personnel.

19. Apart from H.M. Ships Glorious, Acasta and Ardent, which between them carried 92 officers and 1,393 men, casualties reported during the week

were:

Officers: 3 killed, 2 missing, 2 wounded. Men: 4 killed, 9 missing, 2 wounded.

Enemy

Germa

20

the fic TI

there i submar Shetlan

Italian

21

believe

Ta

M

PE

Nε

Sp

Ca

Tr

Ať

To

Th

Th

Sir

80 miles Three 70 miles

On

Enemy German

22.

are repc is 3,000 Norweg

Fou there or

[

Page 51

Page 51