CAB80-25 — Page 65

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General Review.

NAVAL SITUATION.

THERE have been no outstanding events at sea during the week. Shipping losses have been below the average, though the tonnage reported sunk is high due to delayed news of sinkings by enemy raiders.

Although a large number of German and Italian U-Boats have been reported operating, losses from this cause have been small, but casualties have been heavier due to enemy minelaying.

Northern Waters.

2. Units of the Home Fleet have been operating in Northern Waters reinforcing the Northern patrol and covering incoming convoys.

Home Waters.

3. Anti-E-Boat operations off the East coast were carried out by motor boats co-operating with flare-dropping aircraft on nights of the 26th, 28th and 29th December; and anti-minelaying patrols by M.T.B's. and Trawlers off Dover on nights of the 27th and 28th. Destroyers carried out a patrol to the West of Brest on night of the 27th/28th. In none of these operations were enemy forces encountered.

4. On the 28th H.M. Destroyer Valorous and H.M. Corvette Crocus were damaged in collisions off Sheerness and the Mersey respectively. On the 1st January H.M. Destroyer Venemous was damaged by mine and towed to Liverpool, and the R.F.A. Attendant (1,016 tons) was mined and sunk in the Thames Estuary.

H.M. Destroyers Salisbury and Newport (ex U.S.S.) have arrived in Home Waters from Canada.

5. Slight damage was caused at the R.N. Victualling Yard, Deptford, by air attacks on the 27th and 29th, but in the attack on Plymouth on the 28th Naval damage was negligible.

Southampton was bombed by single aircraft on the afternoon of the 28th. H.M. Destroyers Opportune and Norseman under construction were hit, the latter being severely damaged. The Tug Canute was also sunk.

North Atlantic.

6. All the ships in the convoy, which scattered on the 25th December due to the presence of an enemy raider, have been located and are now proceeding to their destinations. Two ships. the S.S. Empire Trooper and the S.S. Arabistan, were damaged, but were able to proceed under their own steam, the former calling at the Azores to make good temporary repairs.

H.M. Submarine Trident attacked the Panamanian S.S. Bonita off Ponta Delgada, Azores. Three torpedoes were fired and missed; one of them exploded on the beach and damaged a house.

Mediterranean.

7. Light forces of the Mediterranean Fleet have been working off the Libyan coast in co-operation with the Army, and also covering a convoy from Egypt to the Piræus.

H.M. Monitor Terror and other shipping at Sollum were unsuccessfully bombed by Italian aircraft on the 26th.

Two Italian Battleships and shipping at Naples were bombed by the R.A.F. on night of 29th/30th. The Littorio, in dock at Taranto, was bombed on night of 30th 31st, when bombs were seen to burst all round the ship.

On the 30th H.M. Trawler Bandolero sank as a result of a collision with H.M. Australian Destroyer Waterhen in the Gulf of Sollum. The Waterhen returned to Alexandria with damaged bows.

There was some movement of French ships past Gibraltar, including the passage eastward of a floating dock towed by three tugs. On the 31st December an

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