CAB80-32 — Page 264

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General Review.

NAVAL SITUATION.

1. Hostilities against Japan commenced at 2143 on the 7th December, after the Japanese had attacked Malaya and United States possessions in the Pacific.

H.M. Ships Prince of Wales and Repulse have been sunk by air attack off the Malayan coast.

Serious naval damage was caused in a surprise Japanese attack on the United States Base at Honolulu.

An Italian U-boat has been sunk off Bardia.

Our shipping casualties have been light.

Home Waters.

2. On the 8th, two minesweeping trawlers were sunk by enemy aircraft off Montrose.

It is estimated that 37,000 tons of enemy shipping have been sunk or damaged by our aircraft. Details are given in the Air Situation.

Northern Waters.

3. The Russian Submarine K.3, on the 3rd December, torpedoed a west- bound merchant ship of 5,000 tons and sank an escorting trawler and motor-boat north-east of Alten Fiord (Northern Norway). A westbound tanker of 3,000 tons was torpedoed by the Russian Submarine Malodki 171 north of Varanger Fiord, on the 8th.

North Atlantic.

H.M. Corvette Windflower was sunk in collision to the westward of Cape Race on the 7th. Fifteen survivors were picked up by H.M. Corvette

Nasturtium.

The Vichy French s.s. Formigny (2,166 tons) was intercepted off Lisbon on the 9th by H.M. Armed Boarding Vessel Alouettte and is being taken into Gibraltar under armed guard.

Mediterranean.

5. Light forces have continued to operate in support of our military operations in Libya.

H.M. Cruiser Naiad carried out a close-range bombardment of Derna on the 10th. She was continuously attacked by torpedo-aircraft and dive-bombers, but suffered no damage. H.M. Gunboat Aphis shelled the road to the west of Tobruk on two nights. Patrols and sweeps have been carried out off the coast to prevent enemy movements and to maintain the supply route to and from Tobruk. A number of successful attacks have been reported by H.M. Submarines during the week. On the 1st, Regent sank the Italian s.s. Erica (2,350 tons), northward bound, 65 miles north of Pantellaria. P. 34 torpedoed an escorted merchant vessel bound westward, south of the Strait of Messina on the 5th, and Truant scored hits on an Italian merchant ship of the Ramb class entering Suda Bay on the 7th. Talisman shelled and hit an enemy destroyer off Argostoli (west coast of Greece) on the 8th and, three days later, sank an escorted merchant vessel estimated at 15,000 tons to the westward of Navarino.

H.M. Armed Boarding Vessel Chakdina, with 300 British wounded and 100 prisoners of war on board, was sunk by torpedo aircraft between Tobruk and Alexandria. Over 200 survivors were rescued. H.M. Sloop Flamingo was seriously damaged by aircraft off the Libyan coast and H.M. Armed Boarding Vessel Chantala struck a mine in Tobruk harbour and is partly submerged.

During the week upwards of 32,000 tons of French merchant shipping westward and 11,194 tons eastbound have passed through the Straits of Gibraltar under escort.

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