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Two Norwegian convoys, one outward and one homeward, have arrived safely, the homeward convoy consisting of 66 ships, only 3 of which were British.

38 destroyers, 14 escort vessels and 1 submarine have been employed on convoy escort duties, and 2 battleships, 2 cruisers and 6 armed merchant cruisers as ocean escorts.

Anti-Submarine Operations.

7. It is estimated that six U-Boats have been operating during the past week, including two, or possibly three, off the west coasts of Spain and Portugal. Following the sinking of the Latvian s.s. Everene and the Norwegian s.s. Gudveig off the Farne Islands on the 25th January, attacks on contacts were delivered by H.M.S. Vega and H.M.S. Woolston, but without definite result.

On the same day H.M.S. Vanquisher attacked a very good contact south- westward of Nash Point (South Wales), after which a large amount of oil was seen, but the fact of the position being close to the wreck of s.s. Stanholme throws some doubt on the success of this attack. The Polish destroyer Blyskawica also made one attack on the 25th with depth charges after sighting a periscope 20 miles east of Yarmouth.

8. After sinking the s.s. Vaclite (5,026 tons) and the Greek s.s. Keramiai (5,085 tons) 100 miles S.W. of The Lizard, U. 55 was attacked by H.M.S. Fowey with depth charges, and also by the French destroyer Valmy. Subsequently, a British Sunderland aircraft sighted the U-Boat on the surface apparently unable to dive. After dropping a bomb which registered a near miss, the aircraft was engaged by machine-gun fire, which she returned. The flying boat then informed the convoy escort of the position of the U-Boat. On their arrival the U-Boat had sunk, but forty-one survivors were picked up by H.M.S. Fowey and H.M.S. Whitshed.

9. The heavy work of destroyers hunting U-Boats is being assisted by the formation of A/S striking forces, each consisting of four or five specially- equipped trawlers. Twenty-two such striking forces are to be formed, and a considerable number are already in active operation.

German Mine Laying.

10. There has been no definite intelligence of German mine laying during the past week, and as the Germans are using electric torpedoes, which are trackless, it is exceedingly difficult when a ship is sunk to say if she has been mined or torpedoed. A completely new type of German mine has been washed ashore at Yarmouth and is at present being examined. Another German aircraft mine was found on the beach at Whitstable. Part of the mechanism has been removed, and it hoped to salvage the whole mine, which is deeply embedded in the mud, at the next spring tides.

British Minesweeping.

11. The usual routine sweeps were carried out as far as the severe weather conditions permitted. A moored mine was swept up slightly out of the Tyne war channel and H.M.S. Borde successfully exploded four magnetic mines near the Sunk Light Vessel.

Three Wellington bombers have now been fitted for minesweeping and a further four are in hand, but it has not been possible to fly them because of the weather conditions.

Demagnetisation trials are continuing in H.M. submarine L. 26 and H.M.S. Arethusa.

British Contraband Control.

12.

During the week under review 3,148 tons of cargo were seized in prize. On the 30th January there were 29 neutral ships in the contraband control bases in the United Kingdom, of which 18 had been there for five days already. The total included 11 Dutch, 5 Norwegians, 4 Belgian, 4 Danish and 3 Greek, also 1 Finnish and 1 Swedish ship.

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