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2

General Review.

NAVAL SITUATION.

1. The outstanding event of the week at sea was the interception and boarding of the German Naval Auxiliary Altmark, which took place on the 17th February and provided a dramatic conclusion to the Admiral Graf Spee episode.

Sea.

There has been some activity by German Naval surface units in the North

German air activity over the North Sea has continued; and there has been increased U-boat activity, resulting in a larger number of sinkings.

Home Waters.

2.

The German Naval Auxiliary Altmark was located in Norwegian territo- rial waters by aircraft on the afternoon of the 16th February, and, acting on these reports, destroyers in the vicinity intercepted her. H.M.S. Cossack boarded the Altmark in Joessing Fjord and released 299 officers and men of the Merchant Navy who had been imprisoned on board her since their ships were sunk by the Admiral Graf Spee. Full details of this incident having already been made public it is not considered necessary to include any further particulars here. The operation was completed in the early hours of the 17th February, and Cossack arrived at Leith in the afternoon of that day, escorted by destroyers and special air patrols.

3. There was considerable German air activity over the North Sea on the 19th, 20th and 22nd February. On the 19th February a merchant ship and four trawlers were attacked without result about 120 miles to the eastward of Aberdeen.

On the 20th February one minesweeping and two fishing trawlers were attacked, apparently without result, and H.M. Minesweeping Trawler Solon was damaged by incendiary bombs and machine-gun fire off Cromer.

The 11th Anti-Submarine Striking Force of four trawlers was attacked by 2 aircraft 50 miles to the eastward of the Orkneys, in a high southerly gale with visibility of 1 to 11⁄2 miles and low cloud at 200 feet. The Fifeshire sank in 12 seconds stern first, and it was first believed that she had been torpedoed. The Ayrshire, which went to the assistance of the Fifeshire was considerably damaged, but is believed to have hit the attacking aircraft. Two officers and 19 ratings were lost in the Fifeshire.

On the 22nd February a group of minesweeping trawlers was attacked off the Tyne. In addition, a merchant vessel was reported on fire off Dunbar (Firth of Forth), but this may not have any connection with the raid. Visibility was considerably better than on the other two days, and two German aircraft were destroyed by our fighters.

Considerable enemy air activity continued off the East Coast from the Humber to the Thames during the night of the 22nd-23rd February.

4. H.M. Destroyer Daring was sunk by an explosion when escorting a home- ward Norwegian convoy in the early hours of the 18th February.

The ship capsized in less than 30 seconds. Only one officer and four men were saved, 9 officers and 146 ratings losing their lives.

Early on the 20th February H.M. Submarine L. 23 sighted a German cruiser and two destroyers about 60 miles to the southward of Norway, and later H.M. Submarine Salmon sighted German battle cruisers and cruisers 40 miles to the west of Heligoland. L. 23 was attacked and depth charged, and her fuel tanks were damaged, necessitating her return to her base.

5. A strong force of the Home Fleet is at sea covering the Norwegian convoys and affording support to the Northern Patrol.

German Intelligence.

6. Air reconnaissance on the night 17th-18th February disclosed the presence of 4 large warships, two of which were possibly battle cruisers, and nine

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