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Catalogue Reference:cab/66/14/17 Image Reference:0001 SECRET. Copy No.

W.P. (40) 487 (Also Paper No. C.O.S. (40) 1056) -December 19, 1940

TO BE KEPT UNDER LOCK AND KEY,

It is requested that special care may be taken to ensure the secrecy of this document.

WAR CABINET

WEEKLY RESUME (No. 68) of the NAVAL, MILITARY AND AIR SITUATION from 12 noon December 12th to 12 noon December' 19th,

[Circulated with the approval of the Chiefs of Staff. I

Cabinet War Room NAYAL SITUATION. General Review. Naval forces in the Eastern Mediterranean have been continuing operation ­ in support of the Army in the Western Desert. Although the tonnage which has been reported lost due to enemy action is considerable, the actual losses of merchant shipping during the week under review, as far as is known at present, were not excessive. Minelaying by enemy aircraft has been concentrated on the south-ea,st coast. ' .

Home Waters. 2. M.T.Bs. carried out a sweep off the Belgian coast on the night of the 13th December but sighted no enemy ships. During a similar operation on the night of the 17th/ 18th a large armed merchant vessel was torpedoed and sunk off Zeebrugge, one armed trawler was hit by machine-gun fire and another possibly hit by a torpedo. No casualties or damage were sustained by our forces. The British-manned French torpedo-boat Branlebas apparently broke her back and foundered off the Lizard in heavy weather while escorting a convov to Dartmouth on the 14th; 3 survivors were picked up. On the 17th H.M Destroyer Acheron sank following an explosion whilst carrying out high-speed turning trials off the Isle of Wight. Some survivors were picked up. The cause of the explosion has not been ascertained, but a new contact minefield is suspected in this area. On the 15th December H.M. Minesweeper Britomart was damaged in collision off the Orkneys and will require docking. On the same day the Polish destroyer Blyskawica dragged on to H.M. Canadian destroyer Skeena in the Clyde and damaged her above the waterline. The Town class destroyers (ex-US.S.) Reading and Ramsey have arrived in home waters from Canada. H.M. Cruiser Mauritius was commissioned on the 14th December.

North Atlantic. 3: During the week a force, which included heavy ships, has carried out a patrol in the Azores area, and additional submarine patrols have been stationed in the Bay of Biscay. Mediterranean. 4. Naval units of the Mediterranean Fleet have been engaged in harassing the retreat of the Italians, supplying our forward troops and evacuating prisoners. H.M. Monitor Terror, with Swordfish aircraft co-operating, success­ fully bombarded Bardia. During this operation Terror was ineffectively attacked by an E-Boat. The Italian submarine Naiade, which attempted to interfere with these operations, was sunk by H.M. destroyers Hyperion and Here-ward, on the morning of the 14th, five officers and 42 ratings being taken prisoner. H.M.S. Coventry was torpedoed by a U-Boat on the 13th, but was only slightly damaged. Fleet Air Arm aircraft from Malta successfully attacked Tripoli on the night of the 13th/14th, obtaining three direct hits on two ships alongside as well as inflicting damage on warehouses, and bombing ships in harbour. H.M. Submarine Truant reported that she sank one and possibly two loaded merchant ships off Cape Spartivento on the night of the 13th/14th, and a large south-bound tanker in the Gulf of Taranto on the night of the 15th/16th. H.M. Submarine Triton and the Free French submarine Narval are both overdue. The former was on patrol in the South Adriatic, and the latter between Sicily and Tripoli. Anti-Submarine Operations. 5. H.M. Submarine Thunderbolt reported that she successfully attacked an Italian U-Boat escorted by three trawlers off the Gironde on the 15th December. H.M.S. Bridgewater, which was escorting a merchant ship to Freetown, chased a U-Boat of unknown nationality in a position 150 miles west of Dakar. An attack was made by one of our aircraft on the 13th December eight miles north-west of Newquay, and one hit Was claimed with a 100-lb. bomb. Destroyers and aircraft continued to search and HM. A/S; Yacht Migrante attacked a firm contact 30 miles to the northward on the following day.

Enemy Intelligence. . German. 6. Air reconnaissances of the German naval ports on the 14th and 15th December produced the first substantial information of German main units available for some time. The battleships Bismarck and Tirpitz were seen at Hamburg and Wilhelmshaven respectively ^ At Kiel the pocket battleship Lutzow had moved out of dry dock and was alongside. The two old Schlesien class battleships were both in Kiel, one in dry dock and one in a floating dock. A six-inch cruiser, probably Niirnberg, was also in dry dock at Kiel. Six destroyers were seen in the German ports as a whole, and one in dry dock. There was no indication of the whereabouts of either Scharnhorst or Gneisenau.

Italian. 7. Air reconnaissance of Italian ports on the 17th and 18th December observed one cruiser in dock at Naples, and a number of merchant ships in the port; one 6-inch cruiser at Messina; and two Cavour class battleships, one 6-inch cruiser and five destroyers at Taranto. There were no reports of the whereabouts of the other battleships. U-Boats. 8. In the earlier part of the week there were five or six German and two or three Italian U-Boats in the North-West Approaches. There are indications that in this area the Germans have been moving gradually northwards and the Italians have correspondingly moved to the central part of the area. The present dispositions suggest that when the Germans leave patrol, they may return to Bergen in preference to Lorient. One or two German U-Boats are in the Cape VerdeiArea and to the south of it (one may possibly be Italian) and perhaps two Italian U-Boats near the Azores. There is no further news of the two Italian U-Boats which left Tangier on the 13th December.

Enemy Attack on Seaborne Trade. AOTE.—The following figures give the losses which have been reported during the period the llth-lQth December. They should not be confused with the figures shown for the last week in the diagrams of shipping losses attached at the back of the Resume, which show the actual losses for each complete iveek since the outbreak of war and are only made up to midnight of Sunday-Monday of the week immediately preceding that covered by this Resume. Later figures are not included in the diagrams as they are likely to be unreliable, owing to delayed notifications and uncertainty regarding the result of recent attacks. 9. Details of shipping losses are given in Appendix I. 23 ships totalling 114,863 tons were reported lost by enemy action. Of these, 16 ships (86,837 tons)' were British; 14 ships (90,657 tons) were sunk by U-Boats (12 in the North-Western Approaches and 2 off the Spanish coast); 3 ships (12,038 tons) by raider and E-Boats; 1 ship (1,673 tons) by aircraft; and 5 ships (10,495 tons) by mines. 8 British ships and 1 Swedish ship were reported damaged by enemy action. During the period from noon the 11th December to noon the 18th December only 6 ships (4 British), 3 of which were sailing out of convoy, were reported attacked by U-Boats, and of these 4 were sunk, 5 British ships were mined off Southend, of which 4 were sunk, and 3 ships were attacked by aircraft. Mr. Howe, the Canadian Minister of Munitions, was among the survivors from the s.s. Western Prince, which was torpedoed and sunk far out m the North-Western Approaches on the 14th December. On the same evening a single E-Boat torpedoed and sank the Danish s.s. Monberg in a southbound convoy off Yarmouth. The British s.s. Newton Pine reported that she was [22038] ' B attacked by a U-Boat about 700 miles south-west of Freetown on the 13th December. The ship was first attacked by torpedo, which was avoided and then unsuccessfully engaged by gunfire for half an hour. On the 18th the British merchant ship Duquesa, on her way from Montevideo to Freetown, reported that she was being shelled by an enemy raider 700 miles south-west of Freetown. The report, which was incomplete, indicated that the raider was the A dmiral Scheer. Dispositions were made to meet this situation.

Protection of Seaborne Trade. 10. During the week ending noon Wednesday, the 18th December, 671 ships, including 134 allied and 20 neutral, were convoyed, of which seven were lost by enemy action. These seven ships include three in a homeward-bound convoy from Flalifax. Other ships in this convoy were sunk before the arrival of the local escort, and have, therefore, been excluded from the losses in convoy. One battle­ ship, one cruiser, ten armed merchant cruisers, 35 destroyers and 28 sloops and corvettes were employed on escort duties. Since the beginning of the war 207 ships, including 23 allied and 16 neutral, have been lost out of 47,281 ships, including 5,110 allied and 4,221 neutral, which have been convoyed. Imports into Great Britain by ships in convoy during the week ending the 14th December totalled 904,673 tons, compared with 571,979 tons during the previous seven days and an average of 822,773 tons for the previous ten weeks. Fifteen tankers brought 165,522 tons of oil, compared with 126,348 tons in thirteen tankers during the week ending the 6th December. Mineral imports were 255.545 tons, of which 180,097 tons were steel, scrap iron, pig iron and iron ore. Timber and pulp imports were 66,513 tons, an increase of 9,825 tons. Cereal imports were 221,743 tons, compared with only 41,225 tons in the previous week. Twenty-six ships were fully laden with grain.

British Minelaying. 11. During the week H.M.S. Adventure laid 560 mines in the St. George's Channel, and H.M. Ships Teviot Bank and Icarus laid mines off the Firth of Forth in the East coast mine barrier.

Enemy Minelaying, British Minesweeping. 12. During the week mineiaying by enemy aircraft was confined to the East coast, from the Humber southward, except on the night of the 17th December, when minelaying at Belfast was suspected. The Thames Estuary has been visited most nights, the raids being particularly intense on the nights of the 12th/13th and the 13th/14th December. Both the Thames and the Medway were closed for over 30 hours from early on the 13th December, though traffic was allowed to proceed in the London area after being stopped for about 10^ hours. No casualties were caused by mines during the week until the 17th December, when seven ships were mined early in the day off Southend. The mines, which had been laid three or four nights previously, were delay action and must have become active just about the time the ships were passing, as these waters had been swept during the night without result, the sweeping being completed about two hours before the first ship was mined. An enemy aeroplane was seen laying mines about nine miles east of Yarmouth, to the westward of the War Channel on the 16th December. The area was searched by LL and S.A. Trawlers, and the latter detonated 3 mines. LL.Sweeps have detonated 6 mines during the week, two in the? Barrow Deep, three in the Thames-Medway area and one off Plymouth. A skid detonated one mine off Yarmouth. One acoustic mine was detonated in the Barrow Deep on the 12th December besides the three mentioned above in the Thames-Medway area, and two mines were detonated in the Barrow Deep on the 16th December.' 13. During the week nine mines and nineteen explosive cutters have been found in the Dover minefield, making a total of twenty mines and twenty-nine explosive cutters found in this field. The explosive cutters are much more efficient than they have been previously, cutting the sweep every time. (Owing to the duplication of a minesweeping report last week the total of contact mines-in this field must be reduced by two.) Paddle Minesweepers, operating in the outer Thames Estuary, have destroyed two contact mines. The mine totals are as follows: acoustic 96, magnetic 820, contact 761. Temporary arrangements are being made to transfer as many motor coasting ships as possible from East to West coast trading, as it is considered desirable, on account of the danger from acoustic mines, that as few as possible should be trading on the East coast south of the Firth of Forth. H.M.A.S. Bathurst, the first of her class of minesweepers, was commissioned on the 6th December. Enemy Merchant Shipping. German. 14. The Baden (8,204 tons), which, has been in the Canaries since the outbreak of war, sailed from Teneriffe on the 16th December, and the Madrid (8,777 tons) left Las Palmas on the 11th December in a Northerly direction. The tanker Rekum (5,540 tons), which left Teneriffe on the 17th July, is said to have arrived at St. Nazaire on the 8th October and landed a wounded seaman from the Cymbeline (sunk by a German raider on the 2nd September). An Italian broadcast on the 12th December stated that the Helgoland (3,664 tons), which left Puerto Colombia on the 28th October, had reached a German port. This ship is suspected of having acted as a supply ship to a raider. Four German merchant ships are now reported to be trading between East coast Spanish ports and Marseilles and Genoa with cargoes of fruit. In the Black Sea the Ithaka (1,773 tons) left Galatz about the 12th December with a cargo of .720 tons of German munitions consigned via Batum to the Persian Government. Italian. 15. The Fortunata (2,715 tons), previously taken in prize by the French, is believed-to be at Port Lyautey, Morocco, where she was recently unloading her, cargo of toluol. An Italian crew is reported to have arrived at Larache via Spain.

MILITARY SITUATION. The Balkan States. Greece and Albania. (See also para. 20 below.) 16. Though there have been no spectacular events during the past week, the Greek advance has continued slowly along the whole front. On the coastal sector Tepelene is now under heavy artillery fire. The town stands at the end of a strongly fortified gorge, and its capture will be an event of considerable importance. In the mountains more snow has fallen and most of the front is now under a depth of three feet. Voskopoja has had 18 degrees of frost. 17. The following personnel arrived at Athens on the 9th December : — Majority of Military Mission (No. 27). Detachment of Kent Corps Troops R.E. Bomb Disposal Unit. 25 Specialist Officers. Bulgaria.

18; Heavy rain has caused flooding throughout Southern and South-Eastern Bulgaria, and dislocation of traffic on roads and railways, while deep snow is still lying in the Sofia area and the Balkan mountains. Aerodromes in the South- East are unserviceable. Italy and Italian Possessions.

T .19 - The Italian people must by now be aware of reverses in Albania and Libya, but it is improbable that the true state of affairs has been allowed to leak out A rumour regarding the resignation of Marshal Graziani has had some circulation. The Western Desert has been successfully cleared of Italian troops and the offensive is being carried into Libya. It is difficult to forecast future Italian intentions now that they have been deprived of the bulk of their native troops, which were used as so much " cannon fodder." 20. . In Albania the Italian withdrawal appears to be slowing up. Units have been reinforced individually by small drafts sent by air and sea. It is not known whether the Italians will continue their withdrawal to a pre-arranged defensive line, or whether the question of an evacuation is being considered.

Middle East. Egypt. 21. By the 13th December the elimination of the Italian 64th Division (captured complete at Buq Buq) and 1st and 2nd Libyan Divisions had been confirmed, and the number of prisoners taken was estimated at 25,000. The enemy was then withdrawing from the Bir Sofafi area towards Sollum, pursued by a mobile column formed from the 7th Armoured Division. The withdrawal was subject to heavy air bombing. 22. On the 16th December Sollum and Fort Oapuzzo were evacuated, the garrisons withdrawing into the Bardia defences, the exit from which was blocked by 4th Armoured Brigade astride the Tobruk road. 23. By the 17th December the frontier forts of Musaid, Sidi Omar and Sheferzen had been captured, and a further 800 prisoners and a battery of artillery taken. The 16th Australian Brigade, operating from Siwa, dispersed an enemy column,withdrawing from Jarabub. -; i 24. On the 19th December advanced elements of our troops, which have successfully contained numerically superior forces of the enemy in Bardia, were being steadily reinforced, and the position of the Italian Army in this area may be regarded as precarious. 25. The number of prisoners taken so far is 31,546, including 1,626 officers. Several thousand more prisoners are being evacuated from the battle areas. 26. The total British and Imperial casualties reported up to the 16th December are 72 killed and 738 wounded. Sudan. 27. In the Kassala and Gallabat sectors our patrols have been active. Enemy positions have been harassed by artillery fire and a number of casualties inflicted. A few casualties but little material damage have been sustained as a result of enemy air and artillery action. The 144 Field Regiment, R.A., has.arrived in the Sudan. East Africa. 28. On the 16th December El Wak (90 miles N.E. of Wajir) was success­ fully raided by a force composed of 1st South African Brigade and 24th Gold Coast Brigade from Wajir. Fifty of the enemy were killed and a number of prisoners taken. A quantity of material, including 13 small and 2 heavy guns, was captured.

Far East. Indo-China. 29. The Japanese garrison in Indo-China is thought to be not more than the 6,000 men allowed by arrangement with the French. There are no signs of any further southward advance, and at the moment economic discussions hold the field. Further reports of the disorders in the Saigon area, which are thought to be Communist, show that they were serious.; The French state that the uprisings have been almost mastered. Thailand. ------.; . .. 30. Frontier clashes with the French and aerial bombing reprisals have been continuing, but there are now signs of negotiations to settle the dispute amicably. AIR SITUATION. General Review. 31. Unfavourable weather conditions have again restricted our operations against the enemy. The outstanding event of the week was the heavy and success­ ful attack on Mannheim on the night of the 16th-l7th December. Important targets at Naples and Milan have also been attacked. Aircraft of the Coastal Command made several successful bombing attacks on enemy shipping during the week. Adverse weather also affected the operations of the enemy against this country, though a particularly heavy attack was made on the Sheffield area on the night of the 12th-13th December. In Egypt and Libya our aircraft have again given effective support to the military forces, and have achieved a decisive ascendancy over the enemy. In Greece our operations were hampered by bad weather conditions, but successful bombing attacks were made on Valona and Durazzo. Operational aircraft battle casualties and extracts from recent Raid Assess­ ment Reports are given in Appendices VI and VII.

Germany and Occupied Territory. 32. During the week 9 day and 280 night sorties were flown by Bomber Command and numerous additional attacks were made by Coastal Command aircraft. Bad weather has either cancelled or restricted our operations on three nights, but the week has two outstanding attacks. 33. Berlin was bombed during protracted operations over a wide area on the night of the 15th/16th December, and transportation, power and armament targets were attacked in excellent visibility. On the following night the sole objective was the industrial centre of Mannheim on which 108 tons of high­ explosive and over 13,000 incendiary bombs were dropped. Countless fires were started and aircraft which arrived late in the night reported that many blocks in the Western and South-Eastern areas were ablaze. Aircraft visited the town on the two following nights and reported many fires still burning after the previous attacks, and smoke hanging over the town. 34. Further operations comprised a highly successful attack on the inland port of Frankfurt, where the docks were severely damaged, and raids on the Krupp Shipyards and docks at Kiel. The submarine bases at Brest and Bordeaux were visited on several occasions, and Channel ports and aerodromes, including Guernsey, Lorient, Brest and Lanvedoc, were bombed by aircraft of both Bomber and Coastal Commands. Three Coastal Command aircraft on a special mission to Norway attacked the Bergen-Oslo Railway and scored a direct hit on a station.

Italy. 35. Naples was attacked by eight Wellingtons from Malta on the night of the 14th/15th December. Hits were made on a concentration of cruisers, destroyers and battleships, and an Italian report admitted damage to a medium­ sized naval unit, with fifty casualties. Naples Aerodrome and Margellingo Junction were also attacked at the same time. 36. The Pirelli Rubber Factory at Milan was attacked by Wellington aircraft from England on the night of the 18th/19th December and, amidst other fires, a large rectangular building was observed to catch fire and burn fiercely with frequent explosions. Single attacks were also made on the railway at Novara and the docks at Genoa and were observed to start bright fires. . Great Britain. 37. Fighter Command flew 42,7 patrols involving 1,057 sorties by day and 81 by night. These figures show a further decrease, and the number of German aircraft which operated against this country during the week was much smaller than during the previous week, 335 by day as compared with 670, and 755 by night as compared with 1,095. Our fighters destroyed seven enemy aircraft during the week and suffered two casualties. [22038] c 38. The enemy's daylight activities consisted mainly of poastal reconnais­ sances. Only one fighter sweep was made during the week—on the 12th December by forty aircraft over South-East England; two of these were shot down by our fighters.; .. , ' ' ' '' 39. Adverse weather has limited-the German effort by night. On three nights of the week no enemy aircraft flew inland, and on two other nights penetrations were few. However, on the- two .nights when conditions were favourable the enemy continued his policy of making heavy attacks on industrial areas. On the night of the 12th-13th December, 380 enemy aircraft were employed against this country, mainly against Sheffield, Leeds and other industrial centres in the Midlands and North-East England, and on the night of the 15th-16th, 110 aircraft delivered attacks mainly against the Sheffield, Coventry and Derby areas.

Coastal. 40. During the week 155 patrols, involving 449 sorties (including 186 convoy escorts), were flown by aircraft of the Coastal Command, in addition to the bombing attacks on objectives in France and Norway already reported. Mines were laid off Brest, Lorient and the Ems River, and many photographic reconnaissances were made by our aircraft along the French, Belgian, Dutch, German and Norwegian Coasts. 41. Enemy Coastal shipping was attacked, and a 2,000-ton merchant vessel received two direct hits on the bridge, off the Norwegian coast. Two other merchant vessels were hit off Brest and Lorient, and a ship in convoy off Boulogne was seen to list after attack. 42. Enemy mine-laying took place on the, first four nights of the week, with an average of 25 aircraft per night. Attacks by enemy aircraft on our shipping were negligible during the week, although German Coastal units operated over the North Sea and Western Approaches, and slight activity was reported from the enemy long-range aircraft over the Atlantic.

Malta. 43. Adverse weather conditions caused some diminution in our air activity. Several reconnaissances were made by our aircraft of Naples, Taranto, Brindisi, Messina and the Ionian Sea. The successful attacks, by Wellingtons on Naples, and by Fleet Air Arm aircraft on Tripoli, have already been described. Enemy aircraft unsuccessfully attacked the Island on three occasions. Their bombing was inaccurate and the only damage caused was to civilian property.

Greece and Albania. .44. Bad weather conditions have continued to make air operations over Albania extremely difficult. Nevertheless, successful raids have been carried out by our aircraft against Valona and Durazzo, where ships in the harbours, barracks, dumps and motor transport were hit. Several reconnaissances over the Ionian Sea have also been flown. Italian aircraft have been employed in supporting their troops in Albania and in attacks on villages and communications, but their bombing continues to be comparatively ineffective.

Egypt and Libya. 45. Intensive air operations in support of[J.and offensive continue. Our bombers have flown approximately 250 bombing sorties and have carried out numerous reconnaissances. Our fighters, in addition to harassing enemy land forces and inflicting heavy casualties on troops and motor vehicles, have destroyed twenty-seven bombers and eighteen fighters in the air-twenty on one day. 46. The main harbours, fuel, stores and munition dumps and military objectives of every kind have been heavily attacked, especially at Bardia, which was visited no less than thirteen times and where it is considered that very heavy damage was done. , 47. Many enemy aerodromes and landing grounds have been heavily attacked, extensive damage being done to hangars, administrative buildings' and aircraft on the ground. The heaviest of these attacks was made on the night of the 17th/18th December against a concentration of enemy aircraft at Beniha. Two Blenheims and seventeen Wellingtons took part and, in addition to the destruction of hangars, it is estimated that forty enemy aircraft were rendered unserviceable; twelve of these were set on fire and six destroyed or seriously damaged. Ten fighters were taken on the ground at Sollum. 48. Italian air operations have been concentrated on an attempt to stem the British advance by bombing and machine-gun attacks on our armoured and motorised columns and troops. These attacks have riot met with much success

a s a result of our defensive fighter patrols and repeated raids on enemy aerodromes.

Sudan and East Africa. 49. Our aircraft have continued to maintain considerable activity against enemy aerodromes, dumps and troop positions in this region, Assab Asmara Gura and El Wak being the chief objectives. Direct hits were registered on aerodromes and hangars, on stores and on transport parks. El Wak was heavily and successfully attacked on the 16th and 17th December Offensive reconnaissances were again flown by aircraft of the South African Air Force. 50. Enemy bombers attacked Port Sudan on the 16th and 17th and succeeded m destroying 10,000 gallons of petrol. Our fighters intercepted and damaged one enemy aircraft.

Aden. 51. Air operations against the Quteibi continue, but there are signs that the tribesmen are tiring of resistance and a meeting is being arranged. Air Intelligence. Russia. no ,JP; i s reP orted that operations were carried out during the night of the 26/27th October last in order to test the air defences of the region of the Baku oilfields According to the statement made after the exercises, the aircraft engaged were able to penetrate the air defences of Baku, but failed to locate the oil refineries, which had been camouflaged.

HOME SECURITY SITUATION. General. 52A. The extent of enemy air activity is summarised under Air Situation. Only one serious incident occurred by day; this was at Chesterton, near Newcastle-under-Lyme, where 15 people were killed. 53. The principal events of the week were attacks on Sheffield on the nights of the 12th-13th and 15th-16th, which rendered approximately 16,000 people homeless. On the night of the 16th-l7th minor incidents were reported from many parts of the country, including London. No attacks were made on the night of the 17th-18th and the 18th-19th.

Damage. Sheffield. 54. An attack lasting nearly nine hours was made on the night of the 12th-13th and was concentrated mainly on the centre, north-west and south-east of the City. Although over 200 incidents were reported, the main Steel Valley largely escaped, and onlv four cases of substantial damage have been reported. The attack on the night of the 15th-16th lasted three hours, and was mainly in the east and east centre; many factories were hit, but only nine of these suffered substantial damage. 55. The effect on war production has not been serious, except indirectly through damage to public utilities. The Neepsend Gas Works' were severely damaged, and this, together with many broken mams, resulted in extensive failure of gas supplies. Electricity was not so badly affected, but the water distribution system in three of the city's zones of supply suffered considerable damage, and it has been necessary to supply them from carts. 56 Transport was badly disorganised and many roads and main-line railways were temporarily blocked. A start has been made in restoring tram routes for munition workers, but it will be some time before trams run through the centre of the city. 57. The material damage caused was extensive, particularly in the central commercial part of the city, where numerous fires were started. Service Property. 58 Military Headquarters and offices were damaged at Canvey Island on the night of the 14th/15th December and military billets suffered extensively at Butlin's Camp, Clacton, on the 16th December; some damage was done to Fort Burgoyne, Dover, on the night of the 15th/16th December.

Civilian Casualties. 59 For the week ending 0600 the 18th December the approximate figures

are 627 killed and 895 injured and include the following Seriousi Killed. Injured. Sheffield, 12th/13th and 15th/16th ... 370 455 Birmingham, 11th/12th ... 95 235 Cheltenham, 11th/12th 19 1 6

Unexploded Bombs. 60. The total outstanding has fallen from 2,240 to 2,104.

Civil Defence Operations. 61. The Sheffield raid of the 12th/13th December fully extended the Civil Defence Services. Police, fire and rescue party reinforcements were called in, and some 2,000 troops were provided to help the Chief Constable and City Engineer. APPENDIX I.

Enemy Attack on Trade. Noon, December 11, to Noon, December 18. Section (A).-Merchant Vessels (excluding Commissioned Merchant Vessels) of all tonnages reported lost by enemy action, o (Mote.—Tonnages are gross unless otherwise stated.) CO ' 5 By Submarine. Name and In Convoy Date. Nationality. Cargo. From— To- How sunk. Position. Fate of Crew and other Remarks. Tonnage. or not.*

Dec. 2 ... Gwalia ... Swedish ... Milford Lisbon Torpedo ... Yes 230 miles West of 4 survivors. (1,258 tons) Cape Roca Haven Dec. 2 ... Ville D'Arlan ... Belgian General... Liverpool Torpedo .. Yes... North'Atlantic Fate of crew not known. (7,555 tons) Halifax- Dec. 2 ... Victoria City ... British Steel ... London Torpedo Yes...... North Atlantic Fate of crew not known. (4,739 tons) . Halifax Dec. 2 ... M/V. Tanker British Ballast ... New York ... Torpedo ... Not 355 miles W.N.W. of Fate of crew not known. Liverpool ... Victor Ross Bloody Foreland (12,247 tons) Dec. 2 ... Goodleigh British Timber New West- Oban Torpedo ... Yes... 410 miles West of 37 survivors, 1 missing. ­ (5,448 tons) and lead minster Bloody Foreland Dec. 2 ... M/V. Lady British Wheat and Vancouver London ... Torpedo ... Yes...... 410 miles West of Fate of crew not known. Glanely general Bloody Foreland (5,497 tons) Dec. 3 ... Daphne ... Swedish ... Glasgow ... Lisbon Torpedo Yes...... Off S.W. coast Spain 1 survivor, 18 missing. (1,513 tons) Dec. 7 Farmsum Dutch Blyth Buenos Torpedo ... Not... 500 miles West of Fate of crew not known. (5,237 tons) Aires Ireland Dec. 8 ... Calabria... British General... Table Bay... Clyde Torpedo Not 300 miles W.S.W. Fate of crew not known. (9,515 tons) Slyne Head Dec. 9 ... Empire Jaguar... British General... Cardiff Pbila- Torpedo ... Not 250 miles West of Fate of crew not known. (5,186 tons) delphia Ireland Dec. 11 ... Rotorua... British General... Lyttelton ... Avonmouth Torpedo ... Yes 110 miles N.W. by Survivors: 88 officers and crew and (10,890 tons) W. St. Kilda 18 others. Dec. 11 ... Towa Dutch Grain and Montreal ... Oban Torpedo ... Yes... 90 miles W. by N. 15 survivors; also 2 Dems. gunners. (5,419 tons) trucks Flannen Is. Dec. 12 ... Macedonier Belgian Phos- Halifax Tees ... Torpedo ... Yes...... 1 mile. West of St. 37 survivors, 4 missing. (5,227 tons) phates Kilda Dec. 14 ... Western Prince British Special New York... Liverpool ... Torpedo ... Not... 400 miles W.N.W. 154 survivors arrived Greenock, 6 "pas­ (10,926 tons) cargo Cape Wrath sengers and 9 crew lost.

* This information is provisional and may be modified subsequently on receipt of Commodore's report. By Surface Graft.

In Convoy Name and 1 To - How Sunk. Position. Fate of Crew and Remarks. Nationality. Cargo. From— or not.* Date. Tonnage.

Raider Not Off Las Palmas Master and crew in France, Aug. 10 ... S/V Barque Kil- Finnish loran (1,817 tons)

Adelaide ... Durban Raider Not S.E. of Madagascar Fate of crew not known. Nov. 29 ... Nowshera British General... (7,920 tons)

London E-boat Yes... Off Yarmouth 9 survivors. Dec. 15 ... N.G. Monberg ... British Tyne torpedo (2,301 tons)

By Aircraft.

London Bomb Yes Thames Estuary Formerly damaged, now reported total Nov. 7 .. Astrologer British Wheat ... Leith loss. M (1,673 tons)

By Mine.

Thames Estuary Formerly damaged, now reported con- Oct. 21 .. M/V Houston British Grain Rosario London structive total loss. City (4,935 tons)

At Southend... 4 survivors, 1 wounded, 8 missing Dee. 17 .. Malrix ... British Hull London (703 tons)

At Southend... 15 survivors, 6 missing. Dec. 17 .. Beneficent British Sunderland London (2,944 tons) At Southend... 2 survivors, 1 wounded, 3 dead. Dec. 17 .. M/V Aqueity ... British Coas ting (370 tons)

Cowes At Southend... 2 survivors. Dec. 17 .. Inver British Blvth (1,543 tons)

This information is provisional and may be modified subsequently on receipt of Oommodore's report. Section (B).—Merchant Vessels (excluding Commissioned Merchant Yessels) of all tonnages REPORTED damaged by Enemy Action.

Name and In Convoy Casualties to Date. Nationality. Cargo. From— To- Cause. Position. Extent of Damage. I Tonnage. or not.* Crew and other Remarks.

Nov. 27 ... 8/T Rattray ... British Fish A/C, M.G. ... On Milfard Bullet holes in hull. (182 tons) Haven

Nov. 27 ... S/T Gharmouth British Fish A/C., B. & G. Off Milford Cannon shell holes in (195 tons) Haven hull.

Dee. 2-3 ... Quebec City British Grain and Montreal ... Manchester A/C., M.G. ... Yes Decks and fittings 2 wounded. North. Atlantic... (4,745 tons) trucks damaged. Vessel and engines badly shaken Dec, 11 ... Saxon Queen ... British Grange- London A/a, b. Yes Severely shaken. Air No casualties. Thames Estuary (482 tons) mouth compressor and dy­ namo smashed Dec. 11 ... Tor Swedish ... A/C Yes Damage to engine- No casualties. Thames Estuary (1,130 tons) room. Making water; arrived Surrey Docks to Dec. 13 ... M/V Orari British Refrig. Melbourne... Clyde S/M. T. Not 445 miles W.S.W. Arrived Clyde No casualties. (10,350 tons) and wool of Fastnets

Dec. 14 ... Empire Razorbill British Coal .... Swansea ... Sydney, N.S. S.M., G. Not 195 miles N.W. Shrapnel damage No casualties. (5,118 tons) of Rockall

Dec. 16 ... Bic Island (ex- British Liverpool ... Halifax A/a, b. : Not 340 miles W. by Rudder gone. Capc Noli) S.of Tory Island (3,921 tons) Dec. 17 ... Belvedere British M. ' ... Not At Southend ... Partly submerged. 1 dead, 4 missing, (869 tons) There is prospect of 9 wounded her being floated and landed brought in

* This information is provisional and may be modified subsequently on receipt of Commodore's report.

NOTE.-The following vessels shown in previous statements of damaged vessels have now been transferred to list of vessels reported lost (see Section A)—

Killoran (Finnish); Ville D'Arlan (Belgian); Farmsum (Dutch); Givalia (Swedish); Calabria, Victoria City, Goodleigh, Astrologer, Houston City, Victor Ross, Lady Glanely, Empire Jaguar (all British). (C) Number and Gross Tonnage of Merchant Yessels (other than Commissioned Ships) sunk up to Noon, Wednesday, December 18, 1940.

Gross Gross British. No. Tonnage. Neutral. No. Tonnage. By Submarine 280 1,535,130 By Submarine 170 550,918 Mine 148 391,112 Mine 79 232,452 Surface craft ... 61 325,989 Surface craft ... 5 12,242 Aircraft 106 309,386 Aircraft... 26 71,149 Other causes and cause Mine or torpedo 1 2,434 unknown 30 64,338 Other causes and cause unknown 22,218 625 2,625,955 288 891,413

Summarised, the Totals are: Allied. By Submarine ... 518 2,423,340 By Submarine 68 337,292 Mine 257 717,237 Mine 30 93,673 Surface craft 78 403,539 Surface craft ... 12 65,308 Aircraft 170 542,170 Aircraft... 38 161,635 Mine or torpedo 1 2434 Other causes and cause Other causes and unknown ... 40,083 cause unknown ... 46 126,639

157 697,991 1,070 4,215,359

NOTE .-" Allied " figures include Polish, French (to June 25, 1940), "Free" French (from June 25, 1940), Norwegian (from April 9, 1940), Dutch and Belgian (from May 10, 1940) and Greek (from October 28, 1940). " Neutral " figures include Italian (to June 10, 1940) and " Vichy " French (from June 25, 1940).

APPENDIX III.

(D) Additions and Deductions of British Mercantile Sea-going Yessels of 500 gross tons and over. From September 3, 1939-December 15, 1940. Additions.

Tankers. Other Vessels. No. Tonnage. No. Tonnage. New vessels ... .­- , -­- 9 73,000 164 892,000 Enemy vessels captured 1 6,000 48 247,000 ( (i) Danish flag ... 42,000 113 302,000 , (ii) French flag ... 10 57,000 79 369,000 Transfers from i ^ Roumanian flag 2 11,000 I (iv) Other flags 12 83,000 101 517,000 Other additions - ­ 11 17,000 90 186,000 (Great Lake vessels converted to Ocean use) 50 289,000 595 2,513,000 Total Additions : 645 vessels of 2,802,000 tons. Deductions.

Tankers. Other Vessels. Losses by enemy action- No. Tonnage. No. Tonnage. (i) Sunk ... 57 441,000 461 2,130,000 (ii) Seized' ... ' . ,1 1 i ' - 6,000 5 ! 16,000 Other total losses 8 22,000 123 394,000

66 469,000 589 2,540,000 Total Deductions : 655* vessels of 3,009,000 tons. * Excluding the following commissioned vessels which, being King's ships, are not regarded as Josses of Mercantile tonnage :— a 2 tankers of 13,000 tons and 23 other vessels of 217,000 tons.

NOTE.-The status of the following British vessels detained in French ports has not vet been determined :— J 1 tanker of 4,000 tons and 19 other vessels of 65,000 tons.

The average weekly increment of British sea-going merchant ships and tonnage over the 67 weeks was about 9-6 ships and 41,800 gross tons, compared with an average weekly loss due to enemy action alone, for the same period, of 7-8 ships and 38,700 gross tons, and an average weekly loss from all causes (including Marine risks) of 9-8 ships and 44 900 ^ross tons

Yesseis under Construction in United Kingdom on December 14, 1940.

Tankers ...... 35 vessels of 289,780 gross tons. Other vessels ...... *147 vessels of 824,675 gross tons.

Total ...... 182 vessels of 1,114,455 gross tons.

* Including 2 Merchant vessels (18,100 tons) taken over by the Navy and 4 cargo vessels (26,320 tons) building at Hong Kong, but excluding 10 vessels of merchant type building for the Navy.

Yesseis under Repair.

The gross tonnage of British sea-going merchant vessels of 500 gross tons and over which were undergoing or awaiting repair in United Kingdom ports during the week ended December 12, 1940, was about 1,400,000 tons, of which about 300,000 tons was in respect of damage due to enemy action.

[22038] E (E) Enemy Losses of Mercantile Tonnage to 18th December, 1940. German. No. Tonnage. Captured or seized ... 60 268,642 Scuttled or sunk 74 405,034 Unidentified ships reported by S/M: A/C as sunk or destroyed (c) ... 110 550,000

244 1,223,676 Italian. Captured or seized 29 150,762 Scuttled or sunk (a) 15 77,184 Unidentified ships reported by S/M: A/C as sunk or destroyed (6) (c) 37 185,000 81 412,946 In addition to the above losses, a further 27 vessels under enemy control or useful to the enemy have been sunk, totalling 44,190 tons. The total enemy losses are now 352 ships, totalling 1,680,812 tons, approximately. (a) The Alabama (6,725 tons) and Dentice (5,281 tons), scuttled off Maracaibo, have been refloated and interned at Puerto Cabello, Venezuela. As they represent a total loss to the enemy, they are included in the above figures. (b) A source, reliability unknown, has stated that among 9 cargo vessels recently sunk at Otranto were: Antoinetta Costa, 5,900; Catalani, 2,429; Numidia, 5,339; Sanandrea, 5,077. These have not yet been included in Italian losses pending further confirmation. (c) The tonnage of unidentified ships is estimated only, as in most cases specific details are not known.

APPENDIX Y.

The following casualties have occurred to H.M. Auxiliary Patrol vessels during the week under review :— Night of 15th-16th.—Examination Vessel Sir Walter Raleigh damaged by a near miss bomb during an air raid on Plymouth. 16th.—Armed Drifter liberty damaged by aircraft machine-gun fire off Lowestoft. Four of the crew were wounded. 18th.—M/S Trawler Refundo damaged by a near miss mine off Harwich and subsequently sank with the loss of 2 killed and 5 wounded. 18th.—M/S Trawler Delphinus slightly damaged by a near miss mine in the Medway Channel.

Casualties to Naval Personnel. During the period under review the following casualties have been reported :— Officers : 16 killed, 4 wounded. Eatings : 52 killed, 77 missing, 41 wounded. Operational Aircraft Battle Casualties. hrs. Thursday, 12th December, 1940, to 0600 hrs. Thursday, 19th December, 1940.

Metropolitan Area. British. In the Air. On the Ground. Bombers ...... :...... 5 Fighters ...... 2 Coastal ...... 4

Total ... 11 Nil 1 fighter pilot known to be safe.

Probably German. Destroyed. Destroyed. Damaged. Bombers ...... 3 1 4 Fighters ...... 2 Miscellaneous ...... 2 1 3

Total 7 2 7 No account is taken of aircraft destroyed on the ground. Of the above totals, 2 aircraft were destroyed, 1 probably destroyed, and 2 damaged by A.A. fire.

Italian. No aircraft were destroyed or damaged over the United Kingdom.

Middle East. British I n the Air- G n the Gnmnd- Bombers...... --- 4^ 4 Fighters " Coastal ...... -. .-- " '

Total ...... - .-. 12 4 No aircraft were destroyed over Greece.

Probably Italian. Destroyed. Destroyed. Damaged. Bombers 34 8 Fighters ...... 48 11 Miscellaneous ...... 7

Total 89 2 0 5 These totals include aircraft known to have become casualties on the ground. Air Attacks on Enemy Territory in Europe. Extracts from Recent Raid Assessment Reports. The following reports of damage have been received during the past week from air reconnaissance and Intelligence sources :—

Germany. Hamburg.—On the night of the 14th November three oil tanks on the West bank of the Elbe were hit and fires caused which took two days to extinguish. Some 600 houses in the harbour area have been completely destroyed and one informant observed that two ships had been burnt out. Between the 17th and the 22nd November the Dammtor Railway Station was severely damaged. Berlin.—The West and the Klingenberg Power Stations have both been hit. The damage is stated to be serious and although these stations are still working they are so doing on a greatly reduced scale. '. Oberhausen.—Serious damage was caused to the armament factories in the first fortnight of November. Cologne.—Humboldt Deutz Motoren A.G. is unable to fulfil contracts owing to severe damage. ] Bremen.—An informant observed that, as well as several buildings, seven oil tanks and a timber yard next to the harbour had been hit and damaged. Osnabriick.—In the month of November the copper and wire works were hit and fired, and production had not recommenced by the 5th December. The metal works has been hit, but not sufficient to cause a complete cessation of work. A paper factory has been destroyed, and hits obtained on railway goods sheds. Warehouses and two factories, particulars of which- are unknown, have also suffered some damage. Wesermunde.—Eighteen warehouses have been fired, the harbour heavily damaged and the station hit.

Belgium.

The Purfina Plant at Terneuzen on the Ghent Canal is completely destroyed.

Mining. The motor ship Glengarry, which was building at Copenhagen for a British firm and had been taken over by the Germans, sank on her voyage from the shipyard to Germany towards the end of November, it is believed as a result of striking a mine. Air Attacks on Enemy Territory in Europe. Extracts from Recent Raid Assessment Reports. The following reports of damage have been received during the past week from air reconnaissance and Intelligence sources :—

Germany. Hamburg.—On the night of the 14th November three oil tanks on the West bank of the Elbe were hit and fires caused which took two days to extinguish. Some 600 houses in the harbour area have been completely destroyed and one informant observed that two ships had been burnt out. Between the 17th and the 22nd November the Dammtor Railway Station was severely damaged. Berlin.—The West and the Klingenberg Power Stations have both been hit. The damage is stated to be serious and although these stations are still working they are so doing on a greatly reduced scale. '. Oberhausen.—Serious damage was caused to the armament factories in the first fortnight of November. Cologne.—Humboldt Deutz Motoren A.G. is unable to fulfil contracts owing to severe damage. ] Bremen.—An informant observed that, as well as several buildings, seven oil tanks and a timber yard next to the harbour had been hit and damaged. Osnabruck.—In the month of November the copper and wire works were hit and fired, and production had not recommenced by the 5th December. The metal works has been hit, but not sufficient to cause a complete cessation of work. A paper factory has been destroyed, and hits obtained on railway goods sheds. Warehouses and two factories, particulars of which are unknown, have also suffered some damage. Wesermunde.—Eighteen warehouses have been fired, the harbour heavily damaged and the station hit.

Belgium.

The Purfina Plant at Terneuzen on the Ghent Canal is completely destroyed.

Mining. The motor ship Glengarry, which was building at Copenhagen for a British firm and had been taken over by the Germans, sank on her voyage from the shipyard to Germany towards the end of November, it is believed as a result of striking a mine.