Allied Merchant Ship Losses 1939 to 1943

 

Advance Release

 OWI 3789

Office of War Information
Washington

Advance Release: Not for use by Press or Radio Before 7 A.M., EWT, [Eastern War Time] Tuesday, November 28, 1944

The British Government is announcing today (28 November) the following shipping losses that have occurred from the start of the war to the end of 1943:

Losses of Merchant Ships from All Causes (1)

(Vessels of all tonnages)

 
British
Allied
Neutral
Total
 
Number
Thousand
Gross Tons
Number
Thousand
Gross Tons
Number
Thousand
Gross Tons
Number
Thousand
Gross Tons
1939
(Sept.-Dec.)
158
498
17
90
148
347
323
935
1940
728
2,725
201
822
416
1,002
1,345
4,549
1941
892
3,047
344
1,299
183
347
1,419
4,693
1942
782
3,695
987
4,394
90
249
1,859
8,338
1943
361
1,678
388
1,886
63
82
812
3,646
Total
2,921
11,643
1,937
8,491
900
2,027
5,758
22,161

 

(1) The figures of losses relate to the period in which the losses occurred. They include losses by enemy action and marine risk.

 

War Shipping Administration

The United States announces that the U. S. merchant ships losses, in all areas and covering the same period of time, due to enemy action and marine casualty, (included in figures quoted above) were as follows:

 
Number
Thousand
Gross Tons
1939 (Sept.-Dec.)
4
3
1940
32
56
1941
61
150
1942
422
2,053
1943
234
1,049
Total
753
3,311

Advance Release: Not for use by Press or Radio Before 7 A.M., EWT, Tuesday, November 28, 1944

U.S. Navy reported the Allied United Nations lost 4,774 vessels totaling 21,141,00 tons to Axis air and sea attacks.

An additional 1,603 ships were lost to storms, collision and fire during the war.

"Price of War," The Mast Magazine, July 1946

Merchant Marine in World War II
Battle of the Atlantic Statistics
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11/13/04

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