[Observer1940]

Hello All, especially Brian

RN Shipping Damaged or Lost due to Friendly - Air and Other Actions

I was away in June and came across an HMSO Admiralty publication "Ships of the Royal Navy Statement of Losses" 3rd September, 1939 to 2nd September, 1945, 70 pages, for £20 in a s/h shop.

Some were damaged or sunk by:-

1. friendly air fire and other friendly firing.
2. friendly Mines
3. our own Blockships
4. collision or being rammed

Now I can see why our Royal Navy were so keen to open fire on all unidentified aircraft which came within the exclusion zone around HM ships, which sometimes resulted in engaging our own aircraft, or the shooting down of our own aircraft over the sea.

Mark