Evening star., 1942-12-03
5 Y. S. Transports Sunk 3 Others
Hit Off Africa Navy Reveals;
Fierce Fighting Rages in Tunisia
British Carrier.
10 Ships Also Lost
In Allied Landings
pictures on Page A-3.)

Five United States naval trans
ports were sunk by submarines
during the occupation of North
Africa and three other trans
ports, one destroyer and one
tanker were damaged, the Navy
Department announced today.
The transports sunk were listed in
the communique as the Tasker H.
Bliss, Hugh L. Scott and Edward
Rutledge, sunk off Casablanca; the
Joseph Hewes, lost off Rabat, and
the Leedstown, sunk off Algiers.
There was no mention of the pos
sible number of men lost.
A naval spokesman said later that
casualties were very small"
The War Department earlier had
announced Army and Navy casual
ties in the North African landing
ut 1910.
The Tasker H. Bliss was formerly
the liner President Cleveland and
the Hugh L. Scott was the President
Pierce, both of more than 10000
gross tonnage. The Leedstown was
the Santa Lucia, the Edward Rut-
ledge was the Exeter and the Joseph
Hewes was the EXcalibur, all of more
than 5000 tons.
Meanwhile, A. " Alexander, First
Lord of the Admiralty, announced in
London that the British aircraft
carrier Avenger, three destroyers
and seven lighter vessels we're among
Allied naval losses incident to the
North African landings.
Losses Smaller Than Expected.
Alexander said the British de-
stroyers Broke and Martin and the
Netherlands destroyer Isaac Sweers
were lost, along with the Avenger
two cutters, sloop, minesWeeper
a depot ship and the corvette Gar
Genia.
The Avenger is not listed in James
directory and naval sources declined
to identify her further. 1t is possible
that she was a converted merchant
man.
The Allied naval losses were con-
bllCl dOly SLllolltl tiioii SHPSSSSN>'
Alexander reported in statement
to the House of Commons. He said
they were far less than the enemy
claimed" He gave no figures for
merchant losses, but described them
as light, too.
The naval escort for the vast oper-
ations included Canadian corvettes
and Polish, Dutch and Norwegian
units as well as British and Amerl-
can craft.
The expedition sailed in three
parts, Alexander said.
One, from the United States, land
ed from the Atlantic on the coast
of Morocco. Two, from England,
landed from the Mediterranean on
the coast of Algiers,
Cutters Built for U. S.
The Broke was a l,480-ton British
fotilla leader, which was completed
in 1924. She normally carried crew
of 1873.
The Martin was a 1,920-ton Brit
ish destroyer completed in 1870
Her normal complement was 1873.
The Isaac Sweers is not listed in
James.
Cutters lost were the 1975-ton
Walney 1890 and the 1903-ton
Hartland 1920, sister ships built
for the United States Coast Guard
and transferred to the Royal Navy
in 1941.
The Walney and Hartla n d
smashed through the harbor boom
at Oran and sank, Alexander said,
in a gallant attempt" to prevent
the scuttling of ships which would
have blocked the channel. He said
they reached the inner ha-bor and
landed troops before going down,
The sloop, used as a depot ship,
was the Helca. The anti-aircratt
vessel was the Tynwald. The mine
sweeper was the Algerine. Details
OF none of these are listed in Jane s.
At least 80 attacks were made on
U-boats, Alexander said, but he did
not disclose the numbers sunk or
damaged.
The Navy Department communl-
Que, which was the flrst on op-
erations in the North African area,
said the next of kin OF personnel
killed, missing or wounded were be-
ing notified.
The names Of the damaged yes
sells were not disclosed. The COM
munique, No. 209, follows:
Africa:
81. The following United States
naval transports were lost during
the early part of November as a
result of enemy submarine torpe-
does during the occupation OF North
Africa by United States forces:
"(A) The Tasker H. Bliss, Hugh
L. Scott and the Edward Rutledge
were sunk off Casablanca.
"(B) The Joseph Hewes was sunk
off Rabat.
"(C) The Leedstown was sunk
off Algiers.
20. Three other United States
transports, one United States de-
stroyer and one United States
tanker were damaged during the
operation.
IS. The next of kin of personnel
killed, wounded or missing are be-
ing notified by telegram as soon as
information is received