HC Deb 27 May 1943 vol 389 cc1740-3
65. Sir William Davison

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will give particulars of the hospital ships which have been sunk or damaged by Axis forces from the beginning of the war to the latest available date; and whether all such ships bore distinguishing marks in accordance with the requirements of the Geneva Convention?

Mr. Alexander

Full particulars are only readily available of German and Italian attacks on hospital ships and carriers, but even so the list is unhappily a long one, and with the hon. Member's permission I will circulate a full statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT. All the ships in the list were properly marked in accordance with the Geneva Convention.

Sir W. Davison

What protests have been made through the International Red Cross or otherwise against this scandalous infringement of international law, and what excuses, if any, have been put forward by either Germany or Italy?

Mr. Alexander

Representations have been made on all occasions through the Foreign Office.

Sir A. Southby

Will the right hon. Gentleman discriminate in the list between attacks by bomb and by torpedo?

Mr. Alexander

That is another question. The list will be circulated to-day, and the hon. and gallant Gentleman can put down any further Question that he wants answered.

Sir W. Davison

Will the list state in what cases the crews and the wounded have been machine-gunned while escaping in open boats?

Mr. Alexander

There is a very large number of cases. If the hon. Gentleman will look at the list and then put any

Date. Name of Ship. Locality. Nature of Attack. Result.
1940
May 1-11 "Atlantis" Off Norway Bombed on 4 occasions No damage
May 18-24 "Brighton" Dieppe Harbour Bombed on 3 occasions Sunk
May 21 "Maid of Kent" Dieppe Harbour Bombed Destroyed by fire
May 24-26 "St. Andrew" Near Calais Shelled on 2 occasions No damage
May 27-31 "St. Andrew" Near Dunkirk Bombed on 2 occasions No damage
May 24-27 "St. Julien" Dunkirk; off Calais and in the Downs. Shelled on 2 occasions and bombed once. No damage
May 29th "St. Julien" On passage to Dunkirk. Bombed and machine gunned. Slight damage
May 25th "St. David" Off Gravelines Shelledfrom shore batteries. No damage
May 31st "St. David" Off Dunkirk Bombed,shelled and machine gunned. No damage
May 25-26 "Worthing" Off Calais Shelled on 2 occasions and bombed once. No damage
May 27th & June 2nd "Worthing" Nr. Dunkirk Bombed and machine gunned on 2 occasions. Severe damage
May 26th "Isle of Guernsey." Off Calais Shelledfrom shore batteries. No damage
May 29th "Isle of Guernsey." On passage to Dunkirk. Bombed and machine gunned. Slight damage
May 27th "Isle of Thanet" Off Calais Shelled from shore batteries. Damaged
May 27th "Isle of Thanet" English Channel Bombed and machine gunned. No damage
May 30th "Dinard" Off Dunkirk Shelled once and bombed once. Slight damage
June 2-3 "Paris" On passage to Dunkirk. Bombed on 3 occasions Sunk
1941
Jan. 31st & Feb. 1st. "Dorsetshire" Off Sollum Bombed once, machine gunned once. No damage
Sept. 12th "Dorsetshire" Port Tewfik Bombed Slight damage
Feb. 23rd "Aba" Tobruk Harbour Bombed Slight damage
April 20th "Aba" Suda Bay, Crete (at anchor). Bombed Slight damage
May 16th "Aba" Canea, Crete Machine gunned Slight damage
May 17th "Aba" On passage to Haifa Bombed on 2 occasions Damaged
April 14-21 "Vita" Tobruk Bombed on 2 occasions Damaged
April 22nd "Vita" On tow in Mediterranean. Bombed Badly damaged
April 27th "Ramb IV" Nr. Tobruk Bombed Slight damage
Aug. 7th "Amra" Gulf of Suez Torpedoed from aircraft. No damage
Sept. 5th "Karapara" Tobruk Bombed Damaged
Nov. 7th "Llandovery Castle" Suez (in dock) Bombed Slight damage
Dec. 7th "Somersetshire" Between Tobruk and Alexandria. Dive-bombed and machine-gunned. No damage
1942
Jan. 30th "Somersetshire" Between Tobruk and Alexandria. Dive bombed No damage
Feb. 21st "Somersetshire " Tobruk Harbour Bombed No damage
April 7th "Somersetshire" Between Alexandria and Tobruk. Torpedoed Severe damage
Feb. 10-12 "Llandovery Castle" Between Alexandria and Tobruk. Bombed on 3 occasions No damage
Mar. 27th "Llandovery Castle" Tobruk Harbour Bombed Slight damage
May 10th "Ramb IV" Near Alexandria Bombed Sunk

further. Question, I will do my best to answer.