§ 70. Commander Nobleasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many ships, and of what types, are earmarked for use as targets and experimental work; and what losses are estimated.
Mr. DugdaleThe reports of ships to be used in target trials which have appeared in the Press are substantially correct. A total of 149 ships and craft have been allocated for this purpose during 1947–48. It is impossible to say how many targets will sink, but arrangements have been made to salvage any that do. The ships allocated are as follow: 1 aircraft carrier, 3 cruisers, 13 destroyers, 3 sloops, 18 corvettes, 24 L.C.Ts., 47 coastal forces craft, 24 British submarines, 6 ex-German submarines, 10 X craft.