I have a month by month tally of AXIS merchant shipping lost in the Med...

Regardless of tanks lost, the losses in supplies would have been considerable...

Merchant shipping Tonnage Lost in Med...

1940 - 186,631
1941 - 714,410
1942 - 522,082
1943 - 767,734

Thats 2,190,857 Tonnage lost or 597 ships...

And something from Kriebel on shipping losses...

"At first German troops and supplies were transported on German ships, but ship losses soon became so heavy that German troops and supplies had to use Italian ships on an increasing scale.

Malta proved to be a most important strongpoint and of the greatest advantage for British strategy. Subs and torpedo-carrying aircraft based on Malta and at Alexandria launched their attacks on our convpys and ships with growing success. In order to lessen casualties in men, troops were flown to Africa on an ever-increasing scale. It had become impossible to comply with the requirements regarding reinforcements and supplies for the German and Italian troops in North Africa. An additional drawback was the fact that harbour installations in Tripoli and Benghazi were limited and did not allow for the unloading of more than three or four ships at the same time. During September (1941) losses mounted to 18% of all supplies sent by sea, and during October losses were still increasing.

Transport by sea became increasingly difficult. By the end of November and at the beginning of December the losses became so shattering that the Italian Navy actually suggested the abandonment of the African theatre before the entire Italian Merchant Fleet found itself resting on the bottom of the Mediterranean.

On the 18th December 1941 and 5th January 1942, two convoysa arrived undamaged in the Libyan harbours without having encountered the enemy. These two convoys had been escorted by Battleships. Owing to the shortage of oil fuel, battleships requiring large quantities could only be made use of in exceptional circumstances. The oil reserves accumalated by the Italian Navy before Italy entered the war had been exhausted. Four German Panzer Kompanies had been shipped to Africa in these convoys and strengthed the fighting power of the DAK.

Rommel would find it very difficult to carry on operations of any length so long as the difficulties of sea transport made the arrival of reinforcements for men and material a matter of uncertainty. The replenishment of fuel and ammunition supplies was another great question that remained unanswered."

Kinda says it all really... [img]smile.gif[/img]

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