The American destroyers to which Mr Jones refers (September 22) were one of this country’s worst deals with America during the notorious “cash and carry” period which preceded the Lease-Lend agreement in the Second World War.
The ships were not simply transferred to us: we bought them after long negotiations (at first Washington demanded that we gave the British West Indies as payment; in the end we handed over bases in Newfoundland, Bermuda and the West Indies).
The destroyers were pre-First World War vintage and needed so much work done to them that only nine were available for service by the end of 1940.
By this time our own naval construction was catching up on our losses and the American ships were of very limited use.
I do agree that we owe a debt of gratitude to those Americans who joined our forces before Pearl Harbor. I knew several who, in spite of the chance of much higher pay, turned down the chance of transfer to their own forces when America entered the war.
L Mackenzie, Elmpark View, York.
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