RUNNING FIGHT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 43, 30 November 1940, Page 5

RUNNING FIGHT

ACTION WITH ITALIAN FLEET.

TORPEDO HITS BATTLESHIP. THREE OTHER SHIPS DAMAGED. (United Press Association— Copyright.) LONDON, November 29. The Admiralty has announced that H.M.S. Renown and other forces in the Mediterranean on November 27 attacked two Italian battleships and many cruisers and destroyers. One enemy cruiser was seriously afire, one destroyer was down astern and listing. and another was listing. A torpedo from an aeroplane hit a battleship of the Littorio class (35,000 tons). A brief report of another attack against Italy by units of the Royal Navy has been received from the Com-mander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet. The report says that aeroplanes of the Fleet Air Arm attacked positions in the Dodecanese Islands and in North Africa. In the Dodecanese Islands, a dockyard was hit and a ship, probably a warship, was attacked. One of the British aeroplanes is missing. The attack in North. Africa was on Tripoli, where large fires were started which were visible when the British aeroplanes were 60 miles away. The Enemy Sighted. The Admiralty states that soon after 10 a.m. on'Novombcr 27, British forces westward of Sardinia received reports from reconnoitring /aeroplanes that enemy forces consisting of two battleships and a large number of cruisers apcl destroyers were at sea about io miles north-eastward. The British forces instantly made tulL speed and altered their course to close with the enemy, hoping to bring him to action. A few minutes before noon, the enemy cruisers were sighted hull down on the horizon. At 12.21 p.m. advanced light units fired. 1 The enemy cruisers replied but almost immediately turned away and retired to the north-east ''at high speed under the cover of smoke. At 12.50 p.m. two enemy battleships accompanied by cruisers, were sighted. One battleship ’ was of the Littorio class (35,000 tons) and the other of the Conte di Cavour class (23,622 tons). The enemy heavy ships fired on the British cruisers, which were forced by the much heavier metal to make a slight turnaway, but within a few minutes the .enemy battleships themselves turned' away. The British cruisers immediately resumed the pursuit of the Italian cruisers. The slower British units'rapidly fell astern, but H.M.S. Renown (Captain C. E: B. Simeon) flying tlie flag of Vice-Admiral Sir James Somerville did" its utmqst to bring the enemy heavy ships to action, but was unable to succeed because of the speed with which the enemy retired.

At 1.10 p.m., the chase, having been carried to Avithin a’ Icav miles of tlio enemy’s coast, Avas abandoned because of the extreme range and the enemy’s smoke screens. .

No damage Avas observed this time, but a subsequent air reconnaissance indicated that the British gunfire must have caused considerable damage before the enemy reached the shelter of his coast or disappeared behind the smoke screen. 4 An enemy cruiser, believed to be, of the eight-inch type, was seriously afire aft and a destroyer of the Grecale class (1449 tons) was down astern and listing heavily and stopping. Another destroyer Avas listing slightly and losing Avay. ' Action in the Air. Aeroplanes of the Fleet Air Arm from the Ark Royal (Captain C. S. Holland) attacked ■ repeatedly during the pursuit and after it. One force of Swordfish machines carried out a torpedo attack on the enemy battleships. A torpedo Avas seen to hit a battleship of tlie neAv poAverful Littorio class. Another force of Swordfish aeroplanes attacked an enemy unit consisting of three eight-inch gun cruisers. A torpedo almost certainly hit tho real ship, which Avas a 10,000-ton A r essel of the Bolzano class, and the leading ship of this formation Avas observed to reduce speed. ' Immediately after this.attack, a force of Skua machines dive-bombed a formation of three six-inch gun cruisers of the Condottieri class (7874 tons). Tavo very near misses Avere obtained and it appeared that one cruiser was damaged in the boiler room. All the British aeroplanes returned safely. The only damage to the British forces Avas to the ’Benvick (Captain G. L. Warren), Avhich received tAvo hits. The Benvick is a cruiser of the Kent class (10,000 tons). The damage Avas slight. One officer and six ratings Avere killed in the Benvick. Tavo ratings were seriously Avounded and seven Avere slightly wounded. Ten enemy bombers, escorted b.v fighters, attacked the British forces at 2.35 p.ln., but because of action by fighters of the Fleet Air Arm they did no damage to any ship. Fifteen bombers, in three avuvcr, again attacked at 4.40 p.m. Fighters of tho Fleet Air Arm again intercepted them, but some bombers Avere able to carry out their attack, and tho Ark Royal disappeared from sight after the splashes of about 30 bombs Avhich fell close to her.

She emerged from the spray Avith all her guns firing furiously. She sustained neither damage nor casualties. • Tavo Italian float aeroplanes were shot doAvn. One of the British fighters has not returned to its ship. Apart from this and the slight damage to the Benvick, the British forces sustained neither damage nor casualties'. The Italian communique claims that an Italian' submarine in the Red Sea on November 2G torpedoed three convoyed merchantmen Avhich sank. -