NAVAL SUCCESSES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 282, 10 September 1941, Page 6

NAVAL SUCCESSES

GERMAN DESTROYER SUNK.

SUPPLY SHIPS ALSO SINK.

ATTACKS TX» VARIOUS WATERS. (United Press Association —Copyright.) (Rev. 12.0) LONDON, Sept. 9. From Murmansk to the Mediterranean comes further evidence of the success of Britain’s offensive against the Axis. An Admiralty communique states that light forces under the command of Rear-Admiral P. L. Yian have been operating against German-convoys and with the troops on tin* Murmansk front. These operations were successful. A German destroyer, an armed trawler and another vessel was sunk. Tho German light cruiser Bremse was damaged by naval aircraft in a raid «>n Kirkones in July, and is believed to have been sunk. Other ships were probably damaged. We sustained no casualties.

An enemy convoy of two supply ships, with a strong escort, was intercepted and attacked last night by om patrols in the English Channel. In the first attack, just before midnight, one supply ship of about 3500 tons was hit by torpedo and obviously badly damaged, and was probably sunk. While the enemy convoy was being shadowed after the first attack an engagement occurred between our ships and the enemy convoy escort. In this engagement one E-boat was probably sunk and an armed trawler was set fire.

Shortly afterwards a second attacn was made on the enemy convoy. In this attack the remaining supply ship ol about 4000 tons was torpedoed. This caused a very big explosion and much wreckage was seen to be thrown in the air. The sinking of this ship was confirmed by air reconnaissance this morning, when tho masts of a new wreck and much wreckage was seen. The only casualties suffered by our ships during the operations were four wounded.

One of the vessels which torpedoed and sank a supply ship was a motor torpedo-boat manned by men of the Norwegian Navy. A large Italian schooner has been torpedoed and sunk by one of our submarines in the central Mediterranean. OIF the harbour of Benghazi another of our submarines engaged two self-pro-pelled supply lighters by gunfire. Both were hit and damaged and one may have been sunk.—British Official Wireless.