TWELVE SHIPS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 14, 17 January 1940, Page 7

TWELVE SHIPS.

LOST BY BRITAIN. Result Of Enemy Action Last Week. SINKINGS OF GREEK VESSELS. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, January 16. The Admiralty announced that sinkings due to enemy aetion during the week ended January 13 were:— British, 12 ships, totalling 34,077 tons; Allied, nil; neutral, four ships, totalling 7792 tons. The Dunbar Castle (10,002 tons) was not under convoy when she was mined last Wednesday. She, was proceeding to a convoy, together with other vessels. The German claim that Britain h«s lost 20 tankers during the war is over double the real total. The tanker tonnage has actually increased. The total number of ships convoyed up to last Wednesday was 0303, of which only 12 were lost. The William Ivey, one of the vessels sunk during the week, was a small North Sea trawler, says a British official wireless message. After being machine-gunned and bombed at dusk by a German aeroplane which flew so low that, she almost touched the mast, the crew took to the boats end were picked up six hours later by another trawler. By way of excuse for the attack, the German news agency describes the vessel as being "used by the British Admiralty as an outpost boat." There is no truth whatever in this statement. It is officially stated in Athens that 11 Greek cargo vessels, totalling 48,835 tons, have been lost during the war. After a party from a U-boat had boarded the vessel and examined the cargo, the Germans torpedoed and sank the Dutch motor freighter, Arendskerk (790« tons) in the Bay of Biscay, says a cable from Amsterdam. She was laden with piece-goods and bound for Africa. The Fedura saved 00 of the crew and two passengers, who will be landed at Lisbon, where the Dutch Minister is inquiring before taking action. The Incident has created indignation throughout Holland. The Amsterdam Press gives prominence to the torpedoing of the Arendskerk, and unhesitatingly blames Germany, despite neutrality restrictions. Another U-boat was attacked by a Royal Air Force aeroplane when patrolling over the North Sea, says a London message. The was sighted when the aeroplane was still several miles away, and'it prepared to dive. The aeroplane swooped and released a salvo of bombs. The submarine by this time was below the surface, although it could still be seen. There was a great upheaval of water when the bombs exploded, and after it had subsided a grease patch spread over the surface of the sea. The aeroplane circled the .irea for a time, but there was no further sign of the submarine.