Attack Made On Convoy

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 177, 27 July 1940, Page 9

Attack Made On Convoy

A British official wireless message «»ys the Admiralty announces: "A German communique claiming to have sunk 11 ships, totalling 43,000 tons, and to have severely damaged a further 12,000 tons of shipping in an air attack on a convoy yesterday in the English Channel, is grossly exaggerated.

"The facts are that a convov consisting of 21 small coastal vessels, escorted by naval trawlers, was heavilv attacked by successive waves, each ot about 30 German aircraft.

"Five small vessels of a total tonnage of 5104 were sunk. A further five, totalling 0133 tons, were damaged. One of them, a 504-ton coaster, had to be beached.

"Shortly after these air attacks nine enemy motor torpedo boats were sighted proceeding to attack a convoy. Two of our destroyers and two motor torpedo boats intercepted the enemy forces, which were chased and engaged for about 15 minutes. The damage inflicted on the enemy could not be observed because of smoke.

"While returning from this chase, our fleet rovers were twice heavily attacked by divo-bombers. It was during the air fighting consequent upon the enemy attacks on the convoy and destroyers that a large proportion of enemv aircraft were shot down."

The Admiralty announces that the trawler Fleming was lost in an action between two British trawlers and four dive-bombers. The trawlers Fleming and Berberis were in company when four German aircraft appeared from the clouds. Two attacked the Fleming and the other two the Berberis. Tlie Fleming sustained a direct hit amidships and sank. The Berberis opened hot and accurate fire with anti-aircraft guns. One of her first shells scored a direct hit, which must have struck the bomb rack of one of the attacking 'planes, since the aircraft flew into pieces in mid-air. The only wreckage subsequently picked up was a rubber boat and a few fragments of wood. There was no sign of the aircraft's crew. Another shell from the Berberis severely damaged another German aircraft, which was considered unlikely to be able to return to its base.

The Fleming's survivors were picked up by the trawler Corena, which was in the ricinity. There were no casualties in either of the other two trawlers.

The Berlin radio, in, a special announcement, says German motor torpedo boats, without locs to themselves, sank three armed British merchantmen of 10,000, 7000 and 5000 tons respectively. Another 2000-ton vessel was set on lire.