SUPPLIES REACH MALTA

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23718, 17 August 1942, Page 5

SUPPLIES REACH MALTA

cbNVOY ACHIEVES PURPOSE CRUISER MANCHESTER , SUNK (N.Z.P.A.) LONDON, August 15. In spite of frequent attacks by heavy concentrations of U-boats, E-boats, and torpedo-carrying and dive-bombing aircraft, a British convoy has reached Malta with supplies and' reinforcements, including a number of fighter aircraft. This news was given in an Admiralty communique yesterday afternoon. A force of six-inch and eight-inch gun enemy cruisers in the Tyrrhenian Sea steered south towards the convoy, but never came within range of the British ships, and turned tail and retired when attacked by aircraft. The results of this attack were not observed, but on the way back the enemy cruisers were attacked by a British submarine, which scored two direct hits with torpedoes.

Reports mention considerable air operations by naval aircraft and the Royal Air Force. At least two U-boats have been sunk, but the British force lost the 9100-ton cruiser Manchester which was damaged and subsequently sank. Many survivors were picked up and it is believed that a large proportion of the remainder reached Tunisia, as the ship went down near the coast. [The Manchester, which was of the Newcastle class, had a complement of 700. Her armament was 12 6in guns, eight 4in guns, six torpedo tubes, and anti-aircraft armament. She carried three aircraft.] The aircraft-carrier Eagle went down the day before the main battle began. The British force of battleships and aircraft-carriers “was under the command of the South African, Rear-Ad-njiral E, N, Syiret, who led the naval action at Madagascar. It is pointed out by'the'Admiralty that it could not be expectedthat Such extensive and dangerous operations could be carried out without loss In close proximity to enemy bases. Further information will be released as soon as possible. Published enemy claims are known to be exaggerated. The Berlin radio has revealed that waves of carrier-borne aeroplanes heavily raided bases from which Axis aircraft were attacking the convoy. Heroism of Doctor

The heroism of one of the ship’s doctors was an outstanding Incident in the sinking of the Eagle. With the flight deck tilting at a crazy angle, the doctor found a rating' with both legs broken. The ship was likely to sink at any moment, but the doctor administered morphia, passed a bowline round the man’s shoulders, and lowered him down the steeply sloping iron deck to the port side. "Cheerio, you’ll have to go under your own steam now,” called the doctor. The sailor was picked up by a destroyer. The doctor jumped into the sea'just before the carrier sank. He swam with a box of morphia tablets to and from the rafts and floats, crowded with oilsmothered victims, administering morphia where needed. Later he swam to a destroyer and was hauled aboard. Before he changed his wet clothing another ship packed with survivors drew alongside. The doctor clambered over the rails and administered morphia to a man whose upper arm was smashed and set the limb. * The captains of all the merchantmen in the convoy received, before their departure, a personal letter from the First Lord of the Admiralty (Mr A. V. Alexander). Such a message of encouragement underlines afresh the magnitude and importance of the task undertaken night and day by the Merchant Navy. The importance of Malta as the sole base on the northern flank of the Mediterranean is emphasised • by the fact that the convoy from Gibraltar was attacked by every weapon the Axis could muster. The importance of maintaining Malta has been increased by two factors. The island, as long as it ,can be fuelled, is a second front to Axis activities in the central Mediterranean. It has diverted a formidable section of the Axis air force and it has accounted for many hundreds of aeroplanes. The second factor is that the island contains 300,000 Empire citizens who have gallantly and untiringly stood by Britain, and the idea of failing to supply them cannot be entertained.

The Air Ministry News Service, in a review of Mediterranean operations, says that on August 13 and 14 the Royal Air Force destroyed two Junkers 88’s, two Junkers 87’s and Savoia 84’s, one Savoia 79, one unidentified Italian bomber and one Reggiane 2001. The final figures are not yet available. From all Middle East operations during the last four days and nights, including air fighting over the convoy, 12 Allied aircraft have not returned.

AWARDS FOR BRAVERY

(8.0. W.) RUGBY, August 14. Badly burned, and with his clothes alight following a fire in the stokehold while his ship was in port, a second engineer. Mr K. Martin, of the Merchant Navy, nevertheless, tackled the outbreak single-handed, although fully aware that highly inflammable octane spirit was stowed on the deck - ' immediately over the fire. This action earns the M.B.E. for Mr Martin, and is typical of many incidents for which service and other awards have been made. Another gallant example Is that of Mr E. L. Brown, leader of a trailer pump crew, who has been awarded the British Empire Medal for bravery. Extinguishing a fire in a garage, in which it was known a time bomb was below floor level, he led in the salvage of some hundreds of gallons of petrol from blazing buildings, although high explosives and incendiaries were bet ing dropped and the party was being machine-gunned from diving aircraft.