ONE CASUALTY

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 45, 17 November 1941, Page 8

ONE CASUALTY

Rescues From Ark Royal

NAVAL STRENGTH Long Struggle To Save Ship

(British Official Wireless and Press Assn.) (Received November 16, 7 p.m.) RUGBY, November 15.

Following the Admiralty communique yesterday announcing the loss of the aircraft-carrier Ark Royal, a communique issued by the Admiralty today states that information has now been received that there was only one casualty in the Arlc Royal. The aircraft-carrier was torpedoed by a U-boat east of Gibraltar while returning to that port late on the afternoon of November 13. She was kept afloat for nearly 12 hours with a gaping hole amidships while officers and ratings fought to <ret her to Gibraltar, and she sank at 6.30 a.m. only 25 miles from Gibraltar after developing a heavy list while in tow. Commenting on the loss ot the ship, the “Daily Telegraph” says: ‘•We have the consolation that our aircraft-carrier strength is very different today from what it was when Goebbels first 'sank her. Since then we have lost the Courageous and Glorious, but the newly built ’carriers Illustrious, Victorious and Formidable have gone to sea, and others will soon be ready.

In an account of the sinking, engineer officers of the Ark Royal, said: **We found the switchboard smashed, but we managed to get the dynamos working with the portable apparatus. We got the pumps started, but the water was rising fast. The captain called for steam in the boilers, and we managed to get some steam, but after a while the gauges fell and the lights dimmed, and we knew we had set ourselves a hopeless task... Lifeboats Unworkable. ••After receiving our report at 4.30 a.m. the captain realized that the ship could not be saved, and he ordered everybody to abandon ship. A destroyer came alongside and took us off. ‘•The order had been given, ‘Everybody to the port side,’ and immediately afterward, ‘Prepare to abandon ship.’ The men who reached the boat stations on. the weather deck found it impossible because of the heavy list to launch the lifeboats. Crowding, the decks were hundreds of the ship’s crew. Hopes began to snap down from the Hight deck, and cork rafts splashed into the sea. •‘Then we saw the destroyer coming •alongside. An officer ordered the men to form up four deep as the destroyer came elose under the rails. Hopes leaped from her. They were caught and made fast, and the men began to slip down 15 feet of rope to the destroyer’s forecastle.. "Two hours later the Ark Royal

plunged to her grave. Just before she sank she had a list to starboard of do degrees. Her stern reared up tor a moment, and then gently she slid beneath the waves.” Resilient Crew. Earlier, while the night-long light to save the ship was going on, tugs and motor-launches had raced out from Gibraltar. When the crew left the Atk Royal everyone went down on to the destroyer -laughing and joking. "Bliuty, he’s had time to pack, remarked one rating as the paymaster commander arrived on deck with his records and two suitcases stuffed with bank-notes worth £20,000. . One fell into the sea, but it was quickly recovered. The war service of this famous ship was outstanding in everything, including the standard of efficiency and high achievement which characterised her operations. She hunted U-boats, searched for raiders, provided lighter protection for troops and convoys, and played a vital part in the destruction of the German, battleship Bismarck. In her brilliant service over 100 German and Italian aircraft have been shot down or. severely damaged by aircraft from the’Ark Royal, 67 in the Mediterranean alone.

GERMAN CLAIM

Malaya And Other Ships Damaged (Received November 10, 7 p.m.) LONDON, November 15. A special announcement from Berlin stated: ‘‘The Navy has won a great new success. Submarines in the western Mediterranean attacked a group of British warships. Two U-boats, under Captains Resclike and Guggenberger, sank the Ark Royal and damaged the Malaya so severely that it had to be lowed to Gibraltar. Other British units received torpedo bits.”'

H.M.S. COSSACK’S CAPTAIN PRESUMED DEAD LONDON, November 14. Captain E. L. Berthon, D. 5.0., of H.M.'S. Cossack, which was reported sunk several days ago, is today reported missing, presumably killed.