SCUTTLING OF SHIPS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 22, 26 January 1940, Page 7

SCUTTLING OF SHIPS

GERMAN PRACTICE

QUESTION OF SAVING THE

CREWS

(British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, January 24.

Sir William Davison in the House of Commons asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. Churchill, whether his attention had been called to the growing practice in the German navy and mercantile marine of scuttling ships in order to evade capture, relying on the British Navy to save and land the crews, notwithstanding the fact that the shipwrecks were deliberately caused; and whether, having regard to the loss of captured tonnage thereby caused to the Allies, notice would be given to Germany that in future Britain could not be responsible for "saving the lives and personnel of such German ships.

Mr. Churchill, replying, said that the Admiralty was aware of the practice and added: "Special orders have been given to his Majesty's ships with a view to frustrating these attempts."

Sir William Davison's question, and a supplementary one asking whether Mr. Churchill was aware of the many cases of crews of scuttled ships being picked up with their belongings carefully packed, showing how deliberate the scuttling had been and that the crews expected their luggage as well as themselves to be landed safely in British ports, caused Vice-Admiral Taylor to interject: "I hope the suggestion in the original question will not be carried out."