NAVAL ANZACS

Evening Star, Issue 23882, 12 May 1941, Page 3

NAVAL ANZACS

A JOINT CAPTURE LEANDER IN THE PICTURE [Pee United Paris Association.] WELLINGTON, May 11. The Admiralty has informed the New Zealand Government that the Australian cruiser Canberra (Captain H. B. Farncomb. M.V.0., R.A.N.) and the New Zealand cruiser Leander (Captain R. H. Bevan, R.N.) have intercepted in the Indian Ocean a German merchant vessel and a Norwegian tanker, which had been captured by a German raider. The German merchant ship, which had been acting as supply ship for the raider, was the Coburg, of 7,400 tons, and the tanker was the Ketty Brovig, of 7,031 tons. Eighteen German officers and 47 German ratings were captured and are now prisoners of war. The persons rescued included a number of Norwegians and Chinese. This announcement follows the news received on Friday night that a German raider had been sunk in the Indian Ocean by H.M.S. Cornwall. INDUSTRIAL TARGETS BOMBING RAIDS ON GERMANY HEAVY ATTACK ON MANNHEIM LONDON, May 10. Last night’s concentrated attack on Mannheim and Ludwigshaven was a highly successful operation against one of the most important industrial objectives in Western Germany. The two towns, though separated by the Rhine, are to all intents and purposes one. Mannheim is one of tiie largest of Germany’s many river ports, and is a railway’centre and the scene of many industries. At Ludwigshaven the whole of the north part of the town is occupied by one of the largest chemical factories in the world. The weather was excellent, and the moon left both cities fully exposed. Powerful high explosives did immense damage on both sides of the Rhine, and incendiary bombs contributed largely to the work of destruction. At one time a pilot counted 27 major fires, and another mentions a large factory at Mannheim which was being rapidly gutted. There were fires in all parts of the town, among the docks, and railway goods yards, and in the area occupied by the Ludwigshaven chemical factory. NEW MINISTRY FORMED SHIPPING AND TRANSPORT ORDER IN COUNCIL MADE (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 11. ■ Au Order in Council has been made giving legal effect to the amalgamation of the Ministries of Shipping and Transport under the new title of the Ministry of War Transport. Mr F. J. Feathers accordingly becomes Minister of War Transport. _ : All the present.functions of the Ministries of Shipping and Transport are transferred for the present to the new Ministry. The question whether any should ultimately be , transferred elsewhere is under consideration. Colonel J. J. Llewellyn and Sir Arthur Salter are being appointed joint Parliamentary Secretaries to the Minister. Sir Cyril Hurcombe, hitherto Director-General to the Ministry of Shipping, has been appointed DirectorGeneral of the new Ministry. MR RONALD CAMPBELL ARRIVAL IN ROME AWAITING REPATRIATION LONDON, May 11. Mr Ronald Campbell, who was British Minister in Belgrade, arid his party have arrived in Rome from Durazzo. They will await repatriation by plane via Lisbon.