DESTROYER TORPEDOED

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 February 1940, Page 7

DESTROYER TORPEDOED

HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE

' ONLY FIVE SAVED

[BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

LONDON, February 19.

The Admiralty has announced the loss of H.M.S. Daring, a destroyer of the Defender class. The Daring was torpedoed. One officer and four ratings have been picked up. Nine officers and 148 ratings are missing, and it is believed that they are dead. Among those missing is the captain of the Daring (Commander S. A. Cooper).

Of 1375 tons, the Daring was commissioned in 1932. She was a sister ship of H.M.S. Intrepid, which intercepted the German naval auxiliary Altmarck last Friday.

FANTASTIC CLAIM.

(Recd. February 20, 1 p.m.) BERLIN, February 19.

A communique states that U-boats in various ocean areas successfully attacked enemy convoys, and sank steamers and oil-tankers in three convoys. A destroyer belonging to the protective force was sunk in a fourth convoy.

LONDON, February 19.

British naval circles discredit the German claim that four convoys were successfully attacked. The Admiralty’s comments were: “The claim is fantastic, as the German . claims usually are.”

LINER REPORTED SUNK.

LONDON, February 18.

The German Official News Agency claims the sinking of the French liner Emile Miguet, of 15,436 tons. No details are given. LONDON, February 19. The German News Agency has cancelled its claims regarding the sinking of the Emile Miguet.

UNRESTRICTED SINKINGS.

BERLIN, February 19.

It is officially stated that Germany is no longer bound by the London Submarine Convention, because Britain is now arming all of her ships.

SWISS PRESS ASSERTION.

GENEVA,. February 19

The “Journal de Geneve” says:— “Germany is now turning out two new submarines every three days. She is preparing a fleet of two hundred U-boats for Herr Hitler’s ‘second phase of the naval- war.’ ”

DANISH DEMAND.

COPENHAGEN, February 18

Danish seamen met and suggested slopping all sailing in the North Sea until England provides- control ports outside England, and Germany ceases torpedoing without warning. Holland has protested to Berlin at the sinking of the. Arendkerk, on January 15, and has demanded compensation. „

GERMAN SHIP CAPTURED. LONDON, February 19. A British, warship captured a German steamer, thought to be the Morea, when she was en route from Spain to Germany, with manganese ore. The warship brought her to a West of England port. The 30 members of her crew have been interned. The Navy actually captured two out of six German ships which tried to dash to Germany from Fiog. The other one captured was also taken to port. She was the Rostock.

NORWEGIAN UNIONS.

PROTEST AGAINST NAZI MURDER

RUGBY, February 19

A commentary on the. tendencious outbursts by Nazis against Britain s alleged violation of international law and the rights of neutral countries, in regard to the Altmarck case, is contained in a resolution by the Norwegian unions, presented to the Norwegian Foreign Secretary, on February 16. “Acting on the information in our possession, we resolved to protest with the greatest indignation against the form of sea warfare which is now being waged, and which seems to have as its prime object the terrorisation of neutral ships. We also wish to express our disappointment at the prevailing powerlessness in face of the demands that international law should be respected. Neutral shipping nations seem to know of no means of demanding a cessation of the massacre of shipping. The number of sinkings which have recently taken place must be condemned as demonstrably conflicting with international law and human feeling. In this connection, we will mention the Songa, proceeding from America to a neutral port in Europe, which was sunk far out in the Atlantic, and the crew were driven out into open boats in midwinter.

“We will also mention the sinking of the Tempo as the

MOST MONSTROUS THING that can be imagined. This ship was proceeding on a neutral voyage when it was attacked by German aeroplanes, which not content with sinking the ship, went so far as to. shoot at the crew, when they got into the boats. So much has been proved by official inquiry. “From official enquiries into tjhe' sinking of the Enid, it is also apparent the crew were exposed to gunfire, after they got into their boats. It may be perhaps possible to destroy Norwegian shipping, but it is impossible to frighten them into staying on land. We can urge , upon members not to go in- ships which carry cargo to a belligerent power, which has declared ftself, proud of war and of aimlessly.. murdering defenceless seamen.”

“The seamen’s organisations are resolved further to . demand that • the authorities give due attention to the war on our merchant ships, when trade agreements are concluded, and insure that in future seamen will not be exposed to the illegal warfare which is now in progress.”

Norway so far has'lost, it is believed’ in London, 47 ships and 270 lives, as the result of German action.