SEA WARFARE

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 December 1940, Page 8

SEA WARFARE

GERMAN SHIP SCUTTLED BRITISH SALVAGE EFFORT' [BY CABLE.—PRESS ASSN—COPYRIGHT.] LONDON, December 9. How the British cruiser Diomede prevented the . 5000-ton z German freighter Idarwald from scuttling herself in an action reminiscent of the rescue of prisoners from the hellship Altmark is described by the /United States Navy Department. The Idarwald, which was oneof four vessels which earlier attempted to break the blockade, left Tampico (Mexico) on November 29. When the Idarwald was intercepted by the Diomede the German crew attempted to scuttle the vessel and set her on fire. Men from the Diomede jumped aboard the vessel, put out the fire and ran up the British Ensign. The Idarwald’s crew were later captured. , From Havana it is reported that the members of the crews of two launches which were seeking survivors of the Idarwald and returned without, finding any, are asserting that they are sure the Idarwald was captured by a British cruiser and is at present being towed to a Jamaican port. They believe the capture took place between Santiago de Cuba and Jamaica. SHIP SINKS. (Recd. Dec. 11, 10.30 a.m.). LONDON, December 10. It is authoritatively announced that H.M.S. Diomede intercepted the German merchantman Idarwald in the South Atlantic. The prize crew was unable to keep the Idarwald afloat after the'Germans set it on fire. Fortyfive members of the crew were taken .prisoner. CARNARVON CASTLE LONDON, December 10. It is reported from Montevideo that the Uruguayan Government has announced that the Carnarvon, Castle may remain in port until 9.30 (G.M.T.) this evening. The vessel will leave Montevideo early this’ evening. The German Minister at Montevideo (Herr Langbann) formally protested at the extension of the Carnarvon Castle’s time in port to 72 hours, recalling a similar British protest when the Admiral Graf Spee was in the harbour.

Herr Langmann appealed to the Uruguayan Foreign Office to search all British ships in the harbour for 22 Germans removed from the Itape. The Foreign Office informed Herr Langmann that there were no German prisoners aboard any vessel in the harbour. It has been discovered that the damage to the Carnavoh Castle is not as serious as was anticipated. Uruguyan naval officers who inspected the vessel expressed the opinion that the German raider used 5.9 inch guns, a more modern type than .the, Carnarvon Castle’s guns, firing fragmentation shells, which have a similar effect to sharpnel. • They cut the teakwood decks like a'razor. The'officers added that the Carnarvon Castle was obviously aggressive because most of the hits were forward.

DEPARTURE FROM PORT. ■ ' ? RUGBY, December 10. ...The auxiliary cruiser, Carnarvon Castle, which put into Montevideo for .repairs after the, action with the German raider, sailed at 4.45 p.m., at the conclusion of the 72 hours stay permitted by the Uruguayan authorities., . , • Appreciation is expressed in the newspapers here of the sympathetic interest taken in the Carnarvon Castle’s visit, and reports emphasise that whereas, when the Graf Spee sought refuge at Montevideo, no repair firm offered its services, every ideal firin with adequate equipment at once offered to help the Carnarvon Castle. Repairs have been speedily Effected. No information is available in London as to the reported pursuit of the German raider by a British cruiser.

FRENCH FISHING BOATS LONDON, December 10. At Vichy, it is reported that the British Navy has captured a large French fishing boat, which was returning to France from Newfoundland, laden with cod. A British submarine- torpedoed another boat returning with cod, and a third is also missing. WEEK’S LOSSES. (Recd. December 11, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, December 10. Mercantile losses due to enemy action for the week ended December 1-2 -consisted of nine British vessels, totalling 41,360 tons, three Allied vessels (5734 tons), and one neutral (5135 tons). The Germans claimed to have sunk 227,500 tons in the same week,

CANADIAN SHIP DAMAGED. OTTAWA, December 9. A naval communique announced that His Majesty’s Canadian ship Saguenay was damaged by a torpedp while engaging an enemy submarine in the eastern Atlantic. Twbnty-one meh are missing and are presumed to have been killed in action. Eighteen ratings were wounded. The Saguenay reached port and at present is being repaired. It is learned unofficially that the Saguenay attacked the submarine when, the submarine attempted to attack a fleet of merchantmen under the destroyer’s care. The submarine is reported to have submerged under heavy gunfire. It was fighting defensively and discharged one torpedo before it fled. ' . “ . Captain C. R. Miles commanded the Saguenay. NAVAL CASUALTIES LONDON, December 10. It was officially .stated that the casualties on His Majesty’s ship Berwick, ih the Mediterranean action on November 29, were one officer and six ratings killed and nine ratings wounded. The casualties on the submarine Rainbow, reported overdue on November 20, Were six officers and fifty ratihgs.

GERMAN BATTLESHIPS. (Recd. Dec.. 11, 2 p.m.). R£)ME, December 10. The radio states that Admiral Raeder inspected the battleships Bismarck and Von Tirpitz, which recently joined the fleet. Two other. battleships, nearing completion, are armoured with special steel.

COMPLETE CO-ORDINATION.

MINISTER’S STATEMENT. > —— / ' ' [PER press association.] ■ WELLINGTON, December 10. . “The most complete co-ordination exists between the naval and air forces, and iri every case where the presence of a raider has been suspected or known, immediate action has been taken,” said the Minister for Defence (Mr Jones), referring in an interview to-night to numerous inquiries received regarding the recent loss of an overseas ship near the coast of New Zealand. “The thinking public will realise,” said Mr Jones, “that it is quite impossible, in.reply to letters or in a public statement, to give any details of the measures taken for the protection of shipping. It mfiy be stated, however, that the disposition of the ships of the New Zealand naval forces is carefully planned, having regard to the whereabouts of raiders so far as they are known, and taking into account all the intelligence received and the existing knowledge of methods adopted by raiders. On the occasion in. question, • the ships of the New Zealand naval forces were disposed precisely where it was thought they would be in the best position to intercept the raider whose presence in Australian or New Zealand waters was known, and the dispositions which were taken as soon as the raider alarm was received were such as to ensure, as far as possible, that the raider might be caught, and if survivors were afloat in open boats, that they should be rescued speedily. “As no one can calculate the movements of a raider immediately after her presence has become known as a result of a capture, it will be appreciated that unless very large naval and air forces are available, the chances of successful interception are bound to be slight. This applies not only to New Zealand, but to all parts of the British Commonwealth. The Navy has to guard British and Allied shipping all over the world, and is endeavouring to do so with the forces at its disposal. New Zealand has a share of warships at the disposal of the Admiralty proportionate to the Admiralty’s estimate of our needs, as compared with the requirements of other parts of the British Commonwealth and the war zones. Every suitable craft which can possibly be pressed into service for minesweeping and patrol work has already been taken over, even to the detriment in some cases of trade. The proportionate losses of shipping in the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea have been less than in other parts of the world. The public can rest assured that the naval and air operations staffs are continuously on duty, and the War Cabinet and the chiefs of staff never relax their attention from this problem.”

“HOLMWOOD” ALLOWANCES. WELLINGTON, December 10. A Wives and other dependents of the officers and crew' of the" steamer Holmwood are to receive allowances under the provisions of the War Pensions and Allowances (Mercantile Marine) Act passed during the recent session. The intended beneficiaries have received the necessary application form, and the claims will be handled by the Social Security Department. It is understood that the Government, in making the payments, is working on the assumption that the Holmwood’s crew has been taken prisoner by the enemy raider. This possibility was anticipated in the legislation, a special schedule of allowances to dependants of members of the New Zealand mercantile marine being included where they are detained consequent on the capture of their ship effected by reason of war operations. The allowances in respect of ships not ovei’ 500 tons gross register is 20/- a week in respect of the wife of any rating, and 10/- for each child. There is a war risk pool operated by the State Insurance Department in respect of ships registered in New Zealand.