ON THE SEAS

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 July 1942, Page 5

ON THE SEAS

RED CROSS SHIP SUNK

LONDON, July 16. A Stockholm" message says it is officially announced that the ship Stureborg, which the Swedish Red Cross chartered to carry food supplies to Greece, has been sunk by air attack in the Mediterranean. Nineteen members of the crew of the ship are missing. AXIS PLANES RESPONSIBLE. RUGBY, July 17. The announcement made at Stockholm that the Swedish ship Stureborg, on International Red Cross service, had been sunk by bombers in the Mediterranean was confirmed by authoritative quarters in London to-day. It is stated that the Stureborg was originally under charter to Britain, and when the need for immediate supply of foodstuffs to Greece became obvious, Britain detached the Stureborg from the merchant service in the Mediterranean, and placed it at the disposal of the International Red Cross.

The Stureborg when sunk was returning from Greece, after unloading a cargo of wheat. It is stated that no British planes were anywhere near the scene of the attack at that time, and it can therefore be assumed the attack was delivered by Axis aircraft. The International Red Cross had received a safe conduct for the ship from the German and Italian Governments, and she was clearly marked, and all formalities complied with. NORWEGIANS AND GERMANS LONDON, July 16. The Germans are using armed guards to force Norwegians to man ships. This was revealed after the arrival at Gothorg, in Sweden, of the Norwegian steamers Karma and Bela, on which Swedish officials discovered guards armed with revolvers and machine-guns. The Swedes disarmed the Germans, whereupon a fight broke out on the Karma between the Norwegians and the German captain, officers, and guards. The Swedes took into custody three Norwegians, who were later released, while five Germans were placed in custody until the ship sails.