BATTLESHIP SUNK

Grey River Argus, 16 October 1939, Page 7

BATTLESHIP SUNK

BY U-BOATS IN NORTH SEA Majority of Crew Perish FATE OF "ROYAL OAK.” I Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.l (Received October 15, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, October 14. I The Admiralty has made the foli lowing announcement: — I "The battleship, Royal Oak, has i been sunk, apparently by submarine action, in the North Sea. So far as is known, the survivors number about 370, of an approximate complement of twelve hundred men. The Admiralty is issuing a list of Ithe survivors without delay. [The Royal Oak, one of Britain’s twelve capital ships, was completed in 1916, being one of the ships of the 1914 programme. Of 29,000 tons, she was a sister ship of the. Royal Sovereign, Resolution, Ramillies, and Revenge but was smaller than either the Renown or Repulse. The Royal Oak was active in the Great War and Was one of tho British battleships engaged in the Battle of Jutland. Her original speed was 23 knots and her thickest, armour 13 inches. She carried eight 15 inch, twelve six inch and four four inch guns.]

The Survivors NUMBER OVER 460. (Received October 15, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, October 15. A detailed list of names of Royal Oak survivors has been issued by the Admiralty. This now shows a total of 463 survivors. The survivors include Captain W. G. Bonn, former Captain of the aircraft carrier "Argus,” and former Director of Navigation; Commander R. F. Nicholls; and also four LieutenantCommanders. All the above have been landed, though the locality is not stated. The list of the survivors is unlikely to contain any Australians or New Zealanders. It is quite possible that further names of survivors will be available in the morning.

Lesson of Sinking ! ° WILL SEA BLOCKADE FAIL? U.S.A. NAVY EXPERTS CONCERNED. (Received October 15, 7 p.m.) NEW YORK. October 14. ' The Washington correspondent of the Associated Press of America says: i American Naval experts view the sinking of the battleship, “Royal Oak,’’ as having more serious implications in the future than at present. If the German submarines should be [able thus to trim further the British and French naval margin, then the sea blockade might be threatened. The American Naval authorities are concerned over the manner of sinking of the Royal Oak. Normally, battleships at sea are safeguarded by a screen of light cruisers and destroyers, in addition to their own armour. Whether the torpedoes were fired when the Royal Oak was anchored at sea is a question of importance to the United States, and is a question common to all navies, which consider that the battleship is the backbone of the fleet. There are twelve United States battleship in the Pacific Ocean, and these are little more modern in their design than was the Royal Oak; although they probably are better protected than she was.

The sinking of the battleship has borne out Admiral Leahy’s testimony given to Congress last year. Admiral Leahy, head of the American Navy, said that the battleship can be sunk by torpedoes shells, or aerial bombs under conditions that are favourable to such attack.

NEW GERMAN TORPEDO. PENETRATES HEAVIEST ARMOUR. LONDON, October 15. The Berlin correspondent of the United Press says:— There seems to be every indication that the Gormans have developed a new type of torpedo, which is capable of penetrating the heaviest armour plating of the modern warship. The Gormans assert that the Royal Oak was provided with special antitorpedo protective armour, which apparently failed.

German Claims 86,000 WARSHIP TONNAGE SUNK. BATTLESHIP “HOOD” DISABLED. (Received October 15, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, October 14. The British United Press Berlin correspondent states: German naval circles claim that the sinking of the Royal Oak has brought the total British warship tonnage sunk to 86,000. German Naval circles also announce that the big battleship, “Hood,” has so severely been damaged as to be out of action for several months. There is no Admiralty comment so far available on this claim. GERMAN PRESS STATEMENTS. LONDON, October 14. The Associated Press Berlin correspondent says: Special editions announce the sinking of the Royal Oak. I The newspapers praise the prowess of the submarines, and they ask i whether Mr. Churchill is yet ready to disclose the whereabouts of the air[craft carrier, Ark Royal. The papers also emphasise the bitterness of this lesson to those who believe that Germany can, without any risk, be starved out.