U-BOAT HIT

Grey River Argus, 14 March 1940, Page 5

U-BOAT HIT

BY R.A.F. BOMB Heligoland Cou'p LONDON, March 12. It is believed that a R.A.F. bomber sank a U-boat in Heligoland Bight yesterday. The submarine was proceeding slowly along the surface, under a low layer of clouds. The British plane immediately crossed the submarine, dropping four 2501 b bombs, one of which was seen to hit the submrine, just head of the conning tower. Another hit is believed to have been registered. The pilot reported that, before he flew off to continue his reconnaissance, he saw the bow and stern of the submarine protruding above the surface, the centre part being submerged. Another British aircraft, engaged in reconnaissance a few hours later, saw a number of .patrol vessels in the 'area where the attack was made. LAST WEEK’S SINKINGS. 14. SHIPS DESTROYED BY ENEMY. LONDON, March 12. _ Eenemy action destroyed five British and nine Allied or neutral merchantmen totalling 18,673 tons for the week ended March 10, compared with the weekly average of 24,000, during the war. Germany lost two ships totalling 11,377 tons. FURTHER LOSSES. THE HAGUE March 12. The Dutch tanker Eulota, 6236 tons, sank after an explosion. A British warship rescued 42 of the crew. LONDON, March 12. The trawler Halifax, 165 tons was sunk in the North Sea, through the explosion of a mine hauled in by the net. The crew of nine were rescued unhurt. A lightship 30 miles off the Norfolk coast was twice attacked during the night by a German raider, and a number of bombs were dropped, but the vessel was not struck. The ability of fishing trawlers to fight back was demonstrated when two vessels, attacked by gunfire from a submarine, cut their nets loose to improve, their manoeuvrability, and returned, the fire with their own guns. After a short interchange the submarine dived.

Allies and Neutrals

BLOCKADE LOSSES REQUEST FOR U.S.A. TOLERATION (Received March 13, 5.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, March 12. Mr Frank Ashton-Gwatkin and Monsieur Charles Rist, representing Britain and France respectively, have issued a joint statement appealing to the American people to understand that the Allies cannot weaken then blockade against Germany, but promising to avoid unnecessary inconvenience and loss to the neutrals. They state: “It must be remembered that Britain and France are lighting for their lives against a formidable enemy, and not only lor theii lives, but for the whole future of the western civilisation. We cannot affoid to take risks that would in any way hamper the efficiency of our contraband control, which is an important part of any defence efforts to win the war.” The two above named representatives are consulting American officials in an effort to solve problems resulting from the economic warfare.

German Broadcasts

MAKE FALSE CLAIMS. (Received March 13, 7 p.m.) RUGBY, March 13. Naval circles point out that a German broadcast on March 8 claimed that in German raids on the nights of March 6 and 7, “eleven merchant ships sailing in a British convoy, or with dimmed lights, with a total tonnage of about thirty thousand, were sunk or heavily damaged.” The facts are that fifteen small ships, mostly fishing vessels, were attacked on those nights. Of these the only one to be seriously damaged was the Italian vessel Amelia Lauro, which was proceeding independently, and was brilliantly illuminated, with her name and the Italian flag painted on her sides.

Attacks were also made on three convoys, but all were driven off, and not one ship was sunk, heavily damaged, or even damaged at all. It is noted, however, that the German broadcast seems to have felt uneasiness regarding the bombing and machine-gunning of the Amelia Lauro, for a Zeesen broadcast, in German, to the Far East on March 9, stated that the '"British” steamer Amelita Lauro had been set on fire as the result of a North Sea air attack. BLOCKADE IN PACIFIC ? RUGBY, March 12. The Minister for Economic Warfare stated in the Commons that the whole subject of contraband control in the Far East was under consideration. He said that by March 8, over 1,100,000 tons of contraband had been ordered to be seized by the Allies’ Contraband Committees, of which the United Kingdom’s share was about half. ANOTHER SINKING LONDON. March 12. The Gardenia has been sunk in the North Sea. The crew of 34 were p'cked uo by a trawler which wireloose i that two native firemen were admitted to hospital. I~ALIAN SHIP’S DESTRUCTION VOW OF VENGEANCE LONDON, March 12. At the funeral of two of the crew of the Amelia Lauro (set on fire by Nazi nlanes) their shipmates declared: We will never forget you, nor this wicked attack. The vow was repeated in unison at the instigation

of an Italian officer. SCUTTLING CF “HANNOVER” TRUJILLO (Dominica) March 12. Wilhelm Borg, an officer of the Hannover, stated his belief that Captain Richard Wabnschaffe committed suicide, after he ordered the scuttling. Ho added that. Wabnschaffe did not enter any of the three life-boats of which Borg’s is <he only one reported. SUCCESS OF CONVOYS. RUGBY, March 12. Up to March 6tb., twenty-seven ships had been lost in convoys out of a total of 1,774 British, Allied, and Neutral ships convoyed. Two neutrals only had been lost out of 1,360 ships convoyed.