NAVAL BATTLE

Grey River Argus, 26 July 1941, Page 5

NAVAL BATTLE

In Mediterranean ITALIANS CLAIM SUCCESS. LONDON, July 24. A Rome communique reports a big naval and air engagement in the Central Mediterranean on July 23. It claims that several convoyed British ships were sunk, and several British warships were hit. Enemy Convoy Bombed OFF DOVER AND IN MEDITERRANEAN. MERCHANT SHIPS SUNK OFF NORTH AFRICA. RUGBY, July 24. The Admiralty states: “Our forces, operating during the night in the Straits of Dover on Wednesday, encountered an enemy convoy, very heavily supposed. During the ensuing engagement, one enemy patrol vessel was sunk, and another is known to have been severely damaged We suffered no casualties. A Middle East R.A.F. communique states; “A particularly successful attack in which R.A.F. bombers and aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm participated, was carried out on an enemy convoy on Tuesday off the island of Pantellaria, between Sicily and North Africa. The convoy consisted of four medium sized merchant vessels, escorted by a number of destroyers. It was first sighted and. attacked by R.A.F. bombers. Two bombs were seen to hit a seven thousand ton vessel, and set it on fire. Two others hit a vessel of six thousand tons. A vessel of five thousand tons, which was apparently carrying munitions, was hit by three bombs and immediately blew up, and disappeared below the surface. “Shortly afterwards, R.A.F. reconnaissance aircraft reported that the seven thousand tonner was submerged stern up, and two destroyers were standing by picking up survivors.

“Later in the day, Fleet Air Arm aircraft followed up the attack on the convoy, which then consisted of one seven thousand ton tanker, and one other merchantman. Two torpedoes hit the tanker, which became a total loss. Another torpedo hit an escorting destroyer, doing severe damage to the stern. TRANSPORT WORKERS’ THREAT. TO THE AXIS. LONDON. July 24. International transport workers will organise a complete post-war boycott of Axis shipping unless “the inhuman treatment .of merchantmen’s crews and 'passengers” are stopped. The threat was made at a meeting of the International Transport ; Workers’ Union. If carried out, all Axis ports will be declared black, and ships chartered by members of the Axis will not be manned.