WARFARE AT SEA.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 98, 25 March 1940, Page 7

WARFARE AT SEA.

HEDDERNHEIM SINKING. SOLICITUDE FOR THE CREW. LONDON, March 23. The sinking of the 4900-tou German steamer Heddernheim by a British submarine off the Danish coast on Thursday evening is the Royal Navy’s first answer to the recent criticisms that the route from Narvik (Norway) to Germany has been one of the most serious loopholes in the blockade. The Heddcruheiin was laden with ore. The submarine slipped up the Skagerrak at night and intercepted the Heddernheim, which, forced out from the coast owing to the shallows, was trying to steal across the international waters between Denmark and Norway. Coastal residents heard three shots and then a tremendous explosion. The commander of the submarine had followed the vessel for a long time before intercepting it because he realised that because ol the heavy sea and fog the crew would have little chance if thev were forced to take to the boats. 'file submarine continued the pursuit until the Heddernheim Vas close to the coast and then, knowing that tiie crew were almost certain to be saved, intercepted and sank the ship after the crew had quitted it. A later message from Copenhagen states that 35 men landed on the north coast of Denmark. They revealed that the captain gave his uniform to the chief engineer and disguised himself as a member of the' crew. Consequently the British submarine took the engineer prisoner by mistake. The action of the British submarine has created great interest in northern countries, where newspapers comment on the threat to Germany's one remaining direct supply line by sea. Scandinavian papers contrast the action of the British submarine commander, in allowing the German crew time to escape, to the methods used by the German U-boats, which in the last few days have sunk Danish ships with much loss of life. A Danish spokesman hay made it clear that not one of these ships was i.n convoy or acting in any way suspiciously.