463 Survivors Landed

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 244, 16 October 1939, Page 7

463 Survivors Landed

GERMAN TORPEDO'S GREAT PENETRATIVE POWERS Beceived Sunday, 7.30 p.m. LONDON, Oct. 15. A detailed list of the names of the Royal Oak survivors issued by the Admiralty now shows a total of 463, including Captain W. G. Benn, former captain of the aircraft carrier Argus and former Director of Navigation; Commander K. F. Nicholls and four lieutenant-commanders. All the above have been landed, though the locality is not stated. The list of survivors is unlikely to contain any Australians and New Zealanders. It is quite possible further names will be available in the morning.

The British United Press’ Berlin correspondent states that naval circles claim the sinking of the Royal Oak has brought the total British warships tonnage sunk to BC,OOQ. They also announce that H.M.SB. Hood was so severely damaged as to bo out of action for several months. The Admiralty gives these statements an unqualified denial. Germany says she will hcnceforwarJ employ destroyers and not submarines fer the prosecution of economic warfare.

There seems every indication that the Germans have developed a new type of torpedo capable of penetrating the heavier armour-plating on a modern warship. The Germans assert that the Royal Or.k was provided with special anti-torpedo protective armour whicn, apparently failed.

H.M-S. Royal Oak was one of the Royal Sovereign class and was completed between 1914 and 1916. Displacing 29,150 tons, she was 6202 ft. long, had a beam of 101$ft. and her engines were rated at 40,000 horsepower. Her service speed was 23 knots and her war complement 1104. Her armament consisted of eight 15in. guns, twelve Gin., four 3-pounders, four 4in. anti-aircraft, five machine-guns, eleven light guns under 15cwt. and two torpedo tubes, which were submerged. Others of the class are the Royal Sovereign, Ramillies and Revenge. According to the broadcast from Daventry, she took part in the battle of Jutland in the Great War.