Two German Ships Captured; One Scuttled

Northern Advocate, 4 December 1939, Page 6

Two German Ships Captured; One Scuttled

LONDON, December 2

Ships of the Roy.al Navy captured the German steamer Eilbek (2185 tons) and also the trawler Sophie Busse (250 tons).

The German liner Watussi, which recently escaped to sea, was scuttled today south of Cape Point, South Africa.

She was intercepted by South African bombing aeroplanes and after being ordered to proceed to Simonstown was scuttled by the crew. The survivors were later picked up.

A Capetown cable says that the Watussi, which is the first fruit of South Africa’s extensive and unceasing coastal patrols, at first refused to reveal her identity or change her course. The plane threatened to use bombs, upon which the captain pleaded that he had passengers aboard.

He changed his course only after two bombs had been dropped ahead, but soon after this dense smoke came from the ship.

Ten boats put off the occupants, including women and children. A warship picked up the survivors, while the ship blazed furiously. Tankers Mined. The Norwegian motor tanker Realf (8083 tons) struck a mine and sank off the British coast. An Italian steamer saved 44 members of the crew, transferring them in lifeboats and landing them at an east coast port. A second oil tanker, the British vessel San Calisto (8010 tons) struck two mines and blew up off the southeast coast.

Two of the crew were killed. The noise of the explosion was heard on shore .and a' lifeboat put out.

Aided by a minesweeper, it picked up the remainder of the crew, numbering 27, of whom seven were seriously injured.

. Six Days Overdue. The Norwegian steamer Arcturus, (1277 tons) was sunk by a mine off the east coast of Scotland on Friday.

Eight of the crew of 17 were picked up by a Danish steamer. The fate of the others is not known. The London steamer Stanbrook (1383 tons) the first vessel to run the blockade m the Spanish war, is six days overdue and is reported missing.

Awarded 0.8. E,

Among five recipients of the Order of the Britsh Empire is Captain White, who commanded the British steamer Stonepool (4803 tons) in the first straight fight in this war between a defensively-armed merchantman and a U-boat, says the British Official Wireless.

On sighting the U-boat, the Stonepool manned, her guns in about two minutes and exchanged shot for about with the enemy with guns of similar calibre at a fair rate of fire.

The shooting was good and the fifteentth shot may well have hit or damaged the U-boat, whose thirteenth or fourteenth shot holed the Stonepool two feet above the water line.

Captain White, by his resolute and skilful action, saved his ship. Able Seaman Hayter, of the Stonepool, also has been awarded the 0.8. E.

The report accompanying the issue of the award says the discipline was excellent and the gunlayers and gun crews did well.