Navy Smashes German Fleet Of Transports For Crete

Northern Advocate, 23 May 1941, Page 5

Navy Smashes German Fleet Of Transports For Crete

(Received 1 p.m.) LONDON, May 22. TN A DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO SUPPORT THEIR AIR-BORNE TROOPS WHO ARE RECEIVING A HAMMERING IN FIERCE FIGHTING, THE AXIS POWERS ARE TRYING TO TRANSPORT REINFORCEMENTS BY SEA. The first attempt, made during darkness, met with disaster, the escorting destroyer, two transports and a number of small Greek vessels, being sunk. Later a convoy of about. 30 ships was sighted by our Navy. • 'No word has been received as yet as to how this large armada has fared,ibut British light naval craft, including destroyers, put out to meet it. Mr. Churchill, in the House of Commons, said no information was to hand, but there was reason to believe that the action had a. result satisfactory to the British Navy. The Allies in Crete are without support from fighter aircraft, and the Nazis lack artillery. British fighters have been withdrawn, owing to the absence of landing grounds, but bombers are constantly attacking German airfields in Greece, from which troop carriers and dive bombers come.

Cretans’ Valuable Aid

An earlier announcement states-that an enemy destroyer escort and two transports had been sunk by British naval forces, also a number of smaller boats.

It is stated that British fighter aircraft are not taking part in any large scale against the enemy, but bombers have continued to harass the Nazis continuously on their dromes in Greece. A daring attempt was made by the Germans to land troops in an effort to capture an important aerodrome, but the attempt was fruitless in the face of British defence. Special mention is made of the assistance given by the people of Crete in repulsing the enemy. All night long the skies have been lit by flares and searchlights in an endeavour to prevent, an increase in parachute, landings.