BOMB ATTACK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22743, 1 June 1937, Page 9

BOMB ATTACK

GERMAN WARSHIP 23 SEAMEN KILLED IOYALIST AEROPLANES HITLEK CALLS CABINET (Received May 31, 6.45 p.m.) LONDON, May 31 Ths German Navy Department announces from Berlin that the battleship Deutschland was bombed by Spanish loyalist aeroplanes while lying in Iviza Harbour, in the Balearic Islands, yesterday. Two bombs struck the vessel, killing 23 men, seriously wounding 19, and slightly injuring 64. Herr Hitler called a meeting of the Cabinet to consider the incident. With her ensign at half-mast the Deutschland later entered the Admiralty Harbour at Gibraltar, where all British and foreign warships lowered their flags to half-mast in sympathy. The injured were taken to hospital and the services of all available doctors were requisitioned. The funerals will be held on Monday. Al! the victims are naval ratings, and no officers were killed or wounded. The Deutschland and Admiral Scheer are both small battleships of the standard displacement of 10,000 tons, the former having been completed in 1931 and the latter two years later. The ships are armed with six llin. guns of gieat power, eight 5.9 in. guns, and eight torpedo tubes. They combine the fighting power of a battleship with the speed of a cruiser, for they are capable of over 26 knots, being driven by Diesel engines. Germany has a third battleship of this class, the Admiral Graf Spee. SUDDENNESS OF ATTACK BOMB IN CREW'S QUARTERS THREAT OF COUNTER-ACTION BERLIN, May 31 The Cabinet met after Herr Hitler Had conferred at Munich with Baron *on Neurath, Foreign Secretary, and Admiral Raeder, naval Commander-in-Chirf, all throe then flying to Berlin. Marshal von Blomberg, Minister of and General Goering were also present. A report subsequently issued stated: "Following the 'recent incident when "Red* aeroplanes bombed British. German and Italian ships in the harbour at Majorca, killing six Italian officers, ' German vessels were forbidden to call there. 'The Deutschland belongs to the 'nternational naval control forces. Nevertheless, she was suddenly bombed between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m on SaturThe sh ip was stationary in Iviza Barbour and the crew were unprotected in the f<}reoastle inasmuch as ship, was not ready for action. A bomb fell in the middle of their garter;;, and a second hit the quarterns. causing minor damage The ship completely retained her fighting and ? aT '?able ability and went to Gibraltar order to disembark the injured. She jQ not fire a single shot at the aeroplanes. ' fresh criminal attack after the a, encia Government has twice been Earned compels Germany to take measures which will be communicated to . ® Non-intervention Committee. The incident is scarcely credible. Germany how to give a proper answer to , ls Un heard-of 'provocation by Spanish criminals."