SUNK OFF SPAIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23048, 27 May 1938, Page 11

SUNK OFF SPAIN

BBITISH CARGO SHIP BOMBED FROM THE AIR TWO VICTIMS DROWNED FIVE SLIGHTLY WOUNDED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received May 26. 8.15 p.m.) LONDON, May 25 Rebel airmen in aeroplanes from Majorca bombed and sunk the British cargo ship Thorpe Hall, which 1 was anchored near Valencia harbour, says a despatch from that, port. An officer and a seaman were drowned. The rest of the crew were saved.

After the bombing the vessel remained afloat for half an hour, enabling the crew to put off in a boat. The captain, mate, wireless officer and chief steward were still on board when the ship sank and were picked up after having been some hours in the water. The only other casualties were five men slightly wounded. The Thorpehall, a vessel of 1250 tons, owned by the Westcliff Shipping Company, London, which then was under Basque charter and had a British master but a Spanish crow, was seized on July 4 at Amsterdam, at the request of tlie directors of a group of Spanish banks, by the Public Prosecutor, backed by a Dutch warship. The vessel was carrying 1 .'SO cases of gold, also shares, bonds and jewellery estimated to be worth £150,000, alleged to have been taken from the Bilbao banks before General Franco captured the town.