RUTHLESS ATTACK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23507, 18 November 1939, Page 11

RUTHLESS ATTACK

NORWEGIAN TANKER HARDSHIPS OF THE CREW TWO DAYS IN THE BOATS (Received November 17, 5.5 p.m.) British "Wireless LONDON, Nov. 16 The ruthless character that the German war on neutral merchant shipping has assumed has been illustrated in the torpedoing last Sunday without warning of the Norwegian tanker Arnc Kjode. In this case no attempt was' made on the part of the TJ-boat to save the crew of the torpedoed ship, although the weather was bad and the position far from land.

The crew of the Arne Kjode took to the boats, but it was not until' after more than two days that 23 men in one boat were picked up, sufFering severely from exposure. Twenty hours later \2 more members of the crew were picked up, but five are still missing. British ships effected these rescues. From the evidence obtained, it is clear that the U-boat could not possibly have taken the Arne Kjode for anything but what she was —a neutral tanker. The action of the submarine constitutes brutal disregard of the rules of submarine warfare, to observe which the Nazi Government had pledged itself.

AUSTRALIAN NAVY EXPANSION OF FORCES ANTI-SUBMARINE SERVICE ARMING OF MERCHANT SHIPS CANBERRA, Nov. 17 The substantial expansion in the Australian naval forces since the war began was revealed by the Minister lor the Army, Mr. G. A. Street, who announced the establishment of the nucleus of a formidable mine-sweeping and anti-submarine service, and the formation of a flotilla of examination steamers and light patrol craft. This result was achieved by chartering and arming smaller types of merchant ships. Mr. Street said there had been added to the naval forces 13 mine-sweepers and anti-submarine vessels, two highspeed mine-sweepers, 10 examination steamers and a store carrier, and in addition five larger ships had been armed and commissioned as armed merchant cruisers, three for the British Admiralty and two as additions to the Australian squadron. More than 80 other merchant ships, still engaged in normal trade, have been defensively armed in Australia. Mr. Street also announced that less than 300 enemy aliens are at present interned in Australia. Ho added that only those, actually suspect are being held. ■ Mr. J. Curtin, Labour Leader, in the House of Representatives, said that the Labour Party endorsed the Commonwealth Government's war aims —an ultimate victory and a just peace.

lower age for airmen PARIS, Nov. 36 The age for acceptance for training pilots and gunners for the French Air Force has been reduced from 18 to 17 lor the duration of the war.