DEADLY BOMBS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23602, 11 March 1940, Page 7

DEADLY BOMBS

ITALIANS THE VICTIMS DELAYED INCENDIARISM FATE OF AMELIA LAURO By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received March 10. 5.5 p.m.J LONDON, March 9 One of the three members of the crew of the Italian steamer Amelia Lauro, of 5335 tons, sent to hospital yesterday, has died. The vessel was bombed from a German aircraft in the North Sea on Thursday night. The captain of the vessel, which was laden with British coal when she left the north-east coast for Italy on Wednesday, told a curious story of how German bombs set her on fire. He and 28 others had been landed on the east coast. The captain said the German raider dropped four bombs, which destroyed the bridge and wireless aerial, injured the wireless operator and killed one of the crew, whose body was left aboard. The bombs contained a number of smaller incendiary bombs. This was not realised immediately, but an hour after the attack, when the crew were aboard the rescue ship Titauia, the smaller bombs went off and a wave of flame shot upwards. Nothing could be done to save the ship. The Titania transferred the men to a lifeboat, which conveyed them ashore. The men of the crew emphasise that the German airmen must have seen the ship's name and flag.

ORDERS TO AIRMEN GERMAN STATEMENT SPARE UNESCORTED NEUTRALS (Received March 30, 5.5 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON, March 9 In connection with the attack by German airmen on the Amelia Lauro, London naval circles state that on Wednesday the German transocean wireless news service carried the following statement: " All units of the German Air Force operating in the North Sea have received strict orders to refrain under any circumstances from Attacks on neutral merchant ships which are not travelling in enemy convoys," The Amelia Lauro was not in a convoy. She was outward bound for Italy from the Tyne.

ATTACK FROM AIR BELGIAN FISHERMEN (Received March 10, 5.5 p.m.) BRUSSELS, March 9 The crews of 16 Belgian fishing boats who have returned to Belgium state that airmen, believed to have been Germans, attacked them off Zeebrugge yesterday. •

AMERICAN AIRCRAFT NEEDS OF THE ALLIES IRAK SEEKING MACHINES (Received March 10, 5.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, March 9 It is reliably stated that the Allied purchasing mission, the head of which is to meet United States manufacturers on Monday, is seeking 2800 pursuit aeroplanes and 3200 bombers, to be delivered within 12 months, says the Washington correspondent of the New York Times. The French are concentrating on pursuit aeroplanes and medium bombers and the British on interceptor fighters and long-range bombers, c Representatives of the Irak Air Ministry have arrived at New York to arrange for the delivery of an undisclosed number of Douglas machines and to discuss additional- purchases.

MEAT RATIONING BRITISH REGULATIONS (Received March 10, 7.42 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON, March 9 Two orders were made to-day by the Minister of Food, Mr. W. S. Morrison, to legalise the provisions for the introduction of meat rationing on March 11 and to amend the original rationing order. The amendments authorise the serving of meat dishes in canteens, restaurants and other catering establishments, without need to surrender coupons. Canned meat and canned meat products, galantines, luncheon sausages, meat pastes, brawn and jellied veal are totally exempted. Other manufactures of meat products, including meat pies, meat pasties, and meat puddings, are free of ration if they contain by weight not more than 50 per cent of meat.