RAIDER AT LARGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23714, 22 July 1940, Page 8

RAIDER AT LARGE

REMINISCENT OF WOLF SHIPS SUNK NEAR CUBA AMERICA TAKES SERIOUS VIEW By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright LONDON, July 21 It is officially announced that an enemy raider is known to be operating in tho Atlantic. It sank two British merchant vessels, the King John (5228 tons) and the Davisian (6133 tons), in the region of the West Indies. The raider is believed to be a converted merchantman. AH British ships have been warned. A message from Washington says the Navy, and Stato Departments are officially investigating the details of the sinking of two British merchnnt ships near the West Indies, apparently within the inter-American safety zone.

Survivors of Two Ships The sinkings are regarded seriously, particularly as it is believed that they took place near Cuba, which is the scene of the Pan-American Conference to-day, iu which hemisphere defence is likely to be the most important topic. A message from Fort de France (Martinique) says a number of British sailors from two merchant ships, sunk last Saturday, have arrived at St. Barthelemy Island. They were received by the French and may bo sent to St:. Christopher, one of the Leeward Islands in tho West Indies. The raider whs flying the Swedish flag when she attacked the King John, states the British Broadcasting Corporation. Survivors state that the raider began to shell their vessel as soon as she was sighted. The captain, chief engineer and some wounded men were made prisoner by the raider's crew, and the remainder of the British crew drifted in an open boat for four days before they were rescued. Discovery ol Minefields,, The Daily Telegraph says previous symptoms of the activity of a German raider were the discovery of minefields off Cape Agulhas, Cape Colony, and in the Tasman Sea. If the same ship was responsible, her cruise resembles that of the German raider Wolf in the Great War. , . The Atlantic raider is possibly similar to the Altmarck, which was designed for preying on commerce. Germany lias five vessels of this type, all with exceptionally high speed for their class. PLOT FAILS

TREACHERY REVEALED RETREAT IN FLANDERS BRITISH OFFICER'S REPORT (Received July 21, 7.-10 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON, July 20 A strange story of treachery is brought to light in a report of a rearguard action fought by the 12th Royal Lancers in the Nieuport-Dixmunde area on May 27 and 28. A British officer had come to an agreement with a Belgian officer in charge of the demolition chambers that the bridge at Dixmunde must be blown up. The Belgian finally pressed the switch but there was no result.

The British officer then inspected the charges 011 the bridge, which he found had obviously been tampered with. On his return lie found a French major, who told him that he would now take command, that his troops were fast approaching and that the British officer need bother no more about blowing up this bridge. The British officer retorted: "Where are your troops for the defence of this bridge? I cannot see any," and was told, "They are just the other side of the canal and will be here immediately." Ho then went to look' for himself, found there were none, and returned hotfoot in search of the French major, but could find no trace of him. He again persuaded the Belgian to show exactly where and how all the charges were laid. With the assistance of some new fuses and an explodor, the bridge was blown up handsomely at the second attempt. The British officer then placed his troop of armoured cars where they could watch the approach to the bridge. He had withdrawn them a short distance to avoid the explosion. They wore barely in position when the first party of German motor-cyclists arrived, closely followed by infantry in lorries. It was quite obvious from the way the Germans arrived at the lip of the crater, and the looks of surprise on their faces when they saw that the bridge had been blown up, that they had been told to seize the bridge at all costs as there was no adequate dofence and the bridge was intact.

DEFENCE OF EIRE "MUST PREPARE QUICKLY" MINISTER'S RADIO WARNING DUBLIN, July 10 Mr. Sean F. Lemass, Minister of Industries and Commerce, in a broadcast said: "We must be prepared for the worst and must prepare quickly. An attack against Eire might cut off areas from the central Government, which itself might bo isolated by military operations in the neighbourhood of the capital. '

"We nro appointing a commissioner for each county, who, in n crisis, would bo empowered to cnrry on the government of their areas." FUTURE OF LATVIA INCORPORATION IN SOVIET LONDON, July 19 The Moscow correspondent of the Times savs it may be assumed that the new Latvian Parliament will take notice of the popular demand for incorporation in the Soviet and Russia will not reject the request if it is made. FREEZING CREDITS ANGLO-AMERICAN TALKS WASHINGTON, July 10 A British Treasury official, Sir Frederick Phillips, admitted that Britain was seeking an agreement with the United States to assure that American assets of invaded nations would be withheld from Germany.