GIVEN UP AS LOST

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24138, 3 December 1941, Page 8

GIVEN UP AS LOST

THE CRUISER SYDNEY CARE OF DEPENDANTS (Reed. 2 a.m.) SYDNEY. Dec. 2 The Prime Minister, Mr. Curtin, 6tated to-day at Canberra that for the present-no" further information can be given regarding the fate of H.M.A.S. Sydney. The authorities were still without information of the events leading to the cruiser's disappearance beyond ■what they had obtained from the survivors of the raider which the Sydney 6ank. There was still no definite evidence that the Sydney had been sunk, merely a presumption which was so strong that all hope of the warship heing afloat Has been officially abandoned; "Nevertheless, the search was "being continued over a. wide area. Mr. Curtin pointed out that the Government In declining to give any further reports was acting on reasons of - security and strategy dictated by its service experts. I T e announced that he had given approval for a national fund initiated already in this city to replace the Sydney. • One business man had headed the fund with £IOOO. The wives and other dependants of the crew of the Sydney will continue to receive their allotments until further notice,, after which, when the fate of the cruiser is finally decided, adequate pensions Vrill be paid. Solemn requiem mass was held in St v Mary's Cathedral to-day. It was attended by, people of every class and ctfijsed, as well as naval officers and ratings. . • - ■ ■ IDENTITY OF THE RAIDER ■ ■■ ■ . * SHIP OF 9400 TONS - \ •>; LONDON,- Dec. 2 The Admiralty announces that the armed merchant raider sun . by the Sydney wag the s.s. Steiermark, of 9400 tons. This vessel has been known to the Admiralty for some time as raider No. 41. She was built in 1938 and owned before the war by the HamburgAmerika Line. The. Steiermark was designed as a merchant raider. She has been operating - for some time under whatever disguise and flags have suited her operations.

MUST TAKE MOSCOW GERMANS' VITAL NEED NAZI'S GLOOMY OUTBURST (Reed. 1.25 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 2 '"Unless the Nazi forces are capable! of capturing Moscow within a specified period, Germany will not be able to maintain, the eastern front throughout the winter/' This statement by the - commander'of the German troops at Bordeaux, von Faber. has just reached ; Free French headquarters in London. » Von Faber emphasised that an American ! declaration of war would have a, shattering' effect on civilian morale in Germany. He said it would also start a formidable wave of hope rolling in France, the consequences of which could not be foreseen. He claimed further that Japan was contemplating deserting the Axis.