RISING TENSION

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24676, 31 August 1943, Page 3

RISING TENSION

SWEDEN AND GERMANY PROVOCATIVE EXCHANGES SINKING OF FISHING VESSELS (Recti. 11.50 p.m.) LONDON, Auk. 30 Reports from Sweden and Gernmny reflect the rising tension between the two countries. The fe German reply to Sweden's protest against the sinking of two Swedish fishing vessels in the Skagerrak on August 25, stated that the vessels did not act as neutrals, but in a manner directly assisting Germany's enemies and that similar action would be taken against any vessels entering the prohibited area. The Swedish Government has refused to accept Germany's explanation of the sinking of the fishing vessels. A spokesman of the Foreign Office described the German allegations as completely absurd. The Berlin news agency has issued a statement accusing Swedish newspapers of irresponsibility, adding that authoritative circles in Berlin say there are limits to German restraint, particularly when restraint is ansjvered with untrue statements. "The Swedish press makes Sweden's geographical positiou an excuse for an attitude which cannot be described as anything but arrogant and provocative," says the Deutsche Diplomatische Korrespondenz, "More malicious, more insulting and more lying statements against Germany could hardly ho found in the British and American press. The Swedish press has used every recent incident for commentaries absolutely incompatible with Swedish neutrality." The article said the time had come to offer a sharp warning. The Swedish press should not forgot that the harm done by the country's newspapers could in the last resort bo paid for by the people of that country and a formal state of neutrality was no protection against this. The Swedish press was also attacked by the German radio for the strong line taken over the sinking of the fishing vessels. A German broadcast said last night that up till now the Reich had merely taken note of Sweden's attitude in this affair, but even the greatest reticence in judging the situation had its limits. The Swedish Transport Workers' Congress lias unanimously passed a resolution condemning German terrorism in .Norway, it describes the methods employed by the Nazis in Norway as loathsome and uncalled for, even in a state of war. BOMBING OF GERMANY ATTACKS CONTINUE TRAINS HIT IN FRANCE LONDON, Auk. HO The Germans say that the Royal Air Force dropped bombs on Western Germany last night. Aircraft of the Fighter Command went as far as North-west Germany yesterday in search of targets. Mosquitoes got hits on four canal craft in Hanover. Two Typhoons shot up a freight train near Rouen, in France, and later Mustangs attacked nine other freight trains. One of our aircraft is missing from these operations. American military headquarters in London announces that the record total of 307 German fighters was destroyed in air combats on August 17, when Flying Fortresses attacked important targets at Regensburg and Schweinfurt, in Bavaria. Fifty-nine American bombers were lost in tbeso operations. Horrible panic broke out in Nuremberg after the raid on Friday night. says the Stockholm newspaper Allehanda. Himmler sent his right-hand man, Police-General Daluege, to tho city. Victims have already been dug out of the ruins. Seventy thousand people are homeless and 2900 houses have been destroyed. The Germans are now evacuating Munich, Hanover and Ludwigshaven. BOMBER'S MISADVENTURES LONDON, Auk. 30 The gunner of a Halifax, the sole survivor after the bomber finally crashed, has told of the machine's gal - lant fight against swarms of German fighters during the raid on Berlin last Monday. The bomber fought off 15 enemy fighters, destroying three of them, and then crashed into tho sen 100 mil cs from Britain. The bomber's misadventures began .just before it reached the target, when one of the engines failed. Although crippled, it went on to make its bomb run Then the aircraft was caught in a mass of searchlights and set upon by enemy aircraft. A Focke Wulf 100, n Messersehmitt 109 and a Junkers 88 were destroyed by the bomber. When the Halifax was 100 miles from Britain another engine failed. The plane (vent into a spin, broke into two parts in the sea and sank. One of the gunners was rescued, but the rest of the crew were lost.