THRILLING FIGHT AT SEA

Southland Times, Issue 23948, 14 October 1939, Page 5

THRILLING FIGHT AT SEA

Nazi Planes Attack

Warships

FISHERMEN CAUGHT IN BATTLE

HIGH EXPLOSIVE BOMBS DROP NEARBY (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received October 13, 10.30 pan.) OLSO, October 13. Norwegian fishermen off Viking Bank in the North Sea were eyewitnesses of an engagement between British warships and German aeroplanes. They said-they first heard heavy gunfire and saw about 150 aeroplanes attacking five British warships. Their boat was caught in the battle, high explosive bombs dropping nearby. The warships were going at full speed on zig-zag courses They were blazing away with anti-aircraft guns. The fishermen endeavoured to escape but the battle followed them for some time. The warships finally disappeared to the west and the aeroplanes to the eastward. Soon afterwards, the fishermen heard a violent explosion and saw flames. “Great red aeroplanes” then appeared from the west, circled over the scene and then vanished. The fishermen declared that no warship was hit. FAST GERMAN LINER CAPTURED REFUELLING OF NAZI SUBMARINES (Received October 13, 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, October 12. It is officially announced that the British Navy has captured the fast German liner Cap - Norte (13,615 tons) which is believed to have been taking supplies to a commerce raider. The Cap Norte carried foodstuffs and petroleum products. She slipped out of Pernambuco on September 17 for an undisclosed destination, believed to be Vladivostok. The oil companies declined to sell fuel oils used by submarines, but the Cap Norte had 2500 tons of crude oil aboard. The Washington correspondent of The New York Herald-Tribune says that a neutrality patrol has reported that the tankers which refuelled the submarine off Key West were Italian. The Neutrality Act was not violated because belligerents are allowed 24 hours in American ports for refuelling and repairing. The Daily Telegraph has confirmed that Germany’s 10,000-ton pocket battleship the Admiral von Scheer is somewhere in the South Atlantic acting as a lone raider. The British Navy is searching for her.

CAPTURED SHIPS AT FALKLANDS

GERMAN VESSELS WITH GRAIN (Received October 13, 11.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, October 13. The Buenos Aires correspondent of The New York Times says that it is reliably stated that several German merchantmen which disappeared mysteriously on October 9 anchored at Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands. There the crews were interned. The British are no longer sinking captive ships as they did the Olinda on September 4, but are taking all to the Falkland Islands. Most of the German ships which escaped from Argentinian, Uruguayan, Brazilian and Chilean ports loaded with grain are reported to have- been captured and taken to the Falkland Islands. NEW YORK WOMAN’S GIFT OTTAWA, October 12. A New York woman has given anonymously 2000 dollars to aid war efforts. She promised to give more as her savings permitted.

LATVIAN DELEGATION IN MOSCOW

MOSCOW, October 12. The Latvian delegation has arrived to conclude a commercial treaty. Parliament has ratified the SovietLithuanian Pact.