TANKER CREWS LANDED

Southland Times, Issue 24002, 18 December 1939, Page 7

TANKER CREWS LANDED

Two Mined Within Half-An-Hour VESSEL BEACHED BY TUG ' (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received December 17, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, December 16. The survivors of the tankers Athel Templar and Inverlane were landed at a north-east port. Both ships were mined within half an hour. The Athel Templar was beached by a tug. Two members of the crew were lost. The other 38 escaped in boats and were picked up by a trawler. The Inverlane caught fire. It is believed that, only seven members of the crew survived. A message from Amsterdam states that the Ursus was sunk in the North Sea by an explosion. Nine members of the crew are missing and two were injured. The Brinda rescued the survivors. The German merchantman, Teneriffe, 2436 tons, was intercepted by the Navy, but scuttled herself. There are no details. Two Norwegian steamers, the Ragne, 3000 tons, and the H. C. Flood, 1907 tons, were mined 'and sunk in the North Sea. Ten members of the crew are

missing and 30 were landed. The captain of the Ragne stated that the six missing from his ship were below. The Admiralty announces the trawler James Ludford has been mined and has sunk. It is feared two officers and 15 ratings have been lost. The Admiralty has advised the Norwegian owners that the vessel Fiona was sunk off the Scottish east coast by a mine. The 18 members of the crew lost their lives. Two bodies were found. The steamer Stanwood sank in Falmouth harbour while attempts were being made to put out a fire. All the crew were rescued, except a Canadian wireless operator. The Belgian vessel Rosa was mined and has sunk off the north-east coast. One man was killed. Fourteen were landed, of whom two were injured. According to an agency report from Cape Town, the 2989 tons Hamburg steamer Adolf Leonardt was intercepted by a British warship, but was scuttled to avoid capture. The warship landed 40 members of the crew at Cape Town today. The Paris radio reports that three German oil tankers, the Werdenfels, of 6000 tons, the Lindenfels, of 7000 tons, and the Wagenfels, of 5000 tons, have been seized at Sabana, in the Dutch East Indies, on behalf of a foreign company which claims large sums from the German ship owner. The War Office gave out last night a list of six prisoners of war captured from U-boats and the names of a further six were announced this morning. PART PLAYED BY H.M.S, ACHILLES PRAISE BY LONDON PRESS (Received December 17, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, December 16. The Times in a leading article says that New Zealanders will be justly elated at the part of the Achilles in the River Plate victory. The exploit must recall to Australians their own delight over the Sydney’s sinking of the Emden. New Zealand may well be specially proud of the part played by her sons in this important action. After referring to the efforts of the Dominions in the air, land and sea, The Times concludes: “Whatever trials the future will bring we will face them as an Empire united in the same high cause.”

TAIROA CARRIED CREW OF 80 (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 17. The Tairoa, the first indication of whose destruction was the landing of some of the company from the Admiral Graf Spee along with men from the other victims, carried a crew of 80. The fate of those not landed remains a mystery. The master was Captain W. B. Starr,