PLANES DROP BOMBS

Southland Times, Issue 24004, 20 December 1939, Page 7

PLANES DROP BOMBS

FIRE OPENED ON CREWS MERCHANT VESSELS AND TRAWLERS < BRITISH AND NEUTRAL CRAFT SUFFER (United Press Assn—Telegraph Copyright) LONDON, December 18. The Admiralty and the Air Ministry announce that a number of attacks were made hy enemy aircraft on British and neutral merchant ships and on fishing vessels in the North Sea yesterday. German aeroplanes attacked a total of 14 ships in raids in the North Sea and the English Channel. During the morning bombing attacks were made on the small motor-vessel Serenity and on the fishing trawlers New Choice, Benclair and Craigie Lea. The Serenity and the New Choice were sunk. The enemy also attacked the Craigie Lea with machine-gun fire, two of the crew of 10 being wounded. .... On the approach of British aircraft, the enemy made off before contact could be established. A boat containing 10 men from the New Choice was later sighted By aircraft of the Coastal Command, which directed a drifter to the spot. The crews of both vessels were rescued. Further attacks were made during the afternoon on the liner Tuscan Star, the trawlers Dervish, Seadon, Arnold Bennett and Dromoi, and the Italian vessel Valentino Coda. Several bombs were dropped and the second wireless operator in the Tuscan Star was killed by a fragment of bomb which burst very close to the ship. The enemy also attacked these ships with machine-guns, without causing any casualties. Royal Air Force aircraft engaged the enemy in failing light, firing a number of rounds at them and inflicting damage before they disappeared into the clouds. The trawlers Compagnus, Pearl and Isabel Greig were bombed and sunk. The Eileen Wray reached port leaking. The Admiralty announced that the Evelina, with a crew of nine, and the Sedgefly, with a crew of 16, are overdue and are presumed to have been lost. Two German aeroplanes attacked the Eileen Wray. The first dropped eight bombs and the other machine-gunned the crew 16 times as they were lowering the boats. The Compagnus was attacked in the same manner. Machinegun bullets killed a member of the crew as he raced across the deck and wounded another. A bomb penetrated the engine-room. The crew took to their boat and were picked up by a trawler. The Pearl was attacked off the east coast. Three men were wounded. Two Royal Air Force Coastal Command machines sighted 10. survivors of the New Choice in an open boat 100 miles from the Scottish coast and guided a drifter to the scene. The men were picked up suffering from exposure. A German communique claims that German aeroplanes reconnoitred fanshape the whole North Sea from the Shetland Islands to Portsmouth and attacked and sank two patrol ships and damaged three warships. London circles deny that German aeroplanes reached Portsmouth. They state that the German claims refer to trawlers, not to warships.

NEW ZEALAND AIRMEN KILLED MEMBERS OF ROYAL AIR FORCE (Received December 19, 6.30 .m.) LONDON, December 18. The fourteenth Royal Air Force casualty list contains 39 names. It includes the following New Zealanders:— Pilot Officer K. P. Hamilton, of Gisborne. Pilot Officer B. Graham, of Waipukurau. Both were killed on active service. KING PAYS VISIT TO PLYMOUTH BARRACKS AND HOSPITALS INSPECTED LONDON, December 18. The King visited the naval command at Plymouth and spent many hours inspecting the naval barracks and hospitals and talking to the men.