NAZI ATTACKS ON SHIPS

Southland Times, Issue 24005, 21 December 1939, Page 5

NAZI ATTACKS ON SHIPS

Aerial Torpedoes Used NEW CAMPAIGN OF TERRORISM (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) LONDON, December 19. For the first time in the war the German aeroplanes are using aerial torpedoes against shipping. The vessel Active was sunk by an aerial torpedo. A German bomber flying over the north Shetlands attacked six unarmed trawlers. One reached the island. Two men are dead and two were wounded. The total attacked since December 17 is 26. Fuller, details of the new campaign of terrorism launched by Nazi airmen against defenceless British and neutral shipping, which was referred to by the First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr Winston Churchill,, in his broadcast, has been disclosed in a joint Admiralty and Air Ministry statement. Bombing attacks were made on Sunday on 14 merchant and fishing vessels in the North Sea and in most cases the men on their decks were machine-gunned. Two men were killed and six injured. Eleven of the ships were fishing trawlers. Two were motor-vessels and one was an Italian steamer. One motor ship and four trawlers were sunk. Royal Air Force fighters twice flew to the rescue of the ships, but the raiders hastily made off, though some damage was inflicted by British machine-gunners. The vessel, City of Kobe, was sunk ■in the North Sea,, it is believed by a torpedo. Five British and 13 Indian members of the crew were landed on the East Coast. Ten British and 42 Indians are missing. The survivors revealed that German aeroplanes unsuccessfully bombed and machine-gunned the vessel at the week-end. Survivors from the Danish steamer Jytte, which is believed to have been sunk in the .North Sea, landed on the north-east coast. One was admitted to hospital,