GERMAN VESSELS DAMAGED

Southland Times, Issue 24445, 27 May 1941, Page 4

GERMAN VESSELS DAMAGED

NAVAL ENGAGEMENT OFF GREENLAND ATTACK BY AEROPLANES (Rec. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 25. Further damage has been inflicted on the German naval forces which took part in the engagement off Greenland in which H.M.S. Hood was sunk. An Admiralty communique states: “After the engagement yesterday in the North Atlantic the enemy forces made every effort to shake off the pursuit. Later in the evening an attack by naval aircraft resulted in at least one torpedo hit on the enemy. Operations are still proceeding with the object of bringing the enemy' forces to close action.” Judging from the British and German communiques the scene of the acI tion between the Hood and the Bismarck appears to be from 900 to 1000 miles from the nearest point of Nazioccupied Norway. This distance would take the Bismarck nearly a day and a-half to cover, supposing that her speed—estimated at about 30 knots—has not been reduced in the action with the Hood.

Although the distance to be covered by the fleeing German forces is a factor in favour of their pursuers, seamen point out that the difficulties of keeping in contact with or finding ships at sea is not realized by those who have not experienced them. Everything depends upon visibility and the balance in this respect is always in favour of the pursued vessel. She has the whole sea to choose from and can take advantage of local rainstorms or fog apart from such artificial devices as smoke screens, to change her course again and again when obscured from the view of the shadowing craft. If contact has not been established by nightfall or early this morning—and there are no indications that such is the case —it is probable that the “beginner’s luck” of the new Nazi warship has held good and that it has been advisable to postpone on this occasion the inevitable revenge which the Navy will exact.

A German communique states: “The Bismarck sank the Hood in a short, sharp fight. Another British battleship of the King George V class was damaged. Admiral Leutjens commands the Bismarck. Units under his command sank 22 enemy merchantmen, and also the auxiliary cruiser Jervis Bay.”