ITALIAN CRUISER HIT

Timaru Herald, Volume CLI, Issue 22202, 20 February 1942, Page 5

ITALIAN CRUISER HIT

Attack By British Submarine By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright LONDON, February 18. In the central Mediterranean, a British submarine has scored another success against one of Mussolini’s heavy eight-inch gun cruisers. Two hits were scored with torpedoes. A communique issued by the Admiralty states that with the object of passing certain convoys through the central Mediterranean naval operations with enemy forces were engaged in during the period from Friday to Monday. The enemy has published the usual exaggerated claims about damage done to British ships. The facts are that no casualties in personnel were suffered by the British forces. Superficial damage was done to one of his Majesty’s ships and two merchant ships were damaged and had subsequently to be sunk. Towing proved impossible. The remainder of the ships reached their destination safely. Five Enemy ’Planes Destroyed The enemy employed both aircraft and surface forces, but only the aircraft were able to make contact. Five enemy aircraft were destroyed for certain, and four were probably destroyed. During Saturday night strong enemy forces of cruisers and destroyers attempted to intercept the convoys, but they failed ’and were themselves severely handled. As was announced earlier, naval aircraft scored hits with torpedoes on two cruisers and a destroyer, and another destroyer was probably hit. One of the cruisers was well ablaze at the stern shortly after the attack. Later, the British submarine intercepted the enemy forces and scored two torpedo hits on the eight-inch gun cruiser.