LOSS OF DESTROYERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 May 1941, Page 5

LOSS OF DESTROYERS

DURING THE WITHDRAWAL FROM GREECE GRIM STORY OF HEROISM & HORROR. HELPLESS MEN MACHINE-GUNNED IN WATER. (By Telegraph—Press,Association —Copyright) ALEXANDRIA. May 5. Survivors from the destroyers H.M.S. Diamond and Wryneck, which were lost in the Allied evacuation of Greece, tell an unforgettable story of the heroism of the crews, mingled with the horror of the German machine-gunning of hundreds of soldiers and sailors in the water. , Six Junkers 88's dived on the destroyers. The Diamond was hit twice and overturned and sank in a lew minutes. There were about 700 soldiers aboard and most of them were able to scramble on to floats. None of the Diamond’s officers was seen again. , . . The Wryneck’s crew was able to launch a whaler and several floats before she sank. Commander Lane, two lieutenants, and a midshipman reinsecl to scramble on to a float while soldiers were still in the water. The night became bitterly cold. Commander Lane said: “I am going now. I cannot hang on any longer, wounded seaman held him for a long time, but all four disappeared before dawn. Earlier, many were being hauled on to floats when the Junkers returned and sprayed bullets over a wide area of the sea, ceasing only when they ran out of ammunition. . , . The destroyer Griffin arrived alter the survivors had been in the water 15 hours. Those picked up were mostly from the Wryneck.