LET THE BREMEN GO

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 300, 20 December 1939, Page 7

LET THE BREMEN GO

SUBMARINE COMMANDER’S STORY COULD HAVE FIRED TORPEDOES

SIGNAL NOT OBEYED (By Telegraph Trees Association—Copyright) Received Dec. 19, 7.35 p.m. LONDON, Dec. 18. The name of the submarine which sighted the Bremen and its commander are now revealed, as H.M.S. Salmon has returned to port and verification details have been secured from Commander E. O. B. Bickford of the circumstances wliii.cn, on account oi the regulations of warfare at sea, the great snip was allowed to proceed unscathed. It was just getting light in the morning and trie British submarine was on the surface when the enemy aircraft appeared. The submarine dived deep immediately. About an hour later the engine ot a large ship was heard on the The submarine came to periscope ceptn lo investigate and saw the Bremen sailffig past 1 airiy feist, hut it was at once obvious that she would pass well with-

in torpedo range. The submarine commander at once gave an order tor a gun lo be uncovered so that a shot could be fired across the Bremen's bows. Even then liability for making provision for the safety of the Bremen's very large crew would be devloved upon the submarine. This was impossible under the circumstances and a warning shot was never fired. A German aircraft then appeared overhead and the submarine dived In being forced to dive by the aircraft, the submarine could easily have fired six torpedoes into the Bremen as she dived, for she was already in an attacking course, but the dictates of international law could not be complied with, so the Bremen was allowed to proceed on its way unharmed. It will be noted that these facts contrast strongly with the highly divergent German statements. It would have been impossible for the submarine's captain to have missed such a great target-—had he decided to fire on it—but he knew j under international law merchant ships must not be sunk except in the case of a persistent refusal to stop when summoned, and he hart instructions from the Admiralty that the war at sea was to be conducted in strict accordance with international law. The British submarine therefore set about carrying out the procedure required of it under international law. in spite of the fact that enemy aircraft were known to be in the vicinity. It came to the surface and made a signal by a daylight signalling lamp, "Stop instantly." but the Bremen took | no notice.

THREE MORE SCUTTLED GERMAN MERCHANTMEN ONE SHIP CAPTURED LONDON, Dec. IS. : The Admiralty announces that a 'Gorman merchantman, the Antiochia (3100 tons) was scuttled by her crew in the North Atlantic last month while being pursued by a British warship. Since the outbreak of the war, the total German naval and merchant shipping losses are 186,000 tons. According lo an agency report from Capetown the 2989-ton Hamburg steamer Adolf Leonard! was intercepted by a British warship, but was scuttled to avoid capture, 'rhe warship landed 40 members of the crew in Capetown. [ It is also reported that Ihc Geriman merchantman Tencriffe (2436 Mons) was intercepted by the Navy but [scuttled herself. There are no dc- [ tails. A Santiago report, says it is officially stated that a British cruiser captured the German steamer Dus[seldorf (4930 tons) which was reported to have sailed from Valparaiso during the preoccupation of British warships as a result of the naval engagement in the South Atlantic. The Dusseldorf carried foodstuffs and 700 tons of oil PRISONERS FROM U-BOATS LONDON, Dec. 18. Further evidence of the growing list of British successes against German naval units is the publication in London of a further list of seven Üboat officers and men taken prisoner.