NAVAL LOSSES NEAR CRETE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 124, 29 May 1941, Page 5

NAVAL LOSSES NEAR CRETE

BATTLE WITH PLANES GREATEST IN HISTORY ENGAGEMENT DESCRIBED London, May 27. It is officially announced that at Crete we have lost the cruisers Gloucester and Fiji and the destroyers Juno, Greyhound, Kelly and Cashmil'. The destroyer Greyhound was sunkwhile picking up survivors from the Gloucester and Fiji, while the destroyers Kelly and Cashmir were sunk by a terrific aerial bombardment. The Kimberley got away safely after heavy aerial attacks. The cruiser Gloucester was of 9400 tons, while the Fiji was of 8000 tons. The Kelly and Cashmir were destroyers of 1690 tons each, while the Greyhound was a vessel of 1335 tons. It is understood that most of the crews were saved. The greatest air versus sea battle of all time was staged northward of Crete and culminated on May 22, when the Germans Hung in hundreds of bombers, subjecting the Navy to an incessant 15 hours' attack. Warships’ guns blazed throughout the day until the red hot air was filled with the scream of bombs, the roar of planes, the crashing of shells and the blasting of pompoms. The fleet was unprotected by fighters, and German planes swooped at will, machine-gunning and bombing the crews of the sunken cruisers and destroyers while they were swimming for their lives. The attack followed the smashing of one German convoy and the dispersal of another British naval forces entered the Aegean Sea on May 20 to prevent sea-borne landings on western Crete. That night eight E-boats attacked, but were repelled and at least three were sunk. The Juno was hit by a stick of bombs and plunged to the bottom within 70 minutes. Reconnaissance reports on the night of May 21 indicated that an attempt at. a sea-borne invasion of Crete had started, and it was this convoy which was broken up

Meanwhile other units, which found the shores of Candia all quiet during the night, continued at dawn to search northward towards Milos.

Throughout these days the Germans bombed the ships heavily, but hell was let loose at dawn on May 22. The battle fleet was then going eastwaro through the Straits of Kythera to assist the hard-pressed squadron which had been dispersing the convoy Some planes at 5.30 a.m. attacked the cruisers and others the battle fleet. The bombing continued with only half an hour’s respite until 8.15 p.m. At least 500 plnaes participated, and over 100 were attacking simultaneously. Fired Everything A British squadron comprising, four cruisers, including the Perth, and three destroyers, was subjected to an absolutely continuous bombing for two hours. The commander ol one cruiser said: "We changed course constantly, at ever 30 knots. This was probably the heaviest attack bombers have ever meted out to a single ship, but other planes were swooping on every ship in sight. They just never ceased until nightfall. We and every other ship were firing everything we had. sending up thousands ot pompom, six-incn and four-inch shells. 'The storm and fury reached indescribable heights soon after noon, when the battle fleet, including the Warspite, linked up with the cruisers and the destroyers in the Kyther Straits to provide greater anti-air-craft protection. "Junkers planes had dogged the battle fleet throughout the morning, but after a brief interval the noon sky teamed with bombers. Land was visible on both sides, and the bombers bases were only a few minutes distant. “At the height of the onslaught we sighted the vanguard of a convoy—3o caiques, with an Italian destroyer leading. Six 6-inch shells straddled the convoy, and protably hit the destroyer, which made off at top speed, and sank four caiques, each carrying at least. 100 soldiers. Our firing disorganised the whole convoy, which immediately made off northward.”

Loss of the Greyhound After picking up two damaged cruisers, the battle fleet started back through the Kyther Straits. Windless weather was particularly favourable to the bombers and clouds provided them with good cover. The attack reached a new intensity at 1.30 p.m. after the Greyhound had sunk a German clique. Over 100 bombers made a mass attack on her,

scoring several direct hits, then a heavy bomb struck her, causing a terrific explosion. She buckled amidships, and great clouds of smoke poured from the hull. Two destroyers went to pick up the survivors, 'they were a legitimate target, but the Germans first concentrated on the sailors struggling in the water, dropping scores of bombs among them and coming down low to machine-gun them. At this stage every ship in (he battle fleet was being attacked by at least 10 planes. Diving at 400 miles an hour, Uwe Messerschmitt tighterbombers suddenly dropped out of the sky on the battleship, unloaded bombs and zoomed off at hair-raising speed. A bomb crashed on a battleship's side, causing a slight fire, but only superficial damr.ge. A couple of dozen planes attacked another battleship, which was struck twice aft, but the damage was small and casualties few more. More bombers raced out from Milos and Kythera. A direct hit on the Gloucester brought her to a standstill and she was unable to manoeuvre. She became a simple target tot bombers. She was ablaze, but hei guns continued at full blast, until finally it was decided that she would inevitably be sunk. The Fiji was standing by, lighting everything except the anchor against the attackers. She threw out ail her Carley rafts and floats, and most of the Gloucester's company are believed to have got on them. The Germans again deliberately bombed and ..meiiine-gunncd the survivors as they set off in an attempt to reach Crete. Stukas then swooped like vultures on the Fiji and dropped several sticks smack on the briage amidships, ana on the stern. The Fiji flopped ovei like a turtle and went down flaming after a terrific explosion. Destroyers picked up the survivors, again to the accompaniment of direct attacks on the survivors in the water.

Under cover of darkness that night the Kelly and Kashmir went in close’to Crete and bombarded lhe Germans at Malemi, but as they were returning to join the battle fleet they were viciously dive-bombed. The Kelly was directly hit when doing 30 knots and overturned in a little over a minute. The Kashmir quickly followed. Captain Lord Mountbatten was picked up from the Kelly. The battle fleet, having accomplished the task of reinforcing the army in Crete and warding oft seaborne invasion, steamed out of Kythera Straits to a base. The Kemberley, which picked up 250 survivors, reached port safely, despite incessant dive-bombing,' high level attacks and machine-gunning throughout the voyage. The damaged ships also reached port.