THE WAR

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9488, 19 February 1940, Page 2

THE WAR

Graf 'Spee Capti ves

KAZ! “ HELL SHIP ”

HUNDREDS NOW FREED

FINE WORK OF THE NAVY

LONDON, February IS. Hunted by the British Navy day

and night since the scuttling of the

Admiral Graf Spee last December, the infamous German “hell-ship” Altmarck, with between 300 and 400

British seamen from ships captured hy tlie Graf Spee—including at least nine New Zealanders —was located or.

Thursday in Norwegian territorial

waters in .losing Fjord, near Stavanger. As the result of the firm attitude of the British Government and tiie bold action of the Navy in one of the most romantic episodes of tlie war the British seamen are now hack in England, free once more, and the Nazis are giving vent to hysterical

expressions of impotent rage. When the British Admiralty received word that the Altmarck was in Josing Fjord, destroyers were ordered to the scene, and one of them intercepted the Altmarck, which was under escort hy a Norwegian gunboat. The British vessel withdrew outside Norwegian territorial waters. But late on Friday afternoon, on orders from the Admiralty, with the full support of the British Government, the Cossack, commanded by Captain P. L. Vian, re-entered tiie fjord. Meanwhile, the Altmack, which had been jammed in the icepack at the top of the fjord, began to work her engines. In spite of hpj order to stop, she broke free and tried to ram the British destroyer, but. succeeded only in going aground. The Cossack immediately grappled her. A party of 25 bluejackets armed with cutlasses and revolvers swarmed across the grapples to the Altmarck and firing broke out on both sides. The Altmarck’s bridge was rushed, and the captain thrust from the controls.

A search revealed over 300 British prisoners locked in shell rooms, storerooms and an empty oil-tank. The British party found the Altmarck armed with two pom-poms and four machine-guns. One of her officers said that Norwegian officials had visited her twice, but there was no search. This, says the Admiralty, would explain why 300 British prisoners on board, clamouring for release, were not noticed.

Once Die British seamen on hoard had been embarked, the Cossack sailed out of the fjord and joined the rest of the British forces.

PROTEST TO NORWAY

MAY HAVE THE GRAVEST CONSEQUENCES”

GERMAN MINISTER AT OSLO

LONDON, February IS.

The German Minister at Oslo has delivered a written protest to Norway, stating: “This situation is most serious and my have the gravest

consequences. Germany enters the sharpest possible protest against a violation of international law that is unique in world history, and; against the insufficiency of Norway’s protection for our ship.”

The Note demanded the restoration of the status quo on board the Altmarck. compensation for the damage and strong action against Britain.

RUSSIA AND THE FINNS

PRESSURE ON THE MANNERHEIM DEFENCES POSITION MOST SERIOUS LONDON, February IS. The Finnish position in the Mannerheim Line is regarded as most serious, says a report from Helsinki.

In (lie hope of gaining a respite, the Finns have bombed the railway on the Karelian Isthmus leading from Leningrad and set fire to several

tations. The farthest point which the Ruslans have reached is believed to be ibout. live miles from the outside edge of the line, which varies in depth from 10 to 20 miles. Finnish lighters and bombers are going ceaselessly over the Russian lines, which are guarded by about 200 Russian lighting aircraft. The pressure on the Finnish line to the Xorth—east of the isthus is said today to have eased slightly. A stirring call which brings to miml Earl Haig’s “Back to the Wall 1 ' message of the Great War was issued last; night by Marshal Mamierlieim. Oommander-in-Chief of the Finnish I* orces, to his hard-pressed troops On the Karelian Isthmus. He told his men that they must carry on in faceot terrific odds in the new positions to which they have withdrawn, and; called on them to defend the new 1 ino with such determination that the. enemy forces would be exhausted. Marshal Mannerheim added that they were not lighting alone. Foreign help had arrived and more was on the way. lie concluded liis message by saying: “The situation as it is developing offers us every prospect of success.”

MILITARY AID SOUGHT

PREMIER OF FINLAND FLIES TO LONDON. NORWAY AND SWEDEN REFUSE LONDON, February 17-. It is announced in Helsinki that the Premier of Finland, M. Ryti, and the Foreign Minister, M. Tanner, ar? proceeding to London by air to 'seek immediate military aid. The Russian announcement of sue-

cesses comes simultaneously with a statement from the Norwegian Foreign' Minister, M. Kohl, that Finland cannot expect aid from Norway. The Stockholm correspondent of the Danish newspaper “Politikon, quoting reliable sources, states that M. Tanner conferred with the Swedish Prime Minister, M. llansson, and made it understood that Finland had a “concrete promise of Allied milituty aid, consisting of three divisions, of which one would be French Alpine

Chasseurs.” Reports front Helsinki state that Finland has already accepted Lite pro-

mised aid,