U-BOAT SUNK

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21083, 9 April 1940, Page 5

U-BOAT SUNK

TANKER TORPEDOED SEVERAL NAVAL FIGHTS MANY SEAMEN KILLED (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received April 9, 10.35 a.m.) OSLO, April 8 A British warship is reported to have sunk a U-boat off Lillesand. Four unidentified bodies were found on the beach. Three Norwegian ships later arrived at Lillesand, carrying nine bodies and sixteen English and Germen seamen, some of whom were in uniform. Members of the crew declared that British armed vessels were sunk, as well as a U-boat. A warship is reported to have engaged two U-boats. A single heavy explosion was heard at noon and others at 3 p.m. further seaward. Several planes circled over the area. The other U-boat escaped. The customs guards saw a tanker, of unknown nationality, torpedoed at 3 p.m. off Sand Fiord, south Stavanger. The Gothenburg and the Kreta were attacked by an enemy submarine at Swager-Rak, but are still afloat. TROOPSHIP SUNK THREE HUNDRED LIVES LOST BRITISH NAVY’S SUCCESS GERMAN SHIPS DESTROYED (United Press A3su.»—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received April 9, 1 p.m.) LONDON, April 8 A German troopship four miles I from Norway, carrying 500 troops, was one of at least four victims of the British Navy today. The ship was the Rio de Janeiro, of 5261 tons, carrying infantrymen, cavalrymen, airmen, 90 horses and military equipment. At least 300 men and all the horses are reported to have perished ; because the Rio de Janeiro failed to : halt when a British submarine sigj nailed off Arendal. | The men jumped when the first i torpedo hit the vessel. Norwegian | fishing-boats and torpedo boats i picked up the survivors and bodies, ! many of which were also washed j ashore. ! The Rio de Janeiro did not sink ! immediately and consequently the submarine fired a second torpedo, killing Germans and hurling an iron j bar across a Norwegian boat, killing | three on that vessel. The Poseidon, of 5864 tons, was torpedoed off two hours j later—namely, 3 p.m., after the crew I had taken to the boats upon the submarine’s signal. The Kreta went to the bottom near the same area. The crew was saved. “THE LION AWAKES” BOLD BUT NECESSARY STEP NAZIS’ SANCTIMONIOUS HORROR ENGLISH PRESS COMMENT (Official Wireless) (Received April 9, noon) RUGBY, April 8 “Today the Allied Governments make perhaps the most significant pronouncement of the war,” says the Evening Standard, commenting on the mining of Norwegian territorial waters. “Britain requires only that the technicalities of the law should not provide a case for bestial depreda- ! tion.” Under the heading, “The Lion Awakes,” the Evening News says: “The decision is a bold but necessary step. No doubt there will be frenzied baffled rage in Berlin, and hands [ stained with blood and treachery will ! be lifted in gestures of sanctimonious horror. “But the nations of the world will see the British lion awakened at last and with a welcome roar. Today they will know that we have the strength and will to use our overwhelming sea-power for the restoration of order and reason in Europe.” The Star says: “For us it is the inevitable action. For Germany it is the writing on the wall.” As ample supplies of pork are available in Britain it will be excluded from rationing from to-mor-row until further notice.