NAVAL BATTLE

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21244, 15 October 1940, Page 5

NAVAL BATTLE

ADMISSION BY ITALY TORPEDO=BOATS SUNK BRITISH CRUISER LOST (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Oct. 15, 1 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 14 The Rome radio supplementing official details of the Mediterranean battle on October 13 says: A flotilla of three Italian torpedoboats in the Sicily Channel discovered a British naval squadron. The flotilla leader ordered “Full steam ahead” and attacked a British cruiser with three torpedoes at a distance of about a quarter of a mile, and also fired several gun-shots. Our torpedo-boats had to suffer under a heavy pounding from a cruiser and the flotilla leader was heavily struck and sank with the commander on deck reporting by wireless to the base: “It is sinking.”

A second torpedo-boat also sank after being struck by several gunshots. A fire broke out aboard one of our destroyers, which came to the aid of the torpedo-boats. The destroyer was taken in tow, but proved unable to proceed and consequently was blown up by its own crew, who took to the boats. They saw a British cruiser sink. AMERICAN DESTROYERS ANOTHER GROUP IN BRITAIN NO NAZI PLANES SIGHTED NAVAL OFFICERS STORY (United. Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Oct. 15, 11.45 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 14 Another group of American destroyers recently arrived at a British port. The captain of one ship said they had a good trip. There wiere no incidents and no German planes were sighted. A naval officer who saw the American destroyers delivered to the British Navy at an Eastern Canadian port, said he travelled back to England in one of them. He described it as an unforgettable experience, remarking that the cooperational helpfulness of their American friends was wonderful. He said: “The ships were sailed to Canada by their American crews. The American guns, torpedoes, depth charges, anti-submarine equipment, engines and boilers differ slightly from ours, so a day was spent with the American officers and men explaining details to their British opposite .. numbers. The destroyers, which 'have been refitted throughout, are scrupulously clean and in applepie order. Full outfits, ammunition and other warlike equipment were left on board, together with stores of all kinds. Complete Outfit “Everything was left—rope, paint, mess traps, silver, china, linen, towels, sheets, blankets and pillows. Instruments were also provided—sextant, chronometer, watch, highpowered binoculars for use by officers and look-outs, parallel rulers for navigational purposes, typewriter paper, envelopes, patent pencil sharpeners, pencils, everything and anything one can imagine, even to an electric coffee machine in the ward--1 room and a refrigerator and icewater faucet on the deck.” The naval officer added: “Admittedly as destroyers go they are old ships, but between 40 and 50 British destroyers of an equal age have done yeoman service since the war started. Destroyers have borne a heavy burden since the outbreak of hostilities. Their losses, 32 to date, have not been slight. Coming, as it does, at a critical time, this reinforcement from America of 50 fast and well-arined vessels will be a most welcome accession to our already hard-worked flotillas, for which we are duly grateful.”