The Waikato Times SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1942 DARING DASH THROUGH CHANNEL

Waikato Times, Volume 130, Issue 21654, 14 February 1942, Page 6

The Waikato Times SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1942 DARING DASH THROUGH CHANNEL

As far as is known, the three German warships, Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen, have succeeded in making good their escape from their long imprisonment at Brest, although they probably did not go unscathed. The break out of the harbour and the bold dash through the Channel came as a complete surprise to most people. It was known that for many months the three ships had been subjected to periodical bombing by British aircraft, and there was a very natural assumption that all three would have been so severely damaged that a perilous adventure into the open sea would have been out of the question. Whether the British naval and air authorities were of the same opinion, or whether on that account vigilance was temporarily relaxed, is not known, but it appears as though the ships were well at sea before their escape became known. Of course it was impossible, or at least undesirable, that Britain should constantly maintain off the harbour of Brest a sufficient naval force to take care of the three powerful German ships. The Navy has multitudinous tasks to perform in a hundred other spheres, and consequently the presence of the German ships at Brest was becoming a source of continuing anxiety. For that reason bombing aircraft were frequently sent to hammer them in the hope that the incubus would be removed for all time. It seems almost incomprehensible that the vessels, heavily armoured though they may be, could survive the weight of explosive reported to have dropped on and around them. The cost of the bombing has undoubtedly been great, and it is extremely disappointing that after all the enemy should have escaped. The escape was boldly conceived and boldly carried out in the face of what must have been at best a very great risk. Possibly the Germans had knowledge of the disposition of the heavy units of the British Fleet. Mustering a strong air and naval escort, they decided to take the risk of being able to use the ships in active warfare or having them sent to the bottom of the sea. For months they had been nothing but a liability as they lay in the harbour of Brest. Hitler had failed to gain the use of the French fleet, and as at the moment he badly needs warships to exploit certain advantages he has secured, he decided to play this bold card. He probably thought the loss of a large number of aircraft worth the release of the three warships. That the British Navy and Air Force pressed home the attack with the greatest vigour is indicated by the fact that more than forty British aircraft were lost, while the enemy lost at least 18. It is possible that further damage to the enemy will yet be announced when the full story of the action is told. If the two German battleships and the heavy cruiser are still safe and in serviceable condition they will create further problems for the British Navy. The presence of three such powerful ships in a new area may upset the previous balance and require the reshuffling of a considerable portion of the fleet. The German ships seem to have a charmed life. Their experience in the Channel has contributed little to the controversy of aircraft versus warships.