GERMAN PRIZE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 211, 11 September 1940, Page 3

GERMAN PRIZE

INTERCEPTED BY BRITISH SUBMARINE NAZIS SCUTTLE SHIP RUGBY, September 6. An Admiratty communique states: A British submarine rescued the captain an'd crew of a British merchant ship who were being taken under guard. t.o Germany for internment. His Majesty's submarine, -Truant, , was on patrol off Cape Finmerre, where a strange ship was sighted* The submarine came to the surface and closed to investigate, ordering the ship to hove-to. The ship proved to be the Norwegian vessel, Tropic Sea, 5781 tons, which, had been captured by an enemy raider some time previously. After having been kept in company with the raider for some days, she was being sailed for Germany with a German prize crew in charge. She had on board the captain and crew of 23 of the British ship, Haxby, of. 5207 tons, which had been sunk by an enemy raider, and her own Norwegian crew, and had a cargo of wheat. When the Truant ordered the Tropic Sea to hove-to, the ship was scuttled by die German prize crew by means of explosive charges which had been kept ready in position. The German prize crew and the British and Norwegian prisoners took to the boats. Trie Truant took on board the 24 British seamen and the Norwegian captain of the Tropic Sea and his wife. . Being unable to accommodate any more survivors the submarine left the remainder of the Norwegian crew and the German prize crew -in the boats. These were not then overcrowded, and the sea was flat and calm. The Truant, moreover, reported that these men were being left in the boats, and one boatload of Norwegians has been brought to England. Having regard to the weather conditions, probably the other boats will reach land.