MERCHANT CRUISER FIGHTS TO LAST

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 43, 14 November 1940, Page 9

MERCHANT CRUISER FIGHTS TO LAST

Faces German Warship To Save Convoy ALL BUT NINE OF 38 SHIPS ESCAPE (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copy right.) (Received November 13, 9.20 p.m.) LONDON. November 12. A British armed merchant cruiser fought a two-liour battle m the North Atlantic on November 5 with a German warship, and saved a British convov she was protecting from complete destruction. Ihc merchant cruiser was HALS. Jervis Bay, of 14.000 tons, in peacetime well known on the England-Australia route. Particulars of the Jervis Bay's gallant light are revealed m an Admiralty communique, which says that a British convoy of 38 ships was attacked in the North Atlantic by a German surface raider on the night of November 5. The German High Command announced that the convoy had been destroyed, but it is now stated that all but nine of the ships escaped, and some of those still missing may be safe.

The Admiralty says that because of the high degree of efficiency of the masters of the merchant vessels in circling and making use of smoke screens, and because of the very gallant action of the armed merchant cruiser 11.M.5. Jervis Bay, commanded by Acting-Captain E. S. F. Fegen, R.N., nearly three-quarters of the convoy escaped. Full details of the encounter are not yet available, but it is known that the Jervis Bay made for the enemy and engaged her with greatly inferior armament, and thus enabled the majority of the ships in the convoy to make good their escape. The Jervis Bay continued to engage the enemy after being hit and burning fiercely. Within two hours of the beginning of the engagement there was an explosion on board the Jervis Bay, and it is regretted that the ship must be considered lost. Sixty-five of the Jervis Bay's crew are on board another merchant ship. The gallant action of the Jervis Bay recalls the action of the Rawalpindi, another armed merchant cruiser, which fought with and was sunk by the pocket-battleship Deutschland early in the war. Ships Which Are Safe. The following 24 ships have arrived in port: Rangitiki, Erodona (tanker), Andalusia, Cornish City, Empire Penguin, James J. Maguire (tanker), Danae, Castilian, Briarwood, Varoy Athelteniplar (tanker), Lancaster Castle. Dauybryn, Athelempress (tanker), Oil Reliance (tanker), Solfoun (tanker), Hjalmar Wessel, Emile Franequi, I’ersier, Delhi. Anna Bulgaris, Delphinula (tanker), Cordelia (tanker) and Pacific Enterprise. One British master suggested that the raider was (either the pocket-battle-ship Deutschland or the Admiral Scheer. Another thought it a 6000tonner of the Nurnburg class. Whatever she was. her armament was greatly superior to the Jervis Bay’s. One'of the British masters said that the raider was sighted just before nightfall, and opened fire on the larger vessels of the convoy. The shooting was accurate and regular, and often live shells fell in one lot. The raider was then about eight miles off. He estimated the shells to be from 11incli guns. Everything, lie said, was in the raider’s favour—there was clear weather and a calm sea. As soon us the enemy ship was spotted, orders were given for the convoy to scatter, and the Jervis Bay went for the raider with guns blazing. The Jervis Bay was badly damaged from the first few shots from the raider, but continued to tire, and, though out-gunned, kept the warship at bay while ships of the convoy made off. Firing While Decks Awash.

“The Jervis Bay quickly caught fire. We saw she was in a sinking condition, but though her decks were awash, her guns still roared.” Those on board tlie Jervis Bay, said this master, must have known what their fate would be, but they went on tiring their guns as long as they could. The German ship had an overwhelming mass of guns, but tlie fight continued till the end, when the gallant British ship went up in a mass of flames. "As we scurried off to safety through the darkening night we heard more guns and presumed the raider was attacking other ships. We owe our lives to the gallant men in the Jervis Bay.” LONDON, November 13.

Survivors from the Jervis Bay have arrived at a Canadian port. They were landed by a merchant ship from the convoy which was attacked. The captain of the rescue ship said the Jervis Bay’s action was glorious, mid he risked going back to rescue the survivors. Tlie first salvo from the raider was aimed at the Rangitiki. While she was still tiring at long range tlie Jervis Bay swung away to close witli her.

The Jervis Bay’s master, Captain Fegmi. had one arm badly shattered, and later part of the bridge was shot away. Long after the ship was ablaze and starting to list her guns were still crashing. An explosion shattered her and she sank rapidly. The survivors took to the one remaining lifeboat mid a raft.