U-BOAT CRUELTY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20054, 28 September 1939, Page 5

U-BOAT CRUELTY

SOME EXCEPTIONS CAPTURE OF CAPTAIN ME. CHURCHILL'S ACCOUNT CONTROL OF CONTRABAND (British Official Wireless.) Reed, 10 a.m RUGBY, Sept. 27. The First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. Winston Churchill, prefaced his account in the House of Commons of the many cruel and ruthless acts of the U-boat campaign by a word in recognition of those U-boat commanders who. had tried to behave with humanity.

Some had given good warning and some had endeavoured to help the crews to find their way to port, and he recounted the story of one U-boat captain who “signalled me personally the position of a British ship which he had just sunk and urged that rescue should be sent. I was in doubt at the time,” the First Lord observed, "as to the address to which I should direct my answer,” adding, after a slight pause, amidst laughter, "however, he is now in our hands—and is being treated with all consideration." No Neutral Ships Put In Danger In contrast to the hard and bitter U-boat warfare, Mr. Churchill was able to tell the House that "in all the far-reaching control which we are exercising upon contraband, no neutral ship has ever been put in danger and no law recognised amongst civilised nations has ever been contravened. Even when German ships have deliberately sunk themselves to avoid the formalities of the Prize Court we have so far succeeded in rescuing their crews.” An interesting detail contained in Mr. Churchill’s statement was the fact that against 60,000 tons of oil lost by submarine action in the first fortnight of the war must be put 50,000 tons seized in transit to Germany, apart from the enormous additional stores brought to the British Isles without mishap. Referring to the loss of 11.M.5. Courageous, Mr. Churchill said that four destroyers were escorting her, but. two went off to hunt a submarine in the evening.

He also pointed out that over 2.000,000 tons of German shipping was sheltering an German neutral harbours.