NORTH SEA BATTLE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20055, 29 September 1939, Page 7

NORTH SEA BATTLE

GERMAN CLAIMS DENIED NO WARSHIPS DAMAGED (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 11 a.m. . RUGBY, Sept. 28. Further details are now available relating to the incident in the North Sea to which the First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. Winstoij Churchill, referred in the House of Commons yesterday. It appears that the British ships were proceeding on their normal occasions when they were attacked by German aircraft. The weather was fine, but there were some clouds, and these were used by the German bombers to dive from and attack the large ships. The cruisers were attacked by very high-flying machines.

The whole action had the results already stated. There were no British losses of men and no damage to the ships, while one German aeroplane was shot down, one badly damaged, and one made a forced landing and was captured with the crew.

A German communique issued about the North Sea attack states that an 11001 b. bomb scored a direct hit on a British aircraft carrier and that two 5501 b. bombs struck forward of midships of a battleship. “It is easy .to imagine what the consequences must have been,” adds the communique, which reasserts that all tile German planes returned safely.

A communique issued by the Ministry of Information on Mr. Churchill’s statement says it is literally and absolutely correct. There is no truth whatever in the German counterstatement.

The German High Command states that an air squadron attacked a British cruiser off the Isle of May. in the Firth of Forth.

The Berlin radio repeats the claim that German bombs hit an aircraft carrier and asks: “Where is the Ark Roval?”

It is stated in London that the Ark Royal “is safe and sound at her allotted station.”