AIR DOMINATION OF NORTH SEA DENIED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20068, 14 October 1939, Page 5

AIR DOMINATION OF NORTH SEA DENIED

EFFORT TO BOLSTER FAILING MORALE LURE FOR PERILOUS NAVAL SALLIES (Bloc. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. .12 noon. RUGBY, (let. 13. British naval advices give the lie to German claims that Germany dominates by air the North Sea in which the convoys are running like clockwork and the fishing fleets are operating normally. It is believed that the claims are a deliberate attempt to firstly stay up the German, morale, secondly to impress neutrals with the might, ot the German air arm and thirdly, to hire the Royal Navy to make dangerous sallies. It is now learned that the recent North Sea action lasted for eight hours. The German bombers came in relays, but they failed to score a single hit. Their casualties are not known, but it is believed that at least six were brought down. Despi'e the persistent' claims of the Germans that they hit an aircraft carrier it can be definitely stated that, no Avai-ship lias been touched by air attacks since the outbreak of the war. No Enemy Submarine seen in Pacific It can also be stated that there is no confirmation of reports that an enemy submarine was sighted in the Pacific. It is learned that all German merchantmen were ordered before the war to scuttle their ships if any danger of capture arose. A high authority has revealed that three Polish destroyers, namely the Blyskawica, Grom and Burza have been cooperating with the Royal Navy since the outbreak of the war in the English Channel. The patrols are doing extraordinarily good work and the fighting spirit of the personnel is of the highest. German naval officers, broadcasting from Kiel, stated that 1 German destroyers were now carrying out raids in the North Sea in place, of submarines. So far three raiding expeditions had, been made against contraband commerce. 1