NAZI PROPAGANDA

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20070, 17 October 1939, Page 7

NAZI PROPAGANDA

BRITISH “LOSSES” DENIAL BY ADMIRALTY FACTS MADE PUBLIC RUMOURS TO BE IGNORED MANY CLAIMS RIDICULED (Klci'. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. Noon. RUGBY. Oct. IC. It is authoritatively stated that the British Admiralty has no intention of denying all the mendacious reports of British naval losses circulated in the German press and over the wireless. The loss of H.M.S. Courageous and H.M.S. Royal Oak have duly been made public. Not content with this, the Germans have repeatedly announced the loss of the aircraft carrier, Ark Royal, and have now “definite proof” that she lias been replaced by the Glorious. These tales are entirely without foundation, as are stories that the battlecruiser Hood, was recently damaged and will take six or eight months to repair, that a heavy cruiser was damaged by aircraft off May Island, and that 10 hits from aircraft bombs were registered upon British naval units in an engagement last week off the coast of Norway. Over 100 Bombs Miss * On this last occasion, German aircraft dropped more than 100 bombs in a series of attacks lasting for nearly eight hours, and did not obtain a single hit. A few spent splinters fell on board one cruiser, that is all. The latest report is that the battlecruiser Repulse, is damaged and unfit for action. This also is untrue. Unless it is for the purpose of misleading neutrals or heartening their own people by exaggerating the success of German arms, it is difficult to see the reason for these lying statements as to British “losses” which have not taken place. Of course, Herr Hitler himself has said in “Mein Kampf” that, provided one lies hard enough and often enough, someone may eventually believe the wildest misstatement. The Admiralty has ynade it clear that it has no intention of denying every rumour or every lie circulated in the German press, or by wireless which may assist the enemy to discover facts that might be useful to them. Thus the Admiralty announces that it has no comment to make on the claim made by the German wireless to-day that the U-boat which sank the Royal Oak attacked the battlecruiser" Repulse, and torpedoed her. Naval circles in London ridicule this claim as another typical example of German propaganda.