BRITISH SHIP

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20106, 28 November 1939, Page 7

BRITISH SHIP

U-BOAT CAUGHT CHARGES DROPPED TOLL CONTINUES MINES AND TORPEDOES WEEK’S 1 1 VICTIMS (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 11.30 a.m. RUGBY. Nov. 27. Survivors of the British steamer Pensilva, of 4258 tons, Which was sunk in the Atlantic on November 19, believe that the U-boat which torpedoed the ship was finished with depth charges by destroyers. A warning shot was put across the Pensilva’s bows, stated two Maltese able-bodied seamen, who landed at CardifT. The ship stopped and the crew took to the lifeboats. Then she was torpedoed. Just after that destroyers arrived and avenged her. The merchant vessel's crew were taken on board the warships. The Holland-Amerika liner Spaarndam struck a mine in the Thames estuary arid sank. A Kentish lifeboat found her badly damaged and sinking. Elderly Woman Passenger

| Four members of the crew and an elderly woman passenger lost their | lives, three being drowned and two killed by the explosion of the mine. Forty-one other members of the crew were taken aboard the pilot cutter. The loss occurred at 10 a.m. while the vessel was en route to Rotterdam. The bows were torn open as far as the upper deck and the forehatch was blown off. An S.O.S. was sent out and the crew took to the boats. Later they were picked up by the pilot cutter.

The sinking of the Royston Grange in the Atlantic without loss of life, announced to-day, brings the total British losses by mines, torpedoes and gunfire for the week ended on Saturday to 11 ships totalling 25,787 tons. The Royston Grange was torpedoed Swedish Oil Tanker It is explained that the Swedish oil tanker Gustaf E. Reuter, which was reported yesterday to have been sunk while en route to Curacao in ballast, was mined off the Scottish coast. Anxiety is felt regarding the 13 members of the crew of the Fleetwood trawler William Humphries, who took to the boats on November 21 when a German submarine sank the trawler Sul'by, five members of whose crew are missing. Seven members of the crew of the Sulby, who escaped in a lifeboat, saw the William Humphries under shellfire, and before landing saw a lifeboat containing 13 men who may have been her crew, but the latter did not hear their hail and have not since been reported.