ATLANTIC HUNT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20114, 7 December 1939, Page 5

ATLANTIC HUNT

GERMAN RAIDERS J NAVAL NET TIGHTENS j WIDE SWEEP OF SEARCH FATE OF AFRICA SHELL CHIEF OFFICER’S STORY (I'.lee. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed, Dec. 7, Noon.) LONDON, Dec. 5. Swift, heavily-armed British naval patrols are strung out from the Arctic Seas across the Atlantic to the fringe of southern Polar waters and eastward to the Indian Ocean, drawing the j net closer round the German raiders, who are getting hard pressed for overhaul and adequate refuelling facilities, and face the severity of tire advancing winter. The Dominion navies are assisting in sweeping the seas from the African coast to the Pacific. A summary of the latest report confirms that the Deutschland has lately been operating in northern seas, while the Admiral Scheer has been active in the Eastern Atlantic, in the vicinity of the “deep water route” to Australia. It is unlikely that the raiders have materially changed the zone of their operations in the past few days, owing to the importance of conserving fuel and the necessity for making wide sweeps from normal waters to avoid the British hunters. Secrecy Orders The Durban correspondent of . The Times says- that officers of the British tanker Africa Shell are under the strictest orders not to disclose the identity of the raiders or the waters in which the sinking of the vessel occurred. The chief officer, Mr. Frank Masefield, detailing the attack, said: “The raiders appeared with surprising speed, fired a warning shot from three miles distant, swung broadside on and lowered a boat half a mile away. The boarding party wore lifebelts and were a nondescript crowd, clad in white and blue oilskins and boiler suits. There were no names on their caps. The officer spoke perfect English and ordered us to the boats. Bombs Placed on Ship “The Germans placed bombs in the ship and departed at 12.30 p.m. The foredeck blew up at 12.40 p.m., and the engine-room at 12.55 p.m. The funnel was blown in the air. There was wreckage everywhere. “Our two boats were beached and we encamped near native fires. A mail plane flying over dropped a message attached to a spanner, but it dropped into the sea. We swam out but could not find it. Then we walked 25 miles to Zavora Point lighthouse and got a rescue party.” According to a message from Amsterdam, the newspaper Telegraaf announces that the Admiral Scheer stopped the Mapia south of Madagacar on November 16, but allowed her to proceed.