LIES EXPOSED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20127, 22 December 1939, Page 7

LIES EXPOSED

GERMAN PROPAGANDA FISHING CRAFT BOMBED CREWS MACHINE-GUNNED ADMIRALTY’S STATEMENT (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 9 a.m. RUGBY, Dec. 20. A communique issued by the German High Command stated: “The German Air Force carried out reconnaissance flights and attacks against naval objectives in the North Sea under the most difficult conditions. It has been ascertained so far that four ships of the British light naval force have been destroyed, besides 23 ships of British outpost units, among others the Pearl, Serenity, New Choice, Ilkway, Evelyn, Sedgefly and Trinity.” The British Admiralty, in a press notice, gives the actual facts regarding these vessels. Pearl—A fishing trawler, was attacked on December 17 by l aircraft. Three of the crew were injured. Serenity.—A coasting steamer, unarmed, was machine-gunned from the air and sunk by bombs on December 17. New Choice—A fishing trawler, was attacked by aircraft without suffering damage or casualties, on December 18. INo such vessel as the Ilkway exists. The fishing trawlers Evelyn and Sedgefly were overdue some time ago and are presumed to have been lost. Trinity—A fishing trawler, was sunk by aircraft on December 18. In the last three days 35 vessels, of which two were neutrals, have been attacked by German aircraft. Only three of the vessels attacked were coasting vessels, and six fishing trawlers were sunk. The Admiralty statement thus exposes the misrepresentations by the German propagandists, who disguise attacks against neutral and unarmed vessels, which the Admiralty statement characterises as marked by “senseless inhumanity.”