IN SWEDISH WATERS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 113, 11 April 1940, Page 7

IN SWEDISH WATERS

GERMANS LOSE HEAVILY FOUR CRUISERS SUNK (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received April 11, 9.15 a.m. STOCKHOLM, April 10. The radio states that a great sea battle is raging outside Swedish waters near Marstrand (an island oft' the west coast of Sweden in the Kattegat). British warships are reported to have dispersed a large fleet of German transports and it also announced that two German transports had been sunk off Paternoster Rock Island, off Gothenburg. The German High Command in a communique says that the cruiser Karlsruhe was seriously damaged covering the landing of Christiansand (on the southern coast) and later sank. The new cruiser Blucher was heavily damaged outside Oslo when endeavouring to silence the shore battery of Ilin guns and subsequently struck several mines and was also lost. Most members of the crews of both warships were saved. The communique adds that the naval operations off Norway are continuing. WATCHERS SEE WARSHIPS SINK. There is every indication that behind the news from Scandinavia lies the story of a great naval battle in the Skagerrak, raging since G a.m. to-day. Watchers on the Swedish coast saw two large warships which they could not identify sinking. It is also reported that two German transports and one destroyer have been sunk.

Swarms of ’planes participated in the battle, in which, it is believed, at least ten German warships were involved.