WARSHIP SINKINGS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 142, 16 May 1940, Page 9

WARSHIP SINKINGS.

BASELESS NAZI REPORTS.

Received May 16, 10.30 a.m. LONDON, May 15. An official Admiralty communique states: “Germany continues to pursue the technique of making large and entirely groundless claims of British losses at sea. Germany has claimed that yesterday off the Dutch coast two cruisers and one destroyer were sunk, one cruiser and one 25,000-ton steamer wore set on fire by bombs and an 8000-ton steamer was severely damaged by bombs. “Since the German invasion of the Low Countries, Germany has claimed .that four cruisers and two destroyers have been sunk and two cruisers heavily damaged in Dutch waters. Claims to have sunk and seriously damaged other naval units of the British Fleet in Norwegian waters have also been made. “In fact, no British warship has been sunk, set on fire or seriouslj damaged since the German invasion of the Low Countries, with the exception of the British submarine Seal. This loss was announced by the Admiralty on May 12 in accordance with the declared policy of announcing all losses. “The claims of loss or serious damage by air attack to transports and merchant ships are equally untrue. No mishap has befallen any British transport or supply shiji during the Netherlands campaign. Tl/j German claim to have set a 25,000-ton ship on fire may have had its origin in published reports that the fires in Rotterdam had spread to the Dutch liner Statendam (28,291 tons), which was lying alongside the quay. Nothing is known 1 of any damage to an 8000-ton ship.’ The Admiralty later announced that the destroyer Valentine lias been damaged in an air attack off Holland She was subsequently beached. The casualties are believed to be slight. The Berlin radio, discussing Britain’s vulnerability to air bombing, stated: “German ’planes not only are already within reach of Harwich (Essex), but also have bases for a direct attack against the whole of England, especially the south-eastern coast. The untoueliability of Britain has ended in this period oi modern aerial warfare.”