SEA RAIDING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 November 1938, Page 5

SEA RAIDING

ATTACK ON CANTABRIA

REBEL SHIP USES FIVE GUNS. CAPTAIN OF MERCHANTMAN TELLS HIS STORY. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. LONDON. November 3. Captain Ardulles, of the Cantabria, which was shelled off the coast of Norfolk, in an interview, said: "Passing into the North Sea we noticed that we were being followed by what appeared to be an armed trawler. We kept on our course but, without warning, the trawler opened a terrific bombardment. There were 45 persons aboard the Cantabria, including eight of my family and relatives. “Shells holed the hull and the ship began to list. We continued to send cut SOS calls. The attacker had five guns, all of which were firing. A passing vessel later' took off some members of the crew. A member of the Cromer lifeboat crew said: “The attacker : ’earned off as we came up. We wen' lose but the crew yelled that it was-.u Fascist ship and warned us not to approa'ch.” The Cantabria was operated by the Mid-Atlantic Shipping Company, London, and was formerly named Alfonzo Perez. There were none killed, but several were wounded. The Cantabria is sinking. The remainder of the crew of the Cantabria are believed to be aboard the Spanish vessel Nadir, which disappeared in the darkness after refusing to answer Morse signals. Mr C. L. Burbridge, director of the mid-Atlantic Shipping Company, owners of the Cantabria, said that the whole thing was criminal. The Cantabria was unarmed and engaged in perfectly normal trade between the Baltic ports and England. She was cn route to Immingham to bunker before going to Leningrad to load timber.

STATUS OF VICTIM

BOARD OF TRADE RULING. ATTEMPT MADE TO HEAD OFF RESCUER. (Independent Cable Service.) (Received This Day 9.35 a.m.) LONDON, November 4. The Board of Trade officially states ihat the Cantabria is not a British ship in terms of international law.

The skipper of the Pattersonian stated that he first sighted the Cantabria and the Nadir about three hundred yards apart and the afterpart of the Cantabria was enveloped in steam. A boat was lowered a'nd he headed the Pattersonian for the boat. As he did so, the Nadir reversed. “I had to reverse quickly in order to avoid e collision,” he added. “I feel certain that it was a deliberate attempt to bead me off. We went forward again and picked up the mtn, who were terrified that they would be sent to <he Nadir.”

RAIDER PHOTOGRAPHED. ;

SHIP OF RAKISH DESIGN.

(Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) LONDON, November 3.

The Nadir was photographed from a plane, steaming at full speed down the English Channel. An illustration in the evening papers reveals her great speed, with a big bow -wave, end rakish merchantman design, similar to that of the Awatea. Although the picture was taken close up. her guns are invisible. A sailor on the Cantabria declared that German sailors were aboard.