ROYAL OAK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 October 1939, Page 5

ROYAL OAK

SUNK AT SCAPA FLOW WHILE LYING AT ANCHOR. SUBMARINE PENETRATES DEFENCES. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright LONDON, October 17. It is revealed that the battleship Royal Oak was anchored in Scapa Flow when she was torpedoed and sunk. REMARKABLE EXPLOIT PENETRATION OF SCAPA DEFENCES. STATEMENT BY FIRST LORD. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) RUGBY, October 17. The First Lord of the Admiralty, (Mr Winston Churchill), in the House of Commons, said “The Royal Oak was sunk at anchor by a Üboat at Scapa Flow, at about 1.30 a.m. on Saturday. It is still a matter of conjecture how the U-boat . penetrated the harbour defences. When we consider that during the whole of the last war this anchorage was found to be immune from such attacks, on account of the obstacles imposed by currents and net barrages this entry by the Üboat must be considered a remarkable exploit of professional skill and daring.” A board of inquiry is now sitting at Scala Flow. Probably the U-Boat fired a salvo of torpedoes at the Royal Oak, of which only one hit her bow. Twenty minutes later the U-boat fired three or four torpedoes and these, striking in quick succession, caused the ship to capsize and sink. After informing the House, with deep regret, that, upwards of 800 officers and men had been lost. Mr Churchill said the Admiralty had immediately announced the loss of this fine ship, but 1 added: “Serious as this loss is, it does not affect our margin of security in heavy vessels, which remains ample.” DESTRUCTION OF SUBMARINES. Mr Churchill disclosed that in the six weeks since the war began it was estimated that 13 U-boats had been sunk, five since the war began it was estimated that 13 . U-boats had been sunk, five seriously damaged, and possibly sunk and several others damaged. During the last week,.seven U-boats had been sunk. Nothing like this rate of destruction was attained during the last war, and these figures probably were an understatement. It was believed that out of about 60 U-boats ready for I action at the beginning of the war, about one-third had already been sunk or seriously damaged, and of the largest and latest ocean-going type at least one-fifth. On the other hand, of the British mercantile marine, the total loss by U-boat mines or accidents was 174,000 tons. Lord Chatfield said in the House of Lord that there was no reason to suppose that the submarine which sank the Royal Oak had been destroyed.