OFFICIAL DETAILS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 October 1939, Page 5

OFFICIAL DETAILS

STATEMENT BY BRITISH PREMIER NAVAL CASUALTIES IN, FIRTH OF FORTH. DESTRUCTION OF ENEMY PLANES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) RUGBY, October 17. The Prime Minister (Mr Chamberlain) describing the Scapa Flow raid this morning, by about four machines said two bombs fell very near the Iron Duke, which sustained certain damage but there were no casualties. It is recalled that the Iron Duke is an old battleship, demilitarised and with her armour removed, which is being used as a depot and training ship. One aircraft was -shot down in flames while another was probably damaged. In an account of yesterday’s Firth of Forth raids Mr Chamberlain' said twelve or possibly more German air • craft, in waves of. two or three at a time, came over. Two civilians were slightly injured and damage to civilian property was negligible. The naval casualties on the cruisers Southampton and Edinburgh, which’ suffered slight damage, but were ready for sea, and on the destroyer Mohawk, the damage- to which was superficial, numbered three officers and thirteen ratings, killed or died of wounds, two officers and thirty-one ratings slightly injured, and eleven ratings seriously injured. The enemy was at once engaged by fighters and the Air Force. Four enemy bombers were brought down, one by gunfire. Also a number of other enemy aircraft were heavily damaged and may not have been able to reach home