U-BOAT CAMPAIGN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 October 1939, Page 7

U-BOAT CAMPAIGN

MARKED BY GROWING LAWLESSNESS BRITISH PREMIER’S SURVEY VICTIMS SET ADRIFT IN STORMY SEAS. DEPLORABLE LOSS OF LIFE. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, October 26. I n I lie course of his weekly war review in (lie House of Commons, Mr Chamberlain said that Hie l.'-boals had been driven to operate further and further from I heir bases and from the points where trade was bound to converge. The destruction of enemy submarines was proceeding al a sufficiently high rate to encourage the belief that the I'-boat menace would eventually be overcome. Members would have seen that during the last few days the sinking of five British ships had been announced. One of these ships, the Stonegate, was sunk by the German raider Deutschland some time ago, but the information of this loss had only just been received. Together, these ships aggregated 22.715 tons. On the other hand, a number of enemj' ships had been arrested and brought in by blockading squadrons of the Royal Navy. These ships were the Phoebus (8563 tons), the Gloria (5986 tons), the Biania (1375 tons), the Poseidon (5864 tons), and the Biscaya 6369 tons), totalling 28,367 tons. In addition to these, the Gonzeinheim (4564 tons) was intercepted and scuttled herself to avoid capture. There had been, therefore —subject to decision by a prize court—a loss to the enemy of some 33,000 tons, and a net gain to Britain of nearly 6000 tons. A feature of the U-boat campaign to which Mr Chamberlain said he must call attention was its growing lawlessness. It seemed now to have become the rule for merchant ships to be sunk without warning. Frequently passengers and crews had' been turned adrift in small open boats in stormy seas to suffer from cold and exposure. In the case of the Yorkshire there was a deplorable loss of life among the wives and children of soldiers returning home from the East. Another instance was the sinking of the French ship Bretagne, carrying a large number of women and children. This ship was torpedoed without warning and sunk miles from land by gunfire. Fourteen of those on board were missing. FOUND ON GOODWINS SHATTERED WRECK OF GERMAN SUBMARINE. LONDON, October 27. The Admiralty announce that the shattered wreck of a German U-boat has been found on the Goodwin Sands. It is understood that no survivors have been found. There is no explanation as to how the submarine came aground. Salvage vessels and divers are now working on it. BODIES TAKEN TO DOVER LONDON. October 27. It is announced that between 50 and 60 bodies were landed fit Dover from the wreck of the U-boat found on the Goodwin Sands. b