FOUL TACTICS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 December 1939, Page 7

FOUL TACTICS

4 SHIPS SUNK BY NAZIS IN NEUTRAL WATERS ADMIRALTY CONSIDERING REPRISALS. TWO TANKERS DESTROYED BY MINES. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, December 16. At least three ships were sunk by submarines last week while in Norwegian territorial waters. This new phase of German warfare is viewed very seriously by the Admiralty, which will possibly adopt reprisals unless such sinkings are discontinued. Survivors of the tankers Atheltemplar (8939 tons) and Inverlane (9141 tons), were landed at a north-east port. Both ships were mined within half an hour. The Atheltemplar was beached by a tug. Two of the crew were lost. The other 38 escaped in boats and were picked up by a trawler. The Inverlane caught fire. The ship's London managers state that, three of the crew of 40 are missing. The survivors were landed at an east coast port. Two Norwegian steamers, the Rogne (3000 tons), and the H. C. Flood (1907 tons), were mined and sunk in the North Sea. Ten of the crew are missing and 30 were landed. The captain of the Rogne stated that six of those missing from his ship were trapped below. An American message states that the Ursus (1499 tons) was sunk in the North Sea by an explosion. Nine men are missing and two were injured. The Brinda rescued the survivors. The Dutch steamer Pennlant wirelessed that she picked up the entire crew of the Greek steamer Germaine <5217 tons) from small boats in the Atlantic. It is understood that the Germaine sank after the Pennlant’s arrival. The Belgian freighter Rosa (1146 tons) was mined and sunk on the north-east coast. One member of the crew was killed and 14 were landed, two suffering from injuries.

GERMAN SHIP TAKEN

ANOTHER SCUTTLED BY CREW. LONDON, December 16. A Santiago report says it is officially stated that a British cruiser captured the German steamer Dusseldorf (4930 tons), which was reported to have sailed from Valparaiso during the preoccupation of British warships as a result of the naval engagement in the South Atlantic. The Dusseldorf carried foodstuffs and 700 lons of oil. It is also reported that the German merchantman Teneriffe (2436 tons) was intercepted by the Navy but scuttled herself. There are no details.