RUTHLESS ATTACKS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 January 1940, Page 5

RUTHLESS ATTACKS

ON UNARMED AND HELPLESS SHIPS SHAMEFUL WORK BY NAZI AIRMEN. ATTEMPTS TO CLOAK CRIMES WITH LIES. RUGBY, January 10. Reports of attacks by Nazi aircraft upon unarmed fishing boats and similar vessels and the descriptions given by survivors have given rise to comment, that the German air force during the last few days has prosecuted vigorously a form of warfare, which makes greater demands upon the conscience than upon the courage of the attackers. These unarmed merchant ships have been ruthlessly attacked. Without discrimination enemy aircraft have swept down upon isolated cargo boats, or upon fishing vessels with trawls down, incapable either of defending themselves or of avoiding attacks. Decks have been swept by machine-gun fire and superstructures shattered by bombs. These ships have no means of defending themselves, and only in some cases can summon help in SOS, which cannot be answered till after the enemy has retreated into the mist, from which they came.

Itis hard to believe that such methods of warfare can be anything but repugnant to the officers and men who are ordered to carry them out. Insistence on the presence of “armed patrol craft,” which is so often a feature of German High Command communiques would suggest an unconvincing attempt to impart a military flavour to an operation which resembles the calculated cowardice of the gunman rather than the chivalry and courage which has always been characteristic of the air forces of the world, however desperately they may be engaged with one another.

“NEW FEAT OF ARMS” BERLIN, January 10. The German Press hails attacks on ships as a new feat of arms. It recounts six attacks on the Anglo-Scot-tish coast and the sinking of 15,000 tons. It declares that in all cases the ships opened fire first, thus proving that the whole British merchant service have become pirates. ANGER IN DENMARK STRONG PROTEST TO BE MADE TO BERLIN. FULL COMPENSATION DEMANDED COPENHAGEN, January 10. Denmark is indignant over attacks on two of her merchantmen, Feddy and Invakondrup, and will protest to Berlin very strongly. Newspapers emphasise that both ships clearly displayed the Danish flag, illuminated by a searchlight. Denmark will demand full compensation for damage and wounded and for the dependents of the Feddy’s engineer, who was killed.

Newspapers deny German charges that the ships were armed and convoyed.