U-BOAT CAMPAIGN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 March 1940, Page 7

U-BOAT CAMPAIGN

PREDICTIONS OF NEW DEVELOPMENT

TWO SUBMARINES REPORTED

SUNK.

ADMIRALTY OFFERING REWARDS

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.

LONDON. March 16.

A new U-boat offensive might he developing, according to the Paris correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain, who ((notes French naval sources as saying that preliminary information has been received of Ihe sinking of two German submarines.

Naval sources said that the U-boats, which have been operating since February, are now going home, and a pew fleet will replace them.

It is learned here that naval vessels dropped depth charges off the Scottish coast in an endeavour to trap a U-boat which was believed to be lurking to attack a passing convoy. There have been no signs of the submarine. The Admiralty offers a reward not exceeding £ 1000 \o persons who are not members of the Services for information leading to the capture or destruction of an enemy warship, according to its nature and size, and £5O for information concerning the movements of enemy war vessels, including mine-layers. There are smaller rewards for finding mines and giving other services. SUNK BY MINES TWO NAVAL TRAWLERS. OFFICER AND FIVE MEN MISSING. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. March 16 The Admiralty announced that the naval trawlers Peridot and Maida were sunk by mines yesterday and today respectively. There were no casualties in the Peridot, but the commanding officer and five ratings of the Maida are missing and arc feared to have been lost. BRITISH STEAMER LOST AFTER AN EXPLOSION. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON. March 16. The British steamer Melrose (1589 tons) sank in the North Sea after an explosion yesterday. She carried a crew of 23. A Dutch motor-vessel picked up the ship’s cook, who says that there was no time to launch the boats, and that there is no trace of the others of the crew, but he believes that other vessels may have rescued some. NORWEGIAN PROTEST OSLO, March 17. Norway protested to Germany against the sinking of the steamer Nidarholm by a submarine on February 28 and claimed full compensation and also that appropriate steps be taken against the U-boat commander. SWEDISH SHIP SUNK OSLO. March 16. The Swedish steamer Osman (1316 tons) was sunk in the North Sea. The cause is unknown.. Nine members of the crew were landed at a Norwegian port and 10 others are believed to have been drowned. DUTCH SHIPPING ORDERED TO FOLLOW NEW ROUTE. AMSTERDAM. March 16. The Navy Staff has ordered Dutch shipowners to follow a new route across the North Sea to Britain. This is a sequel to urgent telegrams to shipowners ordering temporary suspension of sailings, presumably because of the location of a new minefield. It is believed that a message from London stating that numerous mines were sighted near the Straits of Dover was a contributory factor.