NAZI LIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 July 1940, Page 5

NAZI LIES

BRITISH LOSS OF SHIPS ACTUAL TONNAGE WILDLY EXAGGERATED. GALLANT WORK OF NAVAL TRAWLERS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day. 10.15 a.m.) RUGBY. July 26. The Admiralty announces: “The German communique, claiming to have sunk eleven ships,, totalling 43,000 tons and severely damaged further 12,000 tons of shipping in the air attack on a convoy yesterday in the English Channel, is grossly exaggerated. “The facts are that a convoy, consisting of 21 small coastal vessels, escorted by naval trawlers, was heavily attacked by successive waves, each of about 30 German aircraft. Five small vessels, of a total tonnage of 5,104 tons, were sunk and a further five, totalling 5,133 tons, were damaged. One of them, a 554 tons coaster, had to be beached. “Shortly after these air attacks nine enemy motor torpedo-boats were sighted, proceeding to attack the convoy. Two of our destroyers and two motor torpedo-boats intercepted the enemy forces, which were chased and engaged for about fifteen minutes. The damage inflicted on the enemy was not observed because of smoke. While returning from this chase our destroyers were twice heavily attacked by dive-bom-bers. It was during the air fighting consequent upon enemy attacks on the convoy and destroyers that a large proportion of the enemy aircraft destroyed yesterday were shot down.” . The Admiralty announces that his Majesty’s trawler Fleming was lost in an action between two of our trawlers and German dive-bombers. The trawlers Fleming and Berberis were in company when four German aircraft appeared from the clouds. Two attacked the Fleming and the other two the Berberis. The Fleming sustained a direct hit amidships and sank. The Berberis opened a hot and accurate fire with anti-aircraft guns and one of her first shells scored a direct hit, which must have struck the bomb rack since the-aircraft flew into pieces in mid-air. The only wreckage subsequently picked up was a rubber boat and a few fragments of wood. There was no sign of "the aircraft’s crew. Another shell from the Berberis severely damaged another German aircraft. It was considered unlikely that this plane would be able to return to its base. The Fleming’s survivors were picked up by the trawler Corena, which was in the vicinity. There were no casualties in either of the other two trawlers. HIDING THE FACTS GERMANS ADMIT LOSING ONLY 11 PLANES. ACTUAL LOSS OF 28 (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.15 a.m.) RUGBY, July 26. In reference to the official confirmation that 28 German aeroplanes were definitely shot down yesterday, it is interesting to note the German High Command communique on yesterday’s operations off the British coast which announces: “Only two German aeroplanes were shot down.” A communique later admits the loss of 9 other aircraft, in unspecified circumstances. GERMAN CLAIMS (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 10.50 a.m.) BERLIN, July 26. A communique states: “The Air Arm attacked a British aerodrome in the Midlands and a radio station at Dover. Air fights in the English Channel resulted in the destruction of eight Spitfires and one Hurricane. Only two of our planes were shot down. “The British Air Force continued its raids on North, West and Central Germany on the night of July 25. There was no military damage and other damage was unimportant. Antiaircraft defences brought down four planes. The total of British losses on July 25 was 23 planes. Nine of ours are missing.” The Berlin Radio, in a special announcement, says: “German motor torpedo-boats, without loss, sank three armed. British merchantmen of 10,000, 7,000 and 5,000 tons, respectively. Another 2,000-ton vessel was set on fire.”