OFFICIAL REPORT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 March 1941, Page 5

OFFICIAL REPORT

THREE LARGE CRUISERS SUNK WITH TWO DESTROYERS. ALL BRITISH SHIPS UNHARMED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day. 11.30 p.m.) RUGBY. March 30. An Admiralty communique states: “The Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean reports that no casualties or damage were sustained by his Majesty’s ships throughout the recent operations. Two' of our aircraft, however, are not yet accounted for. “So far, it is confirmed that the following warships have been sunk: “Eight-inch gun, 10,000-ton cruisers, Fiume, Pola and Zara. “Large destroyer, Vincenzo Gioberti and destroyer MaCstrale. “Further detans are awaited.” With the sinking of three eightgun cruisers, Italy has now had over half her total force of these vessels, which at the outbreak of war consisted of seven, put out of action. The Bolgzving was severely damaged in a torpedo attack some time ago. . The Fiume and Zara were commissioned in 1930, and the Pola a year later. These cruisers had a designed speed of 32 knots. The destroyer Vincenzo Gioberti was one of the largest and fastest of the Italian destroyers. Completed in 193 G, her designed speed was 39 knots. She had a displacement of 1,729 tons. The Maestrale had a displacement of 1,449 tons. She was completed in 1934 and had a speed of 38 knots. ranean naval action. Commenting on the fact that units of the Italian navy had been brought into action, he emphasised that that was always the endeavour of the Royal Navy. Meanwhile, further official news is awaited and there is speculation as to the possible extent of the impairment of the Italian fleet. When Italy entered the war she possessed six battleships—two of the Littorio class and four of the Cavour class, but two more ships of the Littorio class were under construction. One Littorio battleship and two of the Cavour class were severely damaged at Taranto in November. A second ship of the Littorio class was torpedoed and damaged by the Fleet Air Arm a .fortnight later and another vessel of the same class was damaged in yesterday’s engagament. Thus out of a possible eight battleships only three have managed to escape damage.’ The two Littorio battleships— Littorio and Vittorio Veneto—were completed last year. They have a displacement of 35,000 tons and are armed with nine* 15-i.nch and 12 six-inch guns and 12 3.5-inch anti-aircraft guns. They have a speed of 31 knots and a complement of 1000,