WON IN THE IONIAN SEA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 April 1941, Page 5

WON IN THE IONIAN SEA

Seven Italian Warships Probably Sunk NOT A SINGLE CASUALTY IN BRITISH SHIPS AIRCRAFT PLAY A DECISIVE PART One of the most astounding- victories in naval history was won by the British last Friday, when the Fleet went into action in the lonian Sea and sank at least five and probably seven Italian warships, without sustaining a single casualty, states the 8.8. C. , . . For the first time, aircraft played a decisive part in bringing the faster Italian fleet to battle and swift destruction. During the course of this first night action by capital ships since Jutland, the Italians may have lost as many as four cruisers and three destroyers. Three large cruisers and two destroyers were certainly destroyed and another cruiser and another destroyer probably sunk. The action was fought over a distance of 200 miles and lasted for about 12 hours. On Friday morning an Italian battleship of the Littorio class of 35,000 tons, accompanied by cruisers and destroyers, was sighted south-west of Crete by British light forces and a further two enemy battleships with cruisers and destroyers were also sighted to the north. As soon as the enemy realised that they had been sighted, the ships steamed away at high speed. Greek naval units took up positions with the British Fleet. The Fleet Air Arm attacked the Littorio class battleship with aerial torpedoes and the R.A.F. dive-bombed the enemy cruisers and destroyers.. These attacks were so successful that the enemy ships were forced to slow down, enabling the heavier British vessels to engage the enemy. The British Fleet was led by the battleship Warspite. A veteran of Jutland, the Warspite also played a prominent part in the raid on Narvik. Soon after 9 p.m., a large enemy cruiser was sighted and the Warspite opened fire at a range of just under two miles. The cruiser, the Fiume, was hit and burst into flames from the funnel to the after gun turret. Attention was then given to the Zara, which was revealed by the light of the blaze from the Fiume. A broadside from the Warspite completed the havoc. Another cruiser was dealt with by other British ships, including the Barham and Valiant. These operations' were carried out in a few seconds and the British battleships were about to draw away when two enemy destroyers were seen preparing to launch a torpedo attack. The battleships at once opened fire and sank them. British destroyers completed the destruction of the enemy cruisers by sinking them with torpedoes. While this was taking place other units of the British Fleet pursued the remaining Italian ships, but the exact damage is not yet known. It is believed that a 5,000-ton cruiser has been sunk, together with a third destroyer. The Italians admit the loss of three cruisers and two destroyers. Two German dive-bombers were also shot down. Two British aircraft are missing. The British United Press correspondent at Alexandria re-porta-that about 3,000 Italian officers and men were lost in the engagement. About 1,000 seamen were rescued, including 45 German officers and petty officers and seamen-gunners. Many more would have been rescued had not German dive-bombers attacked the British rescuers and they were obliged to withdraw, after notifying the Italians of the position of the survivors and suggesting- that a hospital ship should be sent to the spot. The Italian admiral commanding the cruiser squadron is among the missing. Admiral Cunningham, on his return to Alexandria, congratulated all ranks and ended his message with two words: “Well done.’’ The British warships did not sustain a single scar.