NAVAL LOSSES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 June 1941, Page 5

NAVAL LOSSES

IN HAZARDOUS TASK AT CRETE CRUISER AND TWO 3. DESTROYERS MANY ENEMY PLANES DESTROYED. MORE THAN 17.000 SOLDIERS TAKEN OFF ISLAND. LONDON, June 9. Three ships of the Royal Navy were lost in the hazardous and gallant evacuation of troops from Crete—the anti-aircraft cruiser Calcutta and the destroyers Hereward and Imperial. The Hereward when last seen, was y headed towards the coast after having 3 been damaged by air attack and 229 survivors have been landed as prisoners of war. The Imperial had to be sunk by British forces after damage ‘ received by enemy air attack. The = Admiralty communique giving these f particulars speaks of the immense dif- ‘ Acuities confronting the British evacuation operations, in which more than 17,000 troops were taken off the island. It was impossible to assess the amount Hof damage inflicted on enemy aircraft -I but many planes were destroyed and E | others damaged. Naval aircraft shot down at least four enemy planes. A tribute is paid in the communique to 5 the work of the Royal Marines, which • formed the rearguard in the withI clrawal from Suda Bay. SMALL CRAFT SUNK NAVAL DRIFTER & TRAWLER. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 8. The Admiralty announces that his Majesty's drifter Thistle and his Majesty's trawler Evisham have been sunk.