SEEN FROM THE AIR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 December 1941, Page 6

SEEN FROM THE AIR

MEDITERRANEAN NAVAL ACTION DESTRUCTION OF ENEMY CRUISER. DESCRIPTION BY PILOTS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.55 a.m.) RUGBY, December 14. A vivid description of the naval engagement on Saturday, in which British and Dutch destroyers sank an Italian cruiser and E-boat and damaged another cruiser and a torpedo-boat, has been given in Cairo by an officer in a' 'naval aircraft who watched the battle. He said:

“We had been shadowing the enemy cruisers for some time and were circling around, keeping in view their white wakes, which showed clearly, in the starlight. Suddenly I saw a terrific explosion in one cruiser, followed immediately by a bright fire, which spread right along the warship from stem to stern. Very soon afterwards a similar explosion occurred on the other cruiser. This time the fire did not spread in the same manner, but the ship started to heel right over. Clouds of smoke were given off and all round the sea was covered with oil. I thought the ships were being attacked from the air, and I think those aboard the enemy ships were of the same opinion, because they were firing light anti-air-craft guns along the surface of the water, as if expecting a torpedo attack. We circled round, dropping flares the guide any of our aircraft to the target. As the last flare died down, we saw a destroyer standing by the second cruiser which had been. hit. The destroyer seemed to be picking up survivors and trying to lay smoke screens at the same time. Meanwhile the, other cruiser was blazing furiously, and when we were well past Pantellaria, on our way home, we could still see flames lighting up the sky behind us.” The pilot of another naval aircraft, who saw flashes of the battle when on his way to his base, turned round and came down to sea level to attack what appeared to be a small warship. It proved to be a part of one of the enemy vessels, which had broken its back.