MINED & SUNK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 January 1942, Page 4

MINED & SUNK

THE CRUISER NEPTONE I HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE INDICATED. MANY NEW ZEALANDERS IN CREW. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) this morning announced the sinking of H.M.S. Neptune. Some delay, he said, had unfortunately been necessary in order to allow the notification of next-of-kin by the Royal Navy before publication of the news. To the relatives in Britain and in New Zealand of lost members of the crew of the cruiser, Mr Fraser expressed his keen personal sympathy and extreme regret. On behalf of the Government, he said, he desired to record his highest appreciation of the valuable services rendered to their country by the members of his Majesty’s Royal New Zealand Navy and their assistance to the cause of national righteousness and international freedom to which they had dedicated their lives. An official statement released this morning is as follows: “The Board of Admiralty regret to announce that the cruiser Neptune, Captain R. C. O’Connor, R.N., has been sunk by enemy mines in the Mediterranean. All next-of-kin have been informed. A statement made by the enemy indicates that some of the ship's company of the Neptune have been picked up and are prisoners of war. DESTROYER ALSO LOST. “The destroyer Kandahar, Commander W. G. A. Robson, D. 5.0., D.S.C., R.N., which was in company with the Neptune, was damaged by a mine. The Kandahar was subsequently sunk by our forces. The greater part of her ship's company is safe. The next-of-kin of casualties have been informed.” The Neptune was a cruiser of the Achilles class, of 7,175 tons and carried an armament of eight Gin and eight 4in guns. She had a speed of 32 knots and was completed in 1934.