POOR SHOWING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 December 1943, Page 3

POOR SHOWING

MADE BY THE GERMANS . I IN BAY OF BISCAY BATTLE.'BEATEN BY INFERIOR ARMAMENT (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) LONDON, December 29. Behind the communique on the Bay of Biscay action lies the magnificent story of how two British cruisers routed an enemy force which comparatively had superiority of five cruisers to two, the Narvik class, the latest and most up-to-date of German destroyers, being fast and formidable and more like miniature cruisers. It may be reckoned that in good weather two Narviks are more than a match for one light cruiser of the class which participated in the action. The Narviks, which are of 2400 tons, have five 5.9 guns and eight torpedotubes. The Elbing class are of 1100 tons and carry four 4.lin. guns and six tor-pedo-tubes. The German force therefore’ mustered 25 5.9 in. guns, 24 4.lin. guns and 76 torpedo-tubes against 19 6in. guns and 14 torpedo-tubes of the two British cruisers, which are capable of 30 knots against probably 35 of the German destroyers.

“The Times," commenting on the action, says it might well be regarded as sound strategy in the circumstances which Germany is in today for a naval force that finds itself confronted by a stronger enemy to evade action, but the destroyers in the Bay of Biscay were in superior force. They had the very conditions for which, if they had been animated by a bold fighting spirit, they must have hoped. Yet they at once ’ retreated to be soon overtaken by the fate that their action deserved. It is impossible to see in the result of the action anything but deterioration in the spirit the German navy formerly displayed. The Scharnhorst sank the aircraftcarrier Glorious and the armed merchantman Rawalpindi. The German news agency revealed this fact tonight three and a half and four years respectively after the sinkings. The Glorious was sunk in June, 1940 in the withdrawal from Narvik, when 1204 of the ertw were lost. The loss of the Rawalpindi was announced on November 27, 1939, when it was believed the pocket battleship Deutschland, since renamed Lutzow, sank her.

ENEMY STORY BATTLE CONTINUING. LONDON, December 29. The German controlled Scandinavian telegraph bureau says the Bay of Biscay battle was still continuing last night with German destroyers and tor-pedo-boats fighting against mainly light British forces and a large number of planes. Both sides suffered losses.