BRITISH FLEET

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20921, 28 September 1939, Page 8

BRITISH FLEET

ATTACK BY GERMANS FLYING=BOAT CAPTURED CONFLICTING REPORTS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. 28, 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 27 It is officially stated in Berlin that German planes attacked the British fleet in the North Sea and destroyed an aircraft-carrier and damaged one battleship. These claims were denied by the British Admiralty. Mr Winston Churchill, in the House of Commons, said twenty German aircraft attacked a British naval squadron in the middle of the North Sea. No British ship was hit and there were no casualties on the British side. One German flying-boat was shot down, another was damaged, and a third flying-boat captured after a forced landing. The Berlin High Command later explained: “An aircraft-carrier was hit by a heavy bomb,” adding: “That did not mean that it was sunk.”

CAPTURE OF AIRCRAFT

COLLECTED BY DESTROYER (Omclal Wireless) (Received Sept. 28, 3.15 p.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 27 In a supplementary answer in the House of Commons on the German air attack on British warships, Mr Winston Churchill stated the squadron consisted of British capital ships, an aircraft carrier, cruisers and destroyers. Mr Churchill, who quoted from a report as wirelessed by the Com-mander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet, described the capture of the German aircraft, which came down in the North Sea. The admiral said: “We sent out a destroyer to collect her, and her crew of four have been brought in as prisoners.” mzzm. ’ FORCED DOWN BRITISH WARPLANE INTERNED IN ICELAND (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. 28, 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 27 A British warplane has been forced down in Iceland. The plane and crew of nine were interned. The plane lost its bearings in a fog while on patrol duty in the Faroes-Iceland sector.

JAPAN AND ITALY

FRIENDSHIP STRESSED EXCELLENT RELATIONS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyrlg-bt) (Received Sept. 28, 3.15 p.m.) ROME, Sept. 27

The Japanese Ambassador in taking leave of Count Ciano, the Italian Foreign Minister, thanked Italy for her friendship in the Sino-Japanese conflict, and added: “The excellent Italian-Japanese relations remain unalterable.”

GERMAN CONSULS

DEPARTURE FOR BATAVIA FORMERLY IN NEW ZEALAND (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyrlg-bt) SYDNEY, Sept. 27 The German Vice-Consul, Dr. W. Hoops, and the German Consul in New Zealand, Herr E. Ramm, and his wife, sailed for Batavia, where they will await further instructions from their Government.