HEADED TOWARDS SEA

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20990, 18 December 1939, Page 7

HEADED TOWARDS SEA

ADMIRAL GRAF SPEE’S DEPARTURE CASUALTIES - 36 KILLED, 59 WOUNDED BRITISH WARSHIPS OVER 1000 MILES AWAY fTTnited Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Dec. IS, 11 a.m.) MONTEVIDEO, Dec. 17 Shortly before 6 p.m. the Admiral Graf Spee began raising her anchors, and it was expected that she would depart at 6 p.m. She then began moving up the River Plate, apparently towards Buenos Aires instead of the open sea, but she halted suddenly after proceeding a few hundred yards, then swung about and headed towards the sea at 6 p.m. after transferring all the married men on board to the Tacoma, which followed t LONDON, Dec. 17 r A Berlin message says the High Command has published the casualties on the Admiral Graf Spee as follows: Killed, 36; seriously injured, six; slightly wounded, 53. The German press has dropped the Admiral Graf Spee victory talk, but stresses the heroism of the crew against three cruisers. Uruguay’s time-limit has still not been announced. According to agency reports from Rio de Janeiro H.M.S. Ark Royal and H.M.S. Renown called there this morning to refuel. The distance from Rio de Janeiro to Montevideo is 1020 miles.

CAPTAIN’S DILEMMA

GERMAN VERSION

TELLS THRILLING STORY PRAISE FOR BRITISH FORCED INTO PORT (ULited Pres 3 Assn. —Elec, Tel. Copyright) MONTEVIDEO, Dec. 16 The commander of the Admiral Graf Spee, Captain Hans Langsdorff, told the port authority that shortage of fuel and the “herding” tactics of the British cruisers had placed him “between the devil and the deep blue sea.” He added that when the Admiral Graf Spee sighted the Exeter at 6 a.m. on December 13 off Brazil, her fuel was almost exhausted because she had been unable to make contact with her supply ship, the Tacoma, so she headed south. (The Tacoma was reported from New York on December 13—the day of the battle—to have arrived at Montevideo a few days earlier from Talcahuano, Chile, via Cape Horn.) Off the coast of Uruguay the . Admiral Graf Spee encountered the * Achilles and the Ajax, which manoeuvred to keep the Admiral Graf Spee between them and the shore. Captain Langsdorff said he was afraid of risking his ship in the shaPow water to starboard, and was without sufficient fuel to run seaward for a freer combat position, so he opened fire on the Exeter. Captain Langsdorff said that in the lively exchange which followed the Exeter was damaged severely, before the Ajax and the Achilles could get into action. It was the 6in. guns of the Ajax and the Achilles, however, that really “rocked” the Admiral Graf Spee. Captain Langsdorff praised the British marksmanship, and said enormous damage had been inflicted by the powerful shells which exploded after piercing the Admiral Graf Spee’s armour. With his ship holed, many men dead and his attempts to manoeuvre frustrated, he had been forced to run for the port. A sailor from the Admiral Graf Spee, who is in hospital, stated that Captain Langsdorff, at the height oi the battle with the British cruisers, took the wheel himself, and steere 1 / 50 skilfully that he avoided 17 tor- > pedoes.

RECEIVED WITH HILARITY OPINION IN UNITED STATES AFFECT OF NAZI LIES (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) NEW YORK, Dec. 17 The reaction in the United States to the German short-wave radio account of the Admiral Graf Spee’s battle is contemptuous hilarity. Faced with radioed pictures of the Admiral Graf Spee, showing the damage inflicted on her, Americans are chary of accepting German assurances that she bears no visible traces of the battle. The New York Times says in an editorial article: “ Germany lost another battle when she lied about the Admiral Graf Spee. The discount rate of official German statements has always been high. A few more like this and it will be close to 100 per cent.” The Berlin official news agency continues to tone down the unfavourable aspects of the encounter. It claims that several British reconnaissance aeroplanes joined in the battle and were shot down.

“EMPIRE FEELS PROUD” LORD BLEDISLOE’S CABLE ADMIRAL’S CONGRATULATIONS (By Telegraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Monday The following cables commending the Achilles’ part in the South Atlantic were received by the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones: From Lord Bledisloe, the former Governor-General of New Zealand: * f inest congratulations on the magnificent exploit. The whole Lin. ,ie leels proud.” From Admiral Drummond, who formerly commanded the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy: • Heartiest congratulations to the New Zealand Division.