SHOT FOR SHOT

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20992, 20 December 1939, Page 7

SHOT FOR SHOT

WARSHIPS IN ACTION EXETER’S GREAT FIGHT DEFEAT OF GRAF SPEE (Official Wireless) (Received Dec. 20, 1 p.m.) RUGBY, Dec. 19 According to an account of the action between H.M.S. Exeter and the Admiral Graf Spee which reached England from a British colonial Governor, Wednesday was a cloudless day, calm and with perfect visibility. The Exeter, the Ajax and the Achilles in company signted a battleship, which was believed to be the Admiral Scheer throughout the action. The enemy spotted the high mast of the Exeter soon after 6 and opened fire at about 12| miles. The Exeter returned the fire, the vessels steaming parallel. The first salvo from the German 11-inch guns fell short. The second fell directly astern. The third and fourth missed, but the fifth scored a hit and the seventh a direct hit. The impact of the shell on the forward turret killed outright eight out of 15 of the crew of the gun turret and made havoc of the bridge immediately above. The Exeter closed, receiving three or four more hits from the 11-inch shells and coming under the fire of the Admiral Graf Spee’s 5.9in guns. She returned shot for shot till only one eight-inch gun could be fired, and that by hand. Numerous shells fell alongside the riddled ship’s side and upper works on bursting. Steered by Boat Compass The steering gear was damaged just after 7 o’clock, and for the following 45 minutes tne captain steered by boat compass from the after control, just forward of the mainmast. Through a chain of some" ten sailors directions were conveyed from man to man to the after steering wheel and the engine-room until the ship was no longer serviceable as a fignting unit and fell out of action. Numerous fires broke out on board, but were kept under by gallant men throwing the burning material into the sea, and below deck, where outbreaks were most numerous, by the staunchness of the fire parties. The intrepid and cool officers and men were one and all, in the captain’s words, superb. Men Beyond Praise When a salvo hit the bridge the captain of the Exeter, who was unscathed, said the men of the engineroom staff were beyond praise. They raised full speed in 20 minutes. Normally it takes 120 minutes.

PREYING ON SHIPS GERMAN CAPTAIN’S STORY DISGUISED AS H.M.S. RENOWN “THE JOKE WAS ON US” 'United Tress Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyrlgbt, BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 18 The commander of the Admiral Graf Spee, Captain Langsdorff, told a representative of the Associated Press that while preying on merchantmen he once disguised the Admiral Graf Spee as H.M.S. Renown by changing her superstructure ana adding a dummy funnel. He laughed ruefully: “ But maybe the joke was •on us. Perhaps we fooled nobody.” Captain Langsdorff said he also camouflaged the ship frequently to pass as the Deutschland or the Admiral Scheer.

“ Once we actually passed for the Admiral Scheer,” he said, referring to the sinking of the Clement, members of the crew of which said the raider was the Admiral Scheer. The German captain admitted that he was not short of fuel when he took refuge in Montevideo. He said he really had enough to reach the coast of Spain. He added that the ship’s draught was 21 feet, which was more than normal, when he decided to sink her in 25 feet of water. “ That was the only thing to do,” he said. Direct Hit by Exeter Neutral experts studying all the technical information believe Captain Langsdorff’s flight into Montevideo was due to a direct hit from the Exeter’s forward Bin gun turret. His forward three llin guns were put out of commission and his fire-control installation was destroyed. All the food supplies were rendered unfit for consumption. Finally, he believed there were large British units in the vicinity. The Admiral Graf Spee’s young crew were convinced that only the Hood, Renown and Repulse could touch the Admiral Graf Spee, and therefore they were sure they would not be embroiled in a naval action. They were amazed to find themselves fighting three cruisers, and more amazed still to find that they were getting the worst of it.

NEW ZEALAND’S PART

TRIBUTE BY FRENCH PRESS ATTACK A MASTER STROKE (United Press Assn.— Elec. Tel. Copyng-in PARIS, Dec. 18 The newspaper Excelsior, in paying a tribute to New Zealand’s participation in the war, notes that the Achilles was the only combatant to emerge unscathed from the fight against the Admiral Graf Spee. The newspaper says the New Zealanders were determined that their first blow should be a master stroke, and adds that the Dominions and colonies are drawn closer round the ships of the Allies