ATTACKS ON SHIPPING

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21176, 27 July 1940, Page 7

ATTACKS ON SHIPPING

GROSS NAZI EXAGGERATION BRITISH ADMIRALTY DENIAL RAIDERS SHOT DOWN (Official Wireless) (Received July 27, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, July 26 The Admiralty announces: A German communique claiming to have sunk 11 ships, totalling 43,000 tons, and severely damaged a further 12,000 tons of shipping iri an air attack on a convoy yesterday in the English Channel is grossly exaggerated.

The facts are that a convoy, consisting of 21 small coastal vessels, escorted by naval trawlers, was heavily attacked by successive waves, each of about 30 German aircraft. Five small vessels, of a total tonnage of 5104, were sunk, and, a further five, totalling 5133 ton. , were damaged. One of them, a 554-ton coaster, had to be beached. Shortly alter these air attacks nine enemy motor torpedo-boats were sighted proceeding to attack the convoy. Two of our destroyers and two motor-torpedo boats intercepted the enemy forces, which were chased and engaged for about 15 minutes. The damage inflicted on the enemy was not observed because of the smoke. While returning from this chase our destroyers were twice heavily attacked, by dive-bombers. It was during the air fighting consequent upon enemy attacks on the convoy and destroyers that a large proportion of the enemy aircraft destroyed were shot down. Trawler Lost In Action The Admiralty announces that His Majesty’s trawler Fleming was lost in an action between two of our trawlers and dive-bomber. . The trawlers Fleming and Berberis were in company when four German •ircralt appeared from the clouds. Two attacked the Fleming and the otner two attacked the Berberis. j The Fleming sustained a direct hit I amidships and sank. The Berberis opened a hot and I accurate fire with its anti-aircraft I guns. One of her first shells scored | a direct hit. which must have struck ! a bomb rack, since the aircraft flew I in pieces in mid-air. The only wreckage subsequently j

picked up was a rubber boat and a few fragments of wood. There was no ign *'i the mi ; iaft's crew. Another shell from the Berberis severely damaged another German aircraft, which is considered unlikely to be able to return to its base. The Fleming's survivors were picked up by the trawler Corena. There were no casualties in either of thq other two trawlers.