NAZI TRANSPORT SUNK

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21224, 21 September 1940, Page 10

NAZI TRANSPORT SUNK

“A TERRIFIC SIGHT” OFFICER’S VIVID STORY (United Press Asn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. 21, 1 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 20 An officer of the submarine Sturgeon has told the story of the torpedoing and sinking of a big German transport, which was announced by the Admiralty today. He said: “In the Skager-Rak that morning it was blowing quite hard and we saw nothing at all until an aeroplane came into sight as it was getting dusk. Then the hydrophone operator reported that he could faintly hear a ship. We had a look round and saw first one, a small German destroyer, then another, then an enormous transport. The conditions were not very good and the transport was about 2£ miles away when it was first sighted. “We went to our diving stations very shortly afterwards and fired our torpedoes. As soon as we fired we went down a bit, but after two or three minutes came up for a look round. The transport was still going along, with destroyers escorting her and an aeroplane flying round. “We waited and then fired again. Not long after the second lot of torpedoes had been fired there was quite a big bang in the submarine. Then we had another look and saw a gigantic column of black smoke, which must have gone 2000 feet into the air. “We dived but came up for another look. About twenty minutes later we saw the transport, which must have been of at least 10,000 tons, burst into flames. “It was a terrific sight. The transport was settling down in the water and she was a mass of flame from end to end. We had another look an hour later and the transport had then gone. The only thing that marked the spot was the searchlights of the torpedo-boats, which obviously were searching for survivors.”