ENGAGEMENT AT SEA

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21248, 19 October 1940, Page 7

ENGAGEMENT AT SEA

GERMAN FLOTILLA CHASED ATTACK BY BRITISH LIGHT FORCES NAZI HIGH COMMAND’S USUAL FALSE REPORT (Official Wireless) (Received October 19, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, October 18 An Admiralty and Air Ministry communique says: Yesterday morning a force of German destroyers was sighted and reported by an aircraft of the Coastal Command. The enemy flotilla, consisting of four ships, was steering west off Brest. Visibility was low. British light forces in the vicinity proceeded at high speed to intercept and endeavour to bring the enemy to action. During the afternoon visibility cleared and soon after 4 p.m. one of our cruisers engaged the enemy at an extreme range in a position about 100 miles south-west of Land’s End. The enemy destroyers retired precipitately on being engaged. Our force gave chase but the enemy in the failing light were able to escape into Brest.

During the pursuit, enemy aircraft made two attacks on our ships, but obtained no hits, and bombers of the Coastal Command of the Royal Air Force attacked the enemy. A bomb was seen to fall close to the bow of one enemy destroyer, but the results of the attack could not be ascertained owing to the gathering darkness.

Today’s German High Command communique not only states that an action between German destroyers and a British cruiser and destroyers occurred at the entrance to the Bristol Channel, hut claims that the German forces scored a torpedo hit on one of our warships. !So damage, in fact, was sustained by any of our ships.

The German communique reporting the incident says that a battle occurred between German destroyers and a British cruiser unit accompanied by destroyers at the entrance to the Bristol Channel. The German destroyers attacked and scored a hit with a torpedo on a warship. The enemy thereupon broke off the engagement.

The German destroyers returned to their base undamaged. It is authoritatively stated in London that the naval engagement was a slight brush, nearer the English than the Bristol Channel, but it was the most westerly action yet encountered between British and German units. No British ship was hit. The German units were probably operating from Brest. When they ran they were pursued but did not attempt to follow up the engagement. It is also announced in Berlin that British warships intercepted two French freighters and took them to Gibraltar.