1939-11-30 — Page 9

Burned Like Piece Of Paper, Says Rawalpindi Survivor

VIRTUALLY PUT

OUT OF ACTION

BY SECOND SALVO

London, To-day.

THRILLING STORIES of the unequal combat be- tween the Rawalpindi and the Deutschland were given by survivors who arrived in London yester- day and visited the Admiralty.

"The ship burned like a piece of paper," declared one of them, who said that the Deutschland could only just be seen in fading light when the action commenced.

HEINKEL

BOMBER

SHOT DOWN

London, To-day.

The 'plane brought down by an R.A.F. machine yester- day is believed to have been a Heinkel bomber. It crashed into the sea but a lifeboat which searched the scene of the crash for three hours found no trace of bomber or its occupants.

flying was first seen The -'plane East from behind clouds off the Nor- thumberland coast. An R.A.F. fight- er went up and when it was 400 yards away the bomber dived

A Petty Officer described how the Rawalpindi was virtually put out of action by the second salvo from the 11-inch guns of the Deutschland,

Fire broke out almost immediately in a dozen places.

"I had to give orders for the flood- ing of the magazines to prevent an explosion which would have blown everything in the ship to pieces.

He was one of thirty men who tried to reach a waterlogged life. boat in the water. They managed to bail her out and they rigged a sall in a desperate attempt to make land, but regarded them- selves as extremely lucky to be picked up by the Chitral.

JUTLAND VETERAN'S

STORY

the

R.N.R.

A survivor's graphic story of night was related by an old man who saw service in H.M.S. Ma- laya in the Battle of Jutland.

He was called up at the outbreak of war and joined the Rawalpindi as a seaman gunner.

an

The man said that when the warning had been given that enemy ship had been sighted, ac- and tion stations was sounded those below deck rushed up and manned the guns.

"The Deutschland began to bard us and with our 6-inch

bom-

guns

for we could see that we would be out- clouds 1,500 feet feet below. It div-ranged. We got nearer, however, and ed vertically through the clouds into the sea.

The R.A.F.. machine saw the danger In time and swerved sud- the denly to

striking avold

water. To date, at least 23 machines have been brought down over or off Bri- tain.-Reuter.

FULL STORY OF THE ENGAGEMENT

The Nazi neroplane brought down over the sea yesterday morning was a further victim of the incessant Bri- tish air patrol.

The Nazi bomber was first seen fly- ing east from behind a cloud bank.

Burning to intercept him, a British and fighter pilot re-entered clouds when he emerged thirty seconds lat- er the enemy was immediately above him.

As he climbed the enemy plane waited till the fighter was 400 yards away then dived for a cloud 1,500 feet -below, one of her rear guns firing.

The fighter followed with tracer bullets from the 'enemy flashing over the cockpit.

He fired a burst and the enemy was silenced.

+

shells began to hit us.

"We were given orders to fire and off. Other guns got three rounds around me were also firing.

BURNING LIKE PAPER

"We might have hit the enemy but shell after shell hit us and before very long the Rawalpindi caught fire. Another enemy craft began firing and a shell fell near my gun, When the order was given to abandon ship I the with another man jumped into sea.

A

came

"The ship was then ablaze and burning like a piece of paper. boat empty but waterlogged near.

from About 30 of us jumped the ship's alde but I believe that only 10 reached the boat.

"It was getting darker every min- ute and it seemed a long time be- fore we were picked up.-Reuter.

MURDER WHILE IT LASTED Another Rawalpindi survivor, Gun- ner Ledbetter, told how his compan- ions were killed by a shell which put the gun out of action during the fight with the Deutschland.

He, with his brother, members of different gun-crews and all the ship's company, were ordered to stations when the Deutschland was sighted.

"It was murder wille it lasted, which was about half an hour. "When my gun was put out of action by ashall practically every member of the /crews was killed ́and

He then closed into 150 yards, still Aring, when the enemy at once turn ed on her side and dived vertically Into the clouds, a great column smoke “issuing from the aircraft.

Buddenly the fighter pilot saw his I escaped because I was away fetch- own danger. From the gloom, he sawing@ammunition,

of

the sea coming up to hit him. Just

in time Ne pulled up and climbed into

the sunshine again--British Wireless,

bráthbf's gun was also put

out of action hơn 1 oda the bal

on to him and took him "up to:

RELAX! RELAX!

London, To-day.

Important modifications of de- fence regulations, resulting from the recommendations of the in- formal all-Parliamentary Com- mittee and made known yester. day, Illustrate the extent of - berty in Britain under war con. ditions, and the system by which changes are brought about, by consulting public opinion through the medium of Parliament,

They also provide specific ex- amples of the British conception of that freedom which in the Prime Minister's words "we en- tered the war to defend."-Reu.

ter..

the boat-deck. I then loft to search for a friend and I never Baw him again.

LUCKY ESCAPE

"As the ship was sinking I saw a half submerged lifeboat and although I can only swim a few strokes I man- aged to get to it with nine others.

CURRENCY

ORDER

The Shanghai correspondent of the local "Ta Kung Pao" cables that the use of Japanese military banknotes will be enforced in Japanese "occu- pied" territory in China from the be- ginning of next year.

These notes will be legal tender and all possessors of Japanese money have been warned to change their holdings into military currency.

LIBERAL AMENDMENT

London, To-day.

The Liberal opposition has tabled an amendment to the Commons Ad- · dress in Reply to the King's Speech, which will give an opportunity to the to Liberal spokesman in the debate urge the importance of the develop- The amend- ment of export trade. ment will be taken next Wednesday. -British Wireless.

PRECEDENCE FOR GOVERNMENT BUSINESS

London, To-day.

"The Deutschland signalled to US with searchlights to come alongside but progress was diffi- cult with only three oara.

The House of Commons, on a mo- "When we were near the Germans tion by the Premier, agreed to give they must have heard the British precedence to Government cruiser coming and they never gave for the present session, following the as a chance to get aboard but speed-precedent of the ed up and vanished."

Reuter.

Wireless,

business

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