1940-02-16 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 16, 1940

Thrilling Story Of Graf Spee Battle

HAVOC EXETER CREWS

SALVO'S AMONG GUN

LONDON, TO-DAY.

COMMANDER ROBERT R. GRAHAM, OF H.M.S. EXETER, WHICH ARRIVED IN PLYMOUTH YES-

TERDAY, AND WHO STILL

INSPIRING

CARRIES FIFTEEN CHURCHILL

PIECES OF SHRAPNEL FROM THE RIVER

PLATE ACTION, SAID HIS LASTING IMPRES-WELCOME

SION OF THE BATTLE WAS THE WAY THE MEN BEHAVED, PARTICULARLY THE WOUNDED, WHO WERE "REALLY MAGNIFICENT.” Commander Graham added: "We expected great things of them but their behaviour was far more wonderful than even we could conceive."

He continued that during the action they came within

8,000 yards of the Graf Spee. The commander had a shrapnel wound in the face and

other injuries to his legs. Lt.-Comdr. Smith, the Torpedo Omeer, speaking of the bravery of the wounded, recalled the epic case of a man who, with both legs shot away, told his superior officer he was doing well "in somewhat adverse circums- tances."

Able-Scaman Cross, from Bria- tol, described how the fifth salvo from the Graf Spee killed and wounded many of Exeter's men. "I was

on the bridge when the salvo burst. Next to me were two men standing side by side, and frag- ments of flying shrapnel killed them both. They were standing by the loud-speaker to communicate by bugle orders to the gun crews.

TURRET OUT OF ACTION "Eight out of 15 men in one crew were killed and the turret put out of action.

the

py-

"Lt-Comdr. Bowen Manifold, Navigator, was standing in his jamas on the bridge, leaning over the compass. The same shell burst killed him and eight marines in "B" turret. This was about a quarter of an hour after the action began.

"Ajax, Achilles and Exeter steaming in line astern when sighted the Graf Spee.

were

we

GRAF SPEE SURPRISED "Orders were signalled and Ajax and Achilles went full speed ahend and much to the surprise of the Grat Spee we converged upon her,

"Our Arst shot passed

second

Graf Spee but our

over the

was a

direct hit on her control tower.

to

"The range was about 12 miles and we all were too cheer.

busy.

"The gunnery of the Graf Spec was extremely accurate at first but after our hit it became ragged."-Reuter.

CIVIL LUNCHEON PLANNED

London, To-day

R.I.A.S.C. IN

FRANCE

PARIS, TO-DAY.

THE WEATHER ON THE WEST- ERN FRONT HAS PROVED THE VALUE OF THE ROYAL INDIAN ARMY SERVICE CORPS.

During the past few weeks, men and their mules have been doing first class work under conditions which held up mechanized transport, particularly to British troops streng- thening the front line positions.

the

They are settling down well, des- pite the weather, and an officer told the press that they seem to pick up French much more quickly than the British soldiers do!-Reuter.

London, To-day.

Mr. Winston Churchill, ad- dressing the officers and crew

R.A.F. CASUALTIES

London, To-day.

An Air Ministry communique reports the casualties:

following R.A.F.

Nine killed In action; three missing bellevad killed in action; one died of wounds received in action; seven missing; 12 killed on active service; 17 died on active service.Router.

GOERING BOASTS- AND

aboard H.M.S. Exeter, which PLEADS

was given a great welcome home to Plymouth yesterday, said:

"In this sombre winter the brilliant

action of the Plate came like a flash of light and colour, carrying with It encouragement to all who are fight. Ing and cause for rejoicing to free people all over the world.

"We are especially able to con- gratulate you on the fortune which

enabled you to fight an action in the old style instead of a long and in- tricate struggle with mines and U- boats, which your comrades in flotillas have been waging here.

"This great action will long be told in song and story.

"Many months, perhaps years, of long and anxious strug- gle lle before us but we face the future in a spirit of serious re- solve."

some

Mr. Churchill and the official party then inspected the ship which, apart from two funnels pitted with holes from shell splinters, showed little outward signs of the damage which Exeter suffered in the battle.

Bri- tish Wireless,

EXETER" EPIC: FACT

AND FABLE

DOUBTS

Goering,

Berlin, To-day. Field-Marshal Herman broadcasting to agricultural workers all over Germany yesterday, said: "The extreme cold of the Winter has caused us great trouble but the Spring will demand great labours from all German farmers.

"Although the frost still binds you are in the midst of preparations for a new battle of production."

The last two years, he continued, has brought record crops. Germany had increased the production of fats and the consumption of meat had risen.

the

"We have laid in ample stocks of raw materials which we cannot produce ourselves; we cannot be defeated economically or in military field." Field-Marshal Goering claimed that Germany had a reserve of 7,000,000 metric tons of wheat.

Speaking about the scarcity of coal, he said Germany had... ample.......... coal but the German railways were struggling with enormous difficulties, Many tracks were frozen and the difficulties of transport were therefore insurmountable.

The price of milk and butter would until be raised but no-one had suffered

Britain was imitating Nazi me- thods and had Introduced ration cards like Germany.

Field-Marshal Goering claimed that the Allied blockade of Germany was LONDON, TO-DAY. Spee having by that · time

become full of gaps. THE SAFE ARRIVAL AT PLY-known all over the world, German MOUTH OF H.M.S. EXETER SHOULD interest in Exeter slackened SET AT REST

FRE- January 5 when an alleged rumour | hunger. QUENTLY EXPRESSED IN GER- in "Dutch naval circles" that the MAN WIRELESS AND PRESS cruiser had foundered on her way to AGENCY REPORTS REGARDING the Falklands was broadcast from THE FATE OF THAT CRUISER. Zeesen. Five days later this story

In German accounts of the

was revived by D.N.B. and repeated Plate battle, Exeter was

on January 11 by Trans-Ocean. given up as lost.

"BAHIA BLANCAI"

River repeatedly

BORROWS AND TROUBLES Referring to the shortage of agricul- tural labour, owing to the calling of men to the colours necessitating the

A Deutschlandesender broadcast on On that day a story allegedly based December 14 reported her at the on an unconfirmed Argentine report employment of women, Field-Marshal mouth of the Plate Incapable of of the "sinking of Exeter 80 miles Goering sald: "Despite all our sor- movement, Later the same day south of Bahia Blanca" and the pick-rows and troubles I implore you wo- It is understood that a Civil Lun-D.N.B. declared she had been shelled ing up of her crew by the French men to hold out." cheon will be given to the officers and to pieces. Still later the same day battleship Dunkerque was announced men of H.M.S. Exeter and Ajax, two the German people were told through by Deutschlandsender, of the victors of the Graf Spee, at

Deutschlandesender that all three Bri-

the Mansion House next week.

Final arrangements have not been concluded but it is expected that Mr. Winston Churchill, the First Lord of the Admiralty, will be

present. Reuter,

KING VISITS CHAMBER OF SHIPPING

London, To-day. His Majesty the King discussed mercantile marine matters yesterday when he visited the new building of the Chamber of Shipping In London. The King, who is Master of the Merchant Navy, showed himself to be an expert in the affairs of the ships and men who sail the seas under the "Red Duster." Reuter.

tish ships in the Plate Battle were destroyed (vernichtet).

the same

to

On the following day wireless station announced that Exe- ter had to run on a sandbank avold sinking, and a few hours later Zeesen, in German and Portuguese broadcasts, found encouragement a new rumour that Exeter had sunk.

BACK AND FORTH

in

On December 16 a Hamburg broad- cast in English returned to the story that she had run aground. This was varied in à Zeesen broadcast on December 17 which roundly asserted that "after" the Graf Spee, was hit by Exeter the commander decided to eliminate the British cruiser. In this task he was wholly successful."

The facts of the engagement which had proved so disastrous for the Graf

Six days later, by which time It apparently became known In Berlin that Bahla Blanca was then name of a German ship sunk by striking an Iceberg in attempting to run the British blockade, Trana- Ocean denied the tale on the au thority of a reported statement of the British Minister to Guatemala, but in an apparent endeavour to keep suspicion alive it was added that the Minister was unable to state the present position of the cruiser.

He announced that a million Poles would be employed in addition to war prisoners.-Reuter.

DOYEN OF THE LONDON DIPLOMATIC CORPS RETURNING HOME

London, To-day.

On the occasion of the impending retirement and return to Brazil of Dr. Regised Oliveira,, his country's Am- bassador here since 1925 and Doyen of the Diplomatic Corps, Princess Alice of Athlone presented His Excellency garding Exeter, like those current in his wife, Doha Gina, with a diamond German doubts and rumours re-with a pair of diamond cuff-links and German broadcasts concerning many other British warships, of which friends in London.

so ruby brooch on behalf of their many Repulse is the most recent example, Those present at the ceremony Yes-“ are finally set at rest by the trium-terday included Lady Oxford and phant homecoming of Exeter. British | Asquith and Lady (Austen)); Wireless,

berlain