1940-04-26 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 26, 1940.

Page

SECOND BATTLE

OF

NARVIK

BRITAIN'S NEW

BATTLESHIPS

Epic Story Of British

Naval Triumph: Official lenburg, To-day.

LONDON, TO-DAY.

THE ADMIRALTY HAS ISSUED AN OFFICIAL DESCRIPTION OF THE SECOND BATTLE OF NARVIK, WHEN THE BRITISH FLEET DESTROYED THE EN- TIRE NAZI NAVAL FORCES IN THE FJORD.

The Admiralty says the weather was misty with low

clouds and drizzle when at noon on April 13 the GERMAN

British naval force steamed up the head of the West Fjord towards Otof Fjord and Narvik.

The "Goteborg Posten” · expresses special surprise that the whole King ||George V class of British battleships are already ploughing the seas. Reuter.

ACCUSATION 26 GERMAN

TRANSPORTS SUNK

The force consisted of the destroyers Icarus, Hero, REFUTED

Foxhound, Kimberley, Forester; the "Tribal" class destroyers Bedouin, Punjabi, Eskimo and Cossack, and the battleship Warspite, under the command of Vice-Admiral Whitworth.

Warspite In Action

To take such a large ship through the long narrow approach to Narvik was a feat of navigation attended by great risks because it was known progress, Warspite was bombarding

London, To-day. The Air Ministry declares

London, To-day. that the German allegation, An official spokesman in contained in a High Com- London, commenting on the mand communique, that Bri- German claim that Germany While the destroyer action was in tain had opened unrestricted can safely despatch troops that German destroyers lurked in the shore batteries in the vicinity of the air warfare on Tuesday by and materials to Norway, fjords and it was not known what harbour, assisted by Cossack, which attacking undefended places says that between April 9, traps had been laid though air re-engaged the batteries fiercely at with no military objectives, when the German troops

is unfounded.

connaissance and the accompanying range less than half a mile and destroyers reduced the dangers.

A German destroyer appeared out of the mist at 12.26 p.m. Four of the British destroyers opened fire but the enemy turned away disappeared.

Obstinate Resistance

and

At 12.45 p.m. another German de- stroyer appeared, followed shortly by others.

silenced an enemy howitzer.

Punjabi and Foxhound also support- ed Cossack,

Meanwhile the other British des- troyers chased the enemy into Rom- baks Fjord, which is 10 miles long with a narrow neck 200 yards wide half way up the fjord.

The attack on Sylt was directed against the Westerland aerodrome,

first landed, and April 22, 26 German transports and sup- ply ships were sunk by Allied which is an important military ob- action. jective and one of the most heavily defended places in Germany.

The Air Ministry adds it will be re- Hero took the 'lead and the British membered that on March 17 enemy advanced round another bend to dis-aircraft dropped bombs in the Ork- cover what was beyond.

neys, causing casualties to civilians. —-— Reuter.

Against the ice at the head of the The first German destroyer made | fjord lay three German destroyers. One obstinate realstance but was subject- | appeared almost undamaged but there ed to a murderous fire from Icarus and the three "Tribal" destroyers. In eight minutes she was ablaze forward, amidships and aft, but one gun kept firing until silenced Warspite.

by

More enemy destroyers appeared, until six were zig-zagging ahead of the British forces, and a veritable dog fight ensued, with all the ships firing rapidly and making large al- terations in course in order to dodge galvoes and keep the guns bearing.

Many German salvoes fall close to the British ships at this period but owing to skliful manoeuvring no ship was hit.

Running Fight

A Heinkel bomber was seen kept well out of range.

but

The action developed into a run- ning fight, with the enemy retreat- ing all the time and beginning to show damage.

The half hour after 2 p.m. was. the decisive period.

An extract from the bridge of British destroyer records:

1.58 p.m. One enemy badly hit. 2.03 p.m. Enemy on fire. 2.05 p.m. Enemy hit by torpedoes. Another fire.

2.14 p.m. Another enemy on fire. 2.24 p.m. Two explosions on se cond enemy destroyer to catch fire. 2.26 p.m. Two explosions on an other destroyer.

It was seen that this was the end, but four German destroyers fled up Rombaks Flord, dropping smoke floats as they went to hinder the chase.

Blazing Wreck

By 2.30 p.m. one enemy was⠀ blazing wreck, one drifted derelict to the north of Narvik, abandoned by the crew who were swimming for e shore, a third had beached her- self and the remainder had sought refuge in Rombaks Fjort

was no sign of life on board, only the bows of the second showed above the water and the third was on fire."

Hero and Kimberley fired a few rounds but soon checked as there was no reply.

Scuttled!

Armed partles were sent to investi- gate in whalers. As they approached the first destroyer she listed slowly and sank. She had been scuttled.

N. W. EXPEDITION

London, To-day. The War Office announces that the official description of the B.E.F. in Norway is the North-Western Expedi- tionary Force.-Reuter.

t

Ten others were torpedoed and pro- bably sunk, one was set on fire and four were captured.

Although not all were carrying troops, the lives lost in their ɖes- truction must number several thou- sand.

Three thousand German dead were washed ashore in Oslo Fjord.

Great quantities of arms, ammuni- tion and supplies were also lost to the invaders.-Reuter...

INTERNEE SENTENCED

tered the town and promptly sur-Leung Ting-tsang, 38, charged with The case against a Chinese internee, rendered to the 24 British sailors: attempting to escape from. Argyle The Norwegian`authorities were Street Camp, was concluded before The parties boarded the remain-anxious that these Germans should Mr. E. Himsworth at Kowloon this ing destroyer, named Hans Lube- be kept in custody, and when the morning, when sentence of three mann, hauled down the German en- Ivanhoe party re-embarked they pro-months' hard labour was imposed. sign and holated the White Ensign.vided the Norwegians

mostly min- This was the man caught by Mr.

They found only one wounded off-ers-with rifles and ammunition to James, of the P.W.D., after he had cer on board. He had been placed on guard the large party of German successfully negotiated the barbed a stretcher ready for removal but it prisoners-Reuter. seemed that when Hero came into sight he had been left on the burning ship

while his shipmates made their escape. He was taken on board Hero.

Crumbling. Prices

Salvage of the Hans Lubemann was impracticable so Hero sank the last of the seven destroyers with a torpedo which hit the vessel below the bridge.

She lifted into the air and came down in crumbling pieces,

Having destroyed seven enemy de- stroyers and silenced the shore bat- teries at the cost of three British destroyers damaged, the British with- drew, leaving Ivanhoe, and Kimber- ley in possession of the fjord.

Later Ivanhoe resciéd the sur

vivors of the destroyer Hardy from Ballanger. (Hardy had been sunk in the first battle of Narvik, and her survivors landed and formed an ex- peditionary force on their own).

120 Nazis Surrender Ivanhoe landed

men

armed who took control of the hospital, and school where Hardy's wounded had. been accommoda

During

120 Germans en-

wire fence.

SATURDAY NIGHT

AT

DINE-WINE

AND DANCE

Chantecler

CHANTECLER SWING DUO

EXTENSION TILL 2 A.M.

NATHAN ROAD

NO COVER CHARGE

KOWLOON

TEL. 50021