1941-04-01 — Page 2

ITALIAN FLEET

THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 1, 1941.

LURED TO

DESTRUCTION BY H.M.S. ORION

GERMANS

Full Story Of Shattering Defeat: FOUND ON

Barham's Battery

FULLER DETAILS OF THE CRUSHING DEFEAT OF THE ITALIAN FLEET IN THE MEDITERRANEAN, WHICH CROWNED THE GREAT- EST WEEK OF THE WAR, SHOW THE ENEMY SUFFERED ALMOST

WARSHIPS - CERTAIN LOSSES. OF SEVEN

FOUR CRUISERS AND THREE DESTROYERS WHILE A BATTLESHIP OF THE LITTORIO CLASS WAS> SERIOUSY DAMAGED BY THE REPEATED POUNDING OF FLEET AIR ÄRM TORPEDOES.

--

With the return of the British Fleet to Alexandria, without a man hurt or a ship scratched, the full story is revealed how the enemy forces were lured to destruction by a British cruiser..

The Italians were taken completely by sur- prise when the. 30,000-ton Warspite, leading the British Fleet and followed by the battle- ships Barham and Valiant, began a chase lasting 12 hours and demolished an enemy cruiser already hit by aerial torpedoes by sal- voes of broadsides, leaving our destroyers to race in to finish the job.

the

were

on

Back in port. Admiral Cun- Littorio battleship, reducing her ningham paid a great tribute to speed considerably, while several

also registered for hits of his fleet personnel skilful manoeuvring and to the cruisers and destroyers. Air Arm for the untiring efforts which, between them, contributed; to the greatest naval victory of the war.

It

First news of the Italian ficet's uctivity was an air reconnaissance report sent in on Thursday. stated an enemy force was steam- ing eastward near Cape Passaro, southernmost tip of Sicily.

With dramatic, suddenness, the British Fleet immediately sailed to contact the enemy.

Near Crete

Attempt To Scatter

While aircraft and light forces thus maintained contact with the

who

to endeavoured enemy, scatter and return to his base, the battleships followed up.

They were able to make con- tact only as darkness fell, the chase towards the Italian shores having lasted about 12 hours and covered some 200 miles.

The leading ship of the British Battle Fleet, was Warspite which opened fire with her 15-inch guns from a distance of just under two miles.

а

While the ship was thus blaz- fur- ing, Warspite poured in

causing a fresh ther broadside,

outburst of flame.

****ANOTHER

ITALIAN SHIPS

Among the survi vors from the Italian cruisers and destroy- ers sunk in the Medi- terranean are 35 Ger- man officers, petty officers and gunners, according to Athens telegram ceived in London yes- terday, says Reuter.

an

re-

GLORIOUS PAGE

General Auchinleck, Commander-in-Chief in India, has issued a mes- sage. congratulating the Indian divisions who played the important part in the capture of Keren, in which connection he said he had received mes-

of sages

appreciation from Sif John Dill and Sir Archibald Wavell.

the

New A despatch received in Delhi from an Indian Army eye- witness, describes how Indian and. By now the entire Battle Fleet was in action, the whole scene she had been disabled by a tor- British units triumphed, fighting bomber which scored a side by side, and mentioning that being lit up by gunfire, blazing pedo

officers with experience of direct hit in the engineroom, ships and searchlights.

Before the onemy had any THE CAPTAIN; 21 OFFICERS Indian North-West Frontier were 236 RATINGS WERE of opinion that the terrain round chance to reply a second crui. AND

exacting JERVIS. Keren was even BOARD was the Zara, ser,

burning TAKEN ON

THEN SANK THE and difficult. fiercely, when she received a WHICH

tem- Fighting took place in a POLA WITH A TORPEDO. broadside from Warspite.

degrees perature of 100

in the shade, while our troops faced the cream of the enemy forces.

A third cruiser, the Pola, was

likewise dealt with by the other tion taking a matter of seconds.

British battleships, the whole ac-

Led Into Trap How the Italian warships were! Besides Warepite the battle, led into a trap is now revealed. ships Barham and Valiant and

more

It is pointed out that the Battle of Keren demanded of the Indian

and

success

The cruiser Orion (sister-ship troops, even higher qualities than Grat for their earlier successes at Sidi and Ajax of the destroyers Havock and of Achilles Greyhound participated in the Spee Came) contacted the enemy Barrani, Gallabat. Agardat

ships and lured them towards the Barentu, and their new British Battle Fleet for about four has added a further glorious page hours until the enemy battleship, to their record. Reuter, stated to be the 35,000-ton Vit-

action.

Notable Success

In his "well done" signal to the warships on their return to port, Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham said: "I am most grateful to all in the Fleet for their support on this, as on all other occasions.

"The operations just concluded a 'notable success have given us and supremacy.

torio Veneto, was damaged by the GAS TEST

Fleet Air Arm.

After this, the Italians,' pos. sibly scenting a trap in. Orion's tactics, turned about. When the enemy retired, the objective of the British light forces was

IN KENT

to try to cut off the damaged SECRETARY'S enemy battlship, which

then

reported 30

down

Stricken Pola

was

FOLLOWING THE HOME ADVICE IN A RECENT SPEECH THAT THE OF BRITAIN "The skilful handling of our

miles POPULATION cruisers and the untiring efforts

distant, heading for Italy list. SHOULD BE READY AT ANY of our Fleet Air Arm kept me

Ing and badly

by the TIME TO FACE GAS ATTACK, THE RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT stern. well informed of enemy move.

AND MAIN SHOPPING AREA ments,

well-pressed and the

OF KINGSTON-ON-THAMES home attacks of torpedo-bom-

YESTERDAY WERE THE SCENE ber aircraft on the Littorio 80 reduced the speed of the enemy

British light forces carried out OF "GAS EXERCISES."

Tear gas was released and fleet that we were able to gala circling movement at full speed contact during the night and in order to place themselves ahead people in the streets immediately On Friday morning, one bat-

Inflict heavy damage.

of the enemy despite the fact that put on gas masks, it being note- tleship of the Littorio class and

"The devastating effect of the the latter was much heavier and worthy that children responded EFFECT OF WARSPITE'S FIRE battleships' gunfire are ample re- superior in force, but no contact most quickly to the danger. a force of enemy cruisers were

Wardens were stationed to give DEVASTATING. light forces WAS

THE ward for months of patient train-was made and it was found,that | contacted by our

to those who end ENEMY CRUISER FIUME LIT ing. This work was completed the southward of the western

cruisers Fiume and Zara, necessary advice by the destroyers in the admir- which previously had been at tisfactorily. but generally the pu- seemed unable to use masks sa- air UP THE SURROUNDING SEA of Crete, while further

reported a BY A VIOLENT BURST OF RED able way we have come to ex-companying the roconnaissance

Vittorio. Veneto,

drivers of vehi blic, including comprising second force,

EXTENDING FROM | peot of them." two FLAME battleships, cruisers and des- THE FOREMOST FUNNEL TO

THE AFTER GUN TURRET. troyers, further to the north.

One The Fleet Air Arm and the

observer said the after R.A.F. immediately attacked the turret itself was blown clean over former, seriously damaging the the side.

Cruiser Surrendered

The Italian cruiser Pola surren-¡ 'dered to the destroyer. Jervis after |

had returned to help the stricken cles, responded well. British

cruiser Pola.

Wireless.

NIZAM'S OFFER

This move either indloated they did not realise the full strength of the distant · British: Battle Fleet or, was designed:

It was announced to-day that. to create a diversion to "enable

the Nizam of Hyderabad has of- the Italian battleship to escape fered £150,000 to the Viceroy to

Sea. Of Men--

It was while the British light forces were searching for the enemy battleship that the British Battle Fleet blasted the Fiume und Zara,

be placed at the disposal of the Admiralty to provide a corvette for immediate use in, combating the submarine menace in the At- lantic-Reuter.

also an artist. He said "he had already prepared a pictura' of British ships sinking, buty tore . it up when he found it, was the Italians and not the British who were being sunk,

As the destroyer flotilla led by Jervis, upproached the scene of the blazing... Italian cruisem, the sea was filled with 700 or 800 men, some of whom were picked up, but the British ships were unable to wait as other Italian ships were menacing and to this action is that the British the cruiser Pola, though motion. were able to pick out the Itallaps

[in the darkness before they them less, was still unaccounted for:

An interesting-point in regard

Signal. Victory... -

As Jervis approached, Pola selvs were seen. flung out a large white sheet, her crew were drawn upon the quarterdeck, apparently ready to surrender, and the Pola's private papers and ship's books wore burning beneath the after turret.

Gangplank Rescue.

A gangplank was throwr between the quarterdeckts of Pola and Jervis, andthewo rondering: Italians clambered board

he Pola, was su

A large measure of the success; · must be credited to the superior- ity of the British optical instrum gun

ments to the German Instruments used by the Italians &

The ceaselses practice of the British Flest in night fighting also undoubtedly - contributed to the signal victorys

It seama probable the italiaḥa -put-to-satin-an' attemptɔtɔ; in-

he thought: the put to aen under: Germa Sir Andrew Cunninghatn öküressed, the opinion, that! probably did so- "under Gem