THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 14, 1941...
ATTEMPT TO "TARANTO" BRITISH BATTLE FLEET Eye-Witness Account Of Dramatic Night Action
Spectacular Barrage Put Up
(From Reuter's Special Correspondent with the Mediterranean
Fleet, on board H.M.S. Barham)
HOW MORE THAN 30 WARSHIPS, WITH GUNS ABLAZE, BEAT -OFF AN ATTEMPT BY ENEMY AIRCRAFT TO “TARANTO" THE BRITISH BATTLE FLEET WHILE IT WAS STEAMING IN THE CEN- TRAL MEDITERRANEAN, CAN NOW BE TOLD.
No damage was sustained by any British
QUIET DAY ship in this engagement, which was briefly
IN AIR
There was very slight enemy air activity yester- day and no reports of any bombs dropped, says an Air Ministry com- munique.
reported in an Admiralty communique on Saturday.
The encounter produced the heaviest and most spectacular night barrage I have yet seen, with firing continuing almost ceaselessly for 45 minutes against the enemy's torpedo-bombers.
The
full moon
was some
20
GREAT DESTRUCTION
(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")
It is revealed in London that great destruction was caus- ed by the British raids on Monday night on Mannheim, Cologne, Coblenz, Dunkirk and Ostend. Interna- tional News Service.
DEATH
DUTIES DECISION
MR. GAUSS' DENIAL
MR. CLARENCE GAUSS. NEWLY-APPOINTED U.S. AM- BASSADOR TO CHINA. ARRIV- ED IN SHANGHAI THIS MORN- ING ON BOARD THE "PRESI- DENT GARFIELD" EN ROUTE TO CHUNGKING.
Beyond denying a statement at- tributed to him by Japanese newsmen, that military and Gov- ernment officia's of the Philip- pines, Australia, the N.EL and Chungking were to meet at Sing- Lapore soon for an important con- ference. Mr. Gauss refused £0 talk.
Arriving by the same liner was Cal. Howard, new commander of the US. Marines in Shanghai.--- Reuter.
2,000,000 TONS
FOR SHIPPING POOL
[SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL"}
The U.S. Maritime Commission
THE ESTATES OF CIVILIANS has asked American inter-coastal KILLED BY ENEMY ACTION | shipping lines to give up 2,000,000 WILL HENCEFORTH NOT BE tons towards the pool to aid Bri- LIABLE TO DEATH DUTIES ON tain, International News Ser- From Barham's
vice. compass plat- degrees above horizon when our form i had a magnificent panora-A NORMAL SCALE.
Relief will be granted on The view of the Fleet steaming in cruisers, escorting a convoy, were
terms as those applying to quer told the Commons yesterday Activity was in coastal areas, seen to open fire a few miles dis-line ahead and belching flame inmembers of the armed forces kill- that the new arrangements would mainly in the south-west, and one tant on our starboard quarter all directions.
be made retrospective to the be- enemy aircraft was shot down whereupon our heavy units blazed
the Excheginning of the war.-Reuter. the sea by fighters.
IT IS NOW KNOWN THAT THE TOTAL ENEMY AIRCRAFT] DESTROYED IN DAYLIGHT ON THURSDAY. MAY 8 WAS 15. AN EXTRA ONE HAVING BEEN CLAIMED BY THE GROUND DEFENCES AT
SEARCH- LIGHT STATION
A
The destruction of three more enemy aircraft on the might of May 11 is now confirmed, making the total that
enemy night 12 bombers. --Reuter.
SHIRTS
forth with all their armament from 6-inchers downwards.
a
+
Firework Display
cx-
In the meantime a strong screen of destroyers flung up an umbrella barrage, protecting the Battle Fleet from high-level bombing attack, WHEN THE BATTLE FLEET giant sea piece in a gargantuan OPENED FIRE, THE RAIDERS firework display. APPARENTLY
Our 6-inchers, 4-inchers, mul- tiple pom-poms and even Lewis-
a wide area guns, plastered lending from sea level to the sky. to be seemed Each battleship possible
aflame from end to end, like
ABANDONED
THE CONVOY AND, SPLITTING ATTACKED INTO
ALL THE ANGLES.
WITH
GROUPS, FLEET
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The entire ship shuddered as shells whistled
the
distance.
drowned by
away into Shouted orders were
the Indescribable violence of the barrage.
44
In the meantime the sea, illu- minated by the blaze of guns. became periodically a mass of smail and large waterspouts splinters from the destroyers' protective barrage fell around us.
LULLS WERE BROKEN BY THE CLATTER OF THOUSANDS OF EMPTY SHELL CASES BEING SWEPT ASIDE BEFORE THE NEXT BARRAGE.
Wet Fog
No torpedoes cane near UN though the last ship of the line was seen to take avoiding action during the early part of the attack.
Darkness prevented ascertaining the results of the barrage, and at the cease tire a thick, wet fog suddenly descended. We suffered no casualties or damage.
The engagement occurred dur ing seven days of routine opera- tions in the central Mediterran- can, during which convoys were successfully made In various directions, light forces bombard- ed Benghazi harbour and the Fleet Air Arm shot down seven enemy aircraft in various minor attempts by the Axis aviation against our ships,
ed on active service,
The Chancellor of
STOP
the
prefix "special" to telegram is and by the "Sunday Herald" "China Mail" to Indicato NEWS which
All pay tribute to the untiring, magnificent work of the Fleet Air The Arm in driving off formations used while still several miles distant is strictly copyright under the provi from the Fleet.-Reuter.
MINISTRY OF WAR TRANSPORT
It is
announced that the De- partment of His Majesty's Govern- ment known as the Ministry of Shipping has been re-designated, as from May 10, 1941, the Minis- try of War Transport and that the Office of the Representatives in Hong Kong has been renamed accordingly. The Hon. Mr. J. J. Paterson and Mr. W. HI. Lock are the local representatives, of the Ministry of War Transport.
NEW TAXES UNDER
DISCUSSION)
(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL") Mr. Henry Morgenthau, U.S. Secretary of Treasury, secretly conferred at his house with Demo- cratic leaders in the House of Representatives on the $3,500,- 000,000 tax programme, hoping to Iron out differences,nternational News Service.
Or.
either
slons of the Telecommunications dinance, 1938, and may not be reprint.
under any aircumstances, wholly or in part, without prior rangement.
ed
PRESS
lic
Mr. James Dowie Bic- kerstaff, 36 years of age, was found shot in his quarters this afternoon.
He attended office, Pub- Works Department, this morning and return- ed to his quarters, 182, Prince Edward Road, after 1 p.m. Later a shot rang out and Mr. Bickerstaff was found dead by the servants.
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