The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-09-21
GERMAN BREMEN
 MAY BE WAR PRIZE
(Continued from rage D

might have had a successful fight with German submarine flotilla in the Kattegat Strait between Den- mark and Sweden, at the entrance to the Baltic, yesterday.
 People of Lassoe Island, in the strait, asserted that they heard fir ing of the heaviest sort yesterday. It was said that the firing was so heavy and so continued that 1t could hardly have been anything but big naval fight.
 There was one alternative explan- ation: the Swedish admiralty had announced that 1t would hold target practice in the Kattegat off Goth enburg yesterday and Gothenburg is across from Lassoe Island.
 First Reports of Battle
 Both here and in Copenhagen, where first reports came of battle, it was said today that the firing might have been that of the Swed- ish fleet. However, both at Copen- hagen and here, it was said that this was only possibly the explanation because of the duration and the se- verity of the firing. Further, Lassoe Islanders put the firing as south of their island, not northeastward toward Gothenburg.
 Those here who thought there really might have been a fight sug- gested that it was more likely that destroyers had engaged submarines than that all the firing was in tar get practice.
 They said, too, that destroyers could make sufficient noise to cause laymen to believe that there was a big scale naval battle.
 Might Have Caught Them
 These sources expressed belie1 that British destroyers, on a, sub- marine hunt, might have caught German submarines by surprise. Il was not explained why the suhma- rines stayed up, for hours to fight destroyers of larger gun caliber and greater speed instead of diving.
 People of Folkestone, off the southeast coast of England, reported that from the Cliffs overlooking the Dover Strait yesterday they saw two ships firing, their shells dropping into the water between them. Be- lief was expressed that two British destroyers were attacking a subma- rine.
 People at Deal, just up the coast said that they had seen column of water shoot up into the air about five miles out to sea between Deal and Folkestone, and that afterward here was considerable naval activity after dark yesterday. Searchlights swept the area, they said.
 British Planes Rescue
 London, Sept. 21-(UP)-Royal air force planes have rescued the crew of the tramp steamer Kensing- ton Court, sunk in the Atlantic, the ministry of information announced today.
 The Kensington Court, 4,863 tons carried crew of 34. All members ot the crew were landed safely after having been picked up by the RAE flying boats. The ministry said. The rescue marked the first time the RAF had picked up shipwreckcd sailors at sea and flown them to safety.
 The Kensington court, presumably torpedoed by a German submarine, was owned by the Court line, Ltd Its home port was London.
 Two aircraft patrolling the At- lantic picked up distress calls ap- pealing for aid and asserting that the Kensington Court was sinking the ministry said.
 RAF flying boats arrived at the scene 10 minutes before the shlc went down. Pilots saw a tiny boat crowded with men, bobbing on the sea with men clinging to its sides. The aircraft made a search for the submarine which torpedoed the Kensington Court but were unable to locate 1t. Then a flying boat alighted on the waves and hauled 14 men aboard. The ship was able tc take off safely despite its heavy load.
 Later another flying boat de- scended to the water and rescued the remaining 20 members of the Kensington Courts crew. Survivors reported that bfeore the RAF flying boats arrived one of the Kensington Courts lifeboats hac capsized. The remaining lifeboat wal in danger of sinking when the res clierg anpeared.