Evening star., 1939-12-15
Part Of German
Fleet Sighted
In North Sea
Ry the Associated Press.

LONDON, Dec. 15.-B. itish and
German warplanes clasheo in one
OF the heaviest air conflicts of the
war, it was reported today, as the
British raided Nazi seaplane bases
and apparently attempted to finish
off crack German cruiser crippled
by torpedo.
The British said losses in the
fighting-Whether there was more
than one combat was not clear
were four German and three British
planes.
Germany claimed 10 of 20
British planes were shot down
with only one German plane
forced down in a battle north of
the Frisian Islands,
Raiding on far-fung missions
during last night and early today,
the British flyers were reported by
the air ministry to have bombed
Nazi seaplanes at Sylt, island base
off the southwest coast of Denmark
and the islands of Borkum and Nor
derney, island bases off the north
east coast of the Netherlands.
Saw Section of Fleet.
Rival flyers clashed when the
British sought to return, and sur
vivors related they saw section
OF the German fleet which was re-
ported to be escorting a damaged
cruiser.
They said the crippled warsh:p
was understood to be a vessel OF
5000 tons.
Britain two nights ago reported
that one of her submarines had tor-
pedoed German cruiser. Tie Ger
| man high command yeS.rTCAv +
serted that there had been al !. g.
derwater explosion" nea. on, rel
cruiser but that the C,;n ,e va. ur =
important ana the ship g. .rneo =,
home L ,rbGI" Germ ny tas fil .
| 6,000-ton {. >, IS.
The Gernau g. wee a. th~
North Sea neS the scene OF ne
greo. World Wa, 80 !" of Ju'land.
Briti1l arnen Iepo"teu o. tne;r re-
turn finll bite aerial feh. in
which t:'' sh rs participated
Sub 'oins In Fire.
The C-,mav Ha-sEips combined
their G!e with inpt II The planes
in the North ,,ea hatt.e ana cven
the submarine 'uoa part n the gun
Ming before djvirg for safety, the
British flyers related
Evidence OF the g.. zing battle
also came from Oslo. vhsre Reuters
News Agency reported % explosit S
resembling sullffre were heard from
the southwest
German operations in the North
Sea in thiS strength nave not pre-
viously been reported.
The fact that the German war
ships in tie North Sea We're steam
ing southwark when s..,hted led
naval observers to believe that they
were not seeking battle.
Spec Watch Reinforced.
The admiralty announced that
the cruisers Ajax and Achilles had
been strongly reinforced" in their
watch for the Graf Spec of Rio de
la Plata
The battle cruiser -,enoWn arl
the aircraft carrier Ark Royal wcre
disclosed by authoritative sources to
be near Cap, Gown in search # an
other German pocket battles.lip. Jne
Admiral Scheer. Other British pa
trolls are chmriing the N.rth .ttlan-
tic in the hunt for ..e tnirG such
raider, the Deutschland.
Since the air ministry has made
public its intention of maintaining
security patrols" over German
bases in the Helgoland region the
British were rot surprised that
they met German planes in large
numbers so quickly yesterday when
they sighted the venturesome Ger
man naval squadron.
Merchant Losses Continue.
Merchant shipping continued to
suffer wartime losses yesterday and
last night.
One member of the crew was
killed and AZ were rescued when
the 7,400-ton British tanker San
Alberto was damaged by enemy
action" off England's southwest
o. AMMAN