The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-12

British fleet units was raging at
~Trondheim, Norway; that German
transports forced aground during last
nights battle in the Skagerrak were
blazing fiercely; that 1000 bodies
were floating in the waters off
Sweden, from as many as six sunk
en- German transports. These re-
ports likewise were not confirmed
here.
Neutral naval sources said tonight
that four nazi cruisers alone would
have carried 1880 men, and esti-
mated that total German casualties
might well exceed 5000.
On the other hand, British casual
ties were thought to be we'll below
1000. When the Gurkha was sunk,
for instance, all but fourteen men
were rescued.
Churchill's hour-Iong statement,
packed with proud accounts of Brit
ish sea glories, among them the
fight of the Renown and the Scharn-
horst, ais told the world:
Rodney In Battle
That the mighty, 33, 90O-ton Rod.
ney, flagship of the home fleet, al
though hit by a heavy bomb, suffer-
ed but little loss and seven casual
ties and is in line of battle tonight.
That the navy has occupied the
Farce islands, about 250 miles north
of the British naval base of Scapa
Flow, and will give them back to
Denmark when that nation is freed
from its foul thraldom."
That 1--WE shall take what we
want" of Norway's coast when the
fleet has accomplished its foremost
object, total destruction of nazi sea-
power.
That the fleets own planes, ''the
fleet air ARM" launching flying tor
pedoes, and planes of the R. A. F.
have returned nazi air offensive
elbow for blow" after five German
bomb attacks on the British battle
fleet which Church admitted the
nazis pressed with courage" Twelve
Royal Air Force planes, the first
lord said, attacked two German light
cruisers in Bergen harbor, hit one
and 1--WE have not seen anything of
her since"
A second foray, carried out by six
teen naval planes in Bergen Road.
stead, resulted in three hits on Ger
man war vessels and later, scout
planes skimming over the scene of
attack found only a long streak of
oil on the surface.
Other fleet air arm units smashed
at German warcraft in Trondheim
harbor with aerial torpedoes.
Norway Resists
That Norway's defenders are CAP
able of vigorous and prolonged re.
sistance" to the Germans, although
their country and Denmark have
drawn the unlucky numbers in this
sinister lottery Of long and elabor-
ate" preparation by Hitler.
Churchill, fairly fresh and at the
peak Of his oratorical powers despite
three sleepless days in an admiralty
map room, thrilled the house, jam
med with members and diplomats,
with his account Of the running fight
between the 80, 0O0-ton British battle
cruiser Renown and the 26,0G0-ton
German battleship Scharnhorst.
The RenoWn, which mounts six
15-inch guns, engaged the enemy at
$4,000 yards" he said, in a binding
snowstorm. 1t is believed to have
scored two hits, one forward Of the
super-structure.
His tired voice rising, Churchill
related how the battle cruiser pur-
sued the slightly faster Scharnhorst,
which mounts nine 11-inch guns, and
he regretfully concluded that the
German battleship, shielded by a
smokescreen from a German cruiser,
escaped in the stormy eas
This took place on Tuesday, at
daybreak, near Narvik, in the far
North sea.
Churchill, as if he had been on the
Renown's bridge himself related:
"They, (the S~charnhorst and the
German cruiser of the 10,00-ton Hip
per class were seen in the distance,
dimly, amidst the snowstorms of a
tempestuous day. The sea was run
ming very high and gales were blow
ing f%uriorsly, but our battle cruiser
opened fire at $4,000 yards and after
three minutes the enemy replied.
I THE enemy almost Immediately