The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-01-16


 The Southampton was the fourth cruiser admitted lost by the admir- alty since the outbreak of the war
 The cruisers previously lost were the 9.770-ton Efingham, the 4,18( ton Calypso and the 4-290-tor Curlew. In addition the British have lost II auxiliary cruisers.
 The Southampton, said the ad- miralty, caught fire in the German attack and eventually the fire "at- tained such proportions that it be- came necessary to abandon ship" --EffortS to tow the damaged ves- SCI to port failed and the crew sank #.
 ,sThe Southampton was completed in June, 1887. She had speed ot g. knots and mounted F six-inch guns. eight 4-inch anti-aircraft guns, one 3.7 inch howitzer. and other smaller ones. She carried two airplanes with one catapult and had six 21 inch torpedo tubes.
 She was rated as one of the most effective and speediest of the British force of large cruisers.
 Aircraft Carrier Safe
 London, Jan. 16-CUP) - Great Britain's newest aircraft carrier Inustrious, was safe in port some where in the Mediterranean today after taking from German dive Bombing planes one of the heaviest pounding ever delivered from the air against a single ship.
 "A 1000 pound bomb struck her directly below the bridge and near misses made many perforations above and below it's water line.
 Before the Seven-hour attack end ed, Illustrious had started to take in water through holes below its water line. But it arrived in port yesterday under it's own power Wounded men were put ashore at once and the work of cleaning up the ship was started.
 Just before Illustrious entered port, it was disclosed, destroyers near it reported a submarine and dropped depth charges which shook the ship almost as severely as had the German bombs.
 An Exchange Telegraph corre- spondent who was aboard Illustrious during the attack, sent vivid story of the ordeal through which the big ship went as he German planes, wave upon wave, centered their attack upon her.
 Order of Attack
 GA participating German pilot provided the opening chapter of the raid in dispatch circulated by the German official news agency. The pilot said that the order to attack a British fleet was given a little more than 24 hours after a dive bombing plane force had arrived at an airdrome in Sicily.
 (The order was sent to the unit commander: Strong formation ot British warships including airplane carrier off Sardinia sailing north westerly direction. Prepare start 9:30 a. m."
 (Apparently the order gave in- correct information of the direc- tion of the British fleet, which was selling eastward toward Greece with an important convoyO
 Three Junkers-87 planes ap- preached the British fleet from the clouds, the Exchange Telegraph correspondent reported.
 The Nazi pilot said that the planes approached at 18,OOO feet.
 All of the guns on Illustrious anc other ships, opened a furious fire the Exchane Telegraph correspon- dent said. Then four more planes appeared. The leading plane drop ped 1000 pound bomb which fel slightly astern of Illustrious.
 = 15 Dove at Fleet
 Then the correspondent saw about 15 bombers dive at the fleet. Hi! attention was divided between wat. ching the planes overhead and Brit. iSb fighters taking off from Illus. tFious's flight deck to engage them -The last of the British fighters had just left the deck when a 1,O0( pound bomb struck. A tremendous explosion shook the ship. A divt bomber, diving daringly low, hac made the hit.
 Tho correspondent was descending from the signaling bridge to tn, compass platform. He had a vivit Impression of a sudden sheet o flame and cloud of choking smoke He felt a severe blow in his shoul der, presumbly from concussion, anC saw millions" of sparks. He mad his way into the wireless cabin ant was told to lie on the floor.
 As the correspondent sheltered il the room, coughing with the other because of the thick smoke, the roa of German plane motors made i appear as If they were converginI on IlluStriouS from all sides ant diving one after another into tn blazing anti-aircraft gun fire, hold ing their bombs until the last mo n1ent, looSing them and sWerving off The planes came so low that i seemed to the correspondent almos as if they were landing on the ship flight deck, and at intervals tn ship continued to shudder from nea misses.
 The correspondent commentet that the 1000 puond bomb cause, only comparatively slight damag and minor casualties.
 Convoy Attacked Berlin, Jan. 16-(UP)-The offic ial DNB news agency reported toda, that German reconnaissance plane attacked a large British convoy of the British east coast this morning sinking a 4,O00 ton merchant ship. The DNB reports said thre bombs hit the British vessel. tw' &fnidships and one at the stern.
 The convoy was sighted off Or 7 <ogdness. the DINE reported.