Show BRITISH CONVOY BATTLES NAZIS NAZIS' LONDON Jan 8 UP The The admIralty admiralty ad ad- announced ced Frid Friday y that an allied ailed convoy convoy had reached north Russian ports a alter after te a hot naval action previouslY reported December December December Decem Decem- ber 31 31 The convoy was attacked by a greatly s superior enemy force thought hought to consist of ot one pocket battleship one cruiser and a a. n number numer num- num mt ber er of destroyers off North Cape at the extreme north of ot Norway the he admiralty said The first announcement of ot the contact December 31 said an enemy cruiser cruser was dam damaged ged and forced to withdraw and an enemy destroyer was hit and was was' last seen in a sinking con con- The admiralty said a small force torce of ot escorting destroyers drove off oft the en enemy's mys strong forces In a two-hour two fight Then it said more powerful British forces reached the scene scene and engaged the enemy until his ships escaped in low visibility fleeing at high speed to the shelter of Norwegian bases It listed British casualties as the destroyer ton 1350 sunk flotilla leader and IM I'M S Onslow a new destroyer dam dam- aged It said there were some casualties Nazis Lose Destroyer A German German last Saturday declared that German boats U-boats and s surface ships sank a destroyer damaged several cruis cruisers cruis cruis- ers era and torpedoed four merchantmen merchant merchant- men in an attack upon an allied convoy December 31 near Bear island about midway between n Spitzbergen and the northern tip of Norway The Germans admitted admitted ad ad- mitt d the l loss ss of at a destroyer The British said In spite of almost continual darkness extreme cold and navigational navigational navi navi- hazards due to ice and andow low ow visibility and interference from the enemy supplies continue to reach Russia by the northern route In a a published December 31 1942 the admiralty announced that his majesty's ships had lad made contact with enemy surface ships shipS' in northern Waters It was wag then stated that operations were continuing v Supplies for Russia At this time our naval forces were engaged in escorting a convoy convoy convoy con con- voy loaded with important military military military mili mili- tary supplies for our Russian allyOn allyOn ally On the morning of Dec December 31 British destroyers l commande by Captain R R. S S. T T. V V. Sherbrooke D S 0 R RN N fn In H M S Onslow which were escorting t the e convoy made contact with a greatly superior superior superior su su- enemy force thought to consist of one pocket battleship one and nd a number of r de de de- off of the North cape cap at the extreme north of Norway Captain Sherbrooke immediately immediately immedi immedi- led his destroyers destroyers' into th the attack and closed on the the enemy with great g gallantry In the semidarkness semidarkness semidarkness semi- semi darkness and With visibility fUrther further further fur fUr- ther reduced by frequent snowstorms snowstorms snow snowstorms snow snow- storms the contact was fleeting and intermittent ent The fighting continued for about two hours Drives Off Foe Foe By resolute and skilful handling handling handling han han- of this small force of ot destroyers destroyers de de- he the captain succeeded succeeded succeeded suc suc- in driving off oft four attempts by strong enemy forces to destroy the convoy More powerful forces then arrived arrived arrived ar ar- rived in support and engaged the enemy who escaped in low visibility visibility and returned return d in high speed to the safety of their bases on the the Norwegian coast The enemy has admitted that thata a destroyer rep reported to be of ot the mass class which our forces last sighted in sinking condition was in fact sunk and da damage age is claimed to one of the larger ships The board of ot the admiralty regrets to announce that H M S destroyer Lieutenant Commander A. A A H H. Tyndall Johns R R. N N. was wag damaged in defense of the convoy and subsequently sank H HM M S Onslow suffered sOme some damage and casualties Th The next of kin of of casualties casualties' of both both- these ships have be been n informed The convoy which suffered no loss or damage as a result of the enemy's efforts has arrived in iii north Russian ports |