Mr. Alexander(by Private Notice) asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can make any statement on the German wireless report that German aircraft attacked and bombarded a British battleship and aircraft carrier and cruisers and destroyers in the middle of the North Sea; and whether there is any truth in the statement of the German High Command that the aircraft carrier was destroyed and the British battleship badly damaged, and that the German aeroplanes returned to their base without loss?
§ Mr. ChurchillI am obliged to my right hon. Friend for putting this question. The Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet, Sir Charles Forbes, has wirelessed as follows:
Yesterday afternoon in the middle of the North Sea a squadron of British capital ships together with an aircraft carrier, cruisers and destroyers were attacked by about 20 German aircraft. No British ship was hit and no British casualties were incurred. One German flying boat was shot down and another is reported to be badly damaged.
Mr. AlexanderMay I ask the First Lord whether he is aware that, although we are amused we arealso gratified at the facts given in his reply to my question; and that we also hope that the public who may, perchance, listen in to the English broadcast from Germany will take this as an example of the veracity of the statements made in those broadcasts?
§ Mr. ChurchillI might have added that another German aircraft came down in the North Sea. We sent out a destroyer to collect her, and her crew of four are being brought in as prisoners.
§ Mr. BellengerMay I ask the First Lord whether this was the earliest available opportunity at which he could divulge this information to the public?
§ Mr. ChurchillI learned about it about three-quarters of an hour ago, and I thought that the House should know of it.