§ 32. Mr. Shinwellasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he has any statement to make on the attack by enemy aircraft on the steamship "Domala"; and whether he can explain the absence of effective protection?
§ Mr. ChurchillThe steamship "Domala" was carrying passengers to India who had been recently released from Germany to be repatriated. These were mainly lascars who had been serving on German ships before the war. Within a short time after their release the ship was attacked by night, and 100 of the passengers and crew were killed. The ship was adequately armed both with high and low angle guns to provide protection against aircraft or submarine 368 attack, but she was attacked suddenly by an aircraft assumed to be friendly, and therefore her guns were not brought into action. A destroyer which was close at hand was similarly misled. I must repeat my general statement that no guarantee against occasional losses can be given by the Admiralty.
§ Mr. ShinwellCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether he has received any reports to the effect that gun crews were not at their stations when this attack took place?
§ Mr. ChurchillNo, Sir, I have not, but a report upon every one of these matters is carefully prepared and examined by the authorities, and I will certainly look into that particular point.
§ Mr. ShinwellWill the right hon. Gentleman do this primarily for the purpose of securing that increased diligence occurs on other vessels, as the gun crews always ought to be at their stations?
§ Mr. ChurchillI am not quite sure that this is a physical possibility, but, at any rate, the highest state of preparedness which is possible must be maintained, and, of course, some parts of the sea are supposed to be more dangerous than others.
§ Sir Herbert WilliamsCan my right hon. Friend say whether the warning given to certain anti-aircraft units at five o'clock that morning preceded or succeeded the attack on the ship?
§ Mr. ChurchillIn the first place, I do not think that that question belongs to me, and if it did I should have to ask for notice.
§ Sir H. WilliamsArising out of the statement that the attack on the ship was without warning, if the presence of the aircraft was known to other branches of His Majesty's Forces, should not the ship have been advised?
§ Mr. ChurchillIt is very difficult when individual aircraft comes to areas of this kind, and very often the first attack in a particular area is successful, but afterwards arrangements are made which prevent such attacks from being successful.