Captain A. J. Power, who has been captain of the Ark Royal since she was first commissioned two years ago, told Reuter about the torpedo attack made on the ship last October, about the time the Courageous was lost. Torpedoes passed astern of the ship, missing her by between 200 and 300 yards. After the U-boat had been attacked by escorting destroyers, some of its crew were saved.
Describing the air attack on the Ark Royal, Captain Power said one German plane, more daring than the others, made a power dive on the ship.
"He started from about 4,000 feet," the captain said, "and pulled out at perhaps 1,000 feet. I saw a bomb leave it—it was the biggest one I had seen. I saw it falling and from the bridge my. impression was that it wasn't going to hit us. It landed in the sea about fifteen feet from the Ship's side, but had it hit us it wouldn't have sunk us."
Warship Never Keeled Over Captain Power denied a report that the Ark Royal keeled over. Her helm was torn and her bows twisted slightly, but there was no damage apart from some pieces of crockery which were smashed.
After these events the Ark Royal crossed the Atlantic, and went to, Capetown also. Her aircraft participated in the search for the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee, but when she was located by the Exeter, Ajax and Achilles, the Ark Royal was 1,000 miles away.
A hundred flights were made from the decks of the Ark Royal. Captain Power said several planes were lost, being unable to find their way back.
Reuter,
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