GERMAN RAIDER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 111, 17 January 1940, Page 3

GERMAN RAIDER

Precise information of the movements of the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee were s'rven to the Admiralty by the Blue Slar motor-ship Brisbane Star, which arrived at an English port last month after narrowly escaping destruction from the battleship's guns. The Brisbane Star, which is wellknown at Auckland, was going from Australia to England with produce in the South Atlantic when she pick ed up an S.O.S. message from the Doris Star, stating that she was being attacked by a battleship. The message Avas relayed by the l'risb-.ine Star to all stations in the vicinity and the motor-ship then crowded on all speed to outdistance the Admiral Graf Spee, Avhich apparently picked up the message a:ul came straight in the ship's direction. "We appeared to be doomed," said the chief officer of the Brisbane Star, "but when we were .iO miles distant from the German battleship, the Shaw Savill steamer Tairoa cross ed the path of the Admiral Graf Spee, which spent, precious tiiae in sinking its new victim. Meanwhile, we were going at full speed and cleared the area in which the Admiral Graf Spee would cut our course and hurried northward. "While we hated leaving the sinking merchantman Ave realised lhat any attempt at rescue would condemn us to their fate. Vlien aa t o reached England naval authorities informed us that our information Avas responsible f_»r Mie tracking down of the Admiral Iraf Spee."