SAW THE GRAF SPEE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 156, 6 May 1940, Page 3

SAW THE GRAF SPEE

IMPRESSIONS OF CREW NEW ZEALANDER ON SPOT A New Zealander who was in Montevideo when the Graf Spee steamed into port after the Battle of the River Plate Avas Mr Arthur Roberts, formerly of Rotorua. He is now chief cook on the Marquesa. He left the Dominion two years ag,o to "see the world." 'II spoke to many of the Graf Spec's men/' he said. "They admitted quite frankly that there were 'too many Inglis ships,' and that they'd had enough fighting. Many of them would point to themselves and say, 'Me no fight,' and then pointing to an officer, 'But he fight." "The thing that impressed me most was the exceptional youth of the majority of the ralings. Most of them were little more than mere boys. They were all very popular with the Yanks, though the South Americans were not so keen on them, They were given drinks everywhere by the Yanks, and were to be seen all over the town. "They didn't have much to say! about the battle,, although a great many of them were able to speak quite a lot of English. I went out in a launch and had a good look at the Graf Spee while they were rushing through repair -work. Afterwards I went out to where she was scuttled." Personally, Mr Roberts added, he found the Graf Spec ratings "quite good chaps." But he noticed that Hn;re was apparently a good deal of Mi-feeling between the senior and