GERMAN RAIDER OFF N.Z.

Chronicle (Levin), 11 June 1949, Page 5

GERMAN RAIDER OFF N.Z.

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Captured Bobments Tell Of line Laying

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The Ianng oi mmes 111 june, outside New Zealand's three main hartiours is- strikingly told in the " Story of the German raiders in the Faciiie ' — a Looklet 'which has been completed by the war history branch of the Departuient of Internal Aff&irs. it will .,e pubiished this month. 'ine almost casual way in which the mine laying was carried out niust have torne as a nasty surprise to the New Zeaiand defence authorities. Anotlier lesson ot even more .sighiiicance is to be lound in the account of the extraordinarv passage of one of the raiders— tlie ;52iH-tou Komet, command ed Ly Cuptam Robert Eyssen — from Gdnyia, aeross the t Arctie Ocean, through Behring Strait, with help fron; Russiaiiice-breaners, and dov/n into the Pacilie to reudezvous with the Orion aud the supplv sliip Kuliueriand in the caroline Isiands. Foi-r kears Afterwards While tlie Komet was lutking near the Chatham''lslands, another raider, Ihe Adjutant, steamed close to the New Zealaml coast and laid mines close to ihe entrauces to Lyttelton and Weiling lou haibours. Ten mines were laid a-ross the approaehes to eacli port under cover of darkness. There is no reeord of any suspicious vessels being seen around at the time, ainl it was not until four years later tuat the operation was diseovered from captured Lernian documents. The war diary of the Komet tells how the Adjutant found tke Christchurch uircraft lioniing beacons "burning peaeel'ully, " laid its mines, and at daybreak steamed about 60 miles olf the coast, with the high snow-covered mountaiiis reminding the crew (perhaps nostalgicaily) of Lake Constance. "Stand By For Action" Tliings were a bit more exciting at Wellington, li-owever, the next day , ,j uue 25, 11)40. A dark night, calni sea, and the Baring Head aud Penearrow iiglilb were in siglit by 2200 liours. " ' >Stand by for action.' Ilere again as at Lyttelton, everything is lit peaeefully. The liarbour is barred by two searc hlights between Faliiter Head and l'encarrow Iiead. " At 2512 a challenge from Baring. Adjutant does not reply. Steams througn at full speed on course 12 deg (fiortn by eastj. Baring Head makes Morse signal to searchlight which, liowever, sweeps riglit over Adjutant four times. "231(3.. Order to lny mines, though initial position has not been reacheu. ' ' 2320. When laying fourth mine Adjutant is picked up by searchlight. "2321. JSmoke made. The fiftli aiul sixtli mines are laid on tlie run in, the remaining four under cover ofv the .-onoke s creen, arter turning back and on a sliglitly dill'erent course from tlie one intended. The last one was laid at 232S." A few days later engine trouble on tlie Adjutant was so serious that the vessel was sunk nortli-east of (fhe, Chathaius and tlie crew transferred to tho Komet. Loss of tlie Niagara The mine-laying activities of tlie Orioii outside Auckland Harbour are also described, with their culmination in the loss of the Niagara which was tlie lirst iiidication of tiie presenee of a German raider in the Facilic. It is an interesting coincideuee that when the Department 's booklet is pubiished next Tuesday will be exactly nine years tc the day since the Hauraki Gulf mineiield was laid. Other sections of the booklet dea3 wijli Jhe sinking of the Turakina, Holm wood, Rangitane, and otliers of the total of 17 vesseis that were destroyea. The destructive raid on Nauru Island is also described. The booklet was written by Mr. ,S. D. Waters, a New Zeaiand journalist, who has specialised in naval and^shipping aflairs and is the author of several other naval histories. He served as a . gunner in the Ist N.Z.E.F. in World War I.