THE GERMAN ESCAPEES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 79, 27 December 1917, Page 6

THE GERMAN ESCAPEES

HOW THEY WERE RECAPTURED PURSUIT OF THE MOA AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT An official statement regarding the recapture of the German prisoners who escaped from Motuihi Island was issued yesterday. It narrates briefly the incidents connected with the discovery of the Moa at the Kormadeo Islands and the taking of the escaping Germans. "On the evening of December 13, 1917," runs the official report, "eleven German prisoners of war, under the Iradership of Commander von 1.-uckner, lately in command of the German raider See Adler, made their (scape from Motuihi Island, Auckland Harbour, in a motor launch named Pearl, attached to the island. Grom the motor-boat they transferred to tho sailing scow Moa, which was seized in the Bay of Plenty, and in her they left the New Zealand coast.

"They wore recaptured on tile evening of December 21, in Che vicinity of the Kermndec Islands, by an armed vessel dispatched by the New Zealand Government to those waters' for the purpose, and they arrived this after-' nnon in Auckland, where they were at once landed. ."The crew of the Moa, consisting of five men and a bov, were still on board their vessel when recaptured, and state that they havo been well treated in every way. by the Germans. "The.'Moa herself was towed hack to Auckland hv the cantnrinp; vessel, and has suffered no serious damage as the result of her experiences. The motorhoftt Pearl, which was heine; towed by the Moa, was lost in the heavy weather experienced after leaving the New Zealand coast. Details of the Capture. "The officer in command of the capturing vessel, in his report, states:—> " 'At about noon on December 21, the Moa's masts were sighted about fifteen miles away. As soon os she saw that she was being chased, she Btood away to the westward under a press of canvas, and hoisted tho German naval onsign, but we overhauled her irl about an hour arid a half; as she paid no attention to my signal to stop, I fired a shot across her, when she immediately shortened sail and stopped.

" 'The German captain, in response to my verbal order, came on hoard in his own boat, formally surrendered, and the German ensign was then- liauled down in the Moa. Tho remainder of the escapees were then removed by an armed escort.

'' They had n Tair amount -f provisions with them, and plenty of water, but they had thrown overboard such arms as they possessed as soon as they saw their capture to be inevitable;' " 'My arrival at Auckland was delayed by having to tow the Moa. and by continuous heavy westerly weather, which necessitated the shin heaving to for a considerable time.'"