THE GERMANS DEPART

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 197, 15 May 1919, Page 6

THE GERMANS DEPART

c PRISONERS EMBARKED AT WELLINGTON THE SCENE ON THE WHARF Some JOO prisoners of war and enemy intcfiiees were embarked on the Willochra in Wellington yesterday, en route for Europe. The hbur and place of the embarkation had not been announced publicly, and special precautions wore taken to exclude from the neighbourhood of (lie ship unauthorised persons. The Glasgow Wharf was under strict military guard for the occasion, and the general public was shut out behind the outer barriers. There was no demonstration of "any kind, and the embarkation was effected smoothly and almost uneventfully. "A. special train conveying prisoners and internees from Feathcrsfoii Camp, with their guards, reached the wharf shortly before 1.30 p.m., and was drawn alongside the steamer. The guards paraded on the wharf, fixed' 'bayonets, and marched to their stations on the ship. Members of the military police and home service men', with arms, were posted round the train, and the Germans were then marched aboard on a tingle gangway. This process took some time, as all names were cheeked against the official lists at the head of the gangway. A .small group of women and children stood at the foot of tho gangway and waited their turn to go aboard after husbands and fathers.

The men who were being repatriated were a very nrxed lot, though some appearance of uniformity was lent by the fact that the majority of them woro denim suite of the type used in the New Zealand training camps and military overcoats from Ihe'Defence stores. Tlieso overcoats still carried, in nv>- cases, the New Zealand military brass '.ut.tons. The naval men from 5.M.11. Sea Adlor were conspicuous. They wore their original blue uniforms, and they were conspicuously spick and span in comparison with many of their comrades. There were planters and labourers from Samoa, many firemen and sailors of the mercantile type, and a sprinkling of business men, musicians, cooks and others "not specified." Nearly all the. prisoners had the appearance of being heartily glad to be travelling after their long stay in the rnlorninent camps. They smiled broadband made remarks to one another in guttural German. The waiting childrenwere centres of interest to them. They obeyed orders promptly and su'bniissively. One German, mounting the gangway, turned to express in forcible language a hope that he would never seo New. Zealand again. But tho proceedings were orderly throughout. Two of the Willochra's firemen, who had apparently had recent shore leave, leaned over tho side of tho ship and made some highly uncomplimentary remarks to the Germans passing along the wharf below, them. There was no reply, though two German sailors with the Sea Adler band on the caps muttered something that scarcely needed translation. Nearly every man had a parcel of some kind in his hand, containing his personal belongings. Musical instruments, blankets, carved walking-sticks, changes of clothing, and so forth wero betrayed by gaping paper parcels and camp-made bags. A pile of addressed parcels on the wharf, obviously containing in some instances cakes and suchlike luxuries,' indicated either that the prisoners had some friends outside the internment that they had expended money in providing themselves with a few comforts for tho voyage. '' Before the train from Featherston had been emptied, a second tram containing the prisoners and internees from Narrow Neck Camp reached the wharf. This was a special train that had made the through trip from Auckland, and- it brought the more important German.] prisoners, including the ex-Governor of Samoa (Dr.-K Senility.) and Count Felix von Graf Lu'ckner, of the Seu Adler. Other officials of the German Samoan Administratis, and officers of the Sea ■A (Idler were members of this party. While the embarkation of the Featherston ■ draft was being completed, Count von, Lucknci, under escort, was allowed a brief conversation with a lady who had been admitted, to the wharf, and who handed him 'a large bunch of (lowers. Ho was wearing the service uniform of a captain of the German Navy. A few minutes later the official German party went aboard the Willoclmi, to be. followed by the test of the Narrow Neek draft. The embarkation of the prisoners and internees, who included some Austrians and Jugo-Sliivs as well as Germans, was completed soon after 3 p.m. All the men "went straight to tlieir quarters, and the decks of the ship were kept, clear up till the. time the vessel put out into the stream. The women and children, rather more heavily burdened with luggage than the men, -went aboard in their turns, and they, too, disappeared below, where cabins had been provided for their occupation. With her part load of enemy emigrants, the Willoclira • then went ointo the stream, preparatory to sailing for Sydney, where many hundreds of unwanted Germans are to be added, to the cargo—Australasia's first after-war cargo for Germany.