TASMAN RAIDER

Evening Star, Issue 23679, 12 September 1940, Page 2

TASMAN RAIDER

MANY THEORIES ADVANCED SOME AUSTRALIAN OPINIONS Many theories have been advanced by the German raider which attacked the freighter Turakina in the Tasman (says the Melbourne 1 Argus ’). It is known that the Turakina’s cargo could not have been seized by the raider, and this rules out the possibility of attack for the cargo. She might, however, have been taken for stores, fuel, and foodstuffs. Another theory is that she was captured for use like the Altmark as a prison ship. Little credence is attached to this theory, however. The last reported appearance of a German raider was on July 29, when the British auxiliary cruiser Alcantara (22,000 tons) opened fire on a whitepainted enemy merchant ship armed with four guns. The action occurred off Trinidad Island, 700 miles east of Brazil, which was the most frequented, haunt of enemy raiders in the last war. Both ships were hit in the action, and the raider escaped. . . The raider intercepted the British freighters Davisian (6,433 tons) and King John (5,228 tons), and sank them by shell fire. The attacks occurred in West Indian waters. The captain and crew of the Davisian were taken prisoner aboard the raider. She was last reported on the day of the Alcantara engagement, and as only 22 days elapsed between that day and the day when the Turakina announced that she was being shelled, the raider would have been obliged to average 17 knots, night and day, to cover the 9,000 miles from Trinidad Island to the Tasman. Melbourne shipping experts claim that this theory cannot be entirely ruled out, as speed would be essential to a raider, and evidence had shown that the “ grey ship ” of the West Indies was exceedingly fast. It is also pointed out that several German ships have not been accounted for since the outbreak of war, and may still be at large, acting as raiders. The Norddeutscher Lloyd liner Franken, frequent visitor to Melbourne, is in this category. Her captain would have an intimate knowledge of Australian and New Zealand waters. _ . Some authorities couple the sinking of the Niagara by a mine off Auckland with the shelling of the Turakina. It is recalled that in the last war the German raider Wolf laid minefields off the

New Zealand coast and near Gabo Island, off the Victorian coast. Captain James Laird, of the Turakina, is well known to shipping men in Melbourne, and has been a frequent visitor here. Aged 45, he has been a ship’s master for 12 years, and ha« been at sea for 20 years. Captain Laird is famous for his advocacy everywhere of Australian goods. Hundreds of children have written to him saying that they have persuaded their parents to buy “ the butter with the kangaroo brand.” He has received thousands of letters on his voyages. The Turakina was “ adopted ” some time ago by a Glasgow school, and ths children corresponded regularly with Captain Laird and other members .of the crew. When the Turakina has been in Australia Captain. Laird has invited scores of children to visit him.