PLAN IN COLUMBUS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20127, 22 December 1939, Page 7

PLAN IN COLUMBUS

CREW WELL PREPARED DRILLED FOR MONTH CAPTAIN TELLS STORY (Reed. Dec. 22, 12 noon) NEW YORK, Dec. 21. Captain Wilhelm Daehne revealed that the German liner Columbus, which was scuttled 300 miles off: Virginia, left Vera Cruz “escorted by American destroyers. There were always oiie or two American cruisers with us in the beginning,” he said. “They were friendly, signalling ‘God speed,’ ‘Safe return home’ and ‘Merry Christmas’ as they left.” Captain Daehne revealed that the United States cruiser Tuscaloosa began escorting him on Monday. “At 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday a destroyer appeared, nearing very quickly,” he continued. “At 2.55 n.m. I could make out the British flag and a minute later I gave the genera) alarm to scuttle and burn the ship. I had drilled ihe crew for a month for this, and they knew what to do. Signal From Destroyer At 2.57 the destroyer signalled: "Stop immediately. We are sending a boat.” At 3.5 p.m. she fired two shots across our bows. 1 ordered the lifeboats to be lowered ” Captain Daehne added that there were nine women aboard, stewardesses who had insisted on accompanying the Columbus. “The twb missing firemen were happy-go-lucky fellows,” he said “Evidently they delayed too long in leaving and perished with the ship.’ Asked why he left the safety of a neutral port, Captain Daehne shrugged and replied: “If you get an order, you fill that order.” In the effort to prevent a repetition of the Langsdorfl tragedy, officials have assigned two of the officers of the Columbus to share Captain Daehne's sleeping quarters