GERMAN SPY'S ERROR.
LEADS SUBMARINE COMMANDER ASTRAY.
HOW A DUTCH SHIP WAS TORPEDOED.
The reason why a German submarine sank the Katwyk was given to me by a Dutch shipping authority t-o-day (says Roue H. Feibelman, correspondent in Holland for the “Express”). The sinking was really due to a mistake, the German submarine believing the Dutch merchantman to be a British ship carrying Belgian recruits to England. Several hundred? of Belgian young men, who, at the peril of their lives, managed to leave Belgium, were waiting last- week atRotterdam to be shipped to England, thence to join the Belgian army at the front.
The German submarine flotilla scouting in Dutch waters knowing that, instructed the numerous German spies who are busy in Rotterdam to try to find out when the ship with the Belgians was leaving port, in order to sink her.
Ample precautions were taken to avoid any indiscretion on the part of the Belgian recruits. They were not told anything about the time of de-
parture until' two hours before sailing Many Belgians were continually accosted in the streets of Rotterdam by allegcd Dutchmen, speaking excellent French, offering to drink to the \ictory of the Allies, and casually asking a ben they expected to leave for the front. The Belgians were warned, and the secret of the departure of the ship was kept until the eleventh hour, when some unknown Belgian fell into the trap, and told a supposed Du ten sympathiser the time of departure. One hour later a submarine patrolling before the mouth of the Meuse was warned to be ready to torpedo the first- ship seen. This ship happened, however, to be the Katwyk. The Germans were especially proud ■of sinking her, believing her to bo a British ship fraudulently flying Dutch colors. The minute the German commander found out his mistake ho dived, in order to avoid being recognised. In the meantime the British authorities, having discovered the indiscretion, postponed the Belgians’ departure for 12 hours.
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Bibliographic details
Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3978, 10 July 1915, Page 7
Word Count
332GERMAN SPY'S ERROR. Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3978, 10 July 1915, Page 7
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