REPATRIATED GERMANS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 June 1920, Page 4

REPATRIATED GERMANS.

WELLINGTON, June 15

Major Blackell, M.C., who passed through Wellington on his way to Auckr iand, bad charge of Abe German prisoners returned to Holland in tho Willoelira. Ho has given the “Dominion” some interesting details of the voyage, which was rather a troublesome one. He said:— '

Occasionally there would be a row in the cells, when a prisoner would attempt to ialf kill a sentry. It was my custom to keep the boat deck clear of prisoners, with a sentry at the head of the gangway. One evening during the journey, to Sydney, 1 walked up to the boat deck and suddenly Count You Luckner, evidently wishing to have a look round, ran up after me. 1 drew niy revolver and ordered him to t the next deck, and in front, of him, gave the sentrieß orders to shoot him if lie attempted to go up to the boat deck again. On the trip over a Jugo-slav attempted to throw one of the sentries overboard, but on examination by the ships’ doctor he was pronounced insane. In Sydney harbour we were in quarantine for a while, and on our arrival a most amusing incident occurred. At the time a number of Australian troops wore returning, and we were mistaken !a "troopship. All the steamers in' the harbour sounded their sirens in token Of welcome, and a small vessel hovered with hunting cruised round and round us displaying a banner hearing these words: ‘The Comforts Committee welcome you horde.” Needless to say the Germans were greatly amused, and thought the thing a huge joke. While in Sydney harbour one of the prisoners caught a 12ft shark on an ordinary schnapper line. After putting a few bullets into it we placed a rope round its neck and hauled it on board. Count Von Luckner remailted at the time

"That it- was the best sentry you have got.’’ I quite agreed with him, and gave leave to half the guard. When lying at Durban a great deal of unrest occurred among the prisoners while a certain -number of the guard were oil shore, I walked along ! the deck and noticed that, instead of standing quietly in their places for roll call, the prisoners were very excited and talking a great deal. As I arrived on the scene, the ringleader, a man with a long criminal record in Australia, approached and commenced abusing me for holding too many roll calls during the day. ] held the man up with my revolver and a couple of the guard clapped him in irons and lodged him in the ceils. The rest of the prisoners then fell into their -places quietly. I am quite convinced that this incident was a move on the part of the prisoners to make a break and get away in South Africa. A whisky still was discovered on board, and a man was found giving a flask of vile liquor made from decayed fruit to the late Governor of Samoa. During the voyage one prisoner died and was buried at sea. Count VonLuckner gave an address; and the crew of the See Adler committed the body to the deep. “We Germans,”’ said Von Luckner, “will take back his spirit to the Fatherland.”