A FINE RECORD.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 August 1923, Page 1

A FINE RECORD.

PSYCHE AND THE WOLF. (B.v Dr. C. Henry.) ‘■During the. night of September 3, (1917) the Wolf was steaming up Kariniatta Stiaits, no lights showing, buddenlv a suspicious looking craft was sighted. Immediately Hie alarm-bells wont; everyone was pitched to the highest key of excitement. Everything was ready. .Should the cruiser see the Wolf, at once two torpedoes would have been launched at her. However, Neroer's luck held good—and she passed within three miles.” The above is an extract from Captain Donaldson’s book “The Cruise of the Wolf,” and it is now for the first time made public that the cruiser mentioned above was H.M.A.S. Psyche. Hi view of flic fact that she is at this moment being broken, up. it is interesting to recall that, she was the only British v,unship to approach so close to the Moll, be" ships of the R.A.N. saw so many and varied activities. Early in the war she was present at the capture <d Samoa. Later she was .sent to Burma to net as flagship of the Burma Coast Patrol, having as its duty the suppression of gun-running and any rebellion which might arise. From the confessions of captured seditionists it was

learned that her presence in Rangoon nipped ill the bud a rising similar to mat at Singapore earlier in the year. The Psyche was given the task ol transporting these seditionists from Ralngnoii to a penal settlement on the north coast of Burma. Sho was the first warship to visit Madras after its bombardment, by Ibe Emden, and was consequently feted during her stay. The shell holes in the great oil tanks could plainly be seen from .er decks.

tn 1916 the Psyche was sent on a' special mission to put down the running of contraband out of Bangkok, in Siam, ciiielly wolfram, which at ilial tune was worth its ueignt in gold to the Germans. She authored oil tie island of Bulo I’anjoiig. and oil receiving a wireless from the shoie authorities that a contraband cargo was to be run. steamed quietly out and neatly captured the contraband runner. whom she then look into Singapore. for disposal by the British authorities. Later she convoyed many thousands of Russian troops on their famous journey of 20.00” miles from .uoseuw. to the Western front. During this time a cable was received from the Navy Office, staling: “We are following with great interest the movements of H.M.A.S. Psyche carrying out the important duties entrusted to lie r.”

The Psyche was then sent round to the China roast, calling at Pulo Condor. off French Cochin China, and paid a courtesy visit to the French settlements on" Ibe nay. For many mouths she pat mill'd the Straits of Formosa, bringing in any ships carrying contraband to Hong Kong, and relieving them of their German passengers. During this lime she wax forced to run for shelter to Swalow. and rode out a tvphonn in Ibe harbour there. On patrol here she passed out id the tropics lor the hist time in two re.us. While in dock in Hongkong, part of her creu commissioned the river gunboat Moorhen. 160 ft. long 2-fUt, broad and 21 fL deep. It- was said she would sail over the grass il the dew was |,caw. Again she was transferred to the Bay of Bengal, and patrolled from Rangoon to Calcutta, where shu docked. and down to Madras and ( eiombn. visiting also the little known Auda mans anil Nieoliais, where at this time the Wolf had just made her appearance. and the Bsyelie was sent in search ~i Imr) Although the Wolf could have blown her out of the water, the Bsyelie b.iL the he. Is f her, having touched M knots after over-haul in Hong Kong, and was ordered to keep out of range, and \\ irclses for a, Japanese battleship. with whom she was co-operating. In the search, Sumatra was visited, ami the carriage of German mails and passengers from one Dutch Island to another put down. 'the A\olf then went off to Australia and New /.calami. and the Bsyelie was employed botv eon Calcutta and Rangoon, in the carriage of (ierman and I nrkish prisoners. bound tor up-country intern-ment-camps in Burma. At the i lose ol this duty, the Bsyelie sailed for Singapore. and later for Sydney, having eovcrci! close oil 10(1,1)90 miles.