RAIDER WOLF

Hokitika Guardian, 25 October 1927, Page 4

RAIDER WOLF

TRAWLER'S EXPERIENCE. AUCKLAND. Gel. 23 •■The story I'r Sydney i.mcerwi:q. the cruise ol the German armed tiler chantman AYolf during 1 lie war make: me more convinced Ilian ever that : strange sternum' 1 sighted oil Capi

Maria was the raider,” declared Captain T. K Xichnlls on Saturday. During . 1 f)l7 Captain Xirholls., wltoi is now ashore, was master of the tiawb-r Albany, a small wooden vessel which had been huilt at Bailey and l-owe's yard-, two years previously. Li the latter half of the year the Albany sailed from Auckland for Port \\ aikato. Engine trouble occurred early in Hip voyage, and the little vessel was forced to put into ('avail! Islands for shelter and temporary repairs. Thence she limped !>' Paregna, where sins was on the beach for the greater part of a fortnight while a now propeller wa,s sent from Auckland and fitted. AVben off Cape Maria on September 2 the Albany sighted an unknown steamer with a light-coloured funnel, approximately three miles away. I lie stranger flew no Mags and was not moving, although her (ires were going. Believing that the unknown vessel bad broken down. Captain Xichnlls changed his, course, but no sooner did he do this than the strange vessel made for the open sea. As it was after sunset, the ship was soon lost in the darkness.

“Mi - ship was painted grey, and tlm Wolf—for 1 have no doubt that it was the raidcr—apparently decided to elear out before T made any investigations,'' said Captain Xichnlls. Although T thought it funny that the stranger should elear out in such a hurry. T had no idea at the time that r had disturbed an enemy raider There was no suggestion then that there were any such vessels in thr; part of the world.” If, was tint until many months later. when a number ol mines were found off the New Zealand coast, that Captain Xichnlls produced bis logbook. which was washed ashore wlr n his little vessel was wrecked on the A Yost Coast some months later. An entry on September 2 shows that on unknown steamer was sighted late in the afternoon.