HERR HITLER

Hokitika Guardian, 30 September 1933, Page 6

HERR HITLER

CAREER AS SEAMAN SEA SERVICE RECALLED Evidence lias come to light wlr.cli would appear to indicate that Herr Adolf Hitler, the German Chancellor and Nazi. chief, at one t ine serv ed as a seaman oil an Aberdeen ship. The final link in the chain of proof, however, is lacking for the simple reason that his name does not appear on the list of the ship’s crew at the time when he is said to have been a member.

I I tier’s present-day acts and movemeats are not kept for long from the cars of the world. Hut what is the secret behind the mystery of these days of early manhood when 3 in all probability, he worked hard manual life on ;i sailing .ship? A paragraph along with a photograph which appeared recently in a Riga newspaper gave the first clue to the romantic period in H.tier’s life. The paragraph was in Russian and generally it is to the effect that a Finnish seaman named E. Mielikainan narrates how, when he was serving on the British sailing vessel Inverclyde, which was registered at Aberdeen was “a seaman, the young Australn Adolf Hitler.” Air Alielikniuan records that during the eighteen months that Hitler remained on the vessel—lie had to leave with ether enemy nationals when the war broke out —lie carriad out all the duties.of a seaman. NO TRACE OF HITLER’S NAME The Inverclyde was one of a fleet of fifteen barques of the Inver line, registered at Aberdeen, and belonged to Messrs G. 'Milne and Co. It was tlie sixth largest of the fleet, and was a vessel of 1516. tons. Like the others, it carried general cargoes between British ports and all parts of tlie world. A search of the ship's papers revealed Aliclka.ino.iTs name hut of Hitler’s name there was no trace. Tlie sheets for the three voyages that covered the period from the’ end of March, 1911. until •luin c , 1915, are all silent about h i m.

AVliiie apparently Hitler served on an Aberdeen vessel, it is doubtful if he lias ever been in Aberdeen or even in Scotland. The ilnver Line ships seldom berthed at Aberdeen, and the three voyages between 1911 and 1915 took the Inverclyde to such distant places as Buenos Aires, Portland (Oregon) and Chile.

During the war the Inverclyde continued to trade as usual, and it passed through the perils of tlie war period without damage. The story which appeared in the Aberdeen Weekly Journal was subsean Aberdeen man who was & member quently verified and supplemented by of the crew of the Inverclyde. In his story, however, as in the one which emanated from Russia, there is still lacking the link vh’eh would put' the name Hitler on to the man who is supposed to have borne it,

KNOWN BY ANOTHER NAME

Interviewed by' a Weekly Journal representative, Air Frank C. Barclay, foreman shipwright with Messrs. Hall Ruessel! and Co., said he was carpenter on board the Inverclyde when the- vessel was under the charge of the late Captain James King, Aberdeen, who was Air Barclay’s father-in-law/ Mr Barclay joined the ship at Antwerp, going out on a passenger ship after being engaged in Aberdeen. It was at Antwerp" also that the man supposed to be Hitler became a member of the crew. The name by which he was known was IFeheal, but whether that was his Christian name or his surname Mr Barclay did not know. He certainly scorned “a cut above” the other seamen, and always kept himself cl cun and tidily dressed.

| Consulting a scrap log-book which lie J has preserved, Mr Barclay traced the movements of the Inverclyde during the two years lie served as her carpenter, while Ricbtacl was working as an ordinary seaman. The first voyage was from Antwerp' to Rio de Janeiro, thence to Adelaide, Sydney, and then Callao, Bern, where the Inverclyde was lying in August 1914, when the war broke out.

I From Callao the ship sailed to J Seattle, United States, witch was | reached on October 29, and there Richael and the German members of | the crew, of whom there were five, were paid off. Previously they had j every opportunity of calling on ■ German consuls and inquiring about the I war, but they had remained on perI feetly friendly terms with the other members of the" crew.