British and German Seamen Are Cordial

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 677, 31 May 1929, Page 11

British and German Seamen Are Cordial

NO WAR “AFTERMATH” CHILLY AUSTRALIAN WOMEN The attitude of Australian and British seamen and of some women of the Commonwealth toward crews of German vessels visiting Newcastle after the war, was indicated in an interview with THE SUN this morning by the Rev. H. K. Vickery, chaplain to the Flying Angel Mission to Seamen, Auckland. IFR. VICKERY, who was for some ; years chaplain at Newcastle, Aus- i tralia, says that it was about five years ‘ ago that the first German cargo ship since the war entered an Australian port. When a vessel flying a flag of the Fatherland arrived at Newcastle j the chaplain, in accordance with cus- j tom, invited the crew to visit his in- 1 stitute. GOING TO HAVE A YARN “A number of the men availed themselves of the invitation,” said Mr. Vickery. “Several had made use of the mission in other ports before the war and a few were known to me. The rest were quite young, all of them being under military age during the war years.” A number of coastal and deep-sea Australian and British seamen were present’ when the Germans arrived. The majority of the Brtish seamen had taken part in the war either afloat or ashore. “These men asked me if the ones who had just come in were Germans,” the chaplain remarked. “I said ‘yes’ and for a moment wondered what waa going to happen. Then one of them who had served on the German front said he was going over to have a yarn. “Soon all the men were talking together and all joined in the sports and social life of the mission.” Mr. Vickery was of opinion that the foreign crew were mainly picked men. Their behaviour was all that could be desired. After this various German ships came into Newcastle, and there was never any trouble. The British sailors invariably treated the Germans as though the war was indeed a thing of the past. “STAND OFFISH” WOMEN The missioner was unable to refer with pleasure to the attitude of women and girls assisting at the institute. “Theirs is quite a different story,” he said. “They refused to converse with the Germans or to join in any games or outings while their foreign guests were present.” Mr. Vickery is a returned soldier, and well acquainted with Germans as a nation. He considers they have not shown their usual tact in regard to the forthcoming visit. “My opinion is that they have made an awful error in sending a war ves- ' sel of the name Emden to these waters,” he said.

“NO RECEPTIONS”

VISIT OF CRUISER EMDEN Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, Today. “That this meeting of members of the Christchurch Returned Soldiers’ Association disapprove of any public or civic reception being granted to the crew of the German warship Emden during her visit to Xew Zealand,” was the motion adopted at the weekly social evening. There were 150 members present.