ESCAPED GERMANS.

Taihape Daily Times, 28 December 1917, Page 5

ESCAPED GERMANS.

RULES OF WAR OBSERVED

'AN INTERESTING STORY AUCKLAND, December 27 The following statement has been issued by the Naval Adviser: —The escaped German prisoners, who have now to'the credit of the country, been returned to New Zealand, appear to have obeyed carefully the normal rules of war. in all their proceedings. After escaping from Motuihi, they concealed themselves in one of the numerous small inlets of the island until a suitable craft for their purposes was sighttod. Meanwhile they had taken the > precaution of proceeding outside the three mile limit, and there, swearing in all the escapees as members of the Kaiser ’s navy, thus making them all members of the German Imperial forces wkhen capturisg the Moa, which apparently had not hoard of the escape before sailing from Tauranga. The 1 Germans approached under the New I Zealand flag, but just previously to ' committing any act of Tvar a German ensign of small size was hoisted. Apparently the launch Pearl hailed the Moa to heave to, then went alongside, and at once put ten nuBB on board. Her unsuscpccting crew, wdio were mostly below at the moment, were of course outnumbered and overpowered. They were told they were civilian prisoners of the Kaiser, and must do as they were told, and they wmuld be recompensed for any loss of pay they suffered while working for Germany. The launch was then taken in tow and sail made to the northward. Unfortunately for the escapees the launch foundered in the heavy seas some hours later, thus depriving them of a very useful adjunct, and materially assisting in their recapture. When finally recaptured the escapees were again flying the German ensign, and surrendered as prisoners of war. The fact that the recapturing ship was sufficiently armed undoubtedly contributed to their surrender, which occurred immediately it w-as realised guns of moderate calibre -were available. Had the ship not been so armed, it is probable-, the escapees would -have put up a capable resistance, and;-as a,, matter of; fact a gun had to be fired, close to the Moa before the order to heave to was: obeyed. Whatever means, of attack or' defence was possessed by the escap-' ees were thrown overboard before! the surrender. The prisoners had a sufficiency of provisions and water to last them for some considerable time, but the quality of the former was not quite what was necessary. The crew of the scow were w r ell treated up to the time of the recapture and were given the same food, etc., as The escapees themselves. ; In many ways much forethought and ingenuity were shown by the prisoners in their plans and preparations for escape.

SEARCHERS’ STRENUOUS , TIME. AUCKLAND, Dec 27. All concerned in searching for the Germans during the eight days and nights intervening between their escape and recapture, had a most strenuous experience, and in some' -crrses minor mishaps oceurre'd. During a great part of the time in which the various craft" were patrolling the sea, scouring different hays along the coast, or examining islands for a trace of the fugitives, the weather was exceedngly rdug!s. In spite of this fact, and of the long hours on duty, the civilian and military searchers, to say nothing of tfie officers and crews engaged in the hunt, remained faithfully and cheerfully"at their posts. The court of inquiry appointed 'to investigate the escape of the eleven German prisoners of war from Motuihi internment "camp is now engaged in preparing its report for submission to the Minister of Defence.