SCUTTLED BY CREW

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 January 1940, Page 6

SCUTTLED BY CREW

9 GERMAN LINER ADOLPH WOERMANN SHEPHERDED BY BRITISH SHIP. UNTIL ARRIVAL OF CRUISER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, January 2. A remarkable story of a British cargo ship’s encounter with the Geiman passenger liner Adolph Woermann, of 8577 tons, in the South Atlantic in November, was told on the arrival at Auckland of the British vessel. The Adolph Woermann, carrying a crew of 127 and 35 passengers, left Lobito Bay, Portuguese West Africa, early in November. She was recognised in spite of her disguise by the British ship, which wirelessed her position and followed her for 24 hours, till a British cruiser arrived. The Adolph Woermann was scuttled to avoid capture. At 7 a.m. on November 21 the British ship sighted the Adolph Woermann on the port bow, bearing due north and coming toward her. Having received orders from the Admiralty to be on the look-out for a German merchantmen, the master of the British ship became suspicious when he saw the stranger alter course in a westerly direction. He decided to have a look at the vessel, which appeared to be a passenger liner, heavily-loaded and flying the Portuguese flag and bearing the name of a well-known Portuguese vessel Nyassa of Lisbon on her bows and amidships. The Portuguese flag was crudely painted on her hull, but did not have the crest in the centre. To make sure, the British ship went close to the stranger and signalled to her. “Where are you bound?" The reply was “Bound for Lisbon, from Bahia, Brazil.” ATTENTIONS RESENTED. In the strong morning light, however, it was possible to see through the thin coat of grey on her bows and hull the name Adolph Woermann in faded yellow, well below the name Nyassa. The British merchantman, nevertheless signalled back. “I thank you very much. Proceed.” Tlie British vessel then turned about and wirelessed a report to the Admiralty, receiving instructions to keep the German in sight till, further orders were given. The exact position oi the Portuguese steamer Nyassa was found by the Admiralty and served as confirmation of the German s identity. With the intention of holding the German till a fast British warship arrived on the scene, the cargo vessel again went about and came up to the Adolph Woermann, which protested in In an attempt to get some member of the German ship’s company aboard, the British ship signalled for a doctor, explaining that it had a sick man aboard. The reply from the Adolph Woermann was that it was utterly im--1 The two ships proceeded north on the same course. During the night, when rain fell, the Adolph Woermann twice shifted position from ahead, and tried to ram the British vessel amidships. The attacks were eluded, and the German was kept under observation by searchlight. BRITISH WARSHIP APPEARS. At 9 a.m. the following day a warship was sighted by both ships which hove-to. On the British ship the order was given to send all hal^ s ' action stations and to man the defe sive armament. The Adolpn Woeimann also waited to see whether the oncoming warship was friend oi. ioe, having wirelessed for assistance when escorted by the British vessel Fears that the stranger might be a pocketbattleship, known to be in tnos waters, were allayed when the vessel was identified as a British warship. Lifeboats were swung out. from the Adolph Woermann, which made the signal, “My ship is sinking. Am goin n io abandon ship. Stand by me. It was then evident that the German ship had been scuttled. ' "1 have never before witnessed such a tragic sight,” said a member of the ship's complement. “Women and children took to the lifeboats in a calm manner. The sea was very choppy and a strong north-west wind was blowng so the small boats rocked and pitched. Some of the women had small babies, but they stood the situation very well. n “The first bonis to bo lowered contained mostly women and children. They were followed by the crew and then by the captain and the chief officer. All the boats pulled smmth away from the sides of the Alolph Woermann, and waited to be taken on the British warship.” As the German ship settled the captain’s lifeboat came alongside the British cargo ship and the captain s request that the passengers should be taken aboard was answered by. “The cruiser will decide. Will you please lay, by in the meantime." Under shell fire from the cruiser the German shin rapidly became ablaze.