SCHMELING’S DEATH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 October 1941, Page 6

SCHMELING’S DEATH

PROOF BY AUSTRALIAN.

EARLIER REPORT CONFIRMED,

It would seem after all that the former world champion heavyweight boxer, Max Schmeling, was killed in Crete, says the Melbourne Sporting Globe. Confirmation of the earlier report has come from an Australian soldier, who claims that it was investigated and found to be correct.

When the news of Schmeling’s death at the hands of Australian soldiers was first published, it was denied from German sources, which claimed that he was still alive and on important duty in Berlin. There the matter was allowed to rest, as nothing further came to hand from British sources to substantiate the earlier story of the former boxing champion’s death. Now a letter written by an Australian soldier seems definitely to confirm it. Here is part of the letter, written by Private R. W. H. Browne, H.Q., A.1.F., to Mr G. H. L. Smith, of Melbourne: —

“When parachute troops were landing in Crete, they came to ground shooting. One of them downed three New Zealanders before touching country. As he landed, quite close to a bunch of Aussies, who had noticed his gun work, he waved his hand and cried, ‘Don’t shoot, boys, I’m Max Schmeling.’ One cf the Diggers, levelling his Tommy gun (picked up in Greece), said, ‘ls that so? Well, here’s your final K.0.,’ and gave him the works. Blew his inside out. It was Schmeling all right—identified to everybody’s satisfaction.’’ This story, according to the writer, was substantiated as fact, the newspaper continues. It seems to ring true. Photographs of Schmeling were .publshed often enough in the Commonwealth when he was champion to ■ensure his being recognised by any sport-loving Australians. Besides, he probably had some personal effects which enabled the Australians to identify him. The feelings of the Anzacs can be imagined; they saw this German paratrooper mow down three New Zealanders in his descent. Was it likelj r , therefore, that any appeal for mercy would be heeded, even though he was a world’s champion pugilist. Schmeling is the only ex-world’s champion heavyweight boxer to be killed on the battlefield. He was the only one to win his title lying on his back —he won it from Jack Sharkey on a foul in 1930. In 1932, he lost the crown to Sharkey. A close friend of Hitler’s, Schmeling was a former leader of the German Youth Movement. He was 35 years of age. His wife was Anna Ondra, a film star. They had no children.