THE CITY OF FLINT

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20956, 8 November 1939, Page 8

THE CITY OF FLINT

AN EXCITING STORY RADIO OPERATOR’S DIARY ESCAPE FROM STEAMER (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Nov. 1 Events on board the American steamer City of Flint after her capture by the German battleship Deutschland, which placed a prize crew on board her, are described in the diary of the radio operator, Mr James McConnochie, who gave the first eye-witness story of the capture. Mr McConnochie escaped from his captors when the City of Flint was taken into Tromso, Norway, on the way to Murmansk, to land survivors from the British ship Stonegate, which was sunk by the Deutschland. The extracts from the diary, made after the capture and published in a world copyright article in the Daily Mail, are as follows: October 13, a Friday.—Men’s nerves getting worse. Talked to the Germans, who are mostly aged between 22 and 26. Still steaming north. The Arabian sailors from the Stonegate are feeling the cold badly. October 14.—T0-day the Germans made a Danish flag. October 15.—Sighted a huge iceberg at nightfall. Temperature 17 degrees below. The deck was covered with ice and snow. Nerve-racking Night October 16.—Still afloat after a nerve-racking night dodging icebergs and stopping frequently. Most of us stayed up all night. We seem to be heading for North Cape. Still hoping to meet a British warship. To-day they put a time-bomb in the engine room. I think we are going to Norwegian waters. The German skipper expects Nazi destroyers to escort us through minefield. The sea is flat, the cold unbearable. October 17.—Some excitement. The look-out mistook a planet for a ship’s light and the course was changed. All the English were confined to their cabins. The funnels were repainted and the ship’s name and the United States flag painted out, and a false name substituted. We are now sailing under a Danish flag. Not so cold now; heading north-east. The Germans are now carrying daggers in addition to revolvers. We have given up hopes of rescue. Our fresh water is getting short. Sailing Under False Colours October 18.—Heading due east. Should sight Norwegian coast tomorrow. Danish flags are on both sides of the ship, which is sailing under false colours. October 19.—Much warmer We are taking soundings. We stopped at midnight, as we were not certain of our position. October 20.—Picked up a pilot in the morning. Now flying a German flag. The Nazis are concealing their guns their jackets. Anchored at Tromso at 5 p.m., and took in 60 tons of water. Customs officials came on board and discovered our true nationality. The Norwegians would not permit us to depart until the American flag had been repainted on the ship. Norwegian destroyers stood by. The Germans landed the Stonegate’s crew, and I managed to squeeze in among them. We were brought immediately to Bergen.

PLANES BROUGHT DOWN

QUIET ON WESTERN FRONT ANXIETY IN BELGIUM (Omrial Wireless) (Received Nov. 8, 3.15 p.m.) RUGBY, Nov. 7 A German communique issued in Berlin reports no important actions. There has been slight reconnaissance and artillery activity on both sides. A British aeroplane was brought down near Mainz and two French planes were shot down near Saarlautern in air fighting. BRUSSELS, Nov. 7

The population of the French Ardennes, forming the salient into Belgium, has been instructed to prepare to evacuate. Following a protest to Germany concerning the violation of Belgian territory by planes, the Air Minister has ordered the banning of the flight of all planes over Belgium except commercial machines, which are granted special permission.