LURE TO VON SPEE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 151, 7 April 1933, Page 8

LURE TO VON SPEE

FALKLANDS BATTLE. FAKED ORDER TELEGRAM. The amazing revelation was made in a book published in London recently tliat Admiral von Spee’s squadron was lured to its destruction off the Falkland Islands by a bogus cablegram sent by a British Admiralty agent from Berlin on a German Admiralty form, with German Admiralty and censors’ stamps. This sensational story is in “The Dark Invader,” by Captain yon R intelen, who states that ho heard it from Admiral .Sir Reginald Hall (Director of Naval Intelligence). Captain von Rintelen had just surrendered as a prisoner of war after being brought (by another bogus telegram) across from America. Admiral Hall and Lord Hersehell, his assistant, gave their captive dinner at ,a service club. It Avas then that Captain yon Rintelen heard the story of how yon Spee was trapped. Dummy Cruisers. Lord Hersehell thus began the story at the dinner table :-k “It was necessary* to send the Invincible and the Inflexible out to sink von Spee, so Admiral Hall had two copies of the Invincible and Inflexible, built and towed o.ut to the Aegean Sea. where the real battle-cruisers were. One night the two battle-cruisers vanished, and the dummies came in unseen and took their place. Nobody knew the difference.” Having heard this much von Rintelen thought his hosts were pulling liis leg, until Admiral Hall spoke of “my man in Berlin.” Von Rintelen writes:— “ ‘Your man?’ I burst out.” “ ‘My man,’ said Admiral Hall calmly. ‘My agent. “ ‘I had instructed him to find out liow telegrams were sent from the German Admiralty to the ships which were still at isea. Ho informed me that the method was" quite simple. When such a telegram had to be dispatched a messenger was sent from the German Admiralty to the Berlin chief telegraph office to hand it over. They used special forms and the telegrams had to be furnished with the stamp' of the relevant Admiralty department, and also the stamp of the Censor’s office-. I do not know how my agent managed it, 'nor do I think I ishould have been interested. All I know is that he possessed both stamp* and forms, and I have no doubt that he used them. Instructions to Act. “ ‘You will remember yon Spee was at anchor with his squadron off Valparaiso. As soon as I was in possession of this information I sent my agent in Berlin instructions to act. He had been carrying for some weeks a telegram that I had sent from London, set up in Boy-Ed’s code and containing strict orders for Admiral yon Spee to leave immediately for the Falkland Islands and destroy the wireless station at Port Stanley, in the Falklands.’ ” The telegram from Berlin reached von Spee in Valparaiso. His staff tried in vain to dissuade him from going. Meanwhile, the Invincible and the Inflexible were hurrying to the Falkland Islands. Von Spee’s squadron appeared off the Falkland Islands early on December 8, 1914, and within a few hours Sturdee had sunk them. CHEQUERED HISTORY. THE FALKLAND ISLANDS. The Falkland Islands consist of two large islands and various small ones, the total area being some 6500 square miles—roughly, two-thirds the size of Wales. There is no Gulf Stream there to mitigate the severity of the climate; cold winds sweep across the bleak barren marsh and moorland, on which not a single tree is to he seen. The islands had a somewhat chequered history prior to 1833, when the British. occupation became definite. They derive their present name from Captain Strong, who sailed through the passage between the two main islands in 1690. Captain Strong named the water Falkland Sound, after Lord Falkland, the then Treasurer of the Navy, and the islands have ever since gone by that name of the Falkland Islands. The wild cattle and horses that attracted the early settlors have now entirely disappeared. Sheep to the number of two hundred were introduced in 1817, by Governor Moody. By 1860 these had increased to 10,000 but it was not until some seven or eight years later that real efforts were made to establish the industry on a permanent fooling. The islands are now fully stocked with between 600,000 and 700,000 sheep hut the industry is at a very low ebb. Fortunately the colony has no public debt. A notable feature in the development of the resources of the colony and its dependencies other than pastoral, during the past few years has been the rapidity with which the whale fishery has .advanced. That industry, too, is suffering from the world depression ; owing to the low value of oil it lias not paid many of the whaling companies to operate during the past season. This may prove to be a blessing in disguise for the increasing slaughter of whales during the past ten or fifteen years is [a serious menace to the species. The total population of tire islands is hut 2,400 of whom roughly one-half live in. Port Stanley, the capital town.