PRISONERS ON RAIDER.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16364, 8 November 1918, Page 3

PRISONERS ON RAIDER.

SHOCKING EXPERIENCES. Second Officer Rees, who was an offi-cer-on the island steamer Matunga when that vessel was captu.-od by the German raider Wolf, Flaking at a Million's Club's luncheon at Sydney last week, related Bome of his expo: iences as a prisoner on board the raider. He said; —"I was for 269 days a prisoner at sea with the Germans. Over , 200 of us lived in the 'tween decks, and this space was abont TOft long, 40ft across, and 12ft high. Chi on© side there was a magazine full of explosives, and on the other. 6ide were 200 mines. This place was a veritable 'black hole,' and we merchant seamen wer© shocked at tho horrible conditions. Off' deck there were ten large smoke drums, which threw out smoke ■ screens when the raider was. in danger. These drums wero connected with onr quarters, and any. moment sulphurous smoke could have been turned on to us and the whole lot of us smothered. The Germans let us know plainly that .that would be our fate if we were troublesome, or if the ship were captured, and we had not been killed bv the bursting of the magazine on one side or the mines on the other. The conditions of hospital were even worse. The bedclothes had not beepi .washed since the ship left Germany fifteen months previously. In the .bed next to mine tnere was-a young Japanese dying of beri-beri. and when he would call out in anguish for water at night I have seen the Germans lift him. up and shake him violently until he. became unconscious. That young man was'.buried at sea. The German doctor gave orders that I should have no salt in my.food, yet._thc attendant put double Quantities,in it. -This made me- very thirsty, yet they, refused _'o give me water, to drink. All the prmsoners who were sick in hospital had to get out and wash, themselves, and when they were too weak to do this they had to go" without their •wash.'-'-