“THOSE BRITISH ARE HARD"

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22895, 16 December 1939, Page 13

“THOSE BRITISH ARE HARD"

German Officer’s Comment GALLANT FIGHT BY CRUISERS (Received December 15, 11 p.m.) MONTEVIDEO, December 14. A quiet-mannered officer from the Doric Star gave one of the best accounts of the battle. He said: “We were awakened at 6 a.m. by cannonading. and knew that it was serious when the guards locked and barred pur doors, and went to their battle stations. , . , “We realised that a British victory might mean our deaths. Nevertheless, as the battle progressed there was singing and cheering for the attackers. We counted 17 hits by British shells. You may not believe it, but several who were shaving when the firing began quietly went on and finished the job. I was gargling some medicine when we had a British visitor —a piece of shell tore its way into our quarters. I swallowed all my medicine. Another captured officer said: “Our confinement area on board the Admiral Graf Spee was directly under an 11-inch gun turret. Every time a shot was fired it seemed-that the whole roof collapsed. “The grandest news ever was when an officer came flown and said; ‘Gentleman, the war is over for you. We have just entered Montevideo harbour.’,” , This officer added: “Most of the Germans were young. I do not think they ever considered the possibility . of having to fight another warship, but they seemed to think their only job was sinking freighters. That was probably one reason why the light cruisers were able to force the Admiral Graf Spee to yield.” , Captain Patrick Dove, of the Africa Shell, said; The Admiral Graf Spec’s commander called him to the bridge before the prisoners were released, and told him the cruisers made a gallant fight. “When -people fight like that,” he . said, “personal enmity is lost.” . , The first officer of the Admiral Graf Spee observed: “Those British are hard.” Another officer remarked: “You fellows have been our' prisoners for a long time. It now looks like our turn.” Captain Dove said the Africa Shell was sunk within Portuguese waters. IDENTITY STILL UNCERTAIN LONDON, December 14. It is reported from Berlin that an authorised spokesman confirmed that the pocket-battleship was the Admiral Graf Spe'e and not the Admiral Scheer.

London sources, however, are still doubtful of the ship’s identity. It is Suspected that one pocket-battle-ship has been changing her name .frequently since she escaped from Germany, operating _ one day as the Admiral von Scheer and another as the Admiral Graf Spee.