DEUTSCHLAND ABROAD

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 103, 28 October 1939, Page 11

DEUTSCHLAND ABROAD

REPORT CONFIRMED

CAPTURE OF THE CITY OF

FLINT

LONDON, October 27. Confirmation of reports that the German pocket-battleship Deutschland is engaged in raiding in the Atlantic and was responsible for the sinking of the British steamer Stonegate was given by the Prime Minister, Mr. Chamberlain, speaking in the House of Commons. The "Daily Mail" publishes a world copyright story of the Deutsehland's capture of the American freighter City of Flint, given by an eye-witness, James G McConnochie, Glasgow, radio operator aboard the vessel, who escaped from his captors and arrived at Bergen, Norway. "Six days out from New York," he said, "we fell in with the Deutschland. At first we thought she was a British warship; then we saw the German flag. All the guns were trained on us, and she signalled us to stop and ordered us to shut down our radio. "A number of German officers and sailors, armed with* revolvers and hand-, grenades, came aboard and discovered that we carried large quantities of oil. The crew were lined up and told that a prize crew were coming aboard to take us to Germany. "An officer said that the Deutschland had already sunk the British steamer Stonegatt and intended to put 38 of her crew aboard us. "Thereupon the Deutschland departed, leaving the prize crew in command. The City of Flint's fun.ielt were repainted. The ship's name and the United States flag were painted out1 and a false name substituted* "We arrived at Tromso at 5 p m on October 20. Customs officers came aboard and discovered our true nation-' ality. The Norwegians would not per-! Mit us to depart till the American flag had been repainted. Norwegian destroyers stood by. "The Germans landed the Stone-j mate's crew.' " In Berlin it is learned that the wireless operator of the City of Flint managed to slip ashore when the sh-.p called at Tromso last Saturday.