RAIDING NAZI CONVOYS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 64, 12 September 1942, Page 8

RAIDING NAZI CONVOYS

N.Z. OFFICERS TAKE

PART

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) (Special Correspondent.) (Rec. 1.30. p.m.) LONDON, September 11. Young New Zealanders taking full part in the modern pirating against German convoys along the European coast and proving able and cool-headed, are Engineer-Lieutenant A., E. Moyes (Wellington), who has charge of the flotilla's engines, Sub-Lieutenants R. A. Duder (Auckland) and J. A. Miller (Auckland), G. A. Walker (Keriken), K. Mackenzie (Christchurch), J. R. Gardiner (Napier), and P. Walmsley (Hastings), all of whom have carried out many patrols and been engaged m at least one action. Walmsley, who is in $ torpedo-boat, said: "We recently were first to see the enemies, comprising two trawlers and one 150-ton merchantman. We got within 400 yards of the biggest ship, then fired both 'fish' and did not wait to ■ see results but bettled off for home." Walmsley was previously serving as a rating in the Devonshire when she sank the German raider Tamesis and ] also captured a Vichy convoy of five ships off Cape Town. Gardiner was in action with a tor-pedo-boat near Calais. YOUTHFUL COMMANDER. Mackenzie, who is aged 22, commands a gunboat. "After a night pat- ■ rol, two of us found about 18 Jerries at dawn chiefly engaged in minelaying," he said. "We made straight for them and took on a flotilla of eight, opening fire at 1000 yards and closing the range to 400 yards. The Jerries soon sheered off to France. We had some men injured, but not badly." Duder and Miller were in the same action, Duder's boat being hit by high explosives in two places. Duder 1 was with the flotilla which created a "diversion" on the morning of the Dieppe raid. "We fired at the shore and made a nuisance of ourselves, but had no reply," he said. "We only saw a-solitary man waving a torch."