MATUNGA'S CAPTAIN

Evening Star, Issue 16991, 13 March 1919, Page 2

MATUNGA'S CAPTAIN

RETURN TO SYDNEY. “Am I glad to bo back in Australia? I should say so, after being caught in the Pacific Ocean, my ship, the Matunga, sunk by tiie German raider Wolf, and nearly 100 of us taken to Germany and made prisoners.” These words were spoken by Captain Donaldson on his return to Sydney last week. Accompanying Captain Donaldson were Purser W. A. Pyne, Assistant Purser H. Smith, and Firemen Wells, pfilder, and Moon, and C. Simmons; cook, who were also on the Matunga when she was captured. “You have all read, I suppose, of the capture of the Matunga, and what happened to all of us after wo were taken on board tho German raider Wolf in August, 1917,” said Captain Donaldson to those around him, “and the story is a good long one. I can't tell it all to you. I have written 23,000 words giving all the details of our doings and my interviews with the captain and officers of the Wolf when we were captured. I can say this : that we had a very uncomfortable time while being conveyed from a point in the Pacific within two days’ sail of Rabaul to the Kiel Canal, where it seemed that the Germans who witnessed the arrival of the Wolf appeared delirious with joy at there being captured Britishers on board. One of our worst experiences was at Kiel. Shortly after the arrival of tho Wolf we were told to take ! charge of our baggage, and in a blinding snowstorm, at 4 o’clock in the morning, we were made to carry it to a railway station some distance away. It was a trying experience, but we were British, and wo never murmured. STRAFE CAMPS. ( “Wo were split up in parties and sent to various camps. The first was to Heidelberg, the next to Earlshrohine, and later on to Ucbtermoor. which were strafe camps for Tommies. We were not long in these camps, but we were in a sad plight in the way of food. As a matter of fact, the Germans hadn’t enough food for themselves. The Allies were well strafed, but wj did not care for that so long as we got food. And it is the London bi-anch of the Australian Red Cross that we have to thank for keeping us alive. Miss Chomlev and her staff rendered great - service. Like most of us, I have been nearly all over Germany. The Germans shifted ns from camp to camp a good deal. At one time some of us were in the Hartz Mountains. GERMANS KNEW OF DEFEAT. “ Six months before the armistice the German masses knew they were beaten. We were prepared to bet 10 to 1 on tho war being over. Strange to say, every time the Germans had a bad reverse tho people seemed pleased. As a matter of fact, they were war-weary, and wanted hostilities to end. I can assure you the German masses have had enough of war, and it is not likely they will want to try to conquer the world again. They are, however, a great nation of workers, and I j think they will rise again, although the monarchy has gone for all time.” | Captain Donaldson and those of the ; Matunga who cams with him are looking particularly well, despite their trying ex- , periences.