“The Most Wonderful Sight I've Ever Seen”

Franklin Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 20, 21 February 1940, Page 4

“The Most Wonderful Sight I've Ever Seen”

THE GRAF SPEE’S END MEMORABLE BATTLE RECALLED UNU.MY BUNS AWAY LOCAL BOY ON ACHILLES LETTER TO HIS PARENTS He who fights and runs away will live to fight another day.” Perhaps. But not the 10,000 ton German pocket battleship, the Admiral Graf Von Spee, which after being engaged by three British cruisers limped into the safe harbour of Montevideo • and then a day or two later, was scuttled by her crew—an inglorious end to the pride of the German Navy. Pukekohe had a direct interest in Hie now memorable battle for at least •wo of her sons were members of the crew ot the New Zealand cruiser ILM.S. Achilles, which played an imporlant part in the great victory scored by the British Navy. It must be remembered that the three cruisers were outranged and out gunned by the powerful enemy craft.

The Two Pukekohe Boys Ihe two local hoys were Leading Seaman Frank Stringer, son of Mr and Mrs IL Stringer, Victoria Street, and Able beaman "Tub” Rodgers, son of -Mi and Airs G. At. Rodgers, also of Victoria Street. V riling lo his parents from somewhere at sea on hoard the Achilles Able Seaman Rodgers says inter alia: ' Let me, an eye witness, endeavour to give you a brief account of the battle of which no doul.it you have heard a good deal. On the morning of Wednesday, December 13, we had exercised—dawn action stations—and as there was nothing in sight we turned in again. I had been in my ‘flea bag’ (hammock), about 20 minutes when j suddenly the buzzers sounded accompanied by the bugle call ‘action stations.’ J jumped out of my sleeping sack more asleep than awake, hut it did not lake me long to become well awake. I dressed hurriedly and nipped up top to the bridge and was just ascending the ladder to the director when 1 heard a boom, then a splash and a salvo of the best i 1-inch projectiles that the Germans could turn yards from Ihe Achilles. I can tell out. These shells landed about 100 you I ilew up the ladder in record Hme and got into my seal. From Hie time the alarm w r as sounded until we opened fire was about 2 b minutes Ir was then round about 6.20. ] did r-.ot have anything to do except to watch the Graf Spee fire on us.

“I’d see her fire; I’d sit tight, count three, hold my breath and wonder where that one was going to land. Phew! but it’s part of the game,” continues the letter. Three of the Boys Killed

"At about 7.20 one huge shell burst just alongside the bridge; about six or seven pieces came through into the director killing three of our boys and wounding two. it was my turn to gel into action now, and so 1 took over a station occupied by one of the hoys who had been killed. 1 can tell \;ou it wasn’t so had at all after I had something to do, but believe me it was pretty grim. It was no good just silting, watching and waiting. Ail the time the Spee was heading for the

shore and putting up smoke screens. We ceased firing at about 8 o’clock but kept on chasing the enemy until about 10 o’clock when the Spee opened fire on us again, her shots falling short. Aircraft from the Ajax, and

we, still pursued the enemy and shadowed tier until about 9 o’clock on Wednesday night when we opened ; fire on her at a range of 23,000 yards. The Spee was then, in the river Plate i streaking as fast as she could for i Montevideo. . . . We patrolled the sea j just outside Montevideo for four days and nights expecting the Spee to come out and finish it one way or the other. ' But she didn't. You probably know what happened. . . . The Americans < called us ‘the death patrol.’ Then on the night of December 17 at 8 o’clock ; we sighted the Spee steaming along, and to our amazement, and disappointment the Ajax’s aircraft reported that the Spee had blown herself up, hutbefore doing so, we learned that she had transferred 700 ratings to another ship. She caught fire and burned all night. All on board the Achilles and the Ajax (the same class as the Achilles), scrambled on top of turrets. bridge and everything that was m all high enough to give us a good view. The Ajax steamed alongside us and we exchanged cheers. “The burning of the Graf Spee was one of the most wonderful sights I, or anyone else on board, have ever seen,” concluded Seaman Rodgers.