LINER TRAILED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20135, 3 January 1940, Page 6

LINER TRAILED

GERMAN VESSEL BRITISH SHIP’S FEAT FAILURE OF DISGUISE RAMMING ELUDED ADOLPH WOERMANN'S END (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. A remarkable story of a British cargo ship’s escort of the German passenger liner, Adolph Woermann, of 8577 tons in the South Atlantic in November, was told on the arrival at Auckland of a British vessel. The Adolph Woermann, carrying a crew of 127 and 35 passengers, left Lobito Bay, Portuguese West Africa, early in November. She was recognised in spite of her disguise by a British ship, which wirelessed her position and followed her for 24 hours until a British cruiser arrived. The Adolph Woermann was scuttled to avoid capture at 7 a.m. on November 21.

The British ship sighted a ship on the port bow bearing due north and coming towards her. Having received orders from the Admiralty to be on the look-out for German merchant ships the master of the British ship became suspicious when he saw the stranger alter her course in a westerly direction. He decided to have a look at the vessel which appeared to be a passenger liner heavily loaded and flying the Portuguese flag and bearing the name of the wellknown Portuguese vessel, the Nyassa, of Lisbon on her bows, and amidships the Portuguese flag was crudely painted on her hull, but it. did not have the crest in the centre. To make sure the British ship went close to the stranger ancl signalled to her: “Where are you bound?” The reply was: “Bound for Lisbon, from Bahia, Brazil.” Name Painted Over In the strong morning light, however, it was possible to see through the thin coat of grey on her bows and hull, the name, Adolph Woermann, in faded yellow well below the name Nyassa. The British merchant ship nevertheless signalled back: “I thank you very much. Proceed.” The British vessel then turned about and wirelessed a report to the Admiralty, receiving instructions to keep the German in sight until further orders were given. The exact position of the Portuguese steamer, Nyassa, was found by the Admiralty and served as confirmation of the German's identity. With the intention of holding the German until a fast British warship arrived on the scene, the cargo vessel again went about and came up to the Adolph Woermann which protested in signals. In an attempt to get some member of the German ship’s company aboard, the British ship signalled for a doctor, explaining that it had a sick man aboard. Refusal of Doctor

The reply from the Adolph Woermann was that it was utterly impossible. The two ships proceeded north on the same course during the night. When rain fell the Adolph Woermann twice shifted her position from ahead and tried to ram the British vessel amidships. The attacks were eluded and the German was kept under observation by searchlight.

On the horizon at 9 a.m. the following day a warship was sighted by both ships which hove-to. On the British ship the order was given to send all hands to action stations and to man the defensive armament. The Adolph Woermann also waited to see whether the oncoming warship was a friend or a foe, having wirelessed for assistance when escorted by the British vessel.

Fears that the stranger might be a “pocket” battleship known to be in those waters were allayed when the vessel was identified as a British warship. Abandoning Ship The life-boats were swung out from the Adolph Woermann which made the signal: “My ship is sinking. Am going to abandon ship. Stand by me.” It was then evident that the German ship had been scuttled. “I have never before witnessed such a tragic sight,” said a member of the ship’s complement. “Women and children took to the lifeboats in a calm manner. The sea was very choppy and a strong north-west wind was blowing so that small boats rocked and pitched. Some of the women had small babies, but they stood the situation very well.” The first boats to be lowered contained mostly women and children. They were followed by the crew and then by the captain and the chief officer. All boats pulled smartly away from the sides of the Adolph Woermann and waited to be taken on the British warship. “As the German ship settled, the captain’s lifeboat came alongside the British cargo ship and the captain’s request that the passengers should be taken aboard was answered by: “The cruiser will decide. Will you please lay by in the meantime.” Under shellfire from the cruiser, the German ship rapidly became ablaze.