Miracles of Courage

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10392, 9 May 1927, Page 2

Miracles of Courage

BRITISH SEAMEN IN THE WAR. EXPECTED TO USE PITS CUN. Tl'.o British Rrime Minister (Mr Baldwin) gave a IV.sear. I .ting review of England's maritime greatness, inel ltd ing some little-known deeds performed hv merchant seamen during the Great War. v.hen sneaking as inc guest of tlie Lin inker oi Shipping of the Pin ted Kingdom in London rm*n.tlv. ••£ will take only one instance, said the Prime Minister. "The nama of the ship was the Chin MacTavisii. aNo a Scottish name. Tlio captain’s name was Oliver. it was ahout halfway between Madeira and the Canaries when Captain Oliver sighted two vessels on his port how en a southerly course, lie thought they were most probably bound for South America and allowed them to come un tu him. M hen the larger of the two ships was barely two cade lengths’away she signalled time she was a German cruiser, and called upon Captain Oliver to surrender. She was, in fact, the auxiliary cruiser, Mocwe, armed with a formidable battery of Gin. guns. In spite of hopeless odds Captain Oliver turned his ship and gave orders’ to fight, and he did actually fight with his one small six-pounder to such good effect that he severely damaged the Moewe’s forepart before lie was finally compelled to haul down his flag. ' (Cheers.) Captain Oliver's bitter resistance made a deep impression upon his captors. The German captain of the Moewe afterwards wrote tliis: ‘When the master reported to me I took him severely to task for his criminal behaviour. The master states that lie disclaims all personal responsibility—he. had received orders from his Government to get his ship through to England. Furthermore, he- had Teen provided with a gun and ho regarded it as his obvious duty.’ (Cheers.) And then the German captain added this: ‘L must own that I appreciate the loyalty with which this old Scottish soaring stuck to his principles and I shook hands with him. (Renewed cheers.)