MISSING SEAMEN

Grey River Argus, 5 January 1940, Page 3

MISSING SEAMEN

GRAF SPEC VICTIMS POSSIBLY ON THE WINDHUK AUCKLAND, January 3. Considerable uncertainty is being felt in Auckland shipping circles concerning the whereabouts of the majority of the complements of the Blue Star steamer Doric Star (10,360 tons) and the Shaw, Savill and Albion steamer Tairoa (7983 tons). Although a few of the crews of the ships, which were among nine sunk by the Admiral Graf Spee, were landed at Montevideo by the German warship, the only message concerning the remainder has-- been., that they were put on an enemy auxiliary. The Doric Star, bound from Auckland to England via Sydney and Capetown, with a heavy cargo of New Zealand produce, was sunk by the Admiral Graf Spee in the South Atlantic on December 2, and the Tairoa, en route from Melbourne to England, was sunk the following day. Cablegrams stated that the master, Captain W. Stubbs, and four officers of the Doric Star, and seven of the crew of the Taipa, including Mr A. D. Dickson, an Aucklander, were released at Montevideo.

134 Not Accounted For Of the complement of the Doric Star, 61 remain unaccounted for. They include three members of the Nev/ Zealand Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, R. J. Craig, aged 19, and G. J. Lynch, aged 21, of Auckland, and W. J. Wheeler, of Dunedin. All three served the defensive armament of the Doric Star. Those of the crew of the Tairoa still missing total 73 men and include the master, Captain W.' B. S. Starr. . _ : No announcement has been made of the name of the auxiliary to which the 'Admiral Graf Spee transferred the crews of- sunken merchant ships, but it is assumed in Auckland shipping quarters, who naturally have a great interest in the matter, that it may be the liner Windhuk, of 16,622 tons.

Windhuk’s Movements The Windhuk, a fast passenger motor-ship in the German Africa Line’s service, ranks among Germany’s best merchant vessels. After spending the first months of the war in the shelter of Lobito Bay, Portuguese West Africa, she slipped away to sea under cover of darkness early in November in company with the liner Adolp Woermann. No word of her movements has since been received, possibly through her speed keeping her from the Allied searching squadrons. Every other German ship which has been reported as. leaving Africa and America since the start of war appears to have been accounted for, possibly with one or two minor exceptions, and it is therefore likely that the Windhuk may have been, the mystery auxiliary. The Adolph Woermann, the Windhuk’s companion in Lobito Bay, and the Matussi both had to be scuttled scon after leaving African ports and two other merchant vessels, the Henning Oldendorff and Ussukuma, were both captured off the coast. The only ship which cleared an African port and has eluded the British is the Windhuk.