GERMAN SHIP

Hokitika Guardian, 27 September 1939, Page 2

GERMAN SHIP

J held by dutch in java. I SYDNEY, September 15. | First news of the missing German ' ship Strassfurt reached Sydney yesterday. | completely repainted, with all identification marks obscured, she is shelteri ing with 18 other German ships at Tjilitjap, Java. I This information was brought bv Mr 'H: L. Garton a steel merchant, who ! was the only English passenger aboard. I Air Garton was landed from the bout at Tjilitjap. | The Stassfurt, of 7395 tons, is owned by the Hamburg-Amerika Line, i She sailed from Port Piria (S.A.) on i August 23, and was due at Melbourne at 2 a.m. on August 25. The ship disappeared. 1 “None of the passengers—there wore 11 refugees beside myself—had any inkling of what was going to happen until the ship was near the end of the run to Alelbourne,’’ AI r Garton said, j “We were all in bed when the engines I of the ship were stopped about 4 a.in. . off the entrance to Port Philip Bay. J “We got up later, expecting to find ourselves in Alelbouriie, but, instead, we were hot even in sight of land, f “The crew immediately began repainting the ship. 1 “We had no idea where we were bound ■ until we arrived at Tjilitjap. “Officers and crew treated us excellently. i “However, fresh water and food ran low, and we had to be rationed, j “Each night passengers and officers j listened to the radio, j “\Ve heard broadcasts about the mys- ' tery of our whereabouts from Australian j stations. j “The declaration of war by Mr ChumJ berlaih whs received very unemocij:i----j ally. “Alost of its were resigned to it by then.” Germans on the ship, said Air Garton, vVere convinced that Germany would win in three months. They believed the war could not last longer than that. The plight of the 11 refugees aboard was described by Air Garton as “desperate.” “They have no money, and are isodated on board the Stassfurt,” lie said. “Netherlands officials have virtually interned the Stassfurt and all aboard her.. “Nobody is allowed ashore.

“There.are 300(3 tons of lead shipped at Port Pirie in the Stassfurt’s holds.” Mr-Garton was released from the vessel by Dutch authorities as soon as he presented his credentials. He was the only person allowed to leave.