The Northern Advocate “NORTHLAND FIRST” MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1940. British Navy to the Rescue

Northern Advocate, 19 February 1940, Page 4

The Northern Advocate “NORTHLAND FIRST”

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1940. British Navy to the Rescue

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HE is a very poor Britisher who did not experience a thrill of pride when he heard the story of how a British destroyer, emulating the sea-dogs wnose deeds helped to make the Empire, boarded a German hell-ship and rescued over 300 foully-treated British prisoners of war. The story should be written in the largest letters. It will not soon be forgotten. Britain is a stickler for the observance of international law. This has placed her at a disadvantage when dealing with a nation whose rulers have no respect for written law or spoken promise. Time and again during the present war, she has allowed dastardly things to be done without retaliating, for the simple reason that such retaliation would not have been in accord with international law. , . . ~ . The way in which a British submarine withheld her torpedoes and allowed the giant German liner Bremen to pass by is a classic instance of the gulf which divides the British and the German Governments in the prosecution of a war. the British commander obeyed the humanitarian law that an unarmed merchantman shall not be sunk without warning; German commanders, on the other hand, have sunk British and neutral merchantmen without warning of any kind and left the crews to drown, while on other occasions they have ordered the machine-gunning of defenceless men and women who had managed to get into ships’ boats. Such conduct is deseiving the world censure that has been passed upon it. Britain, though probably regarded by many people as a tool for not seeking an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, nevertheless has the comforting knowledge that she has done what she should have done. A clear conscience is indeed a pearl ot great price. ... However, there inevitably comes a time, m the association of individuals in the ordinary course of life, as well as of nations engaged in deadly warfare, when patience becomes exhausted and a conscienceless bully must be treated in the way he should have been treated from the outset. . . , , The incident which occurred during the week-end, and which has moved British national pride, is the aftermath of the destruction of the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf von Spee, which, after being defeated by British cruisers of infinitely smaller tonnage and armament, was scuttled by her commander, who thereupon took his own life. The Admiral Graf von Spee sought the shelter of Uruguayan territorial waters, hoping that she would be safe until law courts had decided her fate. The British naval commander, however, decided that battle should precede law discussion. A very excellent decision in the circumstances. Officers and men of merchantmen sunk by the battleship had been transferred to an auxiliary naval vessel and supply ship, the Altmarck. This vessel disappeared after the destruction of the Admiral Graf von Spee, and was not heard of until last week-end, when she was discovered to be in a Norwegian fjord. Immediately she was challenged by a British destroyer, which lay in wait pending instructions from the Admiralty, international law and the question of Norway’s neutrality being in question. The issue was soon decided. Instructions from the Admiralty to “go in and take her” were immediately obeyed, and the Altmarck was boarded in old-time fashion and its crew Between 300 and 400 prisoners, including nine New Zealanders, were liberated, and taken to Britain, where they were given a remarkable welcome. J J • i. r> Germany has raised a howl of protest against Butisn violation of international law, stigmatising Britain’s action as “one of the most swinish and dastardly actions m all histoiy. This is laughable in view of Germany’s record. Britain takes the attitude that it was the Altmark, not the British navy, which violated Norway’s neutrality, for the German shin was using Norwegian territorial waters m order to transport prisoners of war to Germany. The diabolical treatment meted out to the Britishers during their imprisonment provides all the excuse necessary for even a technical breach of international law which is not admitted—in order to effect their rescue. It is clear that Germany has been systematically violating Norwegian territorial waters during the course of the war. Even within the past week or so a number of British and neutral ships have been sunk by Germany when within those waters and the resultant death roll has been heavy It is good to know that the Nelson touch is dominating the navy again, and that a British sailor is willing to put a b ind eye to the telescope when the question of rescuing British sailors from a living death is at stake. It is high time that the Butish Navy used the only method which seems to be understood by Germany.