British Captain Sounds Graf Spee's Doom

Northern Advocate, 19 February 1940, Page 5

British Captain Sounds Graf Spee's Doom

[Special to “Northern Advocate ”l AUCKLAND, This Day. For his initiative in passing on the calls for help sent out by two of the Admiral Graf Spee’s victims, the Doric Star and the Tairoa, the captain of a British cargo vessel now in New Zealand waters has been commended oy the Admiralty. The information he ordered to be sent by wireless helped British warships to locate the pocket battleship off the coast ol' South America before driving her to destruction at Montevideo. The captain of the freighter was advised on Sunday, December 2, three days out of Capetown, that the Doric Star had signalled that she was being attacked by the Admiral Schcer 100 miles away. Ran the Risk The signal came three times, and then stopped, so the freighter captain gave the order to the wireless operator to pump out the message on full power, thus taking the chance of giving away their position to the German battleship, whose seaplane could have reached them within an hour. Then they heard a taint call, probably from a shore station, stating that the message had been received. Shutting down her radio, the freighter' changed course on full .taq auinsai ;ou pip pus ‘paads proper course until after dark. The crew saw no signs of the battleship next day, but picked up another message, thought to be from the Tairoa, which also gave the name of the attacking vessel as the Admiral Scheer. This message was also relayed, and the two advices were the first rceeivd by the authorities that the raider was J in the South Atlantic.