Rangitane Grim Stories Of Suffering, Heroism Told By Survivors

Northern Advocate, 3 January 1941, Page 5

Rangitane Grim Stories Of Suffering, Heroism Told By Survivors

Women And Children Disfigured, Shattered

(Received 1.30 p.m.) SYDNEY. This Day. gIX WOMEN WERE KILLED ABOARD THE NEW ZEALAND SHIPPING COMPANY’S LINER RANGITANE WHEN SHE WAS ATTACKED EY A RAIDER.

Another woman died of wounds later and was buried.at sea

This was revealed hy survivors who landed at an Australian port today.

The rescue ship also brought nearly 500 survivors from other ships sunk in the Pacific.

Among 1 the survivors are women whose faces are disfigured by shell splinters, children with their legs shattered by shrapnel and men with all manner of

injuries.

Ship Made Shambles.

Grim stories were told of fire, confusion and deaths, when shells made a shambles of the Rangitane. Miss Mundi'e, a British Red Cross nurse who was returning to England aboard the Rangitane, said there were 46 women aboard the ship. The raider was encountered early in the morning of November 26 about 320 miles off the East Cape. “I was in the centre of the vessel, which was blown away. I was trapped like a rat and there were flames all around. Then another explosion occurred below and heavy fumes filled my cabin. “My clothes began to sizzle, and eventually were burnt off. Resigned to Fate. “I tried to find a place of escape through the ship’s side. Two other women and a man on either side of my cabin were killed. I resigned myself to my fate. “Suddenly I heard another woman's feeble cry for help. Then a man appeared through the flames in a. section of my cabin which was not aflame. “He spoke in calm tones and told me to walk to him. How he got me away, I do not know. He saved my life.” Miss Mundie suffered terrible facia) injuries and a heavy bump on the head, but is bearing up satisfactorily. Thankful to be Alive. Miss P. Matthews, a passenger to England, another Rangitane survivor, whose face is severely pitted by shell splinters, said: “We give thanks that we are alive. There was so much misery and suffering aboard I was afraid some would not survive.” Mr A. C. Millar, of Invercargill, said a shell from the raider, apparently intended to pass over the bow of the Rangitane, fell on the forecastle. Another blasted the stern gun off its base. Within an hour a tender from the raider emerged from the darkness with a full complement of self-important kriegsmarine in all the Nazi showiness. They wore light automatics round their waists and the tender carried a machine-gun. War Discussed. “On the third day aboard the raider its commander summoned all members of the Fleet Air Arm contingent,” said Mr. Millar. •They had visions of a shooting squad, but after taking possession of their personal belongings and especially photographic materials, their captors turned to the discussion of the war. “The German officers were unable to understand why England wanted to continue war which ‘England had provoked.’ “They worked propaganda ‘good and solid.’ tout it ran off like water over a duck’s back. “The Germans conducted a daily bulletin over the raider, relaid in various parts of the ship and issued coloured versions of Nazi successes. Unconscious Humour.

two-thirds of her crew of 58 before the battle ended. None of the Turakina's survivors are among those rescued.

Heroism, Endurance

“Many stories of individual heroism and endurance will emerge from the tale of the British merchant service in the conflict with the enemy at sea,” said Mr Hughes. “At present only the most meagre facts are available. None of th,e survivors landed has seen any of the Turakina men to hear their stories ditect, but 23 Turakina survivors are known still to be prisoners in one of the raiders, and it is through the German guard that the rescued people have learned of the fight. Fight Against Heavy Odds.

“The Turakina was attacked in the evening twilight of August 20. She had only one gun, ivhereas the attacker teas heavily armed and had a trained fighting crew. She had greater speed, and could outfight the Turakina on every point, yet the Turakina fought her for over two and a-half hours. “It is believed that 35 of the Tura- ' kina's crew were killed.” It is stated that the largest of the raiders is a ship of about 8000 tons and that she still has 200 British captives on board. Rangitane Sinking. Describing the sinking of the Rangitane, a survivor said suspicious vessels were sighted on the night of November 26. Almost as soon as the wireless, operator had been ordered to send a message to this effect two of the raiders opened fire. With more than 100 passengers on board, the Rangitane. with enemy searchlights playing on her, was severely shelled. There were casualties, but no panic occurred among the passengers. Fires were started by the shellfire. “We were taking water pretty fast, and 12 boats were lowered," said the informant. Time Bombs Used

“Two boats had been damaged, but eventually prisoners were taken on boai’d each of the raidei-s.

“The Rangitane had resisted the shelling, and she heeled over only after time bombs had been placed on board and exploded.” Captain Walter Fish, commander of the Union Company’s steamer Komata. in an interview, said the raider Manyo Maru, which got his ship, had a “sitting shot from a mile and ahalf away." He added: “My wireless operator sent out an SOS. Hit Eight Times “I decided to make a run for it, but within a few minutes the Komata was hit eight times, six times amidships, once forward and once on the boat deck. “The chief officer (Mr A. T. Mack) was killed instantly, and the second mate (Mr J. L. Hughes) was seriously wounded, and died the next day aboard the raider. '“I was unconscious for some time. A lifeboat was launched, after which a party from the raider arrived and ordered 13 of the Komata’s crew back to the raider. “We were imprisoned in a cabin eight by eight, but were treated courteously and made to feel as comfortable as possible.” Buried With Honours Mr Hughes was buried at sea with full honours, added Captain Fish, who himself suffered shrapnel wounds in one leg. “The German doctor operated on Mr Hughes,” said Captain Fish, “but T was told later that he had had no chance of living. They allowed me to be with him when he died.

“The same relay supplied music at meal times, a 'highlight of which was a good recording of ‘Adolf’ —the rag which tells how Adolf has bitten off more .than he can chew.

“This piece was played right through to the amusement of New Zealanders who were convinced the raider officers and even the gestapo officials imagined it eulogised Hitler.”

An officer of the Union S.'S. Co.’s Komata, after emphasising the generally courteous treatment the Germans extended their captives, said they discussed the war, about which they had the fixed idea that Germany was in the right. Nevertheless all were very anxious that the war should end, if only on account of the appalling loss of life and destruction of property. Von Luckner “Bag of Wind”

Most of the German officers spoke good English. The captain of one raider, he said, spoke broken English. The latter had intended to shell Nauru Island indiscriminately, but when told by the Komata’s men that heavy loss of life would ensue, he readily agreed to concentrate on the phosphate plant and buildings. One German officer apologised for shelling the Komata and added: “You would have done the same.” When asked whether von Luekner was in charge of the raiders, a German first lieutenant replied:

“The captain of the raider asked me if I would like to bury Mr Hughes at sea. I told him I would, “There was no Australian flag aboard, but the Germans made one by adapting a Red Ensign. Members of my ship lined up by the flag-draped body, and the Germans formed a guard of honour. I then read the burial service, and the Nazi flag was flown at) half-mast. Other Victims

“Afterwards the captain shook hands with us. He said he was sorry that Mr Hughes and the mate had been killed. He said that one day the war would be over, and he hoped we would • meet again as friends. “On the same day that we were attacked, the raider sank the yinni, the Triadic and the Triaster. The prisoners from these boats were transferred to a second raider, which was painted grey, but was unnamed. Both were well armed, and wicked looking. Our‘prison ship had an entirely German crew and was provisioned from a store ship named the Tokio Maru. „ " Prisoners Landed

“No. He is just a bag. of wind.”

Among the survivors interviewed today was a steward-gunner, James Hart, who had previously been in action at the Narvik evacuation. He was on board the Ar.cindora Star, which was sunk in the Atlantic., The Australian Minister for the Navy (Mr W. M. Hughes) has announced that 496 men, women .and children from ships sunk by German raiders have been landed at an Australian port, stated an earlier message from Canberra, '

Mr Hughes said they had brought back with them an epic story of how the British steamer Turakina fought the raider for nearly three hours with her one stern gun, and lost nearly

“We were aboard the raider for 13 days before landing at Emirau. Our food was not good, yet it was nutri-

tious. A young German doctor visited us daily and attended to our wounds.

“Only two Europeans and 300 natives inhabited Emirau, where we were provided for as well as could be expected. “The survivors from other ships were landed at the same island from the Tokio Maru about the same time as ourselves. “The chief officer of the' Vinni and also Chief Officer Collitt, of the Rangitane, managed to reach Kavieng on December 22, where . they sought assistance, which was not long delayed."

Attack on Holmwood

Describing how the Holmwood was attacked by German ships south of New Zealand, a member of her crew said: “Several enemy ships came at us from different points of the compass and we had no chance. “One of the ships fired a warning shot across our bows and we hove to.

“Before the passengers and crew were taken to one of the raiders, our captain addressed us on deck in an effort to cheer us up. “He said. ‘I am very sorry, but we are all going for a long cruise with the enemy. It is just bad luck and we must make the best of it.’

Floating Fortresses

“The enemy ships were heavily armed. In fact they seemed to have as much armament as they could possibly carry. They were veritable floating fortresses.' “We were prisoners on the raider from September 25 to December 21. All bore the three months’ ordeal without a murmur.”

Cne captain who kept a diai’y, containing his statement on life in the prison ship after capture, said that one German ship carried a complete recording plant and used it to record prisonei's’ comments for propaganda purposes. Japanese Names The Holmwood was attacked by three enemy ships. Two had Japanese names, hut one was identified as a German vessel. Before the Holmwood went down the women and children and ship's crew were transferred to one of the raiders.

“Gn November 27, when we were still on the raider. the alai-m sounded and the big guns forward began firing.” he said. “The prize officer told me that the Rangitane had been taken. The Rangitane’s captain and were berthed with us. I learned that 12 or 13 lives had been lost in the shelling of their ship. Death Penalty

“Two days later the women and children from the Rangitane and Holmwood were transferred to another raider and replaced by 40 members of the Rangitane’s crew.

“Six days nf‘cr the Ho’.mwood was shelled,” he added, “the Germans said that before the crews would be released they would have to sign a declaration acknowledging that the penalty would be death if they were taken prisoner on an armed vessel again during the war. “A gramophone record was made of questions and answers about the cargo seized from the Holmwood and Rangitane and conditions on the prison ship.”