GERMAN MUTINY STARTED ON SEVERAL SHIPS AT ONCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16672, 17 October 1917, Page 7

GERMAN MUTINY STARTED ON SEVERAL SHIPS AT ONCE

# ——- CREWS TAKE COMPLETE POSSESSION OF VESSELS. NUMEROUS EXECUTIONS AND LONG SENTENCES. Australian and NZ. Cable Association. LONDON. Oct. 15. The Amsterdam correspondent of the Daily Express gives a detailed account of the German mutiny. Since the Jutland battle the navy has been boiling with impatience for a decisive battle or for peace. Several vessels combined to undermine discipline, and were assisted by prolonged inactivity, the harshness of the officers, reduced rations, and finally the Russian revolution, especially the Kronstadt mutiny. Shortly after the last event the officers learned that the men were nightly conferring and discussing politics, socialism, and peace. Several arrests only poured oil on the flames. Matters canle to a climax early in August, following a further reduction of rations and numerous floggings for trifling offences. The revolt broke out simultaneously on four first-class battleships, the Prinz Regent Luitpold, the Kaiser, the Westfalen, and Heligoland. At dawn on August 28 the crews assembled on the decks, hoisted red flags, sang the Marseillaise, and shouted revolutionary cries.. The officers went to their posts, but the men threatened that they would throw them overboard. The officers did not interfere, awaiting assistance. The captain of the Prinz Regent Luitpold hastened aboard and ordered the men to haul down the red flag within five minutes. The crew replied by binding him with cords and throwing him overboard. He was drowned. The majority of the light guns were thrown into the sea, while the heavy guns were rendered useless. The authorities at Wilhelmshaven ordered out several battalions of marines. The latter declared that they would not fire on their comrades until they knew what had happened. The commander was furious, but yielded, giving the information required. The marines then refused to proceed, and were confined to their barracks. Infantry was summoned from Oldenburg, and torpedo-boats filled with troops surrounded the battleships, demanding their surrender. A small fight resulted in two sailors being killed and some soldiers wounded. The rebels soon surrendered. Practically all their ammunition had been thrown into the sea. -The ringleaders were shot next morning, while ten others from each ship were court-martialled. Fifteen were shot and the remainder sentenced to an average term of 20 years' imprisonment. It is understood that the mutinous cruiser was the Hamburg, stationed at Heligoland. The captain and most of the officers were absent from the ship. The mutineers overpowered the remainder and quietly left the moorings for Norway. Many destroyers followed and ordered the Hamburg to stop. She was given five minutes to return or be torpedoed, and she obeyed. Thirty men were arrested, and it is believed that the majority were shot.