WAR CRIMINALS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18468, 1 February 1922, Page 5

WAR CRIMINALS

LIEUTENANT DITTMAN’S ESCAPE. ASSISTED BY U BOAT OFFICERS. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. BERLIN, January 30. (Received Jan. 31, at 5.6 p.m.) Lieutenant Dittman, who was sentenced by the Leipzig Court for sinking the Llandovery Castle, escaped from Lamburg Gaol with the assistance of the same gang of former U T)oat officers who recently helped Boldt, to escape. Lieutenant Dittman enjoyed especial privileges. After his warder had been bribed he scaled the prison wall and jumped into a waiting motor car. The Government is offering a reward for DittmanV recapture.—A. and N.Z. Cable.

[The Llandovery Castle was torpedoed on June 27. 1918, 100 miles from land and nearly 300 miles from fcjie prohibited area. Of 258 people on board, 234 lost their lives. Boldt and Dlthraan, two officers of the submarine which sank the hospital ship, were charged at the Leipzig Court with murder, and were sentenced to four years' imprisonment without hard labour. It was explained that they were subordinate officers. Commander -fating having, absconded. At the trial Mr Chapman, aff officer of the Llandovery Castle, gave evidence that the submarine turned a big gun on his lifeboat in order to force him to abandon an effort to rescue men struggling in the water. When Patzig fired his revolver it was. necessary to abandon the drowning men. The submarine then headed straight for the boat twice, evidently _ bent on destroying all evidence of the sinking of the hospital ship. Mr Chapman hoisted a sail and slipped away in the darkness,. German bluejackets reluctantly gave evidence that some of them tried to persuade Commander Patzig not to sink the Llandovery Castle. Later, Patzig wont on dedk with the accused. The rest of the crew were told to remain below. It was common talk among the crew that .the lifeboats were sunk by, shell-fire, the officers manning the guns. Later, Patzig asked the crew to say nothing about what had occurred. He accepted full responsibility.]