Sinking of the Kaipara.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 17, 7 September 1914, Page 5

Sinking of the Kaipara.

CHIEF OFFICER SUPPLIES AN INTERESTING TALE.

THE KAISER WILHELM AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA.

(Received 8.45 a.m.)

London, September 6

Mr Hubert Wilde, chief officer on the Kaipara, in an interview, states that on the voyage from the Cape to Ilio de Janeiro they avoided the trade routes, and did not sight a ship until the 16th August, when the Kaiser Wilhelm hailed us.

The commander, through his megaphone, shouted: “If you use wireless, we will use guns. The captain, lieutenant, and second lieutenant came on board the Kaipara, and smashed the wireless, placed explosives in the stokehold and ordered everyone to leave.

We were only allowed to take our clothes and our individual losses are considerable. The Kaipara’s boats conveying' the crew were afterwards scuttled.

The Kaiser Wilhelm took U hours and fifty-three shots to sink the Kaipara. The prisoners were treated with great courtesy and were provided with saloon berths.

It is evident the Germans did not relish the task. The commander remarked that it w<, a painful proceeding.

The same afternoon the Nyahga was sunk and the crew taken aboard. Next day the Kaiser Wilhelm entered Eio dc Loro Bay and coaled from a collier. A week later she was of! Las Palmas.

When coaling, as cabled, the crew rushed on deck with pistols. A petty officer said: “You’ll bo all right bye and bye; I think it is an English cruiser.” Later, the captain and lieutenant said: “Gentlemen, please go aboard the Arncas at once. The British cruiser is going to fire.”

Many of Kaiser Wilhelm’s crew accompanied the prisoners to the Arucas, and threw their arms into idle sea.

After the prisoners had transferred to the Arucas, and when the Highflyer overhauled the Kaiser Wilhelm, the former suddenly fired, and the German ship replied. The Arucas stood hy till a shell whizzed over our heads. The first shot gave us a bit of a shock, hut our men acted with great coolness. I took the Arucas’ wheel and gradually moved away. The Kaiser Wilhelm hadn’t a chance against the Highflyer, owing to the short range. One of the Highflyer’s first shots disabled the port quarter gnu and destroyed part of the bridge. When she,sank, the Arucas was several miles away.