I SEA BATTLE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 85, 12 April 1940, Page 10

I SEA BATTLE

ALARMING INCIDENT SHIP’S IDENTITY MISTAKEN. SPIRIT OF ACHILLES MEN. AUCKLAND, April 9. What the British naval men regarded as the most alarming incident in the sea batle against the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spec off the coast of South America was related by Commander D. M. L. Neame, second in command of H.M.S. Achilles, in an address to the Auckland Rotary Club at its weekly luncheon in Milne and Choyce’s Reception Hall yesterday. “While we were shadowing the Graf Spee into Montevideo, hoping to keep out of her gun range, we saw a ship i hull down on the horizon,” said Commander Neame. ‘‘She first appeared to be a battleship of the Hipper class, with Sin. guns and many torpedo tubes. Our first thought was we had run into a trap. We iigr.afled the admiral of the presence of the enemy and there was considerable excitement on the Ajax, too. Gradually the ship came up, and to our great relief she was a liner.” Fine Work of Gun Crew. Commander Neame paid tribute to the strategy formulated by RearAdmiral Sir Henry Harwood, of the Exeter, in concentrating in waylaying the raider where he supposed she would eventually appear near the focal point of traders off the mouth of the River Plate. The fight started three minutes after the alarm sounded, the completely unexpected taking place, and for an hour and ahalf the guns never ceased firing. “In all that time the guns were loaded faster than had ever been accomplished during normal practices,” continued Commander Neame. “The engines developed—thanks to the stokers—far more horsepower than was ever attained on any of our trials, and our speed was never charted.” Raider’s Chance of Escape. , Referring to the wait for the raider ! to leave Montevideo Commander Neame said that had she come out early she stood a very good chance of escaping to continue her work and perhaps, judging by her comparative freedom up to the time of the battle, she might have returned safely to Germany. Commander Neame spoke of the magnificent spirit of the crew during the entire voyage, adding that if a ! similar spirit existed through the nation there could be no doubt as to the final result of the war.