AT MONTEVIDEO

Western Star, 26 April 1940, Page 3

AT MONTEVIDEO

A recent visitor to Riverton, Engineer Albert- G. Young. D.S.M. of H.M.S. Achilles whosei parents reside at Gore, said that- during a short leave the men of the Achilles had had at Montevideo, they had mingled freely with the German sailors from the ill-fated Graf Spec, but not with the Nazi Germans, who showed hitter hatred of the British. The true Germans, of which over half the crew of the Graf Spee was made up, were quite friendly, however, and many could speak excellent English. There was a party of seven German youths, the odest of whom was 19 years and the youngest 17-1 years, and they, in conversation with Engineer Young, not afraid to express their views on the Hitler regime. All of them were close friends, but while they ware talking they kept a sharp look-out for any Nazis who might hear them speaking against Nazism and report them to the Higt Command. This would mean execution or confinement to a c oncentration camp on their return to ' Germany. Not one of this group — and the feeling was general among, those who were not Nazis —expressed a desire to return to Germany, and they, went as far as to say that if they had to return to Germany they hoped that it would be under a British flag. It surprised many of the Achilles’ comuany to hear outspoken statements by Germans that they desired to he British.

Another surprising statement was that the men of the Graf Spe-ei had been told before leaving Germany that they would never engage a British warship. Their task was to sink merchantmen, this being considered “good sport,” arid at no stage woud thay encounter opposition. Tire meeting with the three British cruisers cam© as a great shock to them, and theeye found it very hard to face the concentrated fire of the enemy. Ahtlough they did not admit it, they said in as many words that Captain Langsdorff and his officers were unable to keep the mem from panicking, and this caused Captain Langsdorff to order the Graf Spee to run for the shelter of a neutral port. The Germans were amazed at the efficiency of the 6-inch guns of the light, cruisers and the gunnery of the British. “Your guns were- like machineguns compared with our fire,” said one German sailor.

“I worked at my gun turret for only 15 minutes, and then I did not remember anything after that,” said another Goman, “and I was not the only one who did his nut.”

All of the seven sailors said they had no desire to be at war with any nation, least of all Britain, while they were unanimous in desiring to be British subjects. “We at least want to. stay in Montevideo until after th ©war, even if we are put in gaol,” they said. “We are certainly glad that the battle is over, even though w© lost, hut we were beaten by superior odds.” They also expressed the opinion that there was no doubt who would win the war. Britain and France would win “hands down.”

Engineer Young revealed that a similar feeling existed among German prisoners taken from merchantmen captured by the Allies during patrols. They were pleased to be placed in a prison camp, because they knew that their lives would be safe for the duration of the war. Those who were riot Nazis considered they had not a greta deal to fight for so long as Hitler’s party had control of thei Fatherland. At a certain base where several hundred German prisoners are quartered there as a strong objection by the. men when four Nazi officers were placed in their camp. They threatened to wreck the camp unless their political enemies were removed, and to avoid a riot the authorities were forced to remove the Nazi officers and place them under lock and key on board a vessel in th© 'harbour.;

A tribute to the German marksmanship was paid by Engineer Young, who considered that it was only the wonderful seamanship of Captain Parry, combined with an element of luck, that a direct hit on the Achilles was not. scored by the Graf Spee. He said that the first shell from the Graf Spee was fired at a range of 16 miles, and it landed only 200 yards from the. Achilles.

When the enemy vessel was first sighted, only the mast was visible, and it was thought that she might be an armed cruiser. It was not untiLlO min. later that the Spee was recognised by its silhouette on the horizon. Captain Langsdorff, in a speech prior to taking his own life, said it had been reported from the crow’s nest of the Graf Spee that a cruiser was escorting two merchantmen, and it was not until after an attack had been launched on the Exeter that it was discovered that the supposed merchantmen were the Achilles and the Ajax.

It was not until 18 minutes after the Graf Spee opened fire that the Achilles got within range with its guns and for 23 minutes a head-on battle ensued, with the Achilles travelling at full speed straight for the pocket battleship.

The Exeter took the bulk of the earls fire and rtii-ed from the action after 17 minutes. The rate of fire from the Tjax and the Achilles was terrific, and when the Graf Spee realised that most damage was being done by the light' cruisers she concentrated her 11- inch guns on them. Splendid manoeuvring by the cruisers, however, made the big guns of the enemy ineffective, although on© shell landed a matter of feet from the Achilles, when- the Graf Spee turned and ran for it the cruisers kept on her port side so that she could not bring her.big guns into action during heft* flight. The cruisers, however, kept out of range and relentlessly pursued their victim, a,waiting darkness so that they might manoeuvre for torpedo attacks.

The rapidity of the fire during the engagement can be judged from the fact that the Achilles’ guus were white holt and had to he spelled at intervals so that they might cool. It was three hours after the start of the action that the Graf Speie as repored by an aerial observer to be bit- in a vital spot, and it wa.s then that she attempted to escape. At first it. was not known for where she was steaming, but it was realised that the only pout that she might make before nightfall wasMontvicleo. The Graf Spee fled at a speed of 28 knots, and every now and again she would send a salvo from her 6-inch guns, but these were not effective at the range. About 2 o’clock in the afternoon the Graf Spee passed within two miles of a British merchant.ship, but it did not fir© a shell at it. Instead the captain of the raider sent- a message., “Please Ajax and Achilles pick up British' sailors.” It is considered that this was a ruse on the part of Captain Langsdorff to make the cruisers waste time in searching thei seas for drifting seamen and so give him a better chance to escape. It was soon ascertained, however, that the ship that had passed so close to the Graf Spee was undamaged. It was almost dark as the Graf Spee reached the entrance to the estuary, and as its pursuers had an excellent, view of it p,gainst the glow of the sky preparations were made for a torpedo attack, but at the last minute the orders were cancelled for reasons best known to the Admiralty.

The three days of Waiting for the Graf Spee to come out were more trying on the men than the actual ment. There was a certain amount of reaction ' when the/ excitement died down, and the continual waiting and wondering what would happen if the raider did make a bid for it with a suicide squad 'on board had a severe effect on the nerves' of the men. For those three days after the brush, however, every man remained at his action station. There was no retiring for meals, and each - man was brought cocoa and creamoata at various intervals each day.

“As a matter of fact,” remarked Engineer Young, “the pillowcase that I used in my hammock is a creamoata hag, with Fleming and Co., Ltd., Gore, branded on the side.”

The cruisers patrolled backwards and forwards awaiting the departure, of the Graf Spee, keeping 16 miles out to sea during the day and closing the gap. to seven, miles at night. At, 8 p.m. on the third day the pilot of the reconnaissance plane reported that the Graf Spee was weighing anchor, and within a short time the Ajax, the Achilles and the Cumberland were steaming up Rlv-er Plato to meet her, the latter vogsel having joined the cruisers a short, time previous. The Admiralty’s orders were destruction at all cost,, and there is little doubt that one of the British boats would have rammed the raider at. full speed if it had again shewn, fight. At 9.30 a.m. the plane reported that the Graf Spee had scuff tied herself. The scenes of enthusiasm aboard I he Aia,x and Achilles were indescribable. The crews were wildly excited and cheered each other unceasingly ter scfzeral minutes. It was an impressive scene when the Ajax saluted t>.e Achilles as the ship’s complement, sang the Raw Zealand sons “Haerera.” In turn the Achilles wnlntod the Ajax, whose crew sang “Rule Britannia.” The Gore rating paid a- tribute to Mi© skill and bravery of Captain Parry, who is greatly admired and respected hv his men, whom lie calls' his sons. Young revealed that Captain Parry was wounded by a piece of shrapnel piercing the calves of both legs shortly after the battle commenced, but it was not until he collapsed to his knees several hours later that it was discovered lie was wounded. He then refused to leave the bridge, and after his wounds had been dressed he remained on his knees directing operations. For the four days he did not leave the bridge, and when asked what he would like U> have cooked for him he replied, “I’ll have the same a's the men —cocoa a.id creamoata.” 1

During the early part of the action, Engineer Young was stationed in an ammunition locker and was then transferred to A gun turret. To many-of them the actual battle was like an oyery-day manoeuvre, and it was not Juitil tire firing had ceased that they

began to realise what would have happened if one of the Graf Spec’s 31inch shells had scored a direct hit. According to Captain Parry and the gunnejry officer, the size of the Graf Spee was more like 18,000 tons thau the treaty limit of' 10,000 tons. The Gore youth had: a fort unite escape from serious injury or even death. When he entered the Navy two and a,-half years ago he was given a prayer and hymn book of the Church of England by his mother, who requested him to always carry it with him. Both - books were in a neat case, and for conveniefneei he always kept the case in tlxe bag containing liis gas mask. When “action ' stations” w s sounded on. that memorable morning, he grabbed his gas mask bag and rushed to his station. While he was run- , ning along the deck, he felt something tug at the hag as he swung it over his shoulder. At the time ’ lie ■ thought that it had brushed against something as he was running along the deck. Liter it was thought, by the commander that the Graf Spee might use gas shells, so orders were given to have masks in readiness. Young took out his gas mask and was amazed to discover that it was shattered. He then searched for the cause and discovered that a piece of shrapnel about two inches square had gone right through the mask and imbedded itself in the hvmn book. The piece of shrapnel was part of the casing of an 11-inch shell, and it had penetrated almost through the hook. Strange as it may seem, the final perforation was on this line of a hymn, “Onward Christian Soldiers.”