FRIENDLY GESTURE.

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 19125, 9 December 1933, Page 5

FRIENDLY GESTURE.

KOENIG’S NAMEPLATE. RESTORED TO GERMANY. United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright, CALCUTTA, Dec. 7. The Commissioner of Police at Calcutta, as a friendly gesture, presented Baron Enderndorf, Commander of the German cruiser, Karlsruhe, which is now' in Calcutta, with the nameplate of the Koenig, a German war-time raider, which was sunk at Dar-es-Salaam (Tanganyika), by the cruiser Southampton. The nameplate was unscrewed and brought to Calcutta by a petty-oillcer and left at police quarters. Baron Enderndorf deeply appreciated the gift.

We can find no record of the 1 cruiser Koenig being sunk by the Southampton as stated In the cable, but, a German raider, the Knlgsberg gave the British Navy considerable) trouble in the Western Pacific in the opening year of the war, her most notable exploit being the surprise and sinking of the cruiser Pegasus whilst she lay at anchor at Zanzibar in September, 1914. This lead to a sweep being organised and the raider was eventually located ab.out six miles up the Ruflji River. The stream was blocked to prevent, her egress and later two shallow draught monitors —the Severn and the Mersey—proceeded up the river and completed her demolition, in these operations everything on board the Mersey (even the faces of the crew) was painted green to give her the appearance of a floating island. Thus disguised she proceeded slowly up ihe river until within easy range of the Zanzibar in September, 1914. This fire from stem to stern.