SURPRISE IN LONDON

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21042, 19 February 1940, Page 7

SURPRISE IN LONDON

ALTMARCK A WARSHIP GERMAN CLAIM DISPROVED SIGN OF CROSSED SWORDS (Omcial Wlreleai) (Received Feb. 19, 1 p.m.) RUGBY, Feb. 18 Considerable surprise is felt in informed London quarters at the German claim that the Altmarck is an “unarmed merchant ship.” While a search of Lloyd’s Register of Merchant Shipping reveals no trace of a ship of this name, in a list of coast to ship stations published in June, 1939, by the International Union of Telegraphic and Wireless Communications of Berne, a German vessel named the Altmarck appears marked with the crossed swords sign and as having the call signal “D.T.A.K.” allotted her. The International Union, which is sponsored by the International Postal Union, obtains information for compilation of the list from the Government departments of the countries concerned. Crossed swords is the conventional sign indicating the ship so marked to be a warship. These two facts are felt to show that at some date prior to June, 1939, the German Government informed the International Union that the Altmarck was a warship, giving this information for the purpose of enabling the Union to include accurate details in the published list. It is thought difficult to see by what metamorphosis the warship of last June has become the “innocent merchantman” of last night, especially as the call signs used by the Altmarck and intercepted by the British warships were “D.T.A.K.”— the call signal of the German warship Altmarck. PARIS, Feb. 18 The military authorities contend that the Altmarck violated international law in concealing the fact that British prisoners were aboard and she was armed with guns.

DUNEDIN SAILOR SAFE ARRIVAL REPORTED RETURN HOME AWAITED (By Telegraph.—Pres* Association) DUNEDIN, Monday “Arrived safe and well” was the cable received this morning by the parents of William Wheeler, a Dunedin boy, who was a member of the gun crew of the Doric Star, sunk by the Admiral Graf Spee in December. He had since been a prisoner on the Altmarck. Mrs Wheeler has also received an official message from the Defence Minister announcing the safety of Wheeler and stating that the youth will return to New Zealand at the first opportunity.