26



heading for Shark Bay.



It was not until the 24th. of November, that Berlin heard Sydney 

Radio ask for "Details of

the action and the name of the ship from which survivors came"

At the end of November, SKL learned that the Australian Cruiser 

ll.M.A.S. "Sydney"

was 6 days overdue at Fremantle on the 26th. of November, 

returning from convoy duties,

and it was believed she had sunk an enemy Raider, but her own 

fate was still unknown.

Then the next intercept read: "A British Tanker has taken German 

seamen from a

raft, and others have been sighted in lifeboats, of which two 

have arrived in Western

Australia. Apparently "Sydney" was on fire when last seen by the 

Germans."



At this time '~ormoran~~ was the only German Raider at sea, so 

SKL now realised she had

been sunk. It was later, via letters from survivors held in 

Australia, that the story of what

had happened ifitered back to Germany, as indicated, the first 

news came from Dr.

Habben, who also indicated that Captain Detmers was also both a 

survivor and a Prisoner

of War.



The German story of the light to the end for both ~~Sydncy," and 

~~ormoran," is all that

has ever become available, "Sydney" was never found, vanishing 

with her total crew of

645 Officers and Sallors.



It was about 1600 (4PM) on the afternoon of the 19th. of 

November, 1941 that a

lookout in '~ormoran" sighted smoke ahead, it soon became 

apparent to the Raider's

bridge personnel, that this belonged to a Light Cruiser, and it 

was ll.M.A.S."Sydney,"

already speeding towards them.

Detmers ordered a course to turn them away, his ship working up 

to flill speed of ~ 8

knots, the Captain choose to steer against the wind and sea but 

straight into the sun.

"Sydney" followed them at an estimated speed of 25 Knots, and was 

signalling with a

searchlight. (The Cruiser was most likely using a shuttered 

signalling lamp, there is no

provision for using a searchlight as a signalling medium.)

'~ormoran" hoisted a Dutch flag, in line with her supposed 

identity of being the "Straat

Malakka."



"Sydney" kept up her flashing, and Detmers as usual with Merchant 

Ships, responded with

flag signals, some of which were deliberately garbled, he also 

hoisted flags meaning "not

understood."

Time was gained, still "Sydney" did not open fire, but came up 

astern, within a short

distance from the Raider, at about 1.5 hours after first sighting 

the Australian Cruiser, she

was level with '~Kormoran" and on her starboard side, less than 

1,000 yards away.

The Germans felt they were getting away with their deception, and 

that the Cruiser S

Captain believed that he had a harmless Allied Merchant Ship on 

his hands.



"Sydney" had her Walrus Aircraft sitting on the catapult, already 

swung out in position for

launching, suddenly, the catapult was trained in again fore and 

aft. This seemed to signal a

non aggressive attitude from the Cruiser. The Germans also 

thought that only half the





27



Cruiser's gun crews appeared to be closed up at their stations.

"Sydney" now demanded that "Kormoran" give her secret call sign, 

the bluff could ['0

longer be sustained," IT WAS TIME TO FIGHT."



Detmers ordered his guns unmasked, it took only a record 6 

seconds to achieve.

Meantime the Dutch flag was being replaced by the war flag of the 

German Navy, and the

Captain's pennant hoisted.

Before the war flag was close up, i.e. hoisted to the top of its 

position, the "Kormoran"

opened fire with a single round, it fell short, but the next 3 

gun salvo, hit "Sydney's"

bridge and fire control area.

"Sydney" also fired at the same time as this salvo, but their 

shot fell well over, hits from

the Raider were now scored on the Cruiser's B Turret, blowing 

away its top, and also

damaging A Turret's training mechanisin, thereby freezing any 

flirther movement.

In a Naval ship fitted with 8 guns, it is usual to find them in 4 

by 2 gun Turrets, which arc

named from the ship's bow, A, and B, both in front of the bridge, 

the other 2 fitted aft of

the malrimast, are named X and Y Turrets.

"Sydney" now had half of her main armament out of action.



The aircraft's catapult was now swung into the launch position 

for the second time, but a

direct hit soon destroyed the plane.

A torpedo from 'CKormoran" struck "Sydney" forward of the Bridge, 

her bows dipped

below the water, her speed fell away, and heavy fire from the 

Raider's anti-tank 37mm.

gun, and 20mm. AA weapons swept personnel from the Cruiser's 

upper deck, stopping

AA guns or torpedo mountings from being manned.



It was obvious that "Sydney's" fire control system had been put 

out ofaction- but her 2

after 6 inch Turrets fired independently and scored 3 hits.

These hits, started a large fire in '~ormoran's" engine room, 

electrical gear there failed,

and all the engineroom staff perished.



"Sydney" fell away astern, then tried to ram the now out of 

control Raider, but

'Kormoran's" number 5 gun kept up firing, "Sydney" turned away, 

steaming only at 5/6

knots, then fired 4 torpedoes, the closest, missing its target by 

about 150 yards, as

"Sydney" turned, it was evident that her X andY Turrets were 

trained on her disengaged

side, and they appeared to be jammed on their training gear.

The Cruiser was kept under continuous fire from the German 5.9 

inch guns, and many hits

were made on her waterline.

The Raider's gun crews reported that during this action they had 

fired 500 rounds



By 1800 (6pm) it was becoming dark, "Sydney's" port quarter was 

ablaze, and many

explosions were heard on board her.

Finally, at a distance of 5 miles, she was out of range, and 

slowly steamed off towards the

horizon.

For hours, the German crew fought to save their ship, they could 

still observe the huge fire

burning in "Sydney," until about 2300 (11PM) "When it 

disappeared, most probably,







28



"Sydney" blew up and sank at that time."



As all of "Kormoran's" fire fighting equipment had been 

destroyed, there was little that

could be done to quell the formidible fires still raging, Detmers 

ordered his guns crews to

remam, and everyone else to leave the ship Some boats had been 

destroyed in the action,

rafts, and rubber dinghies were utilised.

Two steel lifeboats stowed in Number 1 hold were normally 

launched via auxiliary

equipment- but, this was damaged, and these boats had to be 

manhandled with a great deal

of difficulty.

The Sinking of "Kormo ran."

Twenty had been killed in the fight with "Sydney," and 60 others 

drowned when a large

rubber dinghie sank when the Raider was abandoned.

At 0100 (lAM,) in the early hours of the 20th. of November, 

Detmers hauled down both

his Pennant and the Flag, and embarked in the last boat to leave 

20 minutes later, mines

or' board blew up, and, down went "Kormoran" stern first.



The weather worsened, men in boats, dinghies and rafts could not 

all stay together as a

group, one boatload was recovered by a coastal steamer, who broke 

the news of this

engagement to the world.

Both the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force 

set out to find the

survivors from both sides, all the Germans were found, although 

some took 6 days to

reach the Western Auatralian coast line.



Not a soul from "Sydney" has ever been found-it appears that 

Captain Burnett

took his Cruiser too close to an apparently harmless Merchant 

Ship, to be totally

suprised, and paid the price.



In the intervening 56 years, many theories have been advanced on 

the loss of this

ship, and many calls have been made to convene an enquiry into 

the sinking of

"Sydney" and the total loss of her crew, all fell on deaf ears 

until:-



Enquiry into the circumstances of the sinking of H.M.A.S. 

"Sydney" announced.



On the 26th. of August the Hon. Ian McLachlan A.O. M.P. referred 

to the members of the

Defence Sub-Connnittee the following brief;-

To investigate and report on:-



The circumstances of the sinking of H.M.A.5 "Sydney" off the West 

Australian

coast on the 19th of November, 1941, with particular reference 

to:-



(I) the extent to which all available archival material has been 

fully investigated aiid

whether any relevant material has been missplaced or ~stroyed;



(2) all relevant and archival material available from Allied 

and}ormer enemy sources;







29



(3) the desirability and practicability of conducting a search 

for the H. M~A. S. 'Wyducy

and the extent to which the Commonwealth Government should 

participate in such a

search should one be deemed desirable and practicable;



(4) the practicability of accurately locating the grave of an 

alleged body from HMA.S.

"Sydney" which was allegedly buried on Christmas Lsiand,.



(5) the identfication of any scientific procedures now available 

which could verift the

identity of human remains alleged to be those of a crew member 

ofH.MA.S 'Wydney

buried on Christmas Island if and when such remains were located~



(6) means which should be taken to protect and honour the final 

resting places, i[and

when located ofH.MA. S "S'dney" and KSN "Kormoran."



Losses and Survivors.



The total company of 645 were lost from "Sydney, "whilst 318 

survived from

"Konnoran."



Over the intervening years many have posed the question "how 

could this be?"

Tn the course of the War at Sea over 1939-1945, "Sydney" was the 

only war~hip to be

sunk by an Armed Merchant Raid~r.

It was unusual for a Naval ship ( other than a Submarine) to be 

sunk with a total loss of

her Company.



To quote Winston Churchill from his "Second World War"" At six 

o'clock, after the

"Bismarck" had fired her fifth salvo, the "Hood" was rent IR 

twain by a mighty

explosion. A few minutes later she had vanished beneath the waves 

amidst a vast

pall of smoke. But from a crew of 1,500- there were 3 survivors.



When 'Repulse," and '~rince of Wales," were both sunk by Japanese 

aircraft off

Singapore, 2,000 were rescued from a total of 3,000 on board 

these two ships.



In the Pacific war, at the Coral Sea and Midway actions, the 

Japanese Navy lost 5

Carriers, "Shoho," "Akagi," 'Kaga," "Sor'yu," and '~{ir'yu," and 

the U.S.S."Yorktown,"

was sunk, but from all these ships many survivors were rescued.



I had the personal experience of being sunk in a Naval night 

action, at the Battle of Savo

Island, on the 9th. of August 1942. The Japanese Navy, on this 

night, achieved a major

victory, sinking 4 heavy Cruisers, H.M.A.S. "Canberra," and US 

ships, "QUJNCY,

"Astoria," and "Vincennes." But, from each of these ships, 

crewmen survived, to be

rescued, and for the majority of them, to fight again.



I reiterate, it was very unusual for a Naval warship to be lost 

with every soul on

board!!





30



International Naval Reunion- Melbourne, Australia.



In 1986, the International Naval Reunion took place in Melbourne, 

some 800 delegates

flocked to this city from around Australia and from across the 

world.



Whilst assisting the Organising Committee, I was given the task 

of arranging the seating

for the formal Luncheon held in the main ballroom of the Southern 

Cross Hotel.

In organising each table I tried to equate the number of guests 

from overseas with

Australians, but,on one particular table, I arranged a total 

group of very interesting

overseas guests, and just myself as the only Australian present. 

One of my group was

Engineering Professor H~Ahl, from Berlin, as a Sub Lieutenant, he 

had been the Pilot

Officer of the Arado aircraft carried by cKormoran~~ at the time 

of her action with

"Sydney." He survived the fight with her, and became a Prisoner 

of War in Australia, I

wanted to talk to him about the action, and what he thought had 

happened to "Sydney~"



I was only able to extract from him the Party line as to what 

happened on that fateftil day

so long ago, on the 1 Qt~h. of November, 1941

He told me that he last sighted "Sydney," still heavily on fire, 

on the distant horizon, some

time before midnight, and she just disappeared.



Ballard's Book "The Lost Ships of Guadaleanal."



As indicated, I was sunk in H.M.A.S."Canberra," and thus was most 

interested in Robert

Ballard's book, "The Lost Ships of Guadalcanal," where he reports 

finding "Canberra"

sitting upright on the bottom off Savo Island.

I met Robert when his book was launched in Australia at Melbourne 

on the 30th. of

September, 1993, I wanted to Imow the answer to two questions;

(1) At what depth did he find my old ship?



(2 ) Could you find the 'Sydney?"



To my first question, I received the response, at 2,500 feet. 

Robert also gave me the actual

position where "Canberra" finally rests.



To my second question, the response was "Perhaps, if we could 

really narrow down

her final resting place, the Indian Ocean is a very large body of 

water."



I can only ask " Will we ever find out the truth about "Sydney's" 

loss?



Australian Parliament dissolved for Elections to be held on 

Saturday, the 3rd. of

October, 1998.



With the Australian Parliament being dissolved and elections 

called for the 3rd. of

October, 1998, the Defence Sub-Committee appointed to enquire 

into the loss of

H.M.A.S. "Sydney," ceased to exist, although 18 volumes of 

submissions heard to date,





31



have been published, ftirther submissions will not be taken by 

this Committee.



As I write this post script to the "Sydney" enquiry on the last 

day of September, 998,

there is a distinct possibility that the Labour Party, now in 

Opposition, could receive a

mandate to govern in 3 days time.

It will rest with a new Parliament of whatever political 

pursuasion it turns out to be, to

appoint a Committee, or to reappoint the previous Committee, to 

complete the enquiry,

and make a report with its recommendations.

It is too bizarre to contemplate that it is possible that no 

flirther action could take place in

this regard, and that the total exercise could remain in limbo.

But surely, this will not happen, "One can but hope!"



Komet. (Ship 45)



'Komet," was the last of the first wave of Raiders, and had made 

a most unusual voyage

to reach the Pacific. She had taken the northern route around 

Russia and Siberia, made

possible in July of 1940 because, at that time Russia was 

maintaining neutrality.

It was of course later th~ this stance was shattered by Hitler 

deciding to invade Russia.



Like "Thor," 'Komet," was only a small ship of 3,200 tons, and 

had been named 'Ems," a

part of the former Norddeutscher Lloyd line.

Her Commanding Officer, Robert Byssen, joined the Navy in 1911, 

and had spent two

long periods in the Adrniralty in Berlin.



The Russians assisted the northern passage of '~omet" by 

providing ice pilots, and ice

breakers, without them, this voyage would have been impossible.

After negotiating the final ice barrier, '~omet" was secured 

alongside the Russian ice

breaker '~enin," and Byssen was invited on board the Russian ship 

for a celebration party,

the vagries of time played a major role here, the Germans still 

keeping Central European

time, whilst their hosts kept local time.

The German Captain found himself partying with copious amounts of 

both Vodka and

Zakurka, at, for him, the unearthly hour of 0600 (6AM.)



This northern passage involved 23 days, and a distance covered of 

3,300 miles.

For their services supplied, the Russians, put in a bill for 

950,000 Reichinarks, or in

Sterling, 80,000 Pounds.



It was the 10th. of September by the time '~omct" reached the 

Pacific Ocean, and they

made for the Japanese Island of Ailinglap, it was here, in 1914, 

that Spee had hidden from

Allied Squadrons searching for him.

Fyssen was ordered to meet "Orion," and on the 14th. of October 

this Raider was at

Lamutrik, to fliel from 'CKulmerland," it was thought that the 

use of Allinglap may have

become known to the Allies when the Tanker "Weser," bringing 

supplies from Mexico for

the two Raiders, had been captured in September by the Canadian 

Armed Merchant

Cruiser, '~rince Robert."





32



The fact that 'Komet" had not sighted a single enemy ship over 

the 5 months since she

sailed from Germany, was a depressing one for her Captain.

The joint expedition of'Komet," "Orion," with their Tanker 

'Kulmerland," has already

been related in the section that covers "Orion," and her 

exploits.

Now on the 23rd. of December, 'Komet," was once again on her own.



Eyssen now planned to attack Rabaul, using his small fast launch 

or E-Boat that he carried

on board, however, owing to an engine break down this idea had to 

be disgarded.

"Komet" made her way back to Nauru, and signalled in a somewhat 

quaint and convoluted

way to the Administrator:- "I will shoot without regards if you 

use wireless. If you

don't use wireless I only destroy your phosphate pier and oil 

tanks behind and the

lighters. Evacuate this area at Once diminish casualties. If you 

don't use wireless

your station won't be demolished."

Just after gunfire commenced, the oil tanks were set alight, 

followed by a series of heavy

explosions. In Australia, an announcement indicated there were no 

casualties, but heavy

damage was caused to both plant and buildings.

This attack put the Japanese and Germans at loggerheads- it made 

public the fact that the

Japanese were, contrary to International Law, providing 

facilities for German Raiders.

SKL ordered this type of attack to cease and observed that 

'Komet" could easily have

been a victim herself and been sunk at Nauru.



Good news for Eyssen, on New Year's eve 1940/1941 he learned that 

not

withstanding his rebuff for his attack on Nauru, he was now a 

Rear Admiral.



'Komet" was hoping to get supplies from home sent overland via 

the Trans-Siberian

railway, but, at this stage the Russians were playing "hard to 

get," and they would need

to rely only on supply ships "Aistertor," and "Alsterufer."

Fyssen wanted to cover the Panama Australial New Zealand supply 

route by proceeding

to the Galapagos Islands, but his Control vetoed the idea, saying 

it fell within the Pan

Ainerican zone of neutrality. Instead, he was told, go to 

Antartica in the Ross Sea, and

operate against the Allied Whaling Fleet.



By the 16th. of February 1941, they were within the ice barrier, 

and Eyssen found himself

totally surrounded by ice bergs, his diary recorded:-" The ice is 

not dangerous, as it is

not freezing solid, but is broken up by the swell, but.... there 

is always danger to the

screw and rudder."

The ship gained an unexpected bonus, by sailing through all this 

ice, the ship's bottom had

become totally cleaned, giving them a smooth hull once again.



Although a Japanese Whaling Factory was met, no Allied ships were 

sighted, off to

Kerguelen to meet up with "Alstertor" for mail and ammunition.

At Kerguelen, an opportunity to get off the ship allowed crew 

members to hunt down

rabbits, and collect local cabbages, a relief from the monotony 

of canned vegetables.

'~inguin" arrived on the 12th. of March, and then "Adjutant" 

joined them. Two days later

'Komet" was on her way to the Indian Ocean, to a beat known as 

Area Siberia, West of





33





Perth, and they took on oil from "Ole Jacob."

Six weeks of numbing, deadly cruising followed, nothing in sight, 

no ships, no smoke

on the horizon. By the 8th. of May, "Komet" was off the town of 

Onslow, Western

Australia, and the following day learned from an enemy radio 

broadcast, that a Raider had

been sunk, Byssen knew it could only be '~inguin" and he 

requested SKL place

"Adjutant" under his orders, as she was now on her own, they 

agreed.

The 2 ships met on the 21st. of May once again the ship's 

Navigators had prevailed, and

found each other at a single speck in the vast stretches of the 

Indian Ocean

'Komet," to conserve oil, took "Adjutant in tow, and fitted her 

out with a 60mm. and 2

by 2Omm guns, a range finder, magnetic mines, caretully set to 

detonate in the Southern

hemisphere, navigational equipment, plus a smoke laying 

capability.



Passing South of both Australia and New Zealand, the two ships 

entered the Pacific

Ocean, it was planned for mines to be sown by "Adjutant" off Port 

Nicholson and Port

Lyttelton, and 'Komet" went of to the North East towards Balbo, 

there to meet

"Anneliese." Enroute, Byssen received a signal from "Adjutant" 

saying her engines were

now useless, and she was going to scuttle herself, 'Komet" needed 

to go to her rescue



By the 24th. of June "Adjutant" had cruised within sight of New 

Zealand, and was abheam

of Wellington, she started to lay her mines when a searchlight 

pin pointed them, in her

haste, the mines were laid too early, instead of in 10 fathoms ( 

60 feet ) they were let go in

15 fathoms ( 90 feet) of water. Radio traffic alerted the little 

ship that both Aircraft and

Ships were seeking her out, the engines now gave up, and Karsten, 

in command, set sails

to keep them underway. He managed to hold out, and in 3 days 

time, rescue was at hand

as 'Komet" came in sight, all the crew were taken on board, and 

the ship scuttled



By the 5th. of July, 'Komet" had been at sea for a year, although 

her results had not been

spectacular, Eyssen was informed that 5 Iron Crosses First Class 

were his to dispose of as

he wished, all other crew members were to receive the kon Cross 

Second Class.

The "Anneliese Essberger" was met at Balbo on the 14th. of July, 

she wore the disguise of

a Japanese vessel, flielling was to take place, but all her oil 

hoses had been given to

"Orion" and it was only with great difficulty they took on board 

1,400 tons of oil via fire

hoses.



Towards the end of July, having sent off his War Diary and the 

ship's mail with the

Tanker, "Komet" set out for the area around the Galapagos 

Islands, by mid August, in this

area, Pyssen, at last, sighted an enemy ship, for 227 days he had 

scoured the oceans, but

they had remained totally empty.

This turned out to be the 5,000 ton "Australind," two warning 

shots did not stop her, and

'~omet" fired off 7 salvoes, hitting her bridge, killing the 

Captain and 2 Engineering

Officers, other survivors were taken aboard, and explosive 

charges used to dispose of this

ship. The next day a Dutch ship was sighted, chased, and lost, as 

'~omet's" 12 knots was

not fast enough to run down this Dutchman, who merely sailed on' 

quite oblivious to the

threat from the Raider.

That same night, an intercepted signal from the British 

refrigerator ship '~ochmonar"





34



9,500 tons indicated she was due at Panama.

Eyssen quickly worked out that this ship would need to pass close 

by, he stopped to lie in

wait. Once again, it shows that a Raider must gather intelligence 

from every possible

source, here we find a resourcetul Captain picking up a signal, 

then turning the

information into a window of opportunity for his ship and 

himself, it is only through

results, ships caught, ships captured or sunk by a Raider, that 

the success or failure of a

specific Captain and his ship may be measured and judged.





On the 17th. a ship was sighted, but it was not the intended 

victim, as it was a much

smaller ship, here was an added bonus, it turned out to be the 

Dutch '~ota Nopan" of

7,000 tons, going from Macassar to New York, with a very valuable 

cargo on board,

rubber, tin, manganese ore and sago flour.

Although responding to "Komet's" warning fire, with her own stern 

gun, its firings fell

short, this Dutchman was captured intact.

She carried a crew of35 Dutch and 16 Javanese, their capture had 

only enough oil for

about another 10 days steaming, it was out of the question to get 

her home to Germany

without the possibility of reflielling her.

SKL were asked if they could assist with supplying tuel, meantime 

Eyssen ordered that

they commence to strip out the valuable segment of the cargo, in 

case he had to scuttle

this prize capture.



Another vessel now appeared, 'Komef' opened fire at 4 miles, and 

the alarm was raised,

after near misses, the ship now stopped. It was the British 

"Devon," an ancient coal

burner, 9,036 tons, having a very miscellaneous cargo of 4,576 

tons, later to be described

by SKL "a~ a worthless cargo" back in Berlin, they seemed to be 

getting "choosey."

The crew carried included 31 British, and 113 Indians.

In Roskill's Volume 1 of" The War at Sea, "he says that "Devon," 

had picked up 'Kota

Nopan's" report of a Raider, but ignored it, only to steer 

straight into 'Komet's" waiting

arms.

On the 24th. opf August, the British issued a warning that a 

Raider was operating in

'~omet's" area, this alerted the Americans to the fact that a 

Raider was in their

Pan-American zone of neutrality, and American warships were 

reported to be on their way

to the Galapagos

SKL told both 'Komet" and "Atlantis" to make for Balbo, to oil 

from 'Munsterland."

'~Komet" sheperding along '~Kota Nopan" met up with the Tanker 

and her fellow Raider,

Fyssen was the Senior Officer, and argued with Captain Rogge from 

"Atlantis" about the

distribution of fresh food available from the Tanker, the 

captured ship 'Kota Nopan" was

filcHed, and she joined 'Komet" to sail via Cape Horn for home, 

at least for the Raider,

and a forced new home for the Dutchman.

Enroute ships were sighted, including some American ones, they 

were all lefi in peace,

then on the 1st. of November, another ship came into view, but 

proved too fast for

'Komet" to catch. After crossing the equator for the 8th. time, 

'Komet" was ordered to

cease her war against commerce, and to come home.West of the 

Azores,U-561, and

U-652 provided the escort, and on the 26th. of November, 

Cherbourg was reached after



35



512 days at sea. The '~ota Nopan" being faster had already 

reached Gironde.

'~omet" was ordered on to Hamburg, and was attacked on the way by 

Coastal Command

Bombers, a bomb hit the ship, but failed to explode. On the last 

day of November, she

finally reached the safety of Hamburg, the Raider had travelled 

87,000 miles, more than 3

times round the globe, however, with a lot of effort, and little 

to show for it, 6.5 ships

sunk, to total 42,950 tons.

Eyssen did not get another Command at sea, he filled a number of 

shore appointments, to

retire from the Navy in April, 1945.

'~omet" did attempt a second cruise.



The last voyage of "Ko met.



It was a year later before ~~omet" salled again, on the 7/8 th. 

of October, 1942, she left

Flushing pretending to be a '~perrbrecher

She was given a mine sweeping escort, 4 of whom ran into mines 

off Dunkirk, it had been

only 4 hours earlier that this area was swept for mines by German 

sweepers, the British

obviously topping up this field in the interim.

'~omet" stopped at Dunkirk, to await for the mine sweepers to 

again clear the area, on

the 12th. she was at Boulogne on the way to Le Havre, and then 

whilst being escorted to

Cherbourg ran into British Naval forces off Cap de la Hague, at 

0205 (2.05 AM ) on the

13th, within 12 minutes, it was all over, after 2 heavy 

explosions on board, ~~Komet" sank.

The British had been aware that an important ship was trying to 

break out into the

Channel, and set up 2 ~oups, made up of9 Hunt Class Destroyers to 

sit in wait.

The group of5 Hunts, caught '~omet," set her on fire, as well as 

2 of her escorts, thus

disposing of yet another German Armed Merchant Raider.



Michel. (Ship 28)



On the night of the 13th. of March, 1942, ~~iichel" started out 

from Flushing- with an

escort of 9 Minesweepers, and 5 Torpedo Boats, it was 

innnediately evident that the

British had been busy laying their mines in the German swept 

channel, mines were blown

up by the attendant sweepers.Suddeniy there was a 4 minute action 

with British Motor

Torpedo Boats, one was set alight. Early next morning off Le 

Touquet, star shell lit up

British M.T.B's and 4 Destroyers at just under 2 miles, although 

both sets of forces

closed, no effective action took place.

British M~T.B's and Motor Gun Boats, plus 4 Destroyers were all 

strewn across

'Michel's" path, the destroyers went into action, and '~Windsor" 

and "Fernie" suffered

slight damage, but 8 crew from 'Miehel" died, she was able to 

reach Le Havre, and then

Gironde. Finally she made it out of European waters on the 20th. 

of March, and set out

for the Azores.

We have already met Ruckteschell her Captain, when he Commanded 

"Widder"- he had

taken half of her crew with him to this new Command.

'Michel" had been built as the 8,000 ton Polish '~iolskoi" at 

Copenhagen, and been

captured when German forces invaded Denmark, she had yet to be 

launched, and was

reconstructed for her role as a Raider. Her armament was also 

different, 4 by 5.9 inch,







36



3 by 4.1 inch guns, light weapons, and torpedo tubes, radar was 

fitted, but it was pioneer

type equipment, the ability to detect enemy radar transmissions 

was also included on

board. A spotting type seaplane was loaded, plus two torpedo 

boats with a speed capacity

of 40 knots, each of these to carry 2 torpedoes, making them a 

formidible addition to the

ship's fighting ability.

Her masts and derricks were made portable to give the ship the 

opportunity to move or

remove them, and quickly change her look. The flinnel was able to 

be moved, and could

make smoke, to give the appearance of a coal burner, and not a 

diesel powered ship, a

great deal of thought and effort had been made to give her 

Captain as much flexability as

practicable. 'Michel" sailed to the South Atlantic to reach 

station between the equator,

and a latitude of 15 degrees South, "Thor" would operate below 

this area.

On arrival, she tuelled flom the Tanker, "Charlotte Schlieman.



Two Allied Tankers, the British '~atella," 7,468 tons, and the 

American 8,684 ton

"Connecticut," were soon captured, the latter being the first 

victim of'Michel's" torpedo

boats. Ruekteschell soon developed the tactic of following a 

potential victim unseen for as

long as possible to ascertain her course and speed- after dark, 

he would then lower a

torpedo boat, using her superior speed, this boat would get well 

ahead of the prey, lie in

wait, then, as appropiate use torpedoes.



Early on the morning of the 1st. of May, another chance for 

action arrived for the torpedo

boat, the British Blue Funnel Line, 10,000 ton 'Minelaus" hove 

into view, the Raider

ordered this ship to stop, her Master, Captain J.H.Blyth, 

reflised, his lookouts had quickly

reported 'Michel's" first appearance, and the Captain prudently 

kept his distance.

When the Raider opened fire, the British ship worked up to flill 

speed, using her radio to

broadcast the alarm- 'Minelaus" began to draw away, making 1.5 

knots better than her

rated tull speed. Up bounded a torpedo boat, flying a White 

Ensign, and signalling "stop"

by International Code, a torpedo was fired, but Blyth was able to 

alter course to avoid it,

although varying attempts were made by 'Michel" and the torpedo 

boat to stop

'Minelaus"- all failed. The torpedo boat was recovered, and the 

Raider abandoned the

chase.

Blyth was not bluffed by the attempt to disguise the torpedo boat 

as a British boat, he

noted that British duffel coats were worn on a warm morning, they 

were also worn over

Merchant Navy type life jackets, not of a Royal Navy pattern, the 

word patrol when

signalled, was spelled with two t"s- the White Bnsign was a very 

poor replica of a true

White Ensign, that even at 1.5 miles distance had not fooled 

Captain Blyth.

He had Captained his ship with vigor, bravery, and good 

commonsense had prevailed, in

many of the actions reported, we have seen how many ships, at the 

very first sign of

danger, "just rolled over," but not Captain Blyth, his crew or 

his ship "Minelaus."



Rucktschell needed to fliel again, he found his Tanker, 

transferred prisoners, and on the

20th. of May came across a 4,245 ton Norwegian, '~attcgat," who 

surrendered after a

few rounds were fired at her, the crew were taken off, and 

scuttling finished her life.

In another two weeks, the American Liberty ship, "George Clymer" 

of 7,176 tons was

found, she had broken down and had been drifting aimlessly, 600 

miles South West of





37







Ascension, her engines were again started up, but she was 

followed, to be attacked by the

torpedo boats at night. Two torpedoes struck home, but this ship 

did not go down. she

radioed her plight and Capetown responded:- "A Cruiser is coming 

to pick you up."

SKL had previously told Ruckteschell that the only Cruisers in 

the area, were old "C"

class ones, no better armed than himself, or, Armed Merchant 

Cruisers of similar type to

those that "Thor" had already dealt with effectively. He decided 

to set up an ambush, and

treat any British Cruiser as "Kormoran" had done to "Sydney," and 

waited over the

horizon, pretending to be a British ship, that was going to the 

aid of the US Liberty ship.



When he thought it right, off he went back to the last position 

of "George Clymer," but,

on arrival, too late, nothing there, just away in the distance, a 

hint of a tripod mast of the

British Cruiser, off; with the American survivors already 

rescued.

This ship was in fact, "Thor's" old protagonist, the Armed 

Merchant Cruiser, "Alcantara"

she had come across the badly damaged American, sank her, and 

picked up her crew.



In another week, another victim, the 5,200 ton "Lylepark" from 

Glasgow, ex New York

for the Cape carrying 8,000 tons of useflil warlike stores. She 

was immediately struck in

the charthouse and on the boatdeck by the Raider's shells, and 

fires caused her

abandor:i:nent. All the crew bailed out, except Captain Low, and 

his Chief Officer, both

wished to avoid captivity. These two intrepid sailors used a 

boat's falls to lower

themselves into a damaged lifeboat, still alongside. It promptly 

sank under them, the two

officers swam away, the Chief Officer taking reflige on a raft, 

the Captain almost worn

out, at last, found a raft. The Raider steamed past, watching 

'~ylebank" burn, by dawn the

ship sank, and 'Michel" had gone.

Low discovered the water tank on his raft was near empty, another 

raft ranged up

alongside, this one with a tull water tank, an aircraft flew over 

head, he fired distress

rockets, to be ignored, and in despair watched it land on board a 

distant Carrier.

A second aircraft took off; this time he was lucky, he was 

spotted, and very soon was

rescued and aboard the British escort Carrier, "Archer."



Low was dropped off at Freetown, after another week, his Chief 

Officer, plus his 2nd.

Officer arrived by courtesy of the "Avila Star."

Captain Low arranged to take passage to Liverpool in this ship, 

but, on the night of the

5th. of July, "Avila Star" was torpedoed North East of the 

Azores. The first lifeboat that

Low was to board, quickly sank before it could take survivors, he 

made it into a second

boat, which was immediately destroyed by a second torpedo fired 

at the sinking vessel.

Low was tossed into the water being wounded in an arm and 

shoulder, he swam as best as

he could, covered in oil, to be picked up by another boat, which 

quickly sank.

Other life boats rescued these seamen, including Low, and 

finally, they were picked up by

a Portuguese destroyer. What a saga for one brave, determined 

Captain from the

Merchant Navy!



'Michel" had 22 survivors from '~ylepark," and transferred them 

to the supply ship and

blockade runner "Doggerbank"- in her former life she had been 

"Speybank" captured by

"Atlantis" in January 1941. This supply ship had made two 

successlul round trips between









38



Burope and the Far Bast. Mines had been laid off Capetown, and 

probably accounted for

the steamers '~Alcyone," and ~'Soudan" sunk from mines,



Close to Ascension , 'Michel' sank 3 ships, "Gloucester Castle"- 

8,006 tons, US Tanker

"William T Humphrey"- 7,982 tons, and Norwegian Tanker, 

"Ararnis,"- 7,982 tons, the





last vessel, whilst attempting to run for it, was overtaken and 

torpedoed by the Raider's

Torpedo Boats, gunfire completed the task the next day.

"Gloucester Castle" had 134 people on board, she suffered a good 

deal of damage from

gunfire, and but 61 were saved. After 3 weeks they were 

transferred to the "Charlotte

Schliernann" where the total number of prisoners now reached 300, 

all confined in the

hold forward of the oil tanks- one survivor wrote~- "The hold was 

rat infested, [10

sanitary arrangements were provided, the food was mostly unfit to 

eat"



The ship now spent a month stationary in the South Atlantic, 

then, on the 1st. of

September~ they sailed for Japan. As soon as the tropics were 

left behind, all the pu~o['ers

were freezing cold in their confinement in the hold. When Japan 

was reached, women and

ohiidren went off to ~ civilian internment camp, and the 

remainder served the next 3 years

working as coolies.



The area 'Michel" was now working in, had provided rich pickings, 

but her Captain

thought that 2 Raiders, in concert, would prove better than one 

alone, he met "Stier"

(ship 23 ) and proposed to Gerladi, her Captain, that they should 

work together, however

Gerlach had been doing well as a single operator, and did not go 

along with this

suggestion.



Off St.Helena, '~Michel" sank a ~ritish freighter, "Arabistan," 

then flielled again from her

old friend the Tanker "Charlotte Schliemann," and entered the 

Indian Ocean.

Immediate success, he quickly despatched the new American 

'teader" a 6,778 ton cargo

ship.He was now ordered by SKL, to go back into the South 

Atlantic to meet another

oiler and blockade runner, whilst obeying these orders, 'Michel" 

met and sank the British

'Empire Dawn". Despite this freighter indicating she was stopped, 

and abandoning ship,

Ruckteschell maintained his gun attack, half of the 44 crew were 

killed as a result.

This action became the subject of one of the charges laid against 

him, and of which he was

found guilty at his subsequent appearance at a War Crimes 

Tribunal.



On the 22nd. of September, prisoners were given to the blockade 

runner "Tannenfels" on

her way to Japan, then he reflielled once more from ~ckermark" 

and took on extra

torpedoes. He now [eturned once more to the Indian Ocean.

In a few days time, a message was read saying that "Stier" was so 

badly damaged by

enemy action she needed assistance, in fact she bad to be 

scuttled, and "Tennenfels"

picked up her crew.



October went by without any action, then 'Micher' was told to go 

off to the Antarctic to

try and replicate '?lnguin's" success against the Allies Whaling 

Fleet operating down

there. Ruchteschell did not believe a second foray against the 

Whaling ships would prove







39



to be viable, he argued successtully against this proposed course 

of action, and gained

approval from Control to operate between the Cape and Australia.

The blockade runner "Rhetokis" was met on her way from the Far 

East to France, but she

was not destined to arrive, spotted by Coastal Command aircraft 

off Spain, the British

Cruiser "~cylla" was homed in, she arrived, opened fire, and the 

German ship promptly

scuttled. It had all changed from the early days of the War, 

British forces were stronger,

they were now bottling up the exit and ingress from and to the 

Germans home ports along

the coast of France. This tide had indeed turned.



'Michel's" Captain soon proved his judgement not to go to 

Antarctica vindicated he

promptly sank 3 ships, the British 'Reynolds"-5,1 13 tons, the 

American, "Sawokia,"-

5,882 tons, and finally a Greek, '~ugene Livanos," of4,816 tons.

On the 12th. of December he was ordered to go home to Germany, 

giving the Cape a

wide berth, 'Michel" sank another Britisher, '~mpire Marsh." 

Ruckteschell was now

abeam of St. Helena when SKL changed their minds, and told him to 

return to the Indian

Ocean, on board, one could well understand the frustration that 

would be evident in her

Captain, eg:- "What the hell are they up to in ~erlin? Have they 

any idea what its

like to sail from the Indian Ocean, be in a position to make a 

final run for home, and

now be ordered to retrace our steps back to the Indian Ocean? 

They are not at risk,

they go home to wives, families, even to mistresses every night, 

here we are at risk

every day, and may never see our families again, oh for a shore 

appointment!

When I am in charge of Raiders, at least, I will make sound 

judgements, and be

aware of the welfare of my Captains, their crews and their 

ships."





'Michel" had also been told to proceed to a port in Japan, not 

withstanding the feelings of

Captain and crew, the other side of the coin portrayed a 

different scenario, as indicated a

little earlier, the Allies had tightened the noose thrown around 

the coasts of Europe, and

the sea approaches to them, this had trapped '~hetol:is." Control 

no doubt believed that

'Michel" would have been under a real threat of destruction, had 

she been allowed to

continue her run home, and acted accordingly.



On the 7th. of February, having been at sea 324 days, land was 

sighted again, the Raider

had arrived at Batavia, a Japanese pilot taking the ship into 

port, later the Germans were

to complain about their treatment from the Japanese, indicating 

that their supposed Allies

had related to them little better than if they had been spies.

A ~rther stop was made at Singapore, thence on to Kobe, to be met 

by the German Naval

Attache, Admiral Wenneker, and Gumpnch, former Captain of "Thor," 

to learn for the

first time about the demise of that Raider, and the fact that his 

ship was the last surface

Raider still operational. A refit was needed, but before he could 

again sail, as a sick man,

he was relieved of command by Gumprich, and sent to hospital in 

Peking.

There he remained, his war was over, but after the surrender of 

Japan, he was repatriated,

then to be finally convicted as a War Criminal.



Gumprich took 'Michel" off to sea again, and traversed the Indian 

Ocean to the Western







40



Australian coastline, here on the 14th. of June, they met up with 

a Norwegian freighter,

"Hoegh Silverdawn,"- 7,715 tons, no warning was given, guns just 

opening fire, two

torpedoes sent on their way, then, as star shells lit up this 

vessel, fire was maintained as

the Norwegians tried to escape from their burning ship,

The crew believed that Gumprich was, quite deliberately, trying 

to destroy their lifeboats,

thus but one boat survived this onslought, and that too was 

damaged by machine gun fire.

The Ship's Captain managed to sail and navigate this boat with 13 

on board, safely to

shore, arriving at Calcutta, one month, and, one day later. They 

had been sunk some 130

miles South West of that port.



Bad the German5 sllddenly changed their policy about taking 

pn~oners captive?

Of course, taking them on board posed huge problems, of space, 

their general

welfare, having to provide lood~ often in short supply for 

themselves, etc.



On the 14th. of June, 'Micher' sank a second Norwegian, 

'Temeastle," using 4 torpedoes

fired from the Torpedo Boats, these had proved their worth, and 

made an impact.

Again, it seenm that attempts were made to destroy survivors, but 

one boat load was

picked up after 11 days at sea, and 1,300 miles West of 

Fremantle.



Gumprich waited in vain for flirther orders, and started off for 

Japan once more, by the

night of 17/18 of October, his ship was but 60 miles from 

Yokohama, it was flat calm, a

bright moon illuminated the sea, the United States Submarine 

"Tarpon," was running on

the surface, they sighted the German Raider, taking her to be a 

Japanese Naval Auxiliary.

'Michel," was tracked for an hour, with "Tarpon" trying to work 

herself into a successfiil

firing position, at 0156 (1.56 AM ) 4 torpedoes hissed Out of 

their tubes, two were seen

to hit.

'Michel" stopped, listed to port, then started to move again, 

pointing herself straight at

the Submarine- Commander Wogan, "Tarpon's" Captain, immediately 

took his boat deep,

passing under the Raider, when surfacing again, he found 'Michel" 

stopped, but firing her

guns wildly in several different directions. Three more torpedoes 

were squirted off, 2

missed, but the 3rd. blew off the stern of 'Michel," still she 

floated, and it was at 0230

(2.30AM) before another torpedo caused an explosion. When the 

smoke and flames died

away, 'Michel" had disappeared, finally sunk, she had indeed 

proven stubborn,

not wantmg to go!



It was some months later before the Allies learned from a 

captured blockade ru~er

"13ergenland" that the final German Surface Raider had, at last, 

been sunk.



Pinguin. (Ship 23)



Formerly the 7,766 ton "Kandelfels," "')inguin" was rated at a 

speed of 18 knots, and was

fitted with the usual Raider armament.( it had been removed from 

the old battleship

"Schiesien.)

In summary, she was second only to "Atlantis" as the most 

successftil, captured or sank

more ships than any other Raider, her tally 28 ships, to total 

136,551 tons, all achieved in