We spent five days in the Deutschland
After three weeks as prisoners on the pocket battleship
Deutschland
(later renamed
Lützow),
and on the famous City of Flint, the crew of the British steamer
Stonegate arrived home on a Norwegian ship on
30
October 1939. Here is their story as told to News Chronicle.
We were homeward bound from south America when, about 1115
hrs on
5 October
1939. The pocket battleship Deutschland appeared and fired
a shot across bows. We were told to take to our boats. There
were enormous seas running. The
Deutschland,
then opened fire, and within a few minutes Stonegate was in
flames and some sank. We were taken aboard the
Deutschland,
and placed in cabins on a lower deck, where constant guard
was kept over us. We were treated very fairly and got plenty
of food, but were only allowed on deck for a half-hour at
dusk for exercise. On the fifth day, just before we were due
to go for exercise, we saw through the porthole a ship which
proved to be City of Flint.
The American captain was asked whether he would prefer to
have his vessel sunk or taken to Germany. He replied that
he would rather have the vessel taken to Germany. A boarding
party of 18 German soldiers was placed on the City of Flint,
armed with hand grenades and revolvers.
The 37 of us were placed under fo'c'sle, where we were herded
for days, having to sleep in the cold on wet boards. Although
the American crew were prisoners they were eventually given
full liberty, and did their best to provide us with the food
and clothing. We were told, however, by the German officers
that if we moved over the step of lazaret handgrenades would
be thrown amongst us.
Before we arrived at Tromsø the American at the wheel,
told the Norwegian pilot that the ship was the City of Flint,
and that there was an English crew of prisoners on board.
The pilot apparently informed the authorities, and a Norwegian
destroyer came off and an armed guard boarded the vessel and
disarmed the
Deutschland's
price crew.
The Norwegians maintained control of the City of Flint, after
we were put ashore. Then the American ship, having taken water
and provisions aboard, was escorted outside the Norwegian
territorial limit, and that was the last we knew of her.
Other:
Articles:
The Second Great War.
Edited by Sir John Hamilton
The War Illustrated.
Edited by Sir John Hamilton
2194 Days Of War.
ISBN-10: 086136614X
For a complete list of
sources
