Batstiger
23-12-2008, 13:01
We have all heard about the "Battle of the River Plate" where the Graf Spee was intercepted, attacked and finally scuttled (the film has been on the television enough times) but not a lot is spoken about the other side of the German raider. By that I mean the sinking of numerous mechantmen, the capturing of their crews and internment in the prison ship Altmark and finally their rescue by the destroyer HMS Cossack.
Here is a pictorial account (be it rather brief) of the incident.
Picture 1. Sunk by the Graf Spee. Approximate positions of ten ships sunk by the Graf Spee in her raids in the South Atlantic.
Picture 2. The Altmark held fast. Here is the Altmark, held fast in the ice in the narrow Joessing Fjord, Norway, a few yards from the shore where she was boarded by the Cossack. Her flag can be seen flying at half mast.
Picture 3. The Cossack brings the prisoners home. Sightseers watching the arrival of the Cossack at Leith, Scotland, on February 17th, with 299 British merchantmen aboard. They had been rescued from the Nazi prison-ship Altmark, off the Norwegian coast.
Picture 4. HMS Cossack running alongside the Altmark in Joessing Fjord.
This drawing made by data supplied by those who took part in the action, shows the huge bulk of the Nazi prison-ship, Altmark looming up beneath the snow covered mountains on the shore of Joessing Fjord, with the British destroyer Cossack coming up on the starboard side of the vessel. A powerful searchlight from the Altmark suddenly flashed on to the bridge of the destroyer, to blind the navigator, and then the ship tried to ram. The Cossack avoided this by using helm and engines. When the destroyer ran alongside, the Altmark was going astern. A moment later she went hard aground. The forward boarding party, led by Lieut-Commander Turner, sprang aboard the Altmark as the two vessels came together. Another boarding party stationed further aft also clambered aboard, armed with rifles and bayonets. Shooting followed, during which several Germans were killed and one British seaman was injured. Several Nazis escaped from the ship by climbing down the stern. Scrambling across the rocks, they opened fire on the British on the poop deck and bridge of the Altmark, but their fire was vigorously returned. The British merchant sailors imprisoned in the vessel were released and taken aboard the Cossack, and the destroyer, her work well and truly done, returned to British waters.
Picture 5. Freed prisoners landing. Members of the crews of merchant vessels sunk by the Graf Spee, taken from the Altmark after weeks of great suffering, are seen landing at Leith from the Cossack their rescue ship.
Picture 6. Smiles of victory. Two typical British merchantmen smiling after landing from the Cossack at Leith. Aboard the Nazi slave ship, the men suffered appalling hardships, having been improsned below decks.
Picture 7. Ex-prisoners come ashore.
At the quayside at Leith, prisoners taken from the Altmark leaving the dock. One of the injured men is being helped by a policeman, who is carrying his kit, while behind him are a party of Lascars.
Picture 8. The officer in command. Captain P.L. Vian who was in command of HMS Cossack when the warship trapped the Altmark.
Picture 9. Led the boarding party. Lieut-Commander B.T. Turner, of the British destroyer Cossack who led the boarding party on the Altmark.
Cheers, Bob.
Here is a pictorial account (be it rather brief) of the incident.
Picture 1. Sunk by the Graf Spee. Approximate positions of ten ships sunk by the Graf Spee in her raids in the South Atlantic.
Picture 2. The Altmark held fast. Here is the Altmark, held fast in the ice in the narrow Joessing Fjord, Norway, a few yards from the shore where she was boarded by the Cossack. Her flag can be seen flying at half mast.
Picture 3. The Cossack brings the prisoners home. Sightseers watching the arrival of the Cossack at Leith, Scotland, on February 17th, with 299 British merchantmen aboard. They had been rescued from the Nazi prison-ship Altmark, off the Norwegian coast.
Picture 4. HMS Cossack running alongside the Altmark in Joessing Fjord.
This drawing made by data supplied by those who took part in the action, shows the huge bulk of the Nazi prison-ship, Altmark looming up beneath the snow covered mountains on the shore of Joessing Fjord, with the British destroyer Cossack coming up on the starboard side of the vessel. A powerful searchlight from the Altmark suddenly flashed on to the bridge of the destroyer, to blind the navigator, and then the ship tried to ram. The Cossack avoided this by using helm and engines. When the destroyer ran alongside, the Altmark was going astern. A moment later she went hard aground. The forward boarding party, led by Lieut-Commander Turner, sprang aboard the Altmark as the two vessels came together. Another boarding party stationed further aft also clambered aboard, armed with rifles and bayonets. Shooting followed, during which several Germans were killed and one British seaman was injured. Several Nazis escaped from the ship by climbing down the stern. Scrambling across the rocks, they opened fire on the British on the poop deck and bridge of the Altmark, but their fire was vigorously returned. The British merchant sailors imprisoned in the vessel were released and taken aboard the Cossack, and the destroyer, her work well and truly done, returned to British waters.
Picture 5. Freed prisoners landing. Members of the crews of merchant vessels sunk by the Graf Spee, taken from the Altmark after weeks of great suffering, are seen landing at Leith from the Cossack their rescue ship.
Picture 6. Smiles of victory. Two typical British merchantmen smiling after landing from the Cossack at Leith. Aboard the Nazi slave ship, the men suffered appalling hardships, having been improsned below decks.
Picture 7. Ex-prisoners come ashore.
At the quayside at Leith, prisoners taken from the Altmark leaving the dock. One of the injured men is being helped by a policeman, who is carrying his kit, while behind him are a party of Lascars.
Picture 8. The officer in command. Captain P.L. Vian who was in command of HMS Cossack when the warship trapped the Altmark.
Picture 9. Led the boarding party. Lieut-Commander B.T. Turner, of the British destroyer Cossack who led the boarding party on the Altmark.
Cheers, Bob.