War Memories

Von Luckner's Escape from Motuihi

DURING his recent visit to Auckland, Count Felix Von Luckner made a spe cial visit to the Island of Motuihi, in Hauraki Gulf, where he was a prisoner of war 20 years ago, and from which he escaped in sensational circumstances.

There was a war prisoners’ camp at Mo tuihi, and Von Luckner and some bold companions got away in an official launch, and then captured the scow “Moa”, in which they reached the Kermadec Is lands, where they were subsequently re captured.

Count Von Luckner made up a picnic party, consisting mostly of men who were either his guards on the Island or his captors in the Kermadec, and they had a merry picnic together on Motuihi. He took a certain grim pleasure in pointing out to them, on the spot, how he had escaped.

He showed them how. by raising or lowering his window, he could secretly communicate with his picked colleagues.

When it was fully open they were to watch for instructions; when three-parts open, they were to continue with their preparations; when just a few inches rais ed, he wanted to see one of them, and so on. Then he revealed to an astonish ed audience that to his room he had sum moned each man, and had drilled them singly with a wooden rifle. No sound had been made, and no one discovered what was happening.

The count said that the little party of escapees sailed boldly out of the bay.

“But”, he added, with a smile, “your Government liked me so much that they sent 36 motor-boats, seven steamers and three cruisers to bring me back”.