Enemy Spies and Pacific Shipping

Pacific Shipping

(Published in “New Zealand Herald” on January 28) “jTIROM New Zealand and from Aus- JT tralia information is going out daily to enemy raiders which are lying around our coasts,” said Captain James H. Miller, master of the steamer Holm wood, which was sunk last November, when he described in an address to the Christchurch Returned Soldiers’ Associa tion his experiences as a prisoner on an enemy raider.

“I have put it to our Government that there is leakage of information from this country,” Captain Miller said. “They have replied that it is impossible, but it is not impossible. I know it is hap pening, because I have seen results of it. The captain of the raider I was on boasted that he knew the movements of every ship leaving these shores and even knew the actual times that the vessels left port.

“For instance, the German commander told the captain of the Rangitane pre cisely the hour and minute at which he left Auckland on his last voyage and also the exact time at which he hove anchor off Rangitoto Island the following morn ing.”

After the sinking of the Triona on December 6 the German commander told Captain Miller that he had a ship to sink that night and another one the next morning. On the following morning they were approaching Nauru Island and the commander said: “You see that island on the starboard bow? That is your future home, for I am going to put you ashore there.”

At that moment a ship was reported by one of the officers and the com mander turned to Captain Miller and his companions. “There you are, gentlemen,” he said. “The Triadic is on time.” This was just another example of accurate information the raider possessed about all British shipping in the South Pacific.

EDITORIAL NOTE: The foregoing should be read in conjunction with the article, “The Story of the Pacific Raid ers”, on page 15 of the January issue of this journal.