Who Took Von Luckner?
p. 54 · Read in the full issue
(A letter which was sent to a Sydney newspaper and not published.) IN your interesting articles on the salvaging of the “Niagara” gold, I noticed on Saturday that Captain J. W. Herd (salvage officer) is mentioned as the man who was in charge of the small Fijian force which compelled Count Von Luckner to surrender during the last war.
I do not know, of course, if this is so, but would draw your attention to an article in the “Pacific Islands Monthly” for February which states that a Mr.
H. C. Hills, who was unarmed and in charge of four or five natives, called on Von Luckner to surrender. According to the “PIM”, Hills was duly recognised for this feat.
I am, etc.,
W. A. Bryant.
68a St. George’s Crescent, Drummoyne, Sydney. 2/3/1942.
EDITORIAL NOTE.—It is probable that the confusion arose because Von Luckner was captured twice—first at Wakaya Is land (Fiji) by Mr. Hills, and later in the Kermadec Group (north-east of NZ), after he had escaped with several com panions in a launch from the prison camp on Motuihi Island, in Hauraki Gulf, NZ.