35-Yeors-Old Memories of Seeadler, Raider

THE story of how Count von Luckner, early in World War I, lost his raiding vessel Ste adier in the lagoon at Mopiha (most westerly island of French Oceania), and was himself captured in Fiji, has been told many times; but these photographs have never before been published.

The Count took the Seeadler, for careening, into the shallow lagoon in the lonely and uninhabited atoll of Mopiha; but was blown ashore in a sudden storm. So the Germans practically destroyed the ship and took to the boats.

Von Luckner and four others turned up on Wakaya (in the Koro Sea, Fiji), many hundreds of miles to the westward, and told a plaus ible tale to the lightkeeper and others. One of the latter was sus picious, and carried his suspicions to Levuka. Levuka thought he was mad. and officialdom acted with great reluctance. But later, by a smart subterfuge, they captured the resourceful Count and his com panions just as they were on the point of seizing a schooner and making their escape.

Mr W. Hansen, of the Economic Controls Office, Suva, and then an Army man, had charge of Von Luckner for a time, until he was sent to Auckland. Twenty years later, in Auckland, Count von Luckner (then on a lecturing tour) recognised Mr. Hansen from across a street, and rushed across and greeted him warmly. He was that kind of a man.

When the capture was made on Wakaya, the Navy decided that the Seeadler must be somewhere around, and a cruiser was sent to look for her.

The lower photograph shows the raider, as they found her on Mopeha reef.

The top one shows the complete destruction achieved by the Ger mans before they abandoned the ship.

These photographs, part of a

unique set in the possession of M[?] Hansen, were taken by the Navy i[?] 1916. Mr. Hansen died in Suva r[?] cently. See elsewhere this issu[?]