The Tairoa the Altmark and the Graf Spee

This is a web site dedicated to the memory of one man;

Francis George Hill.

From Rockhampton in Queensland Australia.

Written by his daughter Anne.

Along with some three hundred others in a much-publicised drama at the start of WWII known as the Altmark incident. Francis, known as Frank had previously been a member of the Royal Australian Navy. After finishing his time in the R.A.N. he became a Merchant Seaman, at the outbreak of WW11 he was in the R.A.N. Reserve. Germany invaded Poland on September 1st 1939 as a result of this Britain and France declared war on Germany. On the next day the 3rd of September 1939, Germany started sinking British ships, “Graf Spee” was to claim its first victim on September 30th 1939 when it stopped and sunk the British Freighter “Clement”. The ”Graf Spee” sunk unarmed British Merchant ships and had orders not to engage the Navy, it led a hit and run type of campaign attacking and sinking the Merchants Ships, then to get underway before the Navy fighting ships came looking. It only had one encounter with the Navy during WW11 which led to it taking refuge in Montevideo, before being scuttled by its own crew in the mouth of the River Plate, after what was to be known as the Battle of the River Plate.

The Master of the Pocket Battle ship was Captain Hans Langsdorff. He was considered to be a honourable man not known to willingly give the Nazi salute. The crews of these Merchant ships were taken on board the “Graf Spee” then the ships were sunk by gun fire or Torpedo.

“Tairoa”

The incident to which Francis Hill was connected was aboard the Merchant refrigerated freighter “Tairoa”. It sailed from Brisbane, four days out from Durban she heard an SOS from the “Doric Star” which was being attacked by the ”Graf Spee”. The “Tairoa” altered course to try to avoid the same fate as the “Doric Star”, but with the dawn the following morning 3rd December 1939 came the “Graf Spee”. The “Tairoa” sent an SOS but the “Graf Spee” shelled her without warning, smashing the Bridge, the wheel, and binnacle, wounding three of the crew. At first the “Graf Spee” ordered the “Tairoa” to steam on, but when it was discovered that the steering was damaged the crew were taken off and the “Tairoa” sunk by gunfire. Three days later 6th of December 1939 the “Graf Spee” met a tanker disguised as a Norwegian ship the “Altmark”. The Tairoa’s Master and the Crew, (with the exception of the three wounded men who were in the hospital, the chief refrigerating officer, the chief officer, the chief engineer, and the wireless officer,) all others were put aboard the “Altmark”, in addition to its crew of 40 the “Altmark” had onboard three hundred prisoners living in a most cramped situation, according to one of the wounded men still on the “Graf Spee”, Captain Langsdorff came to the hospital and apologised to the wounded men, saying that he was forced to open fire because the radio messages were being sent out, and that they were the only men wounded out of the nine merchantmen that had been sunk by the “Graf Spee”. After the men had been separated Captain Langsdorff ordered the Tanker back to Germany, this was the last time the two ships would meet. The “Graf Spee” was also going to head for Germany for overdue maintenance, but headed toward Montevideo so as not to tip off the allies to their intention or eventual destination.

It was at Montevideo that the “Graf Spee” eventually ended its war. The “Altmark” tried to make a run for Germany where the captured British sailors would have been used as propaganda by the Germans, however, the British Cruiser “Arethusa” with the 4th Destroyer flotilla intercepted her being escorted by two small Norwegian war ships, they warned the British not to interfere with the “Altmark”. Commander Vian of the 4th Flotilla received orders from Winston Churchill to board “Altmark” even though she was in Norwegian waters. The “Altmark” tried to take cover in Jossing Fjord a narrow inlet, but was pursued by the destroyer “Cossack”, the “Altmark” tried to Ram the “Cossack” but in doing so ran aground, at this stage the specially trained and equipped men from the “Cossack” stormed aboard the “Altmark” where savage hand to hand fighting ensued, but the Germans were soon overcome. The tanker was searched by the British and the 300 plus prisoners were released and taken on board the “Cossack”. The “Altmark” was allowed to re -float on the next tide and continue on its way, the Norwegians were not impressed by the actions of the British, but the people in Britain were cheering when they received the news. Hitler was so enraged by this incident that he ordered the invasion and occupation of Norway. Mums dads along with wives and sweethearts in every state in Australia shed tears of happiness at the news of them being safe and sound. Francis did survive the war continuing life as a Merchant Seaman until his death in Fremantle Western Australia on the 10th April 1962 at aged 45 years.

New Zealand website describing the movements of the Graf Spee.

Part 2 of Frank's Story.
Freeing the Prisoners and, the making of the movie "For Freedom".

After Battle of the River Plate Captain Hans Wilhelm Langsdorff, rather than face humiliation and defeat, from what he thought was a superior force waiting outside the River Plate, put the remaining prisoners and most of the crew ashore in Montevideo, then with a skeleton crew took the “Graf Spee” into the mouth of the River Plate where he scuttled the Pocket Battle ship.

“Altmark” was then on her own in an attempt to sneak past the allied war ships searching for her, slipped into the neutral Norwegian waters on her way back to Germany, with her prize of 300 British sailors, including Frank and his fellow shipmates from the Tiaroa. These along with the those who had been kept on the “Graf Spee” were to be the first British Prisoners of the 2nd World War. This would have made great Propaganda for Nazi Germany, but the British were able to turn this around, to become a victory, by the British Navy.

After a wide sea and air search to find the “Altmark she was spotted by aircraft, and her position in neutral Norwegian Waters passed on to the ships of the 4th flotilla, she tried to slip into Jossing Fjord a narrow icy Inlet to escape, but The Destroyer “Cossack,” followed and with specially trained men, boarded her using fixed bayonets, in hand to hand combat; Seven of “Altmark’s” crew were killed and six injured in this action, others escaped over the side and ran off over the ice until reaching land, the men of the “Cossack” then set about searching the Tanker finding the prisoners in the holds and saying, “You can come up now THE NAVY’S HERE” releasing the captured British Seamen. News of their rescue spread around the world.

The successful release of the prisoners would provide a much-needed morale boost for the British, so early in the war, and at the same time having the opposite affect in Germany.

Frank and all the other rescued men where given a wonderful welcome at Leith in Scotland on February 17th 1940. Such a victory could not be left uncelebrated, or let a chance go bye, to rub a little salt into the wounds in Germany’s pride; there was much made of the incident with Newspapers around the world featuring the story.

Headlines, pictures, and artists impressions, all appeared. A movie followed soon after, made mainly for propaganda purposes with the re-enactment of the boarding of the “Altmark” and freeing of the prisoners. Frank and many of the actual rescued prisoners were given parts in the movie playing the actual roles that they had in the real life situation, the movie was called FOR FREEDOM it starred Will Fife and Norwegian film star Greta Gynt. After the release of the movie copies were rushed to cinemas in Australia and to those of other allies. If you would like a copy of the old movie, now transferred to DVD, if you send and email to me I can send one off to you.

The incident would have huge repercussions particularly for Norway, as within days of the incident Hitler ordered that plans be made for the immediate invasion and occupation of Norway so as to be certain further incidents of this type could never happen again, and to keep open the shipping for Iron Ore from Sweden into Germany.

The Graf Spee Altmark Prisoners and Crew Yahoo group. All welcome to join, all nations.