A German Commerce Raider

[Captain Kong]

Hi Lou here is a picture of your Gloucester Castle and the Michel the German Raider, also the Memorial Service I arranged with Captain Ron Warwick of the QE2 over the site of the sinking, South of Ascension Island, a family friend, and mate of Lou , Joe Farnworth 17, of Bolton went down with it.
That is me on the right with a dark suit on, Ron Warwick with the beard.
The Chief Security Officer on the left cast a Wreath that I took with me, into the sea and saluted then two minutes silence. A few of the ladies were weeping.
Cheers
Brian

[cappy]

all so sad andsuch aloss of seamen cappy

[leratty]

Capt.Kong/Charles Louis B, was Captain Von Ruckstell of the Michel actually a war criminal? I thought, possibly naively that the raider crews were not Nazis, rather seamen who acted properly or is that the first world war? Was there a specific act he received that sentence or was it his overall behaviour during his time as Capt of the Michael?

[Captain Kong]

Hi Richard,
here is the story, The Captain von Ruchteschell was also Captain of the Raider `WIDDER` and sank the Anglo Saxon.
Post War trial of Captain Ruchteschell.
Post war the Captain von Ruchteschell was tried for war crimes, the only Armed Raider Captain to face a court. Able Seaman Robert G. Tascott gave evidence that the Widder opened fire on the boats as they tried to move free from the sinking Anglo Saxon. In his defence, Ruchteschell stated the noise from his guns firing precluded the hearing of any "Cease Fire orders."

Hope this explains it, the only Raider Captain to be charged. He died in prison in 1948
This story from another site on GOOGLE. AHOY-Mac`s Web Log by Mackenzie J Gregory.
With thanks for the information..

British Tramp Anglo Saxon sunk by German Raider Widder. The story of an amazing open boat journey of 70 days


During the height of the Battle of the Atlantic, the British Tramp Steamer Anglo Saxon, of 5,595 tons with a full cargo of Welsh coal was on her way to Argentina. She sailed under the ownership of The Nitrate Steamship Company with a crew of 41.



The Anglo Saxon

On the 21st. of August 1940 she was off the west coast of Africa and was sighted by the German Armed Merchant Raider Widder. Her Captain von Ruchteschell, decided to wait till darkness fell before he attacked, and at 2008 ( 8.08 PM ) which was only a few minutes before the moon was due to rise, he took his ship on a course directly opposite to that of the unsuspecting British vessel. When he was at a range of only 2,500 yards he opened fire, immediately hitting the Tramp's deck gun, and setting fire to its ready use ammunition. Ruchteschell decided to quickly finish her off, and fired a torpedo, which struck home and the Anglo Saxon promptly sank.

There was a report of two boats getting away from the stricken ship, and the Raider noted morse signals being exchanged, and the German Captain decided not to pick up any survivors. He recorded in his war diary, the boats are: " Only 800 miles from the Canaries, and the wind was favourable."



Photo of German Armed Merchant Raider Widder,
who sank the British Tramp steamer Anglo Saxon on the 21st. of August in 1940

The Ship's Jolly boat.
A small boat known as the Jolly boat, had been launched after the torpedoing, and it had seven men on board. The fate of the second boat and its occupants is unknown, other than it was not seen nor heard of again. Of these seven men, only Robert Tascott and Roy Widdiscombe lived to reach the Bahamas.

The Jolly boat made one of the longest journeys in maritime history covering some 2,700 miles. After some weeks only two men still lived, Robert and Roy, they noted on the 24th. of September: " All water and biscuits gone, but still hoping to make land."

For the remaining 37 days they survived on rainwater, seaweed, and a few small sea creatures. They contemplated suicide, they fought, but managed to live through a three day hurricane, to finally land in the Bahamas on the far side of the Atlantic Ocean on the 30th. of October 1940.

They had been battling the elements to survive an amazing sea voyage in a small open boat over 70 days.

The MICHEL was sunk by USS TARPON. in the Pacific and Von Ruchteschell was captured.
Cheers
Brian.

[Kenneth Kenny]

The Legs Of Man closed down about five years ago.They had Petition to keep it open but the Liberal Council,just took know notice.The Manageress who was in charge for about Fourty years passed away a couple of weeks ago,blond lady great pub.The Crown on Lime Street still going,and the American Bar.Ken.R634898.

[Ian Malcolm]

Hello, Louis

Here is what I've written about the Gloucester Castle in my new book, SHIPPING COMPANY LOSSES OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR, which is due to be appear on 1st July. Please tell me if you think it's OK. I've just received the proofs today and may be able to make an alteration.

Best wishes

Ian

GLOUCESTER CASTLE (Captain H.H. Rose). Bound for Cape Town, sailed from Birkenhead on 21 June, 1942 and in a convoy until it dispersed on 10 July. Sailing independently when shelled by the German AMC Michel (Kapitän zur See Helmuth von Ruckteschell) at 7pm on 15 July, and sank within 10 minutes in approximate position 08º00´S 01º00´E. A shell demolished the bridge and radio room, killing all her deck officers except 2^nd Mate R. Pargitter, and, as her 3 radio officers also died, no distress message was transmitted. Of the 154 people on board, 93 died, including 6 women, 3 men and 2 children who were passengers. The remaining 61, including a woman, an 18-year-old girl and two young boy passengers, were taken on board the Michel, but later transferred to the supply tanker Charlotte Schliemann. When the latter eventually sailed, she had some 300 prisoners on board. The women and children were given two cabins, but the others were housed down a small, rat-infested, hold, and all were inadequately fed. The Charlotte Schliemann arrived in Singapore on 30 September and 40 prisoners were landed before she sailed for Yokohama, where she arrived on 19 October. But a number of her prisoners did not live to be repatriated at the end of the War. In 1946, Ruckteschell was convicted of war crimes and died in Fuhlbüttel prison, in Hamburg, in 1948, shortly after hearing that he was to be released due to his deteriorating heart condition.

[Captain Kong]

Hi Ian,
I believe that three men died in captivity.

This is what I wrote to the BBC`s PEOPLES WAR IN 2002.
.
The Story of the Gloucester Castle

Sailed from Birkenhead on the 21 st June bound for Cape Town On board was a young neighbour of mine, 17 years old Joe Farnworth. Gioucester Castle was last seen on July I0 1942, when the convoy dispersed in position 02'
00~N, 12' 02'W A course for Cape Town was set and she sailed independently. On the 5th July 1942, at 1900
hours in an aproximate postion 8 degrees north and near to Ascension Island the German merchant raider. "Michel" with Captain von Ruckteschel ln command atacked her. Shelled and machine gunned she sank in 15 minutes killing 85 crew and 8 women and children passengers, including Captain H Rose, 5 deck Officers including 3rd officer Shannon. All 3 radio officers including K Vaughan, 3 engineers the Stewardess Edith Thomas. Fireman Frank
Griffiths and family friend, Ordinary Seaman Joseph Farnworth who was lying in the ships hospital having been injured by a fall from the ships mast a few days earlier. The 8 passengers lost included Mrs Radford, Mrs Sieve and her 2 year old son and Mrs White. The only surving Officer was a Mr Partiger who after the war became a Master in the Union Castle Line. The survivors were taken to Singapore and Japan and were used as slave lahour. Those in Japan worked in the steel works and the coal mines.
Three more crewmen died in Japanese hands The sinking was a mystery until the srvivors were released after the wars end August 1945.

The submarine USS Tarpon" later torpedoed the "Michel".

Captain von Ruckteschell was convicted of war crimes and sentenced to life imprisonment. He died in prison in 1948. In October 2001. I told the family of Joseph Farnworth I was sailing to Cape Town on Queen Elizabeth 2 and would be passing the estimated position of the sinking of the Gloucester Castle. I purchased a MN poppy wreath on behalf of the Farnworth family from the British Legion and took it with me.

On the 'QE2' I discussed the situation with Captain Ron Warwick and he very kindly said that he would make the necessary arrangements when we would be in the area of the sinking.

On Wednesday, 31st October 2001 at 0800 in a position of 08' 50's 011 l0'W we assembled on the Upper Deck where a table had been covered with a Red Ensign with the poppy wreath laid on top.

Several passengers with Union Castle connections joined us, also Mrs. Kim Warwick. Chief Officer Peter Russell, Chief Security Officer Andy Holloway, ex Royal Marines. and Natasha the Captain's Secretary who passed out the Service sheets. Captain Warwick read the appropriate service of rememberance for the dead of the 'Gloucester Castle' including the name of Joseph Farnworth.

At the Part of the service which say's "cast the wreath" the Chief Security Officer walked aft, on One Deck and cast the wreath into the ocean. followed by a salute. Captain Warwick completed the service followed by a few moments of silence which was quite moving. Some of the assembled ladies were weeping and I must it brought a little moisture to the eyes. It was a lovely service conducted very professionally and with dignity by Captain Warwick and his Staff. The family of young Joseph Farnworth were very thankful that at last they have had a service over the "grave" and the dead of the 'Gloucester Castle' can now rest in peace.

Sunk 1900 hours July 15 1942. 93 dead
.
. One sad post script of the survivors was a young steward arrived home and in a couple of weeks was killed on a motor cycle in January 1946.

[Ian Malcolm]

Thank you very much, Brian.

Ian

[Tony Wilding]

HI LOU,an interesting question, they certainly were deadly ships, well thought out and heavily armed with up to date weapons, far more efficient than our high sided Armed Merchant Cruisers armed with ancient Guns. i believe some destroyed almost as many ships as the top U Boats, nice to see a post thats real MN History,

[Lou Barron]

Thank you guys for looking at my post of the raider first of all to Ian there was 50 of us landed in Singapore not but they where not all off the Gloucester Castle they were a few Americans and other seamen of other ships only 20 off the G/Castle .It was they way that this raider sank our ship it was plain murder why use a small torpedo boat going round to the port side and machine gunning plus pompom gunand the raider also kept on firing till we sank .I only caught sight of the captain once he looked a arrogant bastard .Capt Kong as mention a lot of the following story .
But i must say that tne treament we got from the Germans was a lot better than we got from the Japs .The only time that it was not very good was on the supply ship with a couple hundred or more jammed in a small hold it was not the best and we could not complain to the seamens union about it But it dd not get the seamen down thats why i am proud to be a ex Merchant Seaman