Merchant Seamen P.O.Ws.

[Charles Webb Cooper]

My uncle, Percy Appleby, was Chief Steward of the "Huntsman" when it was sunk by the 'Graf Spee' very early iin the war. and he was taken aboard as a P.O.W. He was later transferred to the "Altmark", which was a supply ship for the ‘Graf Spee’. The raider was scuttled in the River Plate by its Commander, after a fierce gun battle with the R.N. but the ‘Altmark’ escaped detection until it had nearly reached safety in Germany. In Feb.1940 it was intercepted off the coast of Norway by the destroyer “Cossack", and ran for cover in a fjord. The Navy followed her in and boarded her with drawn cutlasses and fixed bayonets. After a short fight, all 300 Merchant Navy seamen, who had been locked in the holds, were released. I was told (first hand) that after the fighting was over the Navy were kept busy picking up crew members of the Altmark who were apparently trying to escape by swimming to shore. There seemed to be dozens of them until it was discovered that as fast as they were put back aboard the Altmark, the Merchant Navy seamen would hustle them through the accommodation and pitch them over the other side!

[Dennis McGuckin]

Only bit I remember is.
300 British seamen all from the Maritime, who live and died like rats beneath the Altmak's waterline.
Ring any bells?

[Keith at Tregenna]

Possibly, “The Navy’s here”?

The Boarding party had tackled the German guard with Bayonets fixed and there were four German dead. They searched the ship shouting “Any Englishmen here?”, when they got a positive response from the prisoners in the hold they replied “The Navy’s here”. The phrase became so well known in the ensuing publicity about the intrepid Royal Navy that it was turned into a popular song.

https://ww2today.com/the-navys-here-the-altmark-boarded

Pos the one sought is an earlier one:

[B]ADDED: The phrase "the navy's here" became well-known, being used as the title of a book about the incident published shortly after; the publisher referred to "the simple statement which stirred the imagination of the world". A popular song was written by Ross Parker and Hughie Charles which saluted the incident by comparing it with those of Drake, Nelson, Beatty, and Fisher.

NAVY'S HERE.

Hughie Charles (m) Ross Parker (l)
as rec by Chick Henderson 1940's

The Navy's here,
Here come the boys in blue;
Born to the seven seas,
From China to Peru.

The Navy's here,
"England expects!", they say,
True to the Nelson touch,
His watchword lives today!

Who dares to threaten freedom
Shall learn it's wrong and why!
For "On behalf of freedom!"
is the Navy's stern reply.

The Navy's here,
Here come the boys in blue.
Sail on to victory,
The Navy, here's to you!

Sail on to victory,
The Navy, here's to you!

Will look further. K.

.

[happy daze john in oz]

I can remember when we had 'sing sing' sessions at sea.
Someone always sang.
The Altmark.
I have asked this before.
Does anyone know the song?
I just recall some of it.

The only singing I recall was the bit about
'Sing, sing or show your ring"

[Dennis McGuckin]

That's the one John.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Could not find an Altmark connection but,
several RN, rugby etc versions.

Keith.

[eric fisher]

Master E. Hill of the British Chivalry sunk near The Maldives was taken prisoner by the Japanese sub and was held in Penang. I sailed with him in1951 on the British Might. He was unable to write properly because of shaky hands from the abuse he suffered.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Interesting, thanks Eric.

Keith.

[John Swan]

Further to the interest in the Altmark incident there is a very interesting site HMS Cossack. Select 5th ship on list which is LO3 launched on the Tyne June 1937. This gives the total history of the ship and detailed descriptions of the relief of the prisoners from the Altmark, fascinating stuff.

[Edward lovely]

Yep no this story oh so well as my father Joseph lovely and his brother james were both prisoners of war on the ALTMARK after the Graf Spee sunk the Doric Star off Argentina, got all of the local newspaper clippings what a tough bunch of guys to of survived their ordeal, as someone mentioned capt lansdorff had great respect for prisoners as my father mentioned to me.