[ Page 6 ] 38 Mines had been laid off Capetown, and probably accounted for the steamers "Alcyone," and "Soudan" sunk from mines.
Close to Ascension , 'Michel' sank 3 ships, "Gloucester Castle"- 8,006 tons, US Tanker "William T Humphrey" - 7,982 tons, and Norwegian Tanker, "Ararnis," - 7,982 tons, the last vessel, whilst attempting to run for it, was overtaken and torpedoed by the Raider's Torpedo Boats, gunfire completed the task the next day.
"Gloucester Castle" had 134 people on board, she suffered a good deal of damage from gunfire, and but 61 were saved. After 3 weeks they were transferred to the "Charlotte Schliernann" where the total number of prisoners now reached 300, all confined in the hold forward of the oil tanks- one survivor wrote~- "The hold was rat infested, no sanitary arrangements were provided, the food was mostly unfit to eat."
The ship now spent a month stationary in the South Atlantic, then, on the 1st. of September~ they sailed for Japan. As soon as the tropics were left behind, all the prisoners were freezing cold in their confinement in the hold. When Japan was reached, women and children went off to a civilian internment camp, and the remainder served the next 3 years working as coolies.
The area 'Michel" was now working in, had provided rich pickings, but her Captain thought that 2 Raiders, in concert, would prove better than one alone. He met "Stier" (ship 23 ) and proposed to Gerlach, her Captain, that they should work together, however Gerlach had been doing well as a single operator, and did not go along with this suggestion.
Off St.Helena, "Michel" sank a British freighter, "Arabistan," then fuelled again from her old friend the Tanker "Charlotte Schliemann," and entered the Indian Ocean. Immediate success.
He quickly despatched the new American "Leader" a 6,778 ton cargo ship.He was now ordered by SKL, to go back into the South Atlantic to meet another oiler and blockade runner, whilst obeying these orders, 'Michel" met and sank the British 'Empire Dawn". Despite this freighter indicating she was stopped, and abandoning ship, Ruckteschell maintained his gun attack. Half of the 44 crew were killed as a result. This action became the subject of one of the charges laid against him, and of which he was found guilty at his subsequent appearance at a War Crimes Tribunal.
On the 22nd. of September, prisoners were given to the blockade runner "Tannenfels" on her way to Japan, then he refuelled once more from "Uckermark" and took on extra torpedoes. He now returned once more to the Indian Ocean. In a few days time, a message was read saying that "Stier" was so badly damaged by enemy action she needed assistance, in fact she bad to be scuttled, and "Tennenfels" picked up her crew.
October went by without any action, then 'Micher' was told to go off to the Antarctic to try and replicate "Pinguin's" success against the Allies Whaling Fleet operating down there. Ruchteschell did not believe a second foray against the Whaling ships would prove to be viable.
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