[ Page 43 ] Discussions with the Captain of "Morviken" elicited the information that, at first, the Norwegian had taken him for a Wilhelmsen Line ship, but became suspicious when he observed a Greek flag they flew, he commented;- "The Greeks have few good ships, and those good ships are not here in the East."
Immediately "Pinguin" was changed to be "Trafalgar"- a Wilhelmsen Line ship, and then stayed in this area. Later SKL was critical of Kruder, indicating he should have left this area after sinking "British Commander," it was but his approach area, and, as "Atlantis' was only 100 miles away, his presence was an embarassment to her.
The seaplane became inoperational on the 5th. of September, a heavy swell causing a broken engine bed, putting to an end any flirther "Aerial snatching" for the moment. Kruder decided on one more foray close to Madagascar and on the 10th. of September, sighted smoke, he caught up, opened fire, ordering this ship to stop, it responded by using its stern gun hitting "Pinguin" but the shell did not explode.
"Benavon"- 5,872 tons, carrying hemp and rubber was shelled, and abandoned, her Captain and a number of Officers were killed in the action, from her crew of 49, her survivors only numbered 28. Kruder told SKL, he was, at last, on his way to Australia.
On the 16th. of September, he stopped, without the need to fire a single shot, the Norwegian, 4,111 ton, "Nordvard" carrying Australian wheat to Port Elizabeth, he decided to send this prize off to Germany, including the 300 prisoners he had onboard.
Knider was contemplating how he might approach the use of mines carried, and how they might be laid around the Australian coast, he reasoned that after mines were laid at a specific port, and they were discovered, all ports along that coast would probably be swept for suspected mines. But, if he used mines that did not become active, for say, 48 hours, he would then have time to mine a port, quickly move on, and mine another before the first nest of mines were found.
If two ships could work in concert, laying mines, it would be even more efficient and potentially deadlier. The next captured ship, if suitable, would have a new role, that of an Auxiliary Minelayer. He wanted to start this venture off Newcastle, North of Sydney, on the Last coast of Australia- on the 27th. of September, it was calm enough to break out the spare aircraft from the lower hangar, and put it all together.
On the 7th. of October, whilst moving North East towards Java, a ship came in sight, obviously exiting from the Sunda Strait area, and making for Australia. A flag signal and warning shot soon stopped "Storstad" a Norwegian Tanker. "Pinguin" and her Captain seemed very partial to ships emanating from Norway, and came across them often.
She was just under 9,000 tons, and carried the wonderfiil cargo of 12,000 tons of diesel oil, and 500 tons of coal from North Borneo, bound for Adelaide and Melbourne. The Raider immediately topped up her own tanks with 1,200 tons from the Tanker, Kruder renamed this ship "Passat," which in German meant "Trade Wind," he had found his Auxiliary Minelayer.
In company, the ships moved Southwards of Australia, Kruder was to mine Newcastle and Hobart, and "Passat" sat her deadly load at both ends of Bass Strait, that stretch of water, dividing the Australian mainland from the Island of Tasmania.
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