[ Page 11 ] Finally "Rekum" was met, but alas, no fresh food was forthcoming.
On the 4th of August, another tanker, again in ballast, a urther Norwegian, the "Beaulieu," was attacked at night. The crew made off in boats and 9 days later, were picked up by the tanker "Cymbeline." Trying to despatch "Beaulieu" the "Widder" fired a torpedo and found themselves in some danger as this torpedo ran around in circles, and did not find either of its possible targets. Explosive charges needed to be set on this tanker, and she finally succumbed.
Once again, the "Wilder" used successful night attack tactics to sink the Dutch "Oostplein" carrying almost 6,000 tons of coal and coke to Buenos Aires, having picked up her cargo at Cardiff and Hull.
The Finnish 3 masted Barque "Killoran" was stopped, the crew transferred to the Raider, then blown up by setting explosives in her. At this stage of the war Finland was a neutral country, but at a later time did enter the conflict on the side of Germany.
On board "Widder," were now 6 prisoners includng 6 Captains from sunken ships, a virtual League of Nations, as they formed 13 different nationalities.
During September, a night attack, using both gunfire and a torpedo sank the "Anglo Saxon" - two lights from the ship's boats were observed, but no attempt was made to look for any survivors. The Raider Captain always found himself in a difficult situation after sinking a ship; did he exercise a moral judgement and seek to flnd and rescue his victims? This action may well put his ship and her company at risk of being detected by an enemy warship. This particular night action was to have serious repercussion for Ruskteschells at a later date.
An Able seaman from "Anglo Saxon" at the Captain's trial gave evidence that the Raider had fired on these two life boats, and after a 70 day odyssy one of the boats had made it to the Bahamas, but from 8 people on board only 2 had survived.
Two further ships were sighted and chased, but they proved too fast for "Widder" and managed to escape from the clutches of the Raider. Ruckteschell now moved to the northern end of his patrol area in the hope of finding fully loaded ships making for the British Isles from the Ametican continent.
He came across the "Cymbeline" whom we had met earlier in a rescue capacity. Gunfire from the Raider quickly set her alight and a torpedo finally sank her. Survivors were searched for over a 4 hour period and 26 crew were recovered but another 10, including the Captain could not be found.
The Atlantic run was the most hazardous stretch of water in the world. It became the graveyard for almost 2 million tons of Allied shipping during the war, and over 30,000 British Merchant seamen dead.
"Cymberline" survivors when interrogated aboard the Raider stated that a warning had been sent by radio indicating that a suspicious ship was approaching. "Widder" had not read this message, and her crew now set about to alter her appearance.
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