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Just after dawn on the 4th. of April, the bridge watch sighted a coal burning ship, the range was closed quickly as the two ships were steaming on opposite courses, hauling down the Greek flag he was wearing~ and replacing it with the German flag, Kahler fired a shot across the bows of the oncoming vessel.

He was suddenly aware of2 guns fitted in the fore part of this ship, then quickly came the realisation that he was engaging a British Armed Merchant Cruiser, this time the "Volitare" of 13,245 tons.

The first salvo from "Thor" struck home, and within 3 minutes "Volitare" was heavily on fire amidships, by 0715 (7.1 5AM) it was apparent that the enemy ship had steering gear problems, steaming around in circles. "Voltaire" sank at 0835 (8.3 5AM) and "Thor' stayed in the vicinity until 1300 (1PM )- to pick up survivors, 197 including their Captain and 19 officers, she then sailed off to the North.

"Thor" fuelled from the tanker "Ill" over the 12th. and 13th. of April, transferring 170 of her prisoners. It was time to make for home. This Raider made her last capture, the Swedish "Sir Ernest Cassel" of 7,739 tons- she was in ballast, and after taking onboard all her crew, she was scuttled.

By the 23rd. of April, Kahler was off France, and being escorted by 2 Destroyers and 3 Aircraft, up the Channel via Cherbourg, Le Havre and the Hook, steaming only at night.

By the month's end they were safe in Hamburg, after 329 days at sea, having steamed 57,532 miles, sunk 12 ships for a total of 76, 547 tons.

Kahler was a resourceffil and efficient Raider Captain who had been most successful in his mission to harry and destroy Allied ships, including surviving 3 actions against British Armed Merchant Cruisers. In each of these actions he had proved superior, sinking one ship, and damaging the other two, whilst keeping his ship intact, although being damaged on one occasion.

He eventually headed up the Department for Merchant Shipping, and in February 1944 made Rear Admiral, then was appointed Naval Officer in Charge Brittany- however, after the Allied landings he was captured by Americans, and transported to the United States as a Prisoner of War.

Thor. ( Ship 10) Second Cruise.

It had always been the intention of the German Naval Staff( SKL short for Seekriegsleitung ) to send out a second wave of Raiders to prey upon Britain's life line, the Merchant Ships, the Tankers, loaded with food, equipment, and the essential oil for home and the Armed Forces use.

A secondary intention was to draw off Naval ships needed to fight the Battle of the Atlantic, thus using up precious oil, ships, their crews, to search vast tracts of the ocean, seeking out these will-of-the~wisp Raiders , to bring them to battle and destroy them.

Both "Atlantis" and "Kormoran" had been sunk in November 1941, and not one German Raider was on station for the first time since March of the previous year.

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