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In mid April, 4 ships came together, "Kormoran," "Atlantis," and supply ships "Alsterufer," and "Nordmark," 75 prisoners were exchanged, stores and ammunition for the 5.9 inch guns were loaded. "Kormoran" took on a black hull, hoping in the future to pass as a Japanese ship, but right now she became the Dutch "Straat Malakka" out of Rio de Janeiro bound for Batavia.

"Pinguin" had been sunk, and with :Kormoran" now in the Indian Ocean they made for the Chagos Archipelago, Colombo, Sabang triangle. Now that a mine sweeping force was operating at Rangoon, Detmers decided that it would be a waste of resources to lay mines in that vicinity. With no mine action here, the next target for mine laying was to be off Madras, but a sighting of a possible British Armed Merchant Cruiser put paid to that proposition, and "Kkormoran" avoided any close contact by heading South East.

Early on the 26th. of June, whilst it was still dark, a faint light and shadow were noted, a warning shot did not bring any reaction. At 3,000 yards a full salvo hit, setting the ship alight, the crew took to the boats, but only 9 from a crew of 34 were saved. It had been the Jugoslav "Nelebif' 4,153 tons, without cargo, only in ballast, off to Mombassa, but never destined to arrive. That same afternoon, another victim was approached and sunk, the Australian "Mareeba" with a load of sugar for Colombo, a crew of 48, all unhurt, came on board.

By the 21st. of July, Detmers decided he would not mine in the Bay of Bengal as Britain had increased her forces in that area, but would cruise in Indonesian waters, then South of Sumatra and Java, continuing down the coast of Western Australia until in the latitude of Carnarvon. At this stage he noted in his diary that the crew were working in watches around the clock, to sieve out worms and beetles found amongst their store of flour. He added "the cook and baker are extraordinarily important in an armed merchant-cruiser, and both of them on board deserve boundless recognition."

This comment by the Captain serves to highlight the fact that it is not only the Army that "Marches on its stomach."

Now by the 13th. of August, "Kormoran," had sailed to a position 200 miles Westward of Carnarvon, a ship was sighted at dusk some 10 miles distant. Detmers wanted to stay in touch, in the hope of having a successfiil night action, but when about 7 miles away, it suddenly turned towards them and gave the "QQQ" alarm, not with a position, but with a bearing ~ this made the Raider Captain think that perhaps the mystery ship was in visual touch with other ships, maybe she was "Bait" for a convoy in the vicinity, and was calling up an escort.

She was about 6,000 tons, obviously fast, and Detmers decided he was not falling for any possible trap, he altered course Westwards, and then to the South. His diary bears the note: "After 7 weeks to have seen a ship at last and to have had to let her go is very bitter."

The Raider made her way up to the Northern tip of Sumatra, giving up any idea of laying mines at the approaches to Carnarvon, not enough traffic about to justi~ the operation.

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