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Atlantis sheltering at Kergelen

Atlantis sheltering at Kergelen where 1000 tons of much needed water was loaded

During the war I served in 3 of them in the Australian Navyv, "Australia," who was the first ship to suffer damage from the new Japanese weapon, "Divine Wind," the Kamikaze attacks by suicide aircraft; in "Canberra" to be sunk alongside her American Allies "Quincy," "Astoria," and "Vincennes" who lost over 1,000 sailors on that fatetul night of August 9,1942 at the Battle of Savo Island in the Solomons.

Winston Churchill arranged for the "Shropshire" to be given to the Royal Australian Navy as a gift, to replace "Canberra." Many or'Canbera's" survivors, including myseI, crewed "Shopshire." She had a distinguished career in the Pacific working with a US task force, and I was onboard her for the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. But I digress.

The U-Boats all dived, "Python" was scuttled and quickly sank. On "Dorsetshire's" departure, the U-Boats surfaced and collected 414 survivors, each boat taking 100 men on board, and the rest were taken in tow in 10 life boats.

Donitz had to organise a second rescue bid, and sent 8 submarines in the South Atlantic to seek out this flotilla of survivors. He sent 4 German, and 4 Italian Submarines. All of the survivors were picked up, some 360 spent 10 days being towedi in their open boats, and a further 60 spent 20 days as they were towed to safety. All in all, it was a masterly rescue operation.

As a bonus for the Germans, U-124, on her way to the rescue site, came across the British Cruiser "Dunedin," which she promptly sank.

All the rescue Submarines with their human cargo made it back to St.Nazaire between December 23 and 29, and by New Year's day 1942, the "Atlantis" crew had gathered in Berlin for celebrations. Captain Bernard Rogge, and his Ship's Company bad been at sea from the 31st of March in 1940 until the 21st of November, 1941, a remarkable periol of "622 days."

They had sailed 102,000 miles, and sunk or captured 22 ships, totalling 145,697 tons. Indeed, a modern saga of the war at sea, Rogge received a just reward from Hitler, the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. By the end of the war, he had reached the rank of Vice Admiral, and was second in command of the german Fleet.

Orion. (Ship 36)

"Orion," formerly the single screw vessel "Kurmark" of 7021 tons, had been built in 1930 and was engined with half the propelling plant from the liner "New York."

In an attempt to match the speed of the Cunard, French, and Italian fast merchant ships, "New York" was made longer and refitted with new and more powerful cngires. Thus, half of her old engines were given to "Orion," a decision which was to bring incredible problems to "Orion's" crew.

This raider made a cruise lasting from April 6, 1940, to August 23, 194. Her armament was similar to that fitted in "Atlantis," but she had 6 totpedo tubes and 228 mines. The aircraft on board was an Arado 196, to be replaced in Japan by a Nakajima 90-Il

Her first disguise was as the Dutch "Beemsterdijk" but just after sailing, it was learned that her new identity was actually in tite West Indies, so she quickly became a Russian vessel, the "Soviet."

"Orion" was to be stationed in the eastern half of the Indian Ocean but, on March 6, her captain was ordered to wait in the Norh Atlantic. Her flrst victim was the British ship "Haxby" sunk on April 24. Disguise was again changed, this time, "Orion" became the Greek, "Rocos."


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