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Widder. (Ship 21)

This vessel originally the "Neumark," from the stable of the Hamhurg-Amerika Line, was a sister ship to "Orion." For her role as a Raider, she was christened "Widder" which means Ram. She was equipped and armed in a similar manner as "Orion." However, she had but a limited sphere of operation, spending all her life in the central Atlantic. Due to be converted to "Raider status'" by the end of November 1939, this ship had so many problems during trials - it was almosl another 6 months, later in May I 940 before she finally became ready to go to work.

The zone set out ror "Widder" in which to operate was roughly halfway between the West lndies and Dakar in West Africa, 40 degrees North latitude and West of a longitude of 30 degrees West. Given command was Helmuth von Ruckteschell, a Naval Reserve Captain, who had very strict orders not to violate the pan-American neutrality zone that separated the West Indies and the South American coast.

When sailing from the Elbe on the 6th. of May in 1940, the "Widder" was immediately set upon by a British Submarine, but she avoided the 2 torpedoes fired at her. "Widder's" crew now took up the task of turning her into a likeness of the Norwegian "Narvik" but whilst slipping along the Norwegian coastline on the 13th. of May, both "Widder" and H.M.Submarine "Clyde" mutually discovered each other. Thee submarine chased the German Raider on the surface, gun fire was exchanged, but "Widder" managed to outrun its foe. and got away unscathed.

Ruckteschell eventually managed to meet up with a supply ship, the "Konisburg" and took aboard sufficient oil for a 4 months stint on his station. The supply ship. on her way to Vigo met a French Cruiser, and she was scuttled to avoid the valuable cargo of rubber and copper falling into enemy hands.

By early June, the 'Widder' was between the Azores and Trinidad, and for 3 days she patrolled towards Panama, then or the 13th of June, lookouts sighted smoke. In time, it transformed into the tanker 'British Petrol" 6,891 tons and making for Trinidad in ballast. On arival, she would fill her huge tanks with much needed oil for transport back to Britain. The importance of keeping a sharp lookout cannot be emphasised enough. The Raider had to rely upon the naked eyes of her lookouts to seek out opportunities for her Gunnery or her torpedoes.

The discovery of a tanker was indeed a great cause for joy, better if she was filledl with oil, which could be destroyed with the tanker, reducing in a small way the flow of this life blood to the Allies. At this time of the war, Britain with aid from her Dominions of Canada, Australia and New Zealand, stood alone against the might of Germany, the only shield against the free world being overrun. I believe that too often today, we tend to forget that it took until Pearl Harbor in December 1941, for America to enter the war.

But back to the "British Petrol," "Widder" opened fire at a range of 6,0OO yards, hitting with her first salvo and the tanker was abandoned. A a torpedo sent her to the bottom.

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