Suspicious aircraft over Auckland

[Dave Homewood]

It was reported by somone (not sure who) to the RNZAF that a suspicious aircraft was seen over Auckland on both the 17th of January 1941 and the morning of the 18th of January 1941.

No. 1 (GR) Squadron scrambled some Vincents or Vildebeests to search the waters of the Hauraki Gulf and coast up to North Cape in case it had come from a submarine. Nothing was found.

Bearing in mind that this is 11 months before the Japs entered the war, I'm wondering who's aircraft it could have been. Is it possible that it was a pre-war Japanese reconnaissance? I know the dates of their wartime flights over the cities of NZ, but have heard nothing of pre-war flights.

Could it have been from a German U-boat or raider? Did any of their subs or ships carry floatplanes into the Pacific? Their raiders were very active in our waters at the time but I've not heard of them carrying aeroplanes.

Also there's a story I've heard from a few sources and it has even been mentioned in a TV documentary called 'In Fear of Invasion' that a German submarine came into Cook Strait and fired a torpedo at the inter-island ferry Wahine. I can't find any documented evidence of this. Is it true or was it a wartime rumour?

[htbrst]

Some of the raiders certainly did carry floatplanes, at that stage Arado 196's I think - they were not around NZ in January 1941 though

I had a Great uncle on board the Rangitane (the largest ship to be sunk by any raider during the war, and one of the largest passenger ships sunk) who was one of the very few to be taken all the way back to Germany. The Rangitane was was sunk at the end of November 1940 on her way from NZ to Britain, so I have always had an interest in the raiders NZ adventures.

Heres a page (albiet a Wiki page) showing "Axis naval activity in New Zealand waters" -according to this there were no Axis ships around NZ in January 1941.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axis_naval_activity_in_New_Zealand_waters

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks htbrst. It's interesting to hear that your uncle was taken all the way to Germany. I thought the passengers/prisoners were all dropped off at Emirau. I have not yet read deeply enough into it yet to find such details but plan to, so I'd love to hear more about your great uncle's experience if possible.

I wonder if the aircraft was perhaps a civil aeroplane that the pilot was flying without a permit. Maybe one of those mad Flying Flea owners? ;D

[tbf25o4]

Dave,
several years ago I interviewed one of the Air Force personnel that was on the Rangitane and was left at Emirau.
Basically the German captors gave all the service personnel from the various ships they had sunk an ultimatum. They either signed a declaration that they would not take up arms against the axis (then italy and germany) or they would not sign. Those that didn't sign were taken to Germany (along with the merchant ships captains) the remainder including civilians were dumped at Eimaru

cheers

Paul

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Paul

[Parrotfish]

Have got to thank you guys for starting this thread.

There has been a family story about my Mum's Uncle John being sunk, some say in the Pacific, some say the Atlantic, after leaving on a ship from here in NZ heading back to the UK and being taken to Germany as a prisoner. After reading the thread I thought some of the info around Rangitane matched scraps of the Uncle John story (very little was known as he didn't really speak to family about it before he died). Went looking on the net and found this:
www.thebells.btinternet.co.uk/rangitane/index.htm
And guess who I found on the crew list? McLaughin, John, Crew, Butcher, Prisoner to Germany.

Have spoken to my Mother and she and her brothers in Oz and UK are so excited with the info that fills out the limited story with facts.

So thanks for the thread. Another little thread in the McFarlane/Mclaughlin family history can be written.

Cheers.

[Dave Homewood]

That's great to hear Sean, glad it was useful.

Those guys were lucky to be picked up by the Nazis. Some of the Germans never worried about survivors. In Bryan Young's book I think it was he related how they were halfway across the Atlantic when a U-boat sunk them. It surfaced as they bobbed in the water and they thought they'd be rescued as prisoners, but the U-boat had only surfaced to pick up as much of the cargo of NZ butter as they could and they ignored the survivors. Luckily they were later picked up by an Allied ship. Some of those merchant sailors were I think among the bravest of the war, some surviving several sinkings and still going back on another ship to become a sitting duck again.

[htbrst]

several years ago I interviewed one of the Air Force personnel that was on the Rangitane and was left at Emirau.
Basically the German captors gave all the service personnel from the various ships they had sunk an ultimatum. They either signed a declaration that they would not take up arms against the axis (then italy and germany) or they would not sign. Those that didn't sign were taken to Germany (along with the merchant ships captains) the remainder including civilians were dumped at Eimaru

Not sure about the ultimatum, I will have to go back to his notes and my grandparents to check... my grandfather was later to catch back up to him when they both ended up in Stalag luft III a couple of years later. (where the Rangitane prisioners had a reputation as the "Rangitane boys")

Certainly I know his parents were extremely dissapointed to find that after the news the passengers had been left on Emirau, only to find that he was not among them.

There is a copy on Trademe written by one of the raiders captains which is very good: "The Black Raider" www.trademe.co.nz/Books/Nonfiction/Transport/Marine/auction-218641685.htm