- Author
- Book reviewer
- Subjects
- Ship histories and stories, WWII operations, History - WW2, Book reviews, Royal Navy
- Tags
- RAN Ships
- None noted.
- Publication
- December 2006 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
Huchthausen’s account is clear and meticulously researched. He reproduces well the tension on the bridges of all the ships involved, and the very real achievement of getting such a large and valuable prize home, despite the best efforts of Germany’s enemies. There is one failing of the book – the maps illustrating the story are of poor quality and lack detail. Nonetheless, it is a good read.
There are two RAN connections to this story. Bremen’s half-sister Columbus was one of the German ships watched by HMAS Perth in the Caribbean from August 1939. She evaded Perth but was brought to account off Bermuda on 19 October. The second is closer. First Officer Eric Warning was posted as a prize officer in the German raider Pinguin, which laid mines off the Australian east and south coasts in October 1940.