Sinking of the SS Otaki

My deceased uncle, Captain Alex Smart, was the 3rd Officer on the Esmeraldas when it was captured by the Moewe on the same date as the sinking of the Otaki. A letter sent by him to his mother dated the 28th March, 1917 describes how his ship was taken. All the crew were taken on board the Moewe and their ship scuttled.
The following is part of his letter :-
"I had just put my light out then bang ! Right over the ship. I jumped out and there was a tramp steamer with a searchlight on us . I knew what it was so I went on the bridge and we stopped. They came aboard us and told us we were to leave the ship immediately . We were stopped at 1.10 am and I was put on board the raider by their own boat at 4. am. I got some of my most necessary gear away but have lost most of it. We did not do so bad aboard the Moewe of course there was not so much and as she had six hundred prisoners but the German officers and sailors treated us very respectfully. It was terrible when she sighted a ship and came into action, we were all locked below and our minds were concentrated on the firing. In one case the same day as we were captured the S/s Otaki began to reply to the raider with a 4.7 inch gun. It was fierce while it lasted and some of our men were nearly causing a panic. It was a great suspense for us as we could not see what was going on, but later the crew came aboard. They put up a brave fight but they did not know what they were up against. I myself are thankful to be on dry land."
Alex was put in a prison camp for the rest of the war and one of his letters requested a pair of white cricket trousers and sweater.
This letter came to light when another relative was asked if she had anything relative to the first world war and it was produced in her village magazine. Another resident of the village saw it. He was a member of the crew of the fourth Otaki and stated that there was a painting of the action in the Officers Mess room together with a copy of the Victoria Cross which was awarded to the captain of the Otaki. No doubt it was the painting shown on this web site.

Midshipman or Apprentice Martin is remembered on a plaque on the wall of a deserted Church in Aberdeenshire.
This memorial was raised by his parents and for some reason was left in situ when the building was stripped .

Roland Leonard Hastings McNish attended Emanuel School in Battersea, London. In November 2014 we will be commemorating Emanuel alumni who served in both the First and Second World Wars. I have a blog with some of my research http://emanuelschoolatwar.wordpress.com