The Wolf

    I have been a member of the Military Book Club for many years, now, purchasing perhaps 3 titles a year. My latest purchase is the "The Wolf". No, it's not an animal story, but the story of a gallant ship, its heroic and intelligent captain, and his long suffering crew, not to mention the prisoners he took and the ships he sank or caused to be sunk. The Wolf was a German armed merchant raider, a freighter converted to a disguised warship by being equipped with 5.9 inch guns, torpedo tubes, mine laying equipment, and a scout airplane. I am particularly enamored of raider stories, although I cannot tell you why. I've read "Swan of the East" about the cruiser SMS Emden and her WW I cruise, and Count von Luckner's biography and his depredations in the sailing vessel Seeadler (Sea Eagle), both First World War raiders. I have also read at least two books about the WW II armed merchant raider Atlantis, and her captain, Bernhard Rogge. In all of these stories, one fact stands out that should be mentioned, and that's the gallant and chivalrous manner in which the captains and crews treated those unfortunates that fell into their hands. Let me also say that this type treatment even extended to the WW II pocket battleships Admiral Graf Spee, and Admiral Scheer, both of which were dispatched to raise havoc among the allied merchant fleets. Another thing that stands out is the length of the cruises these vessels made, Wolf, Seeadler, Atlantis, and Scheer are all notable for staying at sea for more than a year, without touching any port.

    Wolf, captained by Kapitan Karl Nerger, departed Germany carrying spare parts and material to alter her appearance, such as false masts, extensions for her funnel, and fake deck houses. Naturally, her weapons had to be hidden, and that was by means of droppable bulwarks behind which the weaponry was concealed. She was also well equipped with the flags of many nations, under which she sailed, further concealing her true identity. During the First World War, the usual method of dealing with a victim, was to approach appearing as innocent as possible. At the appropriate moment, the bulwarks dropped revealing her weapons. A warning shot was fired, and the victim was signaled to heave to and not use her wireless, which was being monitored by  the Wolf's radioman.. A launch would be dispatched carrying an officer and several armed sailors. They would board the enemy ship, inspect the cargo, and determine if there was anything the raider could make use of, and indeed, if the captured vessel could be taken over by a prize crew, and perhaps used as an auxiliary, or sent back to Germany. Neutral ships were also stopped, and if their cargo manifests detailed cargo destined for one of the Allies, she would also be taken. The crews of these captured or sunken vessels were brought back to the Wolf, and with the exception of captains, or female passengers, be put into a former hold area, called the "Hell Hole". The book goes into considerable detail describing the abysmal conditions under which the prisoners were kept. Remember, this was World war One, and the Wolf had been a coal fired freighter, not a passenger liner. It would appear that Nerger did as much as humanly possible to care for his unwilling passenger's needs, if not their desires. I mentioned female passengers, and indeed, a few women and their husbands, plus a couple of children were among those taken prisoner. These folks were put into cabin areas that were as comfortable as those used by the ship's officers.

    The Wolf, in addition to taking and sinking merchants, was also a mine layer, and planted mine fields off South Africa, India, New Zealand, and Australia. These mines accounted for several Allied vessels, and as late as 2008, some have shown up, and have caused more than a few deaths, as amateurs tried to deal with them. The book goes to great lengths describing the propaganda ploys by the English, Australian and New Zealand governments to deny the presence of a raider or her mine fields. The idea seems to have been to prevent panic, and disastrous effects on the world markets, or the interruption of merchant commerce, vital to the survival of the Allies. One item of note is how and why the British government kept all her warships, plus those of the Commonwealth  countries in the Atlantic protecting convoys against U-boat depredations. The Pacific was denuded of Naval protection, save for a very few small cruisers and auxiliaries, which were spread so very thin, as to provide no protection against the Wolf at all. The Japanese, allies of Britain, were supposed to provide some Naval units, but until one of their own merchant ships went missing, did very little.

    The authors bring their story to a conclusion describing the triumphal return of the SMS Wolf to Germany, having penetrated the Allied blockade, and survived very extreme weather hazards. There is a photograph section, with pictures of the Wolf, Nerger, a couple of her victims, and some of her passengers. The back of the book contains lists of all Wolf's crew, and not to be left out, most of her prisoners, not to mention the names of the vessels the Wolf sank, and those whose sinking could be attributed to her mine laying. I must say that I enjoyed this book tremendously, and really to hated to lay it down.  

Hal Marshman Sr.

August 2010