Letters

Father, Colin Moore, was aboard Seeteufel in 1938, are there any pictures?

Dear Mr Gregory,

I wonder if you or any of the many people who correspond with you have any photos or cine film taken aboard the German yacht "Seeteufel" in the year 1938. The reason I ask is that My late father, Colin Moore, was aboard Seeteufel in that year. He was apparently employed by the count in New Zealand (where he was born) and sailed as far as Batavia.

He and an Australian photographer, Geoff Powell, left the yacht there after the Munich crisis and made their way back to Sydney. Sydney, I believe, was something of a Mecca for Kiwis in those days, as it still is to some extent. My father settled in Australia and married my mother, a WRAN third officer, in Sydney after the war. Dad mentioned his trip on the yacht now and then, but it meant little to me at the time. I would love to see any photos or moving footage of the ship's passengers and crew to see if I can spot Dad. My mother had a couple of photos but they were lost over the years. Perhaps you know where some may be found. look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers,
Colin Moore Jr


Hello Colin,

Thank you for your fascinating E-Mail, no I have not ever had the slightest hint of the trip your Dad had with the Count to Batavia in 1938, let alone any photos or cine film shot then. I would love to unravel this one.

By Bcc copy to you of my message to Matthias Maurer in Halle Germany, you wiil see I have asked if  he can assist us, he is President of the Board of the newly formed Felix von Luckner Society, whose basic objectives are to build a Memorial to the Count in the city of Halle, he was responsible for saving it being devasted by the American Army in its rush to the east to beat the Russdians into Berlin in 1945. Of course they failed there. But the Count was able to stop US troops bombarding and destroying his city.

The society would also dearly love to purchase his Seeadler, and refit her, I believe she is in Russian hands.

Nice to hear from you, and I will be in touch again when I hear from Matthias.

Regards,
Mac. Gregory.


Hello Matthias,

You will see from the (above) E-Mail from Colin Moore, a request for any information about still photographs or cine film taken aboard Seeteufel during 1938, when his father was on board with the Count.

From all my correspondents around the world I have never seen anything at all that refers to this voyage, or of photos or cine film being taken in Seeteufel at that time. Are any of your records or contacts able to throw any light on this subject please?

It would be great to be able to unlock this story for today's readers, and followers of Felix von Luckner.

Kindest regards.
Mac.


Colin,

Here is a piece I just unearthed, this sailor ex Seeteufel, left in NZ, to become a citizen, and only died last month.

It is the time your Dad joined the Count in 1938.

What a name coincidence, he started a photographic businees with my surname, namely GREGORY.

I never cease to be amazed what the internet may bring forth.

All the best,

Mac.


Martin is in Queensland, and is the son of Wally Elliget who was a bugler in Shropshire, and is often helpful with items I am pursuing.

Hi Mac.
 
I was browsing your website today and was interested to read the message from Colin Moore Jr (dated 21 Jun 2004) about his father being on "Der Seeteufel" with Count Felix von Luckner in 1938. Out of curiousity, I searched the NAA's website for further information and found a large file (258 pages) on the Count and the crew of the Seeteufel that has been scanned and made available. I suspect that your correspondent is probably the person who originally requested the online digital copy and that you've probably seen the file yourself but, just on the off-chance this is not the case, below are the details of this file:
 
http://www.naa.gov.au/the_collection/recordsearch.html
 
Title: Count Felix von Luckner & crew of "Der Seeteufel". C.G.C. Moore, H.M. Schwarze, Hans Osterreich, Michael Hutt
Series number: A367
Control symbol: C68808
Contents date range: 1927 - 1949
 
Access status: Open with exception
Location: Canberra
Barcode no: 62084
 
It makes for fascinating reading. It includes many references about Colin Moore (senior), even including some photos of the crew though none of Moore as far as I can see. The photos seem to be mainly of the foreign crew members of the Seeteufel who at the time Australian intelligence services considered as possible German spies.
 
Kind regards,
 
Martin Elliget
Fig Tree Pocket QLD Australia


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