HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2018
[From TNA FO 383/119/7946 - Letter to American Embassy - Translation]
From Edward Goth. No 16241 Bar. 4B.
Knockaloe Camp I , Compound IV.
Peel. 1/1/1916.To the American Ambassador to Austria.
The undersigned begs the assistance of the Embassy in order to rectify the following matter.
There are 12 of us, members of the crew of the Austrian s.s."Izrada", here in this compound. Our ship was seized at Portland on August 4th,1914. We remained at Portland till August 12th and then travelled to Falmouth. After staying 3 days on land there we continued with our ship to London. There we were fetched by the police on Aug. 23,1914, and interned at Olympia and from there we were taken to Frimley.
On October 4th,1914, we were released and returned to our ship, with which we intended to leave London on Oct.8th. We do not know the reason of our not leaving. The police who again fetched us off the ship on Oct.19th and again interned us at Frimley, could give us no information. We should like to request the Embassy to investigate the reasons for our release and re-internment. We would also beg the Embassy's assistance in helping us to recover our belongings which we were obliged to leave on the ship by the orders of the Police.We also await the payment of our wages for 26 days (Aug.12-23 and Oct.5-19,1914) which was promised to us. We are now left without means and are badly in need of our linen.
The address of the representative of the ship-owner is Mr Banas 22 Billiter Street. B.SPr (?) London E.C. Though we have written to him repeatedly, we obtain no answer, Hoping that our request will receive attention and that we may be informed thereof
I have etc.,
(Signed) EDWARD GOTH.
There is a second letter, dated 24th January 1916, with the information that they have now received their luggage but with a significant number of articles of clothing missing - silk scarfs,shirts, shoes etc for which they put in claims. They also state that they had asked the ship's officer about their detention etc. but have had no reply.
Their request for wages post capture received the following reply from the Admiralty to the Foreign Office [TNA FO 383/119/51746]
Sir,
With further reference to your letter of the 14 January, No. 7946 P, respecting the claim for wages 14th by the crew of the Austrian S.S. "Izrada", I am commanded by My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you for the information of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs that, the crew's wages up to the date of capture were paid by the Admiralty Marshal out of the freight due to the Shipowners, and the balance of the freight, by an Order of Court was transferred, to and is now in the hands of the Public Trustee.
The Admiralty Marshal has no authority to pay any wages, such as are now claimed by the crew, after the date of capture.
Sir E Grey would add that this vessel was allowed, by arrangement with the Solicitors for the owners, to remain in this country, and any claim which the crew may wish to put forward would apparently lie against the latter. Whether they would obtain any payment out of the balance of freight which was placed in the hands of the Public Trustee is not a Matter upon which Their Lordships can advise.
Likewise their claim for missing property was dismissed by the Admiralty, who said it was the Police in conjunction with the War Office who carried out the arrest and that it had been passed over to the War Office who "in the absence of more definite evidence as to the circumstances of the loss the Council are unable to agree to compensaton".
However they were luckier with the Home Office as by [TNA FO 383/119/143559] dated 22 July 1916
I am directed by the Secretary of State to refer to your letter of March 6th. last, 39901/p/1916, with reference to the crew of the Austrian S.S. Izrada, and to acquaint you for the information of Secretary Sir E. Grey, that the members of this crew, who have been traced in the various places of detention, have now been repatriated, with the exception of the two prisoners, W. BIRKMANN and JOHANN ZANDRICH.
I am to add that Birkmann is retained in detention at the request of the Admiralty, and that Zandrich intimated to this department that he did not wish to return to Austria
This is just one of numerous cases of Austrian ships and crews who were in British ports when war was declared between Britain and Austria which at that time had Trieste as a major port into the eastern Mediteranean from which a significant merchant marine operated. The surrounding area was significantly Italian speaking but with the western Balkans close by thus the wide mix of family names found amongst the crews of these vessels. War was not declared betwen Britain and Austria-Hungary until several days after the declaration of war on Germany, being on the 12th August so it would have been possible to deport the crews via Holland . However the various Port authorities treated them as German vessels. The Austrians had not interned any merchant seamen though the Germans held some 1200 but did release some of the older crew members - the Admiralty were always against release of any such ship's crew and especially against the release of ship's officers.
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