The following excerpt has been taken from
Leipzig: The Coastal Raider by Fregattenkapitän Johann-Siegfried Haun.
“We had been fortunate throughout our time off the Canadian coast that the weather had been largely agreeable, that luck would depart into the evening of August 18. As we traveled further North, rain squalls and low visibility would become commonplace into the morning of the following day. While uncomfortable for the vast majority of the ship's crew, the engineering staff aboard Algerine found it enjoyable to walk the deck in their time off duty. The acting Chief Engineer had been keeping me up to date with regard to the sloop's ailing propulsion system which seemingly became worse and worse by the day. Previous issues of overheating at higher speeds would soon be accompanied by habitability concerns in the engine spaces. A non-negligible number of gaskets throughout machinery itself had been reported as actively degrading, resulting in steam and lubrication oil leaking out of their fittings. As a result, the humidity and temperature within the machinery spaces had risen significantly, degrading the performance of the systems and crew alike. Aerosolized lubrication oil made the situation even less bearable, resulting in sailors frequently coming up on deck for respite and a way to clean themselves. Replacement parts where they existed were unable to keep up with the rate of deterioration, temporary fixes atop temporary fixes were only delaying the inevitable.
River Forth was not free of her own issues as well, her defective navigation lights flickering and failing completely throughout the night at multiple points caused great stress to crews of both vessels. After one instance of becoming separated for over thirty minutes and only re-establishing contact due to adept use of fog horns, I was forced to send one of my few remaining electricians over to remedy the issue. By midnight we would pass out of the Queen Charlotte Sound and into the Hecate Strait where the squalls and wind would intensify, something apparently normal for this area as was explained to me by Mr. Baumann. These weather fronts would largely clear into the late morning, not overly compromising our overall schedule. Weather would be calm and clear throughout the afternoon, allowing us to spot our first merchant vessel in quite some time, in the Dixon Entrance shortly after 1400 hours. What we initially thought to be good fortune at the sight of a roughly 2000 GRT ship was soon dashed when the stars and stripes of an American flag were spotted. If nothing else, it was a sign that the port of Prince Rupert should be as fruitful as their more southern counterparts. Mr. Baumann identified the ship as the Grace Dollar, a vessel brought into service by his current employer only last year. I distinctly remember the pilot remarked about sinking the vessel, as it carried the name of his former employer's first company vessel, something the shipping magnate apparently held great fondness for. As I was not about to attack shipping of a neutral nation out of personal spite on behalf of my guest, we continued towards Prince Rupert.”
1910 Grand Trunk Pacific Railway Map of British Columbia with an insert showing a helpful map of Prince Rupert and the surrounding area. The image is rather large so opening it in another tab will allow you to zoom for a better view.
The Germans would approach Prince Rupert shortly after 1700 hours, transiting the strait separating the Digby and Kinahan Islands. Sheltered from the Pacific Ocean by former landmass, the only entrance to the aforementioned town by sea consisted of a strait nearly 5000m long and roughly 500m wide. Caution would be required to navigate this chokepoint as shipping or obstacles laid by the Canadians could cause undue damage to any of the German vessels. It was decided to have
River Forth anchor off to the side of the entrance to the strait itself, allowing
Algerine to proceed forward and signal via flare gun if it was safe to follow. If the sloop was somehow damaged or lost, the entire force would not meet its end immediately. Near the end of the strait could be found the Digby Island wireless station, yet another piece of vital Canadian infrastructure which the Germans would move to destroy.
Algerine would slow and launch a pair of boats carrying a party of armed sailors before passing the station, their objective being to land, seize and ultimately destroy the installation. While it would have been more expedient to bombard the station as they passed, Haun wished to conserve what little ammunition
Algerine had left aboard for more important uses. Clearing some men from aboard the vessel temporarily as well alleviated the crowding problem if they were forced into combat. Daylight was beginning to fade although the Germans were confident that they could keep the situation under control and operate into the night if required.
The patience of the Germans would yet again pay dividends as when the lone sloop came into full view of Prince Rupert harbor at 1910 hours, no fewer than 12 notable merchant vessels were spotted pier side or anchored in the surrounding waters. Unbeknownst to the Germans due to their lack of a wireless set, a series of events would almost immediately play out which would hinder their plans. A keen lookout aboard one of the merchants moored further out in the harbor would spot and report the incoming vessel to his Captain, a retired Royal Navy officer who had been keeping well up to date on much of the wireless traffic as of late. Rightfully wary of German raiders, a wireless message was sent to the Digby Island Station informing them of their suspicions. Utilizing its submerged telegram cable connecting to Prince Rupert, the station would in turn relay the message to the authorities in the town. By the time
Algerine had come to a stop in the midst of the harbor and Haun was being rowed towards the town, the sporadic cracks of gunfire began from the direction of the nearby wireless station. A handful of stray bullets would be directed towards Haun’s launch as well before the Canadians on shore would notice the white flag being waved from the boat's bow, their patriotic zeal thankfully not being enough to overpower their sensibilities entirely. Haun stayed his course, still wishing to attempt diplomacy with the Canadians as it would greatly simplify his plans going forward. As the gunfire from Digby Island soon grew to include long bursts of automatic fire, Haun and the crew of
Algerine could do little but wish their comrades luck. It would seem that Prince Rupert was not so eager to roll over quite yet like Alert Bay. What would later come to be known as the Battle of Digby Island would be the first land engagement fought between the Canadians and Germans of the First World War.
