As the freighter's bows began to bite into the late-summer Biscay swells, the word went out from the Admiralty - GET THE RIO GRANDE!

In early May 1941, the Royal Navy had snared two German weather ships in the North Atlantic - the MÜNCHEN and the LAUENBURG. From them, they recovered several naval code books; the ships had been intercepted for just that purpose. One of these codes was the HYDRA cypher, which was used by the SKL to talk with their blockade runners.

Although the Kriegsmarine used many ENIGMA cyphers, some of which were never broken by the Allied intercept services such as the special code used by the surface raiders, HYDRA was one of the first to be broken. For its part, the excellent German B-Dienst had begun reading British naval cyphers as early as 1936!

Despite Admiralty ordered changed to their codes, the B-Dienst was never out of action for long, up to the very end of the War. And during the height of the Atlantic convoy battles, the service produced decodes at the rate of 2,000 per month. But despite losing the radio war early on, the blockade runners managed to get through what was still at this time, a rather loose cordon - like the much-sought RIO GRANDE which docked in Osaka on December 12, 1941 - - five days after Pearl Harbor.

In Japan, RIO GRANDE loaded a precious cargo - - mostly the vital natural rubber, and whale oil in barrels - - sailing from Kobe on January 31, 1942. Few if any, aboard could have had an inkling this would be their last trip home!

Captain Allwörden took his ship down into the South China Sea, soon to be a popular hunting ground for American submarines, then squeezed into the Sunda Strait via the Bashi Channel. Once in the Indian Ocean, he cranked on knots, racing south-southwest and swinging wide off the Cape of Good Hope to enter the South Atlantic. RIO GRANDE then sprinted for The Narrows, following a general north-northeasterly course on the old track used by the Clipper ships in the Australian service of bygone days. This sea space would all too soon - - for the Germans - - come under the scrutiny of US Navy patrol planes. Squadrons of twin-engined Martin MARINER flying boats were to be based at Natal; LIBERATORs & B-25 MITCHEL bombers on Ascension Island.

Once past the Cape Verde Islands, RIO GRANDE turned NNE toward the North Atlantic. On a latitude with Cape Finisterre, Captain Allwörden would dash into the Bay of Biscay, where all he had to worry about were the ever-present British submarines.

"Glück muss man haben" the Germans are fond of saying, and this time Luck was still with them. RIO GRANDE steamed into Bordeaux on April 10, welcomed by a military band.

During the summer the blockade runner was taken in hand at Nantes where she was armed. An obsolete but real 4-incher replaced the wooden 'pop' gun on the poop, and emplacements for six 20mm anti-aircraft guns were built into the superstructure. Along with all this 'artillery' came the naval ratings to man them. Captain of the FLAK crews was Chief Petty Officer Kann, ordered off the battleship BISMARCK - an order which almost certainly saved his life!

Also at Nantes additional fresh water and fuel tanks were installed, and cargo holds once more expanded and reinforced. Part of the outbound cargo consisted of a complete generating plant; the generator alone weighing 90 tons. In addition, two ARADO Ar 196 seaplanes and their crews came aboard, destined for the raider KORMORAN then operating in the Indian Ocean.

On Sept 28, RIO GRANDE, disguised as before to look like her sister BELGRANO, left Bordeaux. The ship was now equipped with radar which no one on board seemed to have much faith in, except the operators and CPO Kann. The departure of RIO GRANDE had been no secret and the Tommies wanted her badly.

No sooner had the ship's escorts turned back, near the Spanish coast, than a Coastal Command SUNDERLAND flying boat popped out of some low-hanging clouds. Radar had been tracking the plane which suddenly came in to attack. Thanks to Kann's young gunners - - none of whom had ever been in combat - - and Allwôrden's rudder commands, the well-aimed string of bombs fell into the sea close alongside. It was clear to all, CPO Kann confided in his diary, that other attacks must soon follow. And at 1400 (2pm) two more SUNDERLAND flying boats of No. 19 Group arrived to 'get' the RIO GRANDE.

The pair attacked from opposite directions, dividing the defense. Although bombs again fell close, it was obvious the pilots were respecting RIO GRANDE's AA gunners. Just before dawn, the RAF paid another visit with two SUNDERLANDs and two four-engined LIBERATORs. They did not come in low this time, preferring to 'pickle' from up high. RIO GRANDE, illuminated by flares, disappeared beneath towering geysers of water thrown up by up by explosions. It is estimated between 20 and 25 bombs were dropped. Suddenly a terrific explosion rocked the ship, knocking down anyone standing on deck. Almost immediately another bomb struck the bridge - - as a dud. It was the only hit, but did much damage. Nevertheless, one must have luck!

RIO GRANDE, as she steamed into Bordeaux

The gunners on RIO GRANDE had wounded at least two of her assailants; one was reported burning on the water. But the ship had sustained much splinter damage. The seaplanes were unserviceable and had to be jettisoned. Captain Allwôrden decided to run into the port of El Ferrol. Spanish neutrality however, did not deter the determined RAF. At noon, two BLENHEIMs came screaming across the harbor, braving a cordon of FLAK thrown up by Spanish warships. These plucky pilots also missed their target. But the Germans were not much concerned about a neutral's rights either.

RIO GRANDE replenished her AA ammo and on the night of October 6, without benefit of a harbor pilot, Allwôrden squeezed his ship out of the narrow harbor. There was safety in the expanse of the South Atlantic - - for a time!

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