Chilean Gov asks UK firm to Oil German ship, Ok'd by UK Gov

[Andy H]

Between August 8th and 15th 1940 the Chilean government authorised the British firm of Duncan Fox to deliver 700tons of Diesel Oil to the German merchant ship Rhakotis (6753t), which lay at anchor at Antofagasta. The supply of fuel to the ship was approved by the British authorities for special reasons.

Does anybody know what were these special reasons were?

Regards

Andy H

[Sid Guttridge]

I don't know.

However, at the end of 1939 the British cabinet was considering offering to buy back six destroyers it had built for Chile in the early 1930s. Perhaps they were trying to curry favour with the Chileans.

I think Rhakotis eventually escaped to Japan in 1941. Perhaps 700 tons wasn't enough to get her home to Germany but was sufficient to appear helpful to the Chileans.

What was your source?

[Andy H]

Hi Remek

The source was a War Office memo but it gives nothing more than what I have essentially wrote.

I did contact the Duncan-Fox and though helpful they have been unable to add anything further regarding my query

Kind Regards

Andy H

[Stephen_Rynerson]

Andy, I'm curious to hear if you've learned anything else about this issue. Seems like there should be at least a journal article's worth of story behind this....

[Sid Guttridge]

If true, it is certainly an exception. Elsewhere in Latin America the British were either blockading German merchantmen or preventing their movement by legal action over unpaid debts for things like fuel. Most of the fuel sources in the area were British-owned.

The Germans merchant ships were often short of fuel and sometimes had to transfer it from one to another to get enough for a run to Japan or Germany.

Cheers,

Sid.