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Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher
      #272685 - 05/11/15 09:03 PM



Just finished reading a very enjoyable read, Gunther Bahnemann's "New Guinea Crocodile Poacher".

Reads like a fictional novel but is allegedly a non-fictional account.

Has anyone read it or heard of Bahnemann?

Bahnemann also wrote his first book "I deserted Rommel". I have this book somewhere as well, but got to find the bloody thing. Bahnemann was a soldier fighting in North Africa in WW2 in the Afrika Korps and deserted. Was captured and incarcerated in an Australian prisoner of war camp in Australia. After the end of WW2 he was allowed to remain in Australia.

In his book "New Guinea Crocodile Poacher" he mentions commercial crocodile hunting for hides in North Queensland and Arnhemland. He has recently purchased a converted sub-chaser, which was refurbished into a luxury motor cruiser for taking wealthy clients on crocodile hunting trips. But doesn't like that gig.

He wants to make a big score and decides on a risky venture into Dutch New Guinea, now West Papua (West Irian), into the swamps of the Digeol River. Cannibal and headhunter country! And has to avoid Dutch patrol boats and shore watchers, guarding the colony against Indonesian infiltrators and troublemakers. A tale of grand adventure!

Reading the book, at this time it was real wild man country. The savages in this area routinely killed strangers and people from other clans for their heads and to eat in cannibalistic feasts. Bahnemann, Australian Alex and his crew of a Torres Straight Islander, New Guineans, West Papuans, a Macassarman, and a Malay, went constantly armed and constantly aware for treachery. And if you ever read the book, for very good reason. A major battle with the cannibals happens before the book ends.

Bahnemann and his crew took close to one thousand crocodile hides in the Digeol River inland swamps and wetlands. A treasure hoard in those days.

Now I want to write a magazine article on Bahnemann and would like if any one has any information on him or the subject to tell me all.

I think the book would make a great audiobook too as it is definitely out of print. And make a fantastic adventure movie story. Real Indiana Jones, real WDM Bell Karamojo stuff, a real South Pacific tales of adventures, cannibals, headhunters, "pirates", poachers, a rough tough unscrupulous ruthless Germanic sea captian. All the stuff of High Adventure!

Not PC though.



--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


Edited by NitroX (05/11/15 10:57 PM)


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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: NitroX]
      #272686 - 05/11/15 09:14 PM

Did I say Bahnemenn was a wild man!

He entered the Australian Territory of New Guinea in his boat the "Sea Flirt" illegally to visit a mate and try to get him to come along to poach in Dutch New Guinea. Also to pick up a swamp sledge, a craft made from two seaplane floats with a platform and a aerial propeller to drive the craft through very shallow waters and wetlands.

Then evaded Dutch patrol boats guarding Dutch waters and coastlands against Indonesian infiltrators spreading rebellion in the Dutch colony. He writes if caught they might end up disappearing forever as the Dutch ruthlessly dealt with suspected troublemakers. As the book progresses he reveals what extent he would go to if caught. He would not go quietly! An armoury of about a dozen rifles, for crocodile hunting, scoped .303's, a scoped Mannlicher Schoenauer carbine, more than a handful of SMLE .303's. A pump action shotgun which would prove useful against attacking headhunters. A Luger and Colt .45 handgun. Even more dramatic, a box of dynamite and a home made bazooka. If the Dutch tried to take his boat, the bazooka would be used. He was not going to give in without a serious fight and not give in at all!

All of these firearms came into use during the story.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


Edited by NitroX (05/11/15 10:59 PM)


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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: NitroX]
      #272687 - 05/11/15 09:24 PM

A story of wild cannibals.

Bahnemann needed workers hired from the denizens of the cannibal villages to deal with the skinning and drying of the hides of the hundreds of poached saltwater crocodiles.

He approaches a village on the river bank on a rise, and after a parlay with the village headman and the village sorceror watched on by hundreds of armed cannibals in dugout canoes, eventually agrees to enter the village with the wild headhunters. Entering the village longhouse, its wall decorated with hundreds of trophy human heads, he gets to see a gory cook pot simmering in putrid atmosphere with human eyes and other choice cuts of human flesh. He does not partake of the stew. But is given a gift of some disgusting smelling substance which he is assured is great "medicine" against the hordes f fever ridden mosquitoes. The leaf wrapped substance is revealed to be human fat, putridly rendered down into an evil smelling substance only many weeks. Perfect as a mosquito repellant and for protection against evil spirits. A perfect "shampoo" and skin lotion. Why don't our modern skin care practitioners use such an ideal ingredient. Nevertheless the evil spirit retardant goes over the side in to the water.

A tale of savage treachery. A tale of fortune hunting against the odds for richness illicitly gained. Outlaws on the edge of civilisation into the dark hearts of savage and also civilised man.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: NitroX]
      #272688 - 05/11/15 09:33 PM

I need some props for photographs for this story.

I have a couple of SMLE .303's which can be used. I believe I can get access to a Luger for photographic purposes.

Some suitable parabellum cartridges and .303 mil cartridges would be good for the photographs too. Easy to get them.

I have a small fake realistic looking crocodile which could be used. Some real crocodile hide would be perfect though. Wonder how to find some at a sensible price?

I am really annoyed though. I missed out getting to an auction on the weekend where a host of military memorabilia was up for auction including Afrika Korps stuff including caps. A Germanic style civilian embroidered sea captains hat would be cool too.

I need to get a period New Guinea map!!!

Now period New Guinea savage photos ... highlander photos are reasonably easy to obtain, but these were coastal cannibals. Was there any difference in their appearance?

Got to find that bloody copy of Bahnemann's first biographical book "I deserted Rommel" lost in my house somewhere too. Will provide useful background and further material.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: NitroX]
      #272689 - 05/11/15 09:46 PM





--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: NitroX]
      #272690 - 05/11/15 10:02 PM



A map of West Irian, modern West Papua, now Indonesian territory. In Bahnemann's time it was Dutch territory.

Bahnemann describes the Digoel River as being a major river, similar in size to the Fly River in Eastern New Guinea.

I believe the name Digoel River has been changed since the territory became Indonesian territory and it has a new name. Maps on the internet, at least those I have found, are still sparse in information. Showing how this region still lives up to its reputation as a frontier territory. I still haven't asceh river is actually the Digoel River.

From the description of the sailing in the book, and also from examination of maps, it might be a river which flows out to the Arafura Sea East of the large island of Kolepom (?). Certainly that river is long and would have sizable flows as is described in the book.

But the Digoel River may actually be the smaller river (on the map smaller) that is located between the island of Kolepom (?) and the border to Papua New Guinea. An internet search of the word "Digoel" showed a camp for rebel west papua mpprisoners includes the word "Digoel" in its name. A camp in a fever mosquito hell hole ...


***

Worked it out.



I was right, it is the river to the North of this island, now known as Yos Sudarso Island. In the 1950's uninhabited by white man except for coastal Dutch military coast watching camps.

Quote:

Pulau Yos Sudarso is an island in Papua province, Indonesia. It is separated only by narrow channels from the main island of New Guinea. It also known as Pulau Dolok, Pulau Dolak and Pulau Kimaam, has also been known as Kolepom Island, and in the Dutch colonial period was known as Frederik Hendrik Island.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yos_Sudarso_Island







The Digoel River, now knows as the Digul River.


Quote:

The Digul (Dutch: Digoel) is a major river in southern Papua province, Indonesia, on the island of New Guinea.

The swamplands upstream were known by the name "Boven-Digoel" (Above the Digul, in Dutch) and hosted a penal colony at Tanahmerah (Red Earth) in the early 20th century, when Indonesia was a colony of Holland. As a result of the abortive 1926 revolt by the Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI), the Dutch exiled 823 of the most troublesome revolutionaries here.[1]

Rising on the southern slopes of Maoke Mountains, the Digul flows first south and then west to empty into the Arafura Sea. For much of its length it travels across a low region of extensive swamps and creates a delta near Dolak (Frederik Hendrik) Island. The river has a length of 525 kilometres (326 mi) and is navigable as far as Tanahmerah.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digul




--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


Edited by NitroX (06/11/15 12:36 AM)


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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: NitroX]
      #272691 - 05/11/15 10:47 PM

From the book - AUTHOR'S NOTE

THE DIGOEL RIVER, which flows into the Arafura Sea on the southern shore of the Western (formerly 'Dutch') New Guinea, is one of the world's largest but least known rivers. I say largest not in reference to its length but rather to its breadth and to the quantityof fresh water it carries to the ocean; and which I say least-known I mean there is no civilised settlement in its densely forested and swampy basin, most of which - except for the immediate precincts of the river channel - remains to this day unexplored, and inhabited only by 'uncontrolled' savages, who are headhunters and cannibals.

The river rises in the vicinty of Mount Juliana, 14,700 feet high, in the great Central Range of New Guinea, and flows southerly, receiving many tributaries, for a distance of some 350 miles but is widening channel has never been accurately surveyed. It flows through region of heavy tropical rainfall. At its mouth the channel is six miles wide. It narrows gradually upstream to between two and three miles wide, but far inland it remains more than a mile wide.

Its drainage basin, of approximately 15,000 square miles by map measurement, is bigger than that in superficial area, as its headwaters are in broken mountainous terrain, as yet unexplored, except from the air. These ranges are as high as the Swiss Alps; but the rainfall in New Guinea is much greater than in Europe, so the Digeol - and its neighbour the Fly River in Australian Papua - are each greater in volume of flow than the Rhine or the Danube.

The run-off of heavy rainfall from those serrated limestone ranges causes perpetual flooding in the lower levels of the Digoel Basin, where the river long ago brokes its banks. Some fifty miles upstream from the mouth this flooding extends to vast swamps of reeds, which are the breeding grounds of unnumerable crocodiles. This was the attraction to the party which I led into those swamps.

Our expedition was made in the 1950s, when this terrain was in Dutch New Guinea, some years before the Indonesian takeover of that territory in 1962-3. The expedition was illegal, for it was impossible to obtain permission from the Dutch to enter that 'uncontrolled' region.

We were tresspassers, so, even though the Dutch have since been evicted from that territory, I have used fictitious names to conceal the identity of my companions, as I do not wish to incriminate them; but with this exception the narrative is true in every detail, and all the place-names are actual.

Our intention was solely to hunt crocodiles for their valuable skins, and not to make scientific studies of native customs, but those customs which came under my notice I have described as I observed them. Where it has been necessary to use pidgin lingo in dialogue I have adapted it a little, for easier digestion.

As I have said, the swamps of the Digoel River have never been systematically explored, and the natives remain headhunters and cannibals to this day. In the 1940s an expedition, led by Donald F. Thompson, D.Sc., a renowned anthropologist, was attacked by the savages, and had to use machineguns. That incident is described in Dr. Thompson's article in "Wlkabout Magazine" of January 1951. It supports what I say in these pages.

We crocodile-poachers, tresspassing there, risked our lives to obtain the skins of saurians from which shoes and handbags would be made for dainty ladies who could scarcely imagine how those skins were obtained. We risked our lives to make quick money, but not easy money; yet I believe that the allure of adventures was the main motive of our expedition. It seems so now, when I think back to it.


G. Bahnemann
Brisbane, Australia


--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: NitroX]
      #272693 - 05/11/15 11:34 PM

A native girl emerged from the bungalow's interior. She moved shadow-like on bare feet, bearing a tray in her hands. Her bare breasts seemed to lift in invitation.

Shyly the meri, or native girl, flicked a glance at me. The amusement I saw in her eyes seemed to mock me with understanding, indicating that she could well comprehend a white man's thoughts.




"Take a look." I said, revealing my armoury. The rack held a variety of guns. They were mostly cut down .303s, sporting types, all heavily oiled. Tom counted fourteen. He looked lovingly at the precision-built German Mannlicher with mounted telescopic sight. There were two Browning automatic shotguns, two .22 French Uniques, and four underwater gas-operated spear guns.

"No pistols?" he queried, when I slid the panels shut. I leaned over and pushed aside the cushion in the corner of the settee.

"Ah! Your Luger! What happened to the Yankee Colt, the one we pinched from that oaf in the Cooktown brawl?"

"Alex takes care of it."

"Of course you keep your psitol licence handy," Tom said cynically.

"Of course!" I grinned.

I said nothing of my hoard of gelignite, the grey time-fuse, the instantaneous white gun-cotton fuse, the electric wire-fuse, and the boxes of shiny primers. There was no reason to mention my home-made bazooka, my private "crunch-gun" for use if things got too hot or out of hand."



As I buckled on the heavy gun I shook my head. This was a hell of a way to make a living, I thought. From here on I would have to carry a gun. Sitting at breakfast or on the lavatory, the Luger have become a 'must'.




I felt the sorcerer was the kind of native who had to be watched. There was burning hate in his sharp eyes. An over-powering stench emanated from the two high-ranking gentry, who had smeared greese over their bodies. It was pig-fat, even possibly human fat, intended as a protective coating against mosquito stings."




To neglect caution, even for a single moment, would have been the height of folly. Too many men have died for making that mistake.




It was not darkness that filled the interior of the Tambaran house, but pungent drifts of smoke rising from several open fires wafted through the entire length of the building. Considering its length, approximately eighty feet, the building was surprisingly narrow, hardly wider than twenty feet at the most.

"Him proper fellow kanaka all right," Lulu observed as he stared at one of the walls.

My tongue sucked up against the roof of my mouth as I beheld the shrivelled heads stuck on bamboo pegs, lining the wall in a triple wall. As far as I could see in the dim interior there seemed to be dozens, perhaps hundreds, of heads, in the smoke-hazed interior.

"God Almightly!" Alex gasped. "What a charnel chamber!"

I tore my gaze away from the cruel relics of death and victory and stumbled after the luluai and the sorcerer. As we went along we saw the wall opposite had been ornamented in a different manner. It displayed the weapons those heads had fallen victim to. Staring from the niches in the wall were man-sized masks that were worn by the sorcer and his helpers at tume of sacricifial offerings.

The lulai and the sorcerer had ranged themselves closely before a wooden block. The lulai leaned forward and hissed guttural words to Boro, who listened carefully and then interpreted: "Maybe you better keep straight face, Skipper. On the block behind the luluai and sorcerer the cut-off heads belong swamp raiders are waiting."

There was a fiendsih grin on the faces of the luluai and the sorcerer as they stepped aside and revealed their pagan altar and its grisly offerings. There on the wooden block lay two severed heads. We stared at the empty eye-sockets, still oozing blood. The lips of one of the heads were turned up as if in a snarl of boundless savagery, revealting its black betel-nut stained teeth. The other head had no mouth at all. Where that had been there was nothing but a soggy mess of gristle, flesh, gums and bone. A wooden war-club had done its destructive work. From this head, too, the eyes had been removed, leaving nothing but blood-clotted hollows.

"Well, I've seen them shrivelled, dried, stuffed, moth-eaten and tattered with age, but these two heads are the first I've seen only hous after they rode on some poor unfortunate bastard's neck," Alex observed quietly.

...

The sorcerer walked over to one of the fires smouldering on a slab of burned clay. The embers had been banked around a small ring of stones which supported a vessel also made of burned clay. He stirred the contents of the small cauldron with a flat wooden ladle. At last he straightened up and lifted the ladle carefully from the simmering soup - to reveal the privy parts of the two enemies whose heads were on show upon the carved block. Next, the magician brought up the cooked eyes and a hand from the bottom of that crude vessel, and dropped them back into the broth.


--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


Edited by NitroX (05/11/15 11:52 PM)


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Ripp
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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: NitroX]
      #272696 - 06/11/15 12:35 AM

Looks like a good read---

Ripp

--------------------
ALL MEN DIE, BUT FEW MEN TRULY LIVE..


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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: Ripp]
      #272709 - 06/11/15 03:23 AM

I agree - quite suspenseful.

"Well, I've seen them shrivelled, dried, stuffed, moth-eaten and tattered with age, but these two heads are the first I've seen only hous after they rode on some poor unfortunate bastard's neck," Alex observed quietly."

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V


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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: DarylS]
      #272750 - 06/11/15 11:10 PM

Just bought a copy on Amazon, lets see what itīs like !

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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: Mike_Bailey]
      #272754 - 06/11/15 11:32 PM

Hi NitroX,
Your character in this story recently received more than a passing mention in a controversial book written about the corruption in the Queensland police force during the 1960's, 70's, and 80's by Matthew Condon called "Jacks and Jokers". It appears that he remained a "colourful" character throughout his life in Queensland.
Your book would certainly be an interesting read.
It would appear that this part of the world was just as attractive to "Adventurers and Privateers" as was any other.
I look forward to further instalments.
LesLeeSpeed


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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: LesLeeSpeed]
      #272772 - 07/11/15 02:00 AM

Quote:

Hi NitroX,
Your character in this story recently received more than a passing mention in a controversial book written about the corruption in the Queensland police force during the 1960's, 70's, and 80's by Matthew Condon called "Jacks and Jokers". It appears that he remained a "colourful" character throughout his life in Queensland.
Your book would certainly be an interesting read.
It would appear that this part of the world was just as attractive to "Adventurers and Privateers" as was any other.
I look forward to further instalments.
LesLeeSpeed




Wouldn't be surprised as any person willing to get involved in a shoot out with a Dutch patrol vessel is someone willing to cross sides with the law as needed.

A true modern tale of a 'Gentleman Adventuror'.

Would be keen to know more of the Queensland references you mention above.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: NitroX]
      #272773 - 07/11/15 02:02 AM

Found my copy of "I deserted Rommel" tonight ... looked several times through all the bookshelves, bags and luggage I carry to and forth with me, and many many piles of books stacked around the floors ... should have looked in the "proper" place, a glass cabinet where rarer and first edition books are stored ...

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


Edited by NitroX (07/11/22 03:11 PM)


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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: Mike_Bailey]
      #272774 - 07/11/15 02:04 AM

Quote:

Just bought a copy on Amazon, lets see what itīs like !




I think you will enjoy it. The story is very dramatic, its hard to believe its not fiction. But maybe some author's licence has been used even though it is claimed it is one hundred percent true.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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LesLeeSpeed
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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: NitroX]
      #272807 - 07/11/15 09:11 AM

Quote:

Quote:

Hi NitroX,
Your character in this story recently received more than a passing mention in a controversial book written about the corruption in the Queensland police force during the 1960's, 70's, and 80's by Matthew Condon called "Jacks and Jokers". It appears that he remained a "colourful" character throughout his life in Queensland.
Your book would certainly be an interesting read.
It would appear that this part of the world was just as attractive to "Adventurers and Privateers" as was any other.
I look forward to further instalments.
LesLeeSpeed




Wouldn't be surprised as any person willing to get involved in a shoot out with a Dutch patrol vessel is someone willing to cross sides with the law as needed.

A true modern tale of a 'Gentleman Adventuror'.

Would be keen to know more of the Queensland references you mention above.




hi
nitroX,
If you PM your address to me I will send the book down for you to read, another where fact reads like fiction, but in our lifetime. It is quite an eyeopener, and Im sure wasn't, or more correctly, isn't restricted to Qld and NSW.
LesLeeSpeed


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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: LesLeeSpeed]
      #273556 - 19/11/15 12:57 AM

Quote:


hi
nitroX,
If you PM your address to me I will send the book down for you to read, another where fact reads like fiction, but in our lifetime. It is quite an eyeopener, and Im sure wasn't, or more correctly, isn't restricted to Qld and NSW.
LesLeeSpeed




Thanks. Will do.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: Mike_Bailey]
      #273557 - 19/11/15 01:01 AM

Quote:

Just bought a copy on Amazon, lets see what itīs like !




Tell us what you think when it arrives and you read it.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: NitroX]
      #273561 - 19/11/15 02:27 AM

Currently reading Gunther Bahnemann's first book, "I deserted Rommel" and it is just as much a rip roaring read but a very different subject matter.

As a multi-lingual guy speaking German, Italian, Pidgin (later) and English (plus who knows what else), his books in English are very well written.

Awarded two Iron Crosses, first class and second class, he was promoted to Lieutenant, later demoted to private and again promoted to corporal. Served in Poland, parachuted into Norway, served in Holland, Belgium and France, and later with the Afrika Korps in Libya and Tunisia, it may seem strange this man deserted. But it is well explained in his book, don't read further as there is a spolier. His father, who served in WW1, was awarded the Iron Cross, First and Second Class, the Pour le Merite, the "Blue Max", other medals including the Silver Wound medal, was murdered in a Nazi Concentration Camp. And so Bahnemann deserted, aiming for a destination where a relative lived a long long way away in Portuguese SW Africa (Angola). Ruthlessly pursuing his desertion ...

Will he make it. Up to page 139 of 256 pages and he has not made it yet, but neither caught either.

A true life story.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: NitroX]
      #273654 - 20/11/15 04:40 PM

Finished the "I deserted Rommel" biography.

Gunther is definitely a professional rascal. Blowing up a hotel, getting into shoot outs with Italian MPs, associating with Libyan Jihardis, contacts with British Long Range Desert Patrol and more.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: NitroX]
      #273661 - 20/11/15 06:11 PM


Initial post: Jun 26, 2012 1:57:56 AM PDT
Last edited by the author on Jun 26, 2012 2:07:36 AM PDT
Hagen Bahnemann says:
I thought that some readers might like to know more about my father.

Dad lived an adventures life. He first left his hometown of Hamburg in at the age of 13 as an apprentice aboard a one of the last great merchant sailing ship the "Pamir". Aboard this ship he learnt the ropes of sailing and eventually became a navigator. I recall the fantastic stories he told of rounding the Horn of Africa and the stormy passage of Cape Horn several times. The sea became a life long love of dads.

At just 17 he jumped ship in Manaus on the Amazon River and married a young native South American Indian.

From there he was called up to serve in the WW2. At 18, like so many men he saw that as a great chance for adventure. He volunteered in to the German army to avoid being conscripted into the navy. He went on to earn many medals before being taken prisoner of war in Africa.

Dad arrived in Australia at the age of 21 as a prisoner of war. After being released in 1946 he worked as a blaster in a remote Australian mine where he built a sailing boat and traveled to the Philippines and New Guinea before trading the boat in on a WW2 vessel he used to start a pearling business and also as a crocodile hunter.

He was later unfairly sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit and spent some years in jail where he wrote a number of books, some of which were published and even won many literary awards. The lead police officer won a bravery award for his arrest of dad and later became the commissioner of police. He was later caught out and was sent to prison himself following a major investigation into the police force and the government of the time.

Following this time he spent the rest of his life building boats and dreaming of the sea. There are a number of manuscripts of his adventures that are unpublished. I think at the time he tried to publish them in the 80s there was less interest in the type of stories he had to tell.

He died in 1995 in a small town in outback Australia.



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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: CHAPUISARMES]
      #273662 - 20/11/15 06:36 PM

http://forums.nitroexpress.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=257081&an=&page=0&vc=1

Discussed here on NE, not long ago. The reason I bought the books.

Noticed the unpublished manuscripts but Bahnemann had trouble in getting them published. Pity as they would be good, but probably not PC.

Hopefully the unpublished manuscripts are not lost, now or in the future.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: NitroX]
      #273663 - 20/11/15 06:58 PM

I have located Hagen Bahnemann I believe, and have sent a message to him.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: NitroX]
      #273670 - 20/11/15 07:45 PM

Quote:

I have located Hagen Bahnemann I believe, and have sent a message to him.




Good Luck, I hope he still has some records



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Rule303
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Re: Gunther Bahnemann - New Guinea Crocodile Poacher [Re: NitroX]
      #273672 - 20/11/15 08:41 PM

Quote:

I have located Hagen Bahnemann I believe, and have sent a message to him.




Keep us posted John. Gunther was certainly one of histories characters. Would of been good to know him. See if you can find out what outback town he lived in.


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