Gunther Bahnemann's military service, during World War II under Rommel in the Middle East, is featured in his autobiography which was published in 1961. He has published other works of travel and adventure in remote parts. Bahnemann was brought to Australia as a prisoner of war on the Queen Mary from a British detention centre in Cairo, Egypt. He was released under supervision in 1946.
Bahnemann claimed to be a master mariner, having gone to sea at 13 on one of the last merchant vessels under sail, and a boat builder. He also worked in the mines in Mt Isa. Bahnemann was released on parole in 1963 after serving four years of a seven year sentence for attempted murder. He fired a shot at Detective Glen Hallahan. Hallahan and Detective Terry Lewis received the George Medal for disarming him. Doubt was later cast on this conviction as on others due to the exposure of Lewis's criminal activities by the Fitzgerald Inquiry (1987-1989) into Queensland police corruption.
Matthew Condon interrogates Bahnemann's relationship with Lewis in Three Crooked Kings.
Source: 'New Launch Will Sail to Manila' Townsville Daily Bulletin 18 April 1951 p. 2;
'In Queensland This Week' The Canberra Times 12 September 1963 p. 2
