WESTERLING ESCAPES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 113, 25 February 1950, Page 5

WESTERLING ESCAPES

SAID* TO BE MAKING FOR SINGAPORE (Rec. 11.25) JAKARTA, Feb. 24. It is reliably learned that Captain Wester ling, and his Wife and children, slipped through the hands of Indonesian security officers, leaving Indonesia for Singapore by air. Captain Westerling left on Wednesday and Mrs Westerling and the Children on Thursday night. Before leaving she told a New Zealander, Mr Charles Stuart, of Dunedin, and now of the Jakarta radio executive ana local representative of the Pan-Ameri-can Broadcasting Company, that they were being assisted to escape by high Dutch officers. ’ Mr Stuart says that Mrs Westerling told him her husband was being flown to the Singapore coast in a Dutch naval Catalina, from where he would swim ashore. She said that earlier reports of his escape were spread to cause confusion, as he and she had been hiding in Jakarta for eight days. Under an assumed name, Mrs Westerling was the guest of Mr Stuart, who, when aware of her identity on Thursday morning, informed the security police. While they awaited the police, she allowed photographs. A Dutch army car then arrived and took her to the Dutch officers’ mess, with Mr Stuart following in a car unknown to the officers. Mrs Westerling is described as tall and slim and very beautiful. She was accompanied by her blonde youngest daughter aged two. She 'told Mr Stuart that her husband would get finance and weapons and would return.

An Indonesian police search of outgoing planes and shipping failed. t