THE FLIGHT OF "WILLIAM THE LAST"

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 144, 13 March 1919, Page 5

THE FLIGHT OF "WILLIAM THE LAST"

TOLD BY ONE OP HIS RETAINERS. "Plight of William the Last." Under this title the "Vorwaerts" gives a description of William Hohenzollern's hurried exit from i the Imperial arena, written by the Kaiser's own attendant:— On Tuesday, • October 29, at 2.30 p.m., I received from the castle an order to come immediately. Arrived at the castle, I received a commission to prepare, with the personnel appointed to me, to start at It o'clock at night from Wildpark Station to moke the journey to Spa in the Court train. I arranged provision's for about ten days from the castle's nrtir store, where enormous treasures of food of every description are stocked. On October 30, at 4 p.m., we entered Spa. The Kaiser «nd his suite of 1G gentlemen, with about 15 servants, continued to Teside in the train. On November 3 the Kaiser undertook a journey in the front to Alost, in North Belgium. We. left this station with some delay. Had we remained we should have been no more, for ten minutes after the Court train's departure (the Kaiser with some of the suite had left on motor-cars) the station was bombed by French airmen and completely ruined, also a munition' transport and hospital train full of sick and wounded. On the return journey we saw six enemy airmen still above our. train, but we were lucky, as they had thrown all- their bombs at Alost. We returned to Sua about midday. On November i we were informed that we should leave that evening for Berlin. Our joy was crent. but things turned out differently. The Kaiser had not complied with the Tequest of the General Staff to retire from Spa as quickly as possible, as his presence occasioned fears of the worst, but hnd taken up his quarters in the Villa Eroneuse, where he had previously lived. I had to contend with all sorts of things in tho train. The couriers, who should have brought fresh provisions, meat, game, vegetables, etc., from Berlin had not arrived. What .was I to do? I told a Court official that he must see that the necessary provisions were obtained. This was done to a limited ! extent. , „ . „ On Saturday. November 9, ?t G p.m., we received news in the train that the Kaiser was coining down with all his simp, and would remain in the train. What did that mean? we asked ourselves. After some rei flection we arrived at tho right conclusion -flight. About 10, when the Kaiser had left the restaurant car, I was instructed to have a travelling breakfast ready early, the following morning for the Kaiser, six gentlemen of his 6uite, and about eight members of the travelling service; and about half-past 4 the first breakfast- must be ready, as at 5 o clock motor-cars for the further journey (the flight to Holland) would be ready. Thus it happened that the Kaiser left the train at 5 o'clock in the morning and tied in motor-cars across tho Dutch frontier, and vtß followed in the train, reaching Evsden about 10. Scarcely had the train stopped when we heard people belonging to a factory situated opposite the train asking the mocking question whether we wanted to go to Paris, for if so we must take the opposite direction. On Monday the lltli at 9.10 a.m. we lci't Eysden for Maarn, via Maastricht. Our experiences during this journey were simply indescribable. Every single station that we passed swarmed like an antheap with people endeavouring to surpass each other in howling and hissing, holding up their hands, showing their tongues, spitting, and so on. Wo reached Maarn station at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. the Kaiser being received by Count Bentinck at Amerongen. He seems to feel very comfortable there for he rides and tours in a motor-car as at home; indeed, the gamekeeper told us that tho only thing lacking in the count's castle is danoing. We arrived at our place of banishment at Amerongen at 8 o'clock, and found a very Rood reception in small hotel boardinghouse, and had supper. We went to our rooms, -{ill of which were without stoves and very cold, but wo said to ourselves that it was hotter than an internment camp. We remained in these ouarters, very comfortably looked sfter by the lady of the house until the 17, when K — entered my room early and asked whether I had heard four shots during the night. I answered in the negative.. He replied, "Yes, yes; hove we sit like a mouse in a trap.' thereuDon I said that every mouse that is caught endeavours to escape from tho trap. I also' should try. He thought there was nothing to prevent this, but I should leave at my own risk. This I did. and through the German Legntion nt Tho Hague I was able to steer for home, and in this brilliantly succeeded.