“WHEN I WAS A SPY”

Hokitika Guardian, 1 July 1929, Page 7

“WHEN I WAS A SPY”

(By Lt.-Gen. Sir Robert Baden-Powell, in sin interview), Tire tribute paid to the secret service.work of Sir Robert Baden-Pow-ell by Air Win fried Dudccke, a German, in ni« nooic ••Behind tlie Scenes of Rlspioin. w -\” lms aroused great interest in ,>ir Ro.iort’s exploits as-a spyLux\D'>jN, Aiay 16. Once 1' bad to team sou.ew.ng auoui -no lor-iimation of the .Dardanelles, i took passage in a British coasting vessel. As we neared a rout the vessel .nchored and 1 put off in a small boat jstensioy to usn, but actually to take .oundings and angles. ihe lurks kept ordering tlie cap-..un-—wiio was in my conndence—to move Ins ship as it was in phohibited waters, buc he declared that that was mpossibie as las engines had broken iOwn. He called the Turks to listen to tlie hammering that was taking

yiacie in the engine-room. We goi .way with the ruse, and so under then .loses I learned the Turks’ secrets. THE WOMAN ANJ.) THE GUN'S. On another occasion we wanted to know something about the defence ol Joiistantmople.; There was a greai .teal of talk about the secret new guns -lie Turks had got. it was ordered 10 do >.y pest.

I knew a very charming American roman in Consuintinop e. 1 went there is an American and met my friend, die'helped me all she could.

She invited the Turkish officers to tea md was soon a great fa.ourite. She io managed matters that she got an nvitation to take tea with them and oring a “friend.” I was the friend. Y*o were walking about and the American woman suddenly called atention to guns which were covered vitli sheets.

“Ob, do let me look at them, “she mid.

“J can’t do that,” replied a Turkish ifficer. “They are our secret guns.” “Well, I’m going to look under the .lieet,” said the American woman.

“Very well, if you must you must,” aid the Turk, ‘but you will see notling—.hey are the same old guns we have had for twenty years. AVo have ust covered tiicn over to make people leliove that they, are new ones.” I was really only a hanger-011 of the ntelligence service, and was sent to ountries in which the regular agents were too well known to do any g f od. T was captured onre in Russia, but ■nan a god io escape. The Russians had developed a remarkable new searelp .ghi of which we had to know. T wasin the guise of a tourist, and in mv innocence blundered right across the place where night 'after night, they were •nerving on their experiments. The Russians, however, wore not ouite so simple. Tlie arrested me. Fortunately tbev did rot put me in .-iron, but took be to t -'t. Petersburg and put me in an hotel in charge of a defective. I managed to give him the din and make my way to an English diin, where by passing as one of the crow T got clear away.