DRAMATIC ESCAPE

Hokitika Guardian, 14 November 1932, Page 6

DRAMATIC ESCAPE

FROM FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION

MANY THRILLING EXPERIENCES

b y'; LONDON, November 12. Two young Englishmen who have gone through a series of amazing adventures which read like a film plot, have landed at Rotterdam, Hollarid.

They a 5 * 1 © Stanley Flanagan, aged eighteen, the Manchester youth, who, with Cochrane Crooks, the young nephew of the Mayor of Hartlepool, made orie of the most- dramatic escapes On record from the' French Foreign Legion.

Both the young men were picked up in the Straits of Gibraltar by the crew of the British .steamer Glenshawe after they had jumped overboard from another vessel in which they escaped frotif Oran.

A correspondent of the “Daily Chronicle” a few days before the youths’ arrival at Rotterdam had a long talk with Flanagan’s .brother, Albeit, who, with tlie Crooks’ family, was taking official steps to secure the release of the hoys'. Hd described Stanley as a boy utterly without fear, with a thirst for travel and adventure which had led him into many thrilling experiences.

“My father early decided that, it would be a good thing to satisfy the lad’s'ambitions,” Albert said, “and lie arranged for Stanley to work on a fnrrrt near Montreal. He was not on that farm a month when sonic quesion of wages' arose, and lie left the pla'Cc for gobd. This, was liis first real disillusionment in life. Worse was to conic.

“Alone and without money Stanley set out on, a trek through tlie cities of Canada, eking out a miserable existence by chopping sticks and doing other odd jobs. For twelve months he led a wandering life. He became an expert “train junipel'.” Tlie life must have been Heartbreaking. He was absolutely down arid out, had no friends, no money, riothing. Stanley- decided to return to Eiig' ■laiid, -and boarded a steadier, .but the next tiring; lie new was that’ lie had arrived at Algiers. IVjien lie reached there he got in touch wit'll' the British Corisul) and through liim 1 was requested to send on Stanley’s birth certificate, sd that lie could be sent back to England. In the meantime, however; StanlCy had boarded a boat bound for Italy, arid from there ’stowed' himself away in a boat going to Glasgow. . . “Going home to Manchester Stanley worked for a few months a s a window cleaner, but he could not settle down. He enlisted, but apparently did not find the Army agreeable, and came to stay with us for a week or two. Then he went,, off on) a further tour of ad- ( venture, ' 3 and ' decided o to ' 'join Legion. “On the way to Morocco he evidently picked up young Crooks. Tfiey soon came to dread the Legion, with its hardships. Then came the news of the escape. “When I meet Stanley at Rotterdam L shall persuade him to give 9P adventurous life - a nd apply himself to something Useful. He has had more than his .fair share of adventure and * hardship.' If he does not want to break iris mother’s heart he will come home and stay at home.