DASH FOR SAFETY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1327, 21 November 1914, Page 4

DASH FOR SAFETY.

MISLED BY GERMAN SPY

No chance is lost by the German spy of doing bis work. One endeavoured to lead a trio of British into a trap, but they managed to escape, and one of them, Corporal P. Quinn, now tells how he and Private McElroy, both of the Dublin Fusiliers, reached safety. Nine men were taken prisoner, and were placed in a motor lorry with a French officer who spoke English fluently. The latter said he did not know what their fate might be, adding, “ All you Britishers should try and make your escape with me.” This we were willing to do,” states Quinn. “There was a sentry in charge of us, and the French officer seizing his opportunity, jumped from the back of the lorry, catching a firm hold of the sentry’s arm, and thus preventing him from using his rifle. The nine of us came to the French officer’s aid, and, overpowering the gentry, killed him. Then in the rush to get away the sentry’s rifle, which was in the possession of the French oftka - , went off. The report having reached the German quarters, lour of them came up to us, and in the encounter two of our number were shot. Those of us who escaped got to a road close by, where three of us got up a tree and remained until daybreak. We got from Cambrai down to the canal, where the peasants concealed us in one of the canal boats. They provided us with civilian dress, instead of our uniforms. From the canal we went to the village of Herraones, where we were comfortably housed for the night by villagers, A French school leacher came to the house the same night, and informed ns in English that a gentleman who had said he was an officer in the French Army was going to St. Paul’s next morning, and that he wished us to travel with him, as he knew the country perfectly. We had no suspicion of the stranger, with whom we walked about three and a-halt miles. He was in civilian dress. We could see the main road in front of us. The stranger then got iu advance of us, for the purpose, he said, of seeing if the road was safe. We lay on the side of the road awaiting his return. We soon heard a whistle, and thinking it was the stranger mentioned we jumped up, to find a party of Prussians approaching us. We then had reason to be lieve that the stranger was none other than a German spy, apd bad 1 led us into danger. The Prussians were about 150yds awry, and we lost no time in returning to the village. After a short stay there we reached the village of Moray.” The subsequent adventures included a concealment in a French hay cart and a narrow escape when some Germans took part of the hay with which to light a fire.