The Spy Menace in Salonica

Radio Record, Volume VI, Issue 17, 4 November 1932, Page 3

The Spy Menace in Salonica

‘The Final _ Major Lewis Story

aa OON after my adven- " tures at Salonica, ! good-bye to my friends, the Navy. I had received a mission to proceed to Beshik, near the Bulgarian front, and to investigate the open area between this place and the sea coast.

Leaving Stavros with my runner and two horses | proceeded along a valley or gorge that connected the two places-this gorge is a wonderful ‘place, great towering hills line it on either side, and as you wind your way along through dense bush you are impressed by its peaceful, solemn loneliness. You lose all sense of the terrible carnage that is going on in the not -too far-distant hills; also, you are never sure that some Greek or Turkish spy may be following the same track, and a shot from behind a rock or ledge will end matters. Our troops had been around here at one time, but the nature of ‘the surrounding country made fighting impossible for either side, so they moved to the Struma, higher up. The Bulgarians were aware of this, and used this area to get their spies across to Salonica-hence my mission of investigation.

At the end of the gorge one comes to a glorious lake, its water sparkling like a great jewel; here I sought some spot to make my base, and after a good look round found an ideal spot--a very large cave in which I could hide my horses, also serving as living quarters, and, better still, I could view the lake from a large rock just outside the entrance. Lake Beshik is about 25 miles long and five miles wide, very deep in parts, with flaxlike rushes running out from the bank for about 100 yards, which give a fringe to the yshore. On the right bank is a tiny fishing \, village called Little Beshik. I MADE myself comfort- _ able in my new home, and .then instructed my runner to return to Stavros for stores. In his absence I strolled along to the headquarters of a motor-boat patrol, about-two miles east from my own. = Its job was to patrol the lake for possible spies, watch the fishermen, and act as a line of communication for the likes of me. The boats were old French sardine boats, so named after their use. They were about 60 feet long, and decked over; the crews were drawn from different regiments-in fact, the Army playing at sailors. Two machine-guns were mounted on each boat. The base was very cleverly

chosen, a zig-zag track had beesi cut through the reed at the edge of the lake, and this came out inta a small creek, which ran inland for about a mile. The creek itself was completely roofed with big rushes, bushes and overhangs ino trees, which gave it a tunnel-

like effect. After making myself known to the officer-in-charge, a man named Sinclair, I instructed him to keep his boats off the lake at night for the next two or three weeks, also arranging a code of, signals in case I should need his assistance. ie was a merry little crowd, consisting of about 30 men all told, but suffering badly from malaria, as the malaria mosquito thrived in these parts. I made trips along the edge of the lake toward the fishing village-my nerves tensely strung. This was new country and vastly different from France and the Navy, where one had’ the company of one’s Own fellows. I had to thank my lucky stars that I had learnt bushcraft in my wanderings. Nearer and nearer I crawled-finally reaching a spot

where I could keep the village and waterirone under observation, a dog or goat would give me away-so I had to keep myself hidden carefully. All night and into the day I kept this up for about ten days-nearly dead with mosquitoes. : Everything seemed normal in the village, but finally on a rather dark Sunday night I had crawled down to the waterfront, I spied a rowing-boat coming out of the darkness of the lake. Muffled oars were used, as sound cars ries far in these parts. If they were fisherfolk, what had they to fear? I noticed a man in the stern, and from the way they handed him ashore I gathered he was no ordinary man. They all stood on the bank talking and laughing, one of the men shook his fist in the direction of the patrol base, putting his fingers to bis nose. Later they all went into a house nears y. oe As nothing was to be gained by watching the house I withdrew some miles along the only roadway leading out of the village, and waited. Would my friend of the night come along this way, or was some other messenger to form contact with him? And was hea spy? If he should come, what was I going to do? All these thoughts flashed through my mind as I sat munching (Continued on page :24),

‘The Spy Menace in Salonica ern ee

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chocolate by the wayside. About midday my friend came aiung on a donkey at the walk, so-I retreated along the track, raking my brain what to do. I could not hold him up with my revolver, — in good old Dick Turpin style, as a mistake would spoil my mission. A shot would do the same and rouse the village. My friend was making for the Bulgarian territory, which was no great distance away, so I must stop him at all costs. Later in my retreat I came to a narrow part of the track-here was my chance! I was hiding. behind a large boulder, and as he came abreast I charged him in a good Rugby flying tackle; we both fell to the ground, and fought like demons, kicking and biting -rolling in the dust, first he then I getting the better of it-finally my ‘guardian angel came to my assistance, | and I was able to smash his head on @ large rock, and later his life passed out. I lay alongside him too dead-beat to, move. Later I struggled to my feet; I had come out of it with a sprained wrist, and two fingers badly out of joint, signs of which I carry to this day.

Now what was to be the result of my trouble? I searched the body carefully, but found nothing. Was it all to be in vain? Yet what had been tabulated in that dead brain of his? There was none to say, yet I knew that he was a spy, one less, thank God. My wits now began to sharpen and flashed to the donkey, which had run away on my charge. I must stop it if possible before it returned to the village, again lueck-the poor brute had not gone far and I came up with it peacefully munching the grass on the wayside. It was docile enough when I caught it, and led it back to the body, which I threw over its back, and slowly made my way back to my base. My man buried the body carefully, as I was too dead-beat, and dropping down on the bunk; slept dead to the world for nearly fourteen Lours.

On awakening I found myself down with a heavy attack of malaria, the mosquitoes had done their job, and in this state I remained for a week, nursed by my man-and he, poor chap, was to get a very bad attack of it later. I had a visit from the Sergeant of the Motor Boat Patrol, saying that his officer was raving mad with dysentery and malaria, and would I come over and take charge, so over I went. Sinclair was in a very bad way, so I sent him back to Stavros, and the 62nd Field Hospital took charge of him. From now on I took charge of the boats, and kept a careful watch of the lake. Most, of my men were suffering very badly from maluria and dysentery, but they were brave fellows and kept to their duty. The lake was simply festering with mosquitoes and one wonders, when remembering that this area was the old battle fields of the Turks and Greeks, how their armies put up with the terrible disease. We patrolled the lakes ccnstantly, each boat relieving the other. I began to notice that the fishermen had become yery cheeky, and one eveuing I was coming back from the end of the lake to my. base, and when abreast of the village I noticed a boat

and hailed it, but they took no notice of me, making for their village as fast as they could, so I gave chase, and when nearly up to them a shot rang out, wounding my coxswain. One of the erew sprang to the wheel, and we brought our guns to bear on them. But before we could fire our boat crashed into them, and like a hurdler, jumped their craft, sending its crew sprawling into the water. After much cursing we rescued them and took them prisoners. I was at a loss to know the meaning of their strange behaviour, but on reaching my headquarters soon found out. A messenger had come through from Stavros with a letter asking what

defence I could put up as the Bulgarians were expected to reach my location within the next couple of days. I had to laugh at the humour of the thing-what could my handful of men do against the advancing enemy? They were living skeletons and their eyes were nearly coming our of their heads -besides, my stock of ammunition would have been completely exhausted within. five minutes of rapid firing. So I despatched the messenger back to Stavros with a caustic note saying, "None at all!" The messenger came back with instructions to take the boats out of the water and bring them back to Stavros. Again I am afraid I scared my men, ind the runner with my language. How on earth wasto get the boats’ out of the water with no gear. They each weighed about fifteen tun-did those in power think I could lift them out with my hands? So the poor chap had to return, asking that limbers and gear be sent me, They arrived all right, but how was I to get the boats out of the water, especially as the enemy must be getting very near, and I did not want to fall into their hands: Finally I made

a ramp in the bank and 1 with the of obstinate mules pulled them 9 gi to the bank. Then sinking the limbers into the grourd with runaways for the wheels, we managed to get the boats on, but before all this I had to dismantle the engines, and I am afraid I must have sent the engineers crazy trying to assemble them again. The main thing was that we got them back safely. The journey of the boats ovetland from the lake to Stavros wus about fifteen miles through most difficult country, and many times I thought I would lose them as the going was terrific. Water-ways, wash-outs, rocks and gullies had to be negotiated in their journey. Still my luck kept in, and I was ordered back to Salonica to be nursed back to health in the 5th Canadian Hospital.