THE CHINA MAIL, THURSDAY, MAY 15, 1958.
TODAY HE RETIRES...THE SUPER DETECTIVE WHO WAS IN CLOSE ON THE HIGHSPots of our timE
Burt of
the Yard
Friell
IN TOWN TONIGHT
on how he picked' their secrets...
THE TWO telephones on the desk at his side had green receivers. "I suppose that means they are scrambled," I said. "No," came the answer, "the scrambler is. here" ... and he touched a black tin box attached to the wall behind him.
I was in the uffive of Commander Leonard Burt, head of the Special Branch, one of the greatest detectives of the century,
ago.
And this way his last day on duty. At 06 he is retiring from the force he joined 40 years
The office on the first floor of Scotland Yard is quiet, ogrecuble, undramalle. Outside, the Thaines gllitered in the spring sunshine.
Yet here for 12 years Leonard Burt hus controlled, as he put it himself, "in an executive eapneity, the security of the State."
The protection of the Rayal Family, the safety of foreign
potentates, anti-capionage work they have all been part of Burt's work.
And this followed years in the Murder Squad and fantastic years during the wor in Jus telligence.
A chance
E started off with an almost H
conventional remark ... "
ke this place. This has been my life. This has been my job.”
By DONALD EDGAR
have been anxious
at times. time he Identified himself with here was the Queen's visit to his opponent's aims, Ideals, and Gibraltar...that was, incl motives. dentally, in 1854.... "I went
there twice to see about the To a German he would say, security
The "You did a good job for Ger- arrangements. second time I went there at the many" all the time onxious request of the Prime Minister, to do his job of trapping the that was Sir Winston Churchill man if he is guilty.
I think at times it has, Inevitably, worried Burt,
He was talking about Nunn May, who gave away atomic
"There was a lot of propa- ganda by Franco Spoln," Burt
But before 1 left he wax say- Fontinued, to keep the Queen
ing... "I don't know whether away. There were a lot of funny secrets to Russlu.
I wanted to be a policeman. I've things being raid. But. IL 151 got no time for methodicu, tern out all right." painstaking work. I alleve in
inking a chance, having a go About the measures which And it it turns out weit, having ensured that "it all turned out a drink and-a-laugh."
ali right." Commander Burt
comment. de Bo
1
can
This was more the Burt had ingine they were Draconic. heard about. The unconven- For Burt, mild as he may seem, tional, Intuitive genius... often can be as tough as his job de with an untidy dek, impatient manded.
with offeind hethods. In fact,
more or less, the old man out.
Be the man the Force op-
preciated and used.
Spies
WWE talked about spies. "W10
"When you have been making arrangements about the safety of the Royal Family," I asked, "have you ever twój worried?" "I can't tell you his
wis the best spy you came up against"" 1 esked.
"Well," said the rather short man with the wrinkled eyes, "I
Fly PAN AMERICAN
world's most
experienced airline
to
EUROPE
and the
USA
For reservations,
call your travel ogent or Alexandra House, Phone 37031,
Hong Kong
PAN AMERICAN
„Panatarioan Burial atemors, Ina,, Imporporated
In Dare of New Tark, 18.5 d., mich Limind itability
nume,"
he suld. "But he was a young man from the Commonwealth, 1 was during the war, and he came here and set up als trans-
Ble milling equipment.
was hiphie intelligent... and very Enti-British, I can't tell you
more,"
"What sort of a may makes the best spy?" was my next
question,
"A man," mld Burt, slowly
and thoughtfully, "who does it not for gain, but for some real, deep sentiment patriotism,
for examule. But definitely not for gain."
about
Burt started to talk some of the spies and renegades he had a part in trapping.
O William Joyce--Haw-1inw -he said; "He Was a very courageous fellow. One of the
few chaps who had the courage of his convictions,"
“THE INQUISITOR"... yes, he used the phrase himself.
"Over a period," he said, "you set to knew someone rather well. It's not very nice when finally you have to stand in the witness-box und give evidence against him."
►
Going on
BURT knows that his role has D been at times that of "the inquisitor." He used the word.
That has been his task. times, not all that pleasant.
AL
But his task was to safeguard the interests of Britain... and so, in the long run, all our
interests.
And the same goes for spies. I philosopher love always taken the attitude that probably there is something going on that we may not have caught up with. That's the wisest policy.
"You would be a fool to think espionage is not going on.
to operate is to have lived many "And the best way for a spy years in the country where he going to work, To be completely identified with the people, And to mix in good society."
of polleemen...
he has seen crime on the petly scale In the East End, he has seen the great crimes, the great betrayals which have shaken the security of the West.
"It's all a matter of example," he said. "If children grow up and sea good examples being
alles some degree of self-discip- set by their parents, all will be *well. And good examples im- line on the part of the parents."
The future
I asked him how he had got CH with General head of the Russian
Serov, the
farewell security talked of his services, whe came to England party of bis presents, before the visit of Mr Krushchev And then he talked of his and Marshal Bulganja.
he didn't more than
"We drank vodka together in I asked him about espionage this very room," he said. "We In Britain now,
gel on very well together. He and his men were very efficient." I asked him about the visit of Marshal Tito,
He was naturally discreet,
But he did my that it would be stupid tut to believe that there were people operating... and probably operating well.
"You must remember," he said. "that there are clever criminals who are never caught.
"It was a pleasure to work with the Yugoslavs," answered Burt. "They were very good."
Commander Burt Bat in an easy chuir with a hand to his face favourite gesture in his laterrogations.... He is a
future. Or rather,
ink. In fact, was
enigmatic.
But the job is all lined up, It is not a Government Job. But it is one which will use his tremendous experience.
ונס
His eyes wrinkled a little... he put a hand in his pocket as He looked round his room this last day.
"It's all psychology." he said...it's all psychology... and taking A chance,"
"And now we stop the mighty roar of London's traffic... what on earth are we going to say next week?"
"There's an idea about that we ought to invite Nasser over here for top level talks- wonder it he plays golf?"
KAKAZALAK ZAI
TONNY STEELE
|WA.
Avon His
"This is a great idea of yours, pal-for the first time
¡ fect safe!"
London Kapren. Sireles
Patricia Lewis
The urge to get a gun!
IT COMES TO MOST GIRLS WHEN...
THERE comes a time in every girl's life when she needs to go out and get herself a gun. What with
Of John Amery. whom be the warm weather and meeting a friend just back from went to pick up in Italy at the safari and getting a sudden hate on
end at the war.
"Untor-
tundie kind of fellow. Not physically strong. But mentally quite a different story."
Psychology
MUEN
Burt
this week.
men my time came
Dodge
GUNMAN WALLACE AND CURIOUS COLUMNIST LEWIS—'ONE QUALITY,"
So- flash-back to my dewy slinger this afte days, reminding me of a rather Clly, And as I saw all the Appolat- sportin'-type cultor who talked Royal Warrants of of nothing but barrels, bores, ment dating back through every hour and the stock's so long
reign to Queca Victoria, I know gels
caught ballistics,
beauty that mine would be at least a arms?** So-and-So's classy weapon.
the And
of
THEN began to talk ("exquisite")
about some of the postwar matched pair of Purdeys--I look
cases... Alan Klaus Fuchs,
It
Nunn
was in this sort of ease
tha! Burt Gnally set the seal on It was not an attractive shop bis reputation, le evolved a musty, dusty, and very muscu art of Interrogation, bared
waterproofs online, with psychology, which enabled him hangers, a lot of stiff sepla
on
the
D
A
I
AR under your I
From £500
INTERVIEWING THE OFF-CENTRE PEOPLE
ord
"Eut I didn't think tho Queen went in for shooting,"
"Well, she doesn't like a shot-- gun, but she enjoys taking her Fife on to the hills and stalk- ing the occasional doer."
Of course, I was impressed, but I still did not buy a gun, not even from the royal · rifto- makers.
I have decided that
no man
is worth the risk of a back-firo,
Now, where
else have
I been?
JEDGED between an article
WED
on "sheds" and another on "barrel organs and string vesta” I found in the recent edition of Shemeld University Smog Magazine, the result of their Ideal Girl Survey,
Having disqualined "05 frivolous those entries glving a bust measurement of over 45 Inches" it seems Sheffield's students like their women brunetto, 19, Bft, 2in. tall, and one inch smaller round the hips than the bust-a mere 3Bin.
This would be encouraging to sınall durk girls but for a huge cover photograph of Diana Dors, In a gown supported by one slim, rather strained, shoulder strap.
I got the point. "But surely," deserted, Thore were similar
"oven protested,
Purdey's gun-racks, photographs, must have some women on its Royal Warrants as at Purdoy's, books?"
but here the photographs were I CAUGHT the cool blue "When I started, 40 years ago, of the Kabaka of Bufanda and I waited a while, absorbing May, myself of to a corner shop in
there wore very few," replied one of the Warrants nomed eye of dress-designer Julle Mayfair where these machines
shabby.. splendour in
the chairman, "These
the Harris at a reception for silence broken only
days, Rigby's os rifle-makers to are_mode.
by the T SAID it certainly was not, though, there are a number," Queen,
Jayne Mansacld. It was ap- Bound of nose-blowing. Then a
and on the recent occasion
"The Queen7"
There was even
the same praising the star's choice slight, white-haired man in that had happened my stock "No, the Queen doesn't shoot, elight, white-hatred man in a Brey sult and spectacles led me
had actually gone down-along We simply have her Warrant quiet sult and spectacles who of a "little black dress" atont
corridor into
the with a couple of rather nică as cartridge-makers,"
came forward and introduced shiny satin with a little "drawing-room,"
new friends. That was the Jast "Why does the need car- himself as Mr Frank Wallace, black in front and the littlest to break down the resistance of photographs of royalty and a
the managing director, who had And this method was mungy old stag's head looking airless and heavy. With flocked anything.)
Big and time they went shooting or tridges if she doesn't shoot?" the man.
It was wonderful,
As Miss black behind. • For her guests.'
been with the firm since 1899. founded, not on force, or the sadly down at the guns that had threat of force, but on sympathy.un doubt
crimson walls, a long table out him whore a covered with red balze, curved along his pipe-stem, "We only Mr Lawrence sighted me oak chairs, all paintings of all make one quality gun, you
prints of grouse know, But it was Purdey's 150- the Purdeys,
It costs from £500. elephant, mind of the other man. For a year-old Meces of every gun- and
partridge and Monograms, gold scroll-work,
unloful eye orders from Oriental potentates Jaw," I asked her if she had tiger, and tier upon tier a and inlay are, naturally, extra." I realised I was outclassed and rubles, and diamonds.
of a one-time king of Spain, for rifles studded with emeralds, had any headaches. "No," photographs, most of them 1.fred my lighter with a signed with a bold, challenging flourish, wishing like mud that left, determined to see if Lon- "Philip."
it was jewelled, ond said: "How as intimidating.
gun-makers were much for the best?"
Burt has this extraordinary capacity of entering into the
1957 GILES ANNUAL
BUY NOW! stock is
limited. $5.
at
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST L TD., HONG KONG & KOWLOON
▾
barrel of a
leave
ME
EETING
tho
don's other
I learned that Rigby's specia- Harris is costume designer lised In guns for elephant for the More-Mansfield pic shooting and that in the good ture "Sheriff of Fractured old days It voed 10 hava
Stalking
she said with a smile. "But
I'm glad it's a perlod film. I'd hate to try" flattening that figure into a sack!”
We sat down and Mr C. Harry Lawrence, the master gunmaker
Fingering the richly-engraved A few strides from St James's PRANK WALLACE bravely who look over the chairmanship
0.465 rife, Mr I found Cogswell and Harrison jet me handio a few of the
"Well, we'va Lid, but what when Tom Furday, great-grand Lawrence said:
with tourista, later models, including a home? I WOULD like to be rich son of the founder, died it a got one going through at the topeas, deer-stalkers, decoys, made Mau Mau version with a plge.
moment that is already insured Sten-guas, shooting sticks and real door-bolt for the action and if only so as not to have to for £2,000. It's for an American blown-up still of Clark Gable on a silver-mounted flintlock made wear stockings. That in "Of course you won't get your and he wanted it carved with African location with a 0404 for Napoleon. Most of them were, why I was pleased to see the gun for about a year,” he said, every ánimol in Africa." Express ́rine, the whole place very heavy-too heavy for Baharajah of Baroda breathing A scart ot amoke "All that for a gun?"
was too shockingly alive after woman, even a Queen. "We tailor
wearing "A London 'best' shotgun is the ponen of Purdey's and I took
his ankle-boots across the sunlight. every gun to fit the cheat hand-made by craftsmen," sald fight, like the geese, south,
I said no to Mr Wallace.
without socka. It is only the exactly, Hko a sult of clothes. Mr Lawrance with dignity. In a quiet ereak off Clubland
Ob, she uses a lighter rifle," rich who can afford to be It's no good, is it, it. you see a "That's why we get the people I chanced on another gun-shop, he said. * . } bird' travelling at 40 miles an who know guna,"
Peering in, it looked delightfully made for her when she was 17,” eccentric.
+
"The same one we