1955-02-12 — Page 6

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THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1955,

INVITATION FROM A GIRL-BUT WAS IT REALLY INVITATION TO AMBUSH ?

Two British officers gate

by ROLF MAGENER

A German who escaped from a British prison camp in Dehra Dun, Northern India, con- tinues his story how. he and his friend Heins von Have tried to reach the Japanese lines in Burma. Today he tells how they enjoyed themselves under the noses of the wartime British authorities in Calcutta, the second city of the

Empire.

T

it was

crash our party

TRAPPED-BUT WE STAGE A FIGHT AND

Bluff was My Armour

the line to Chittagong was not conlined to troops. There was the strictest watch everywhere, but civilians could travel on the railway.

HE house wus In You must have an understand

Central Avenue 1 it of our situation." walked

at 1 a p

The Indian was silent. Then

"I have had much down, waiting im- be burst out:

Bul patiently. Reins was visiting xperience of the C.1.0.

This is by for the most cunning

Chittagong! We smiled lappilly dentist. un ludian

in the steny In each other Trap they have lalt for me, an iden

his. of

A very shall not do you the favour of Calcutta street. Thus East Bengal town was the nearest big British clever and original idea too, falling into it."

have to the front line. I we 'could get a train that far we Indians who took degrees

were condent wo could huse foreign universities

thugh the jungle to join our Oriental alles. always liked lown and their name. tige. Heins

"Then you are on my side after ure at war with the ll. You English," Heins sald delightedly. to add the

"You the letters after

need not my another

Indinn the

answered.

1 was not bad work, von- word," It gave

pres-

"I see through your resolutely.

we had only been searched the plot to the very bottom. I have Calette for 48 hours. Calcutta telephone book had enough of your investige-

You have put me until he found the name of thos a man who had taken his untold miseries because my wife degree at Heidelberg.

A man who had spent long wars in Germany was the post patorang man to approach

'I'm German..."

H

stationed

+1

In the EINS tok

winting-room. Then he was the chuir The indian dentist bent over him with has little looking-glass and esked him what was wing.

IN

German."

Your wife Le

ESCAPE BY PRETENDING TO

BE COWARDS

"Why do you pick on me?" Heins answered angrily. "Take over wie whole cursed country

for all I cure. You can have It, with all its beggars Mcluded. And Gandhi thrown in."

"Thal

would suit you-to have us drug your cart out the muck."

01

"If you don't want to accept neculn't you the restraibility, criticise."

"Oh, yeah, That's you Brilisters 11 over, K your naven Mom's drawn to any

little

wrong Lhing that's

you gel embby?

LO

An attraction

ander g

to

Wx

found

YMCA. natting-from.

refuge We were given the it had no bods

in

શ

W

R

WITH this parting shot the re- Kamer tossed the beggars v

I was tormented by self-reproach, Any thing might follow from such thoughtless- ness It was inexcus able 10 invite any stranger to share our table, let alono on al- tractive

1 woman

tho

offended against

first law of escape -- never to draw atten- tion to yourself.

"My name is Muriel," she said. "What are

yours?" "He's John." Heina told her, "and I'm Horry." "Havo you

come from the

Burma front?"

"No. That's

bound for,"

"Not to Aasain,

where We're

let's hope." "Let's hope not. That's where the worst fighting is,"

"Yes. Those two Americans were telling me jus-now."

"The Japanese seem to be bud

We slept side by side on the long coin. Then he went on his way. people to come up against."

sweating profusely and cursing to himself.

"What!

Labric used for committee meet- German? Then there 18 the image. But we were not askeri solution. Confront ine

Having with to register, or to Alt in a form I'll soon prove 1 ans

for the police fellow-countryman of hers,"

1

The India hesitated Then he wont vut quickly, shutting the door. Altera matule or two the door opened again.

Cursed us

NEXT morning we joined the

A European woman, in Indian

thies of colchers in Chow- dress, looked in cautiously and

nghee. To mix with so many Bavarian German asked,

foreign soldiers was like secretly "Are you German really?"

a meeting of one's Your hus allending "Of course

m.

and finding out with band won't believe

But memes ine.

bated breath who they all wer Hinn pushed his hand gently perhaps you can convince him."

who fud sworn to destroy you. zed,

In English. "Yes, you do spook like a "Nothing With 11 teeth, German, Like a North German

We avoided looking them in ductor" He paused

"J at ust." she added with a smile,

the luce. We preferred to keep and I and quickly retired and shut the

which eys on their knees,

shorts showed between theat and stockings

.ดร

un English x all. have not got toothache, 1 Bm door. German."

The Intan dropped his instru- ums as if they had given him an electric shock.

#

"German?" he stormmered.

Gestrust.

"Yes prisoner."

Esenped

ני

Good work

FEW more minutes passed before the dentist returned He was in great agitation, torn

and

between four

<IF

been cursed for bring Ballsfi, we picked up enough courage to walk boldly erstes the Grand Hotel K drink

AR we sat down, e nest thing we saw was an Anglo- Indian girl who was sitting ai a table opposite us. She was with two elderly American officers, whose bucks were turned to us.

"Bad En't the word."

Elegant

UGIT

ve to question her? She was pretty enough and [T] men. But she well-read

had obviously

no knowledge whatever of the military situa

had Heins apparently tien. come to the same conclusion be- cause he said: "Tell me, Murici, She had a mass of black hair What's on in Calcutta nowadays" above the perfect oval of her We've come from the northwest face lier Ups were full and and are quite out of it." bland-red. She did mot appear to be greatly taken with her companions, and gave us a quick. glauer now and then

Then she got up and went out with her escorts. But a Iew An American fell in step minutes later the door opened bende Heins." Be jerked his and there she was back again.

in the diection of a

She sat down Alone this time. elbow miserable

of group

beggars against the wall opposite us.... standing on the kerb. He turned with a faint note of invitation, has dabby, red-blotched face to I thought.

resolution in and said:

He went close up to Helms, tenk a hundred rupee note out of his cout pocket and gave him without a word.

The dentist's face went pale. He just manged to multer Implar

itt Leave B you peace, and go. You force na be summon the police."

B "You've

replied

been

:[]

[

"Firpo's is the place to And there are the flims."

eat.

THE BELL RANG

"It must be friends," said Murtel. Heins and I went white and tense... and in walked two young British 'lieutenants

We took irer advice about instantly froze where we stood - Firpo's. It is Calcutta's most and were saved, elegant restaurant, and is in Chowringhee.

to

After four days we decided to leave. I felt so strongly that A visit there was necessary in evil days lay ahead-which, IDT necordance with our principle one reason or another, we were of being seen where the British unlikely

survive that i It was niso ac- suggested making good use of congregated, cording to programme to cat our last night in Calcutta. as often and as well as possible. Calcutta would certainly be the We looked At each other, tast place where we should And Muriel? European food.

"Come along" I said to Hens as we boldly ascunded the wide to the first floor. staircase "We'll mix once more with the lords of the land."

"Do you know of a good une?" "There's 'Stormy Weather at the Roxy. They say it's good."

There was a regular scrum of "Would you like to come and officers and men round the bar. Iwo I suggested. We sat

besidu see it with us?"

Englishmen at table and Heins frowned.

"Your

ordbred John Collinses a long But enthusiasm is fine, John.

gin drink. you seem to forget that we have military duties this afternoon,“

"I'm afraid he's right, Muriel, We must meet another

She took a cigarette from her "Say

You listen.

British case and held it to her lips with-

out lighting 1. be ashamed of your-

I went over, ought to selves to let that kind of thing gave her a light and invited her Sorry.

Why don't you

time." When Heins rejoined me he happen.

With us, was Jubilant. He had found out something about it?

Important lack home, such wretched sights felt ikke monks tremendously German: one i71

The dentist had told him wouldn't be allowed."" Heidelberg.

fact.

do

down

ព

Such food

"Don't forget to rin AS katecrashers we experienc-

When to have a drink with us. she was sitting between us we She gave her address and we

whose wils parted. Satun was leading astray.

me," she called after us.

Dr. MARTIN CALLS THE ROCKOONS

all

OMEHOW the title fits

the scene.....it seems very remote. There is Dr D. C. Martin, A square-shouldered, stocky. dark-haired man in the secretary's office of the Royal Society,

Curre

IN

The scientists get ready for their biggest experiment to find the secrets of the world

BW(LY)

You reach him by way of red-carpeted corridors. Dark puintings of Rutherford, slopes. Faraday, and Bragg give you an austere scrutiny,

On a

we live in

by ROBERT GLENTON

lands.

10 mountain'

It is to these posts young men will go.

They will start their work in July 1957.

that the

of global secrets national matter, sure how the going to take it.

Consider

Is an inter- they are not politicians

are

cd the delight of secretly nocking at tho innocence of the rest of the room. It was on added thrül

to sit down with our enemies in such sumptuous Burroundings.

We orderci

excellent lunch-crab mayonnaise, cold any that has come to the hands turkey, and ice cream, The bill of meteorologists before.

came to only two rupees, eight umas, In Bengal, according to And when the 18, months are the papers,

hundreds of thou- ever, electronic brains will be sands were dying of starvation. rel to work to analyse The millions of figures and tables,

Before left his quiet room, Dr Martin, who is assistant secretary of the Royal Society, told me: "Big discoveries should become clear before the search perfod is over."

What will it all mean?

What it means

The food at Flapp's was so

DRAWING BY ROBB

A moment later two young offcers entered the room. They were both-Heutenante, and their uniforms were freshly pressed. They nodded to us in a friendly though way. They tossed their caps on the inble and naked for a drink. -

Muriel, who obviously know them well, went on to explaiji The reason for our visit.

"Oh, reali You're off to the front tomorrow?" one asked.

"Which unit?"

It was entirely our own fault that this question the most Heins WDS strongly fate that could be put to 2-nd opposed to going out with her, burst suddenly on the party. It He was certain it would get us served us right.

to trouble.

So frank

But then Heins did something

He did quite surprising. not attempt to put up any lle about our regimental entangle- ments and so seal our fate. Ho however, that counter-attacked vigorously and I SUGGESTED,

we could make a date with without warning. her at her fat, and he agreed.

was to track out as unce-if she- had not a flat of her own.

I telephoned her. She had a flat. She said that a friend of hers would be there too. ዝር bring And would some drink along?

She had been so frank and jolly on the tele-

But phone.

she enticing us into an am- bush?

Was

"Hallo, defenders of the Empire," she greet- ed us. She introduced her friend Joan, also ar Joan

Anglo-Indian. was an exptic type.

"I shall be delighted to give you the fullest information on that point, but not here and "In my not now," he replied.

NEXT WEEK

But who

gets the last laugh?

"So you're off to the front?" fenrs. she said.

good and cheap that we lunched too," we lied. there every day.

opinion, this room has too many people in it. I think something ought to bo done about it; Don't you??

"Who

the devil are you to talk like that?" "Never mind who I

am.

This is my party. And I don't intend to have it Interfered-with,

We stood up. So aid the other two. We faced them in a cold fury which banished all our

There was a moment of giddy

"Yes, worse luck. And Assam suspense. Heins had pushed the matter to extremes," But"."" we were determined to force our way "Poor boys. Then we must be out if necessary. As the other two had no firearms prospects We also went to the picturés particularly nieo to you." three times to

were, good." the afternoon performances in the fill light of Muriai poured out drinks. day.

We felt we were safely Heine started stowed away for a couple of conversation with Joan about the hours,

even though we were

pleasures Calcutta had to offer surrounded by soldiers.

troops eager for some fun.

4

haterless

We

in

vanished

THEN one of the officers said, I unobtrusively took in all the voice: "This is not the place for a cool and collected

the amall features of

bwo-

artting the matter. We shall do It was a roomed flat. It Was on the that better outside."

it

came ground floor. If it came to the worst, thera was a verandah over which we could jump into a back garden,

But the tension that kept us strung up everywhere elso was We forgot our own Antarctic TT means that the world's charts released. The

will be redrawn; weather precarious situation. Many naticos *are staking

forecasts should be much more sudden shock when their claim on that part of the

and radio back. world for strategic and financial accurate; earthquakes

waves will be much understood.

reasons,

If one nation's scientists set up a research station In an will politicians isolated area,

argue that

under its national law they have occupled it for their own country?

•

And

better

-

Near thing

Astronomy and mineralogy which will are two sciences advance more in 18 months than they have for hundreds of years.NEWS And the wealth under the world's surface .will bo re assessed.

_one'a'

"Very good. Well for you." They took their caps from the table and went out, Muriel shut the door after them ond -

M

·YOU...

But it was silly to indulge in implored us to stay, teeny, try

oyo: flims showed us the secret broodings

"Don't be so abetur, The sately on an occasion like this. don't surely wants to lgbt like|| state of the front

Be scaalble and stay Manipur front in Central Burme Who was likely to track us down silly boys was nothing but stoop hills and in the seclusion of her fint? Far here. Please stay!" impenetrable jungle. We decided better to keep pace with Heins. But we had had too bad a Then the young men will go against that way of escape,

who was getting off with Muriel..shock. No woman on earth back to their universities. For

But we sat on dynamite oven-already.

would have kept a moment, most of them their daya

will øre scientific exploration

lenger in that room, the be in the cinema. I remember our over,

For the young men are the vital figures in the greatest of In the time that is left the It's all very delicate. table of Dr Martin's all scientific experiments They 30 nations have to be co-ordin- the scientists are not very cheer- room lies a cheap chart of the are going to be the techniciens nted-so have their standards of ful about I.

the kind of thing in finding the answer to so working.

world that costs a couple of shillings, many questions.

There are little figures glued to

it.

What are the questions?, WHY aro the continenta apart? They aro greater distance measurably a from cach other than they once were.

And the senorous-sounding drifting tille of the whole enterprise? The International Geophysical Year.

Fascinating

sounds like the basis for p

Ilecture at the Athenaeum. In

WHAT happens

la

when there

Де explosion--often powerful as a thousand bomba-In the sun?

15

HOW rapidly are the world's

To be built

But they are happy about way most of their plans going on.

the

During the vital 18 months,

They will have taken part

--

bo three times every 30 days. one of the most exciting ex-ing that "God Save The King

[NSTRUMENTS have to

NSTE

calibrated, forms and mathe matical tables circulated.

And there are the rockets to be built.

atorn These rockets will rush up 250 miles to explore the upper Their automatio atmosphere.

sun's explosions, Radar will plot | the rockets' fall; Where do cosmic rays. como from? WHAT is the COURTY There will be rocky p It is going to cost £35,000,000, of the catastrophes of nature... And Dr. Martin a secretary of food, hurricane, and arthrockets fired from high abstudo

reality it conceals; one of the ice capa shrinking and what cameras will photograph the most fascinating and involved, lion beneath them? - experiments world scientists have ever made.

the British section.

quake?

balloons,“

Rockairs rockuta launched from 'aireraft.-A

Two years ago scientists_mot The young men have still to For a long time men of every in a world conference. Then be found. There is going to be nation have worried about the they planned their experimentat shortage scheme is now Ittle we know of the world, of

For 18 months every scrap of before, the World" ? universities the unproved, theories we hold knowledge, skill, and equipment, suggesting that reelechtime Now science, is going to lift this globa; possessor will be spent on desert? Mandi and the top of the world, and have co-ordinated to put the world coberte should be accepted as a look inside,

under a microscope.

part of"; undergraduato' Soon the young when, will not Nonation with technical curriculum. out. There will be thousands of resources has held, back. Human, Tinching Kithe money › là the them. from 36 countries, but was one of the first to approve, ensfest, parts of the problem.

They will go to grass brings But first of all hundreds of golfkeland at the worsha ya lowe on the equator, for snow-research stations have to be metu? Alhough the reclentLEDO botind, buta ăn, liis Antarede, is, up

both went white and tenso.

first visib to the pictures. We But I was not much struck nearly gave ourselves away. We with Joan.

"quick, before they sheer aft," She had real spider in started to leave without obecry-

verandab rälling, and;, vanis fingers. Then the bell rang. We eins shouted. We vaulted the was being played,

But must

iri it go down

The. whole audicace

"It must history

the International | standing to attention, With Geophysical Your? Isn't there consternation, we found that we looking in Muriel said, jump

We ing up. alone had left our scala. a more stirring #tle?-

weather observations will be periments of all time. made by watches all over the world at exactly the same time..

This alono will produce in formation more important than

MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN

HOW'S HE HE SWALLOWED HALF DOIN' DOCT. THE OCEAN. BUT HE'S COMING AROKI MOL WE GOT HIM JUST IN TIME.

WHAT

HAPPENECT

SEAY CALM ASA POND. NO WRECKAGE.

MAY HAVE HAS FIRE-TRERE SYERE TWO OTHERS WITH. HIM~~

YOU MUST BELIEVE MEF THESE "THINGS'LATCHED ON TO US WITH A CABLE--SEALED THE SHIP TIGHT-THEN PULLED, {XT:DOWN--

was

•

be some friends

By Lee Falk and Phil Davis

NOW,NOW--GET SOME

·SLEER TELL US ABOUT

LIT-TOMO

If the two Englishmen shoul read this perhaps they will cowards they thought." bur forgive us. We were not the freedom was at stake."

TALK

VABOUT

MAGIC!