1955-06-11 — Page 13

offer

tand my

8 lives?

'THE SITUATION IS LIQUID"

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 1955.

E.Furoplam HOLIDAY CAMP

THE WORLD'S STRANGEST STORIES

The Cave Man Of Dulwich

By Kendall McDonald

ROM the great dor- Three gipsies who were

mitory suburbs south tenants

of a camp close by Matthews retreat wore com→

TO PARIS WITH LOVE

STARRING

of London each week- milled on suspicion of knowing ALEC GUINNESS, ODILE VEROIS.

day morning

a

steady something sweep

stream of City-bound motor psy

of what happened.

tried on the charge,

traffic passes the grave of Sprague was

anmed

of evi-

the Hermit of Dulwich. And but acquitted for lack

dence. All the Bow -Street

on

in the evening the same Patrol's clues led nowhere.

1803 Finally drivers homing now, skirt

January 10, recorded in a vesty once again the triangle of is

minute: "Resolved that the sum

INCLUDES, OF COURSE,

ground where he lies for- of £25 be paid by the parish JOHN & MARSHA IN COLOUR

officers towards apprehending

Matthews.

gotten.

Those passing workers the person or persons guilty of live in houses, flats and the murder of the late Samvel even prefabs, but none lives You may think that this was as the Hermit lived-in a an unusual amount of trouble cavea cave from which he to take over the murder of an was dug cut like a badger, old hermit. But it was rather more than that for Matthews then murdered.

death brought to a head the dis- The date of his death was quiet that local inhabitants felt December, 1802 but the story of about the state of affairs in the the Hermit of Dulwich (or the Dulwich and Sydenham of those Wild Man of the Woods as he was days. known) really began

many

years before, when the death of his wife seat him off into lonely eccentricity-

y-and notoriety.

name

was

SIR BEVERLEY BAXTER, BRITISH FORCES OF OCCUPATION IN GERMANY

bing gardener MP. VISITS THE

SOLDIERS WITHOUT

W

AN ENEMY

SINISTER NAME -

for

Dulwich Wood was a regular His

Samuel halting place

gipsies. Matthews and his loss left him Highwaymen and footpads were broken-hearted. He bad never said to abound in the locality. been highly sociable as a job- Sydenham EXP'S reputation he had always rivalled that of Hounslow Heath. been inclined to keep himself Only the young poet Byron, who to himself and now he decided spent. his schooldays nearby, to leave the world behind seemed to think it great fum: He entirely.

organised his schoolfellows into -hunting parties

thes for-

SIMPLE REQUEST

footpa for the future of Eng-

He approached the Master and lish poetry without result. Warden of Dulwich College in 1800, however, some light (then situated around the chapel was thrown upon the crime. And In the village itself; the presòn: sinister name enters the case. building was opened in 1870) Wry-necked Iscoe, whose real with a simple request. He wished name

was

Isaac Evans - he to live alone and he asked for gained his nickname from the permission to dig a cave on the peculiar way in which he held college estate and retire to it, his head lay dying in Lewis- away from all the world. The ham Workhouse. And just be kindly college authorities

he died in fore he gave

February of that year he confessed to be one of hose who murdered Matthews. But the case was not reopened. The Hermit of Dulwich never avenged.

him peatnission do so.

The exact spot tre chose is not is when the father and mother Fusiliers entered the ring to

known today. It was, according have fallen out with each other. take on L/Cpl. Francis of the

ime, in that to reports at the time, in the Royal Tank Regiment, who had This breeds insecurity

Army

part of the manor abutting in boy, and to some extent he be, fought his way to the, comes the battlefield of his finals. If ever I saw a man

the rear on the College wood and in front of Sydenham Common parents. Their letters, if they marked for slaughter, it was the

Local tradition places the cave come at all, only harass him and Lieutenant. polson his mind.

somewhere near the College Rove tollgate.

Samuel Matthews did not dig very

deep and he built mud walls around the place he had chosen thatching them with "such fern, furze and bracken, as the common afforded."

his

There

IIEN the professional military men with Secretary of the old idea that soldiering is State for

only it for a barbarian in war War

and a fool,in peace. If that was asked me to visit over true, it is anything but trus the British Army centres in 'today. Germany he made

no at-

In the British Army centres I

They tempt to prejudice my mind. visited in the Rhineland I found

met in the centre "You can see anything you that, while the officers were But what about the married sparred for a moment or two and want to see." he said.

wife and then each swing a right to the rightly inspiring a "pride of soldier with

chin. -Down" went the other's Regiment," they realised that children?

living are Therefore. when I flew the

under

their quarters in Germany for them. Lance Corporal-down and out. young fellows

They

told

me afterwards that Berlin to Dusseldorf command were really being con. There are nursery schools for

Lleu it was with no pre-conceived dikired for return to civilian the little children, although I the thoughtful-looking

file. And if you think that such heard a rumour that these are would go through concrete-but tenant Kelly packs a punch that prejudices. As a soldier ini te

an objective is easy

attain being brought to an end.

I accept that as the understand could you have reckoned without the

able pride of the Regiment. and stubbornness

the British character and

the influence of even the pangs of separa family and background. Although tion. At the

same time

It may sound unimportant, there

from

the first war remember the,,

I

jolt

of

to

I could recall the excitement is also the problem of home

of seeing new countries sickness.

and making contact with

older civilisations, even though they were at war with each other.

These

his

-

In what I have written so far

Also the Army supplies the interesting innovation cf Co- educational boarding schools where the parents are required to make me contribution ac- cording to their means. This

The next day we visited an seems to me an admirable" idea because most of the happiness extremely smart station of the and the misery of life is found. Royal Artillery where they put flawles. And then we returned For reasons which may or to our kindly hosta at the Rhine

in the relation of the sizes. Onn exhibition that looked

sociotics,

of

was on that date that the Paris Agreements came into effect.

1

Here for a number of years he tired undisturbed. He still carried on his gardening work Records that he

he "performed gardener's work in the under gardens of some of the neigh- bouring gentlemen, by whom for his inoffensive and gentle de- meanour, he was much liked. Samuel

returned to his always thatched cive to sleep.

And here one night in 1798, while he slept, a gang of gipsies crept up, dragged him out and beat him so savagely that

arm was broken and he was robbed of 12 shillings.

lect

was

It is Ironic that Samuel Matthews' last resting place--in

"pub" and a zebra that triangle of land between

besido crossing should be modern symbol of law and order. A few feet from his gravestone, with its now indecipherable in- scription, is a blue police box.

器

Year 'round, health-protection Year 'round comfort!

with

Remington

Air Conditioner

The Finest Ever!

Spalingers

Engineering Dept.

Let us put it in plain words. may, not seem adequate, there is centre and made plans for the he was left for dead. His right

National But in my soldiering I The average young

no compulsory church parade. In return to London. Service Lod is homesick for Mum had never been part of an and, to a lesser degree, for Dad other words, attendance at divine

ï There is But before I take my tarewell service is optional.

A SHOWPIECE army of occupation. The It is indeed 辽 tribute to Mum

little doubt that such a break of the British Army of the Rhine guns in their fury present that when the bay leaves home

was not intro- let me put on record, again that When he recovered Samuel of another attack ong problem, but when the be discovers what she meant to with tradition

And I can assure you duced without careful thought, the British soldier is still our was fearful guns are silent and

the him.

I was not wholly convinced that best ambassador. His inherent and for a while lived in lodgings York Bldg. that no sergeant-major, however

decency, his incorrigible good in the village itself. But it was victors occupy the territory vocal, can take the place of that it is a good break.

Humour (when he isn't grous said that after a time he of the vanquished, then, prodigy of British virtue.

But the care of our young

his consideration for the "became weary of social inter- new problems present them

The soldier also wants to get soldiers abroad does not begin aged and weak, his sense of fair course and returned to the selves.

the end with military play, his decency towards women woods. This time, however, he back to his job. He is afraid and

his kindliness towards dug himself a proper cave

cave. It that when he finishes as a authorities. Under the leader, and

entrance and a narrow My first expedition from soldi there may be unemploy ship of that great humanitarian children...you can take pride had

widened out inside. He con- Dusseldorf was to the Ser- ment and that he will see the Brigadier Morgan, there are the in our soldiers over there

including

trived it so that there was only What about the Germans? On just enough room for him to vices Club at Muncheon sign in the factory gates: "No voluntary

wanted," That, plus such

organisations as Toc H. May 1 the British troops woke Gladbach.

fine hands

crawl into the mouth of the separation

from his home, his the YMCA, the Red Shield Club, up to find that West Germany cave; and once inside he blocked buildings are set in splendid pals and his giri friend, are the the YWCA, the Church Army was now our official aily for it the entrance with a board which the Catholic Women's League, fields, and are the centre principal causes of

the

Salvation Army, the

up with his propped while he slept. of that region's British ist.

Methodist and United Board

Here he felt secure from stm. Forces of occupation. The

Churches and the Church

teck. He went to the village commanding officers could there is no slur upon cither the

Scotland. not have been more help- soldier or his offices. But now

only for his food, continued with his work, and was regarded as ful and hospitable,...but in I must state the ease against a

an honest, if eccentric, character. number of the

Indeed, Matthews.

became a conversation with them it considerable

National, Servicemen who are so

The sardonic, satirist could local

showpiece.

summer became evident that the obsessed with the idea of re-

think of nothing more likely to many people visited his cave British National Service terning home that they have Wherever the"

neither

the initiative nor the there are hostels, libraries and make the gods laugh. Yet it has and he used to sell them

very dry after dctermination

they must be to keep Europe markable opportunities for ad are hospitala where babies are divided, and we must accept. But coming so far to see an old man. vancement in civilian life which born and where the sick are

eat attraction- He

was a great do not imagine that the young overseas service offers them, .cared for. There is even a

lovely country house where men of Germany are happy especially on Sundays and then

about it. The Army, realising that these soldiers can go for a religious disillusioned ebout war, it is the the Wild Man

If ever I saw a people it was that he became known

of the Woods, fellows are really civilians in course although it is usually Germans, if ever there was a although he continued mild and You cannot drill or manoeuvre uniform, have provided them

man truly dead, it in Adolf gentle even up to the night of Hitler. It

death. his a soldier all day when there is with a chance that they would necessary to "detail" a certain mar

It is part of the tragedy "He

was found murdered-with The Germans are never have had at home. They number to make up the class.

of the human race that we must docle and accept military oc- can learn to paint, they can join

In fact, this overseas service put young Germans into uniform a blunt instrument;

many said cupation as a natural conse in choral singing (at the Rhine quence of losing a war.

centre they did. "The Messiah soldier if he realises that I again, but I do not believe that that it was the handle of the it the megalomaniac frenzy of spade that was used to dig him complete orchestra),

to new ex- Nazism will burst into flame out on December 27, 1802. Nor is the situation simplified can acquire

facility in opens the door by the fact that in many units languages and they can learn conception of fees his whole again. At any rate, not in our probable, however that he was none of the men in the ranles to read the masters of the life, has ever seen active service. In written word. fact the Army is faced with

*

serving.men go

The new West German Army the will come into being and British soldier will no longer be the sole representative of Mars upon the streets,

In

table

soldier abroad is something sight to seize upon the re- recreation centres, just as them to be. Russia decreed it by her beer (a light brew), saying that

new.

" no enemy.

clear issue what to do with the

National Service ranker

who has

fought and, it is hoped, never will fight.

is

петт

some

time.

But I would be giving a false picture if I wrote only of the educational benefits which are his for the taking. The most cajog.. able event in my tour was when I attended the boxing champion the gods will it so then some If that proves true and may ship final ot the Detmold of the credit must

e to the Barracks.

British officers and soldier's of

kumour,

for

It

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Christmas

Atvel God

did not money he Possess The board which he immed against the cave entrance with his feet security against attack failed Lim. flis Killers merely -under- mined

UNDER SUSPICION

He was nearly 70. The fi

that

as

La

the

Here, in fact, is the university But the complexity of the course which would have been problem does not end there. It denied to them, through force of

called National Service but, circumstances, in civilian life. The 8th Royal Tank Regiment the Rhine Army who have quest was held at an in in fact, It is conscription. By Thet,

plus contact with new were taking on the ist Battalion, mingled discipline with good Dalwich Village called decree of Parliament young seches and a foreign language Lancashire Fusiliers, and the air

Trench Horn. The inn, which fellows are taken from their jobs,, (for the authorities

arrange was supercharged with excite- A famous German writer once has disappeared, stood on land their families, thair girl friends, cocial gatherings with young ment. Very wisely no apylaure declared: "The British are not

3 DOTY

part

of Dulwich their palais de danse and their Germans) adds up to a tremen- on cinemas. Many of them have dous and broadering experience shouting was allowed during the most cultured people in the Park.

The verdict at the inquest was never been fifty miles away from if the Servicemen will see it in a round, but as soon as each world, but they are the moet

round endel both sides would, wville

murder by

ретвод от their homes, they are soldiers that ligh,

burst into tour that must have. on active service with no enemy

nearly loosened the ceiling: The- Our Aring has done a frit te perbots were under suspicion. to conquer.

The young soldier who a rivalry was terrife, what I did civilising job, even if the Tommy What is described as a party of hardest to handle is the one who not ace the slightest suggestion of today, like his predecessors the Bow Street Patrol were sent Let me say. that no one comes from a home where there of an unfair blow..

through the ages, does not run to the neighbourhood to an realises this more completely is trouble, The trouble may take

to listen to a lecture on the art deavour to collect every possible than the high ranking officers, many forms, but the one that Is With the tem score in points of pottery or the history of the information that may lead to We civilians are apt to look upon most powerfin in its bad effects 9-9 Lieutenant Kelly of the ancient Greeks,

the delection of the contrderers.”

а

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