1949-05-21 — Page 9

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, SATURDAY, MAY 21, 1949.

Continuing the extracts from 'THE WOODEN HORSE, the greatest

IN THE FLAT OF THE FRIGHTENED GIRL

Escape to Denmark : Germans discover

the 'contact man': A leap for

life into a gale-swept sea

After many adventures and hairbreadth escapes, Peter Howard and John Clinton, who tunnelled their way out of prison camp Stalag Luft II., have got out of Germany.

Disguised as French workers they made their, way to Stettin, a port on the Baltic, where they were smuggled on board à Danish ship by Sigmund, a member of the Danish 'underground."

It is late October 1943, and we take up the story on their first night out at sea as they lie hidden in the chain locker of the ship,

ERIC WILLIAMS, M.C.

who is the Potor Howa d' of the story. John Ciloton

ED In real life Michael Codnor, M.C.

P

"After

a

a

I

ETER woke suddenly "The life of a contact man is

and completely. It was not long." he told them.

known a few trips he becomes dark. He reached for to the Jerries, Then it is the torch and sent the thin matter of luck whether he beam of light cutting across recalled before he is sent to the darkness of the locker. concentration camp or shot. John lay sleeping, his head have had luck. on his arm, a slight smile on his unshaven face.

They had been sick dur- ing the night,, until they had fallen asleep from sheer exhaustion.

Peter heard footsteps on the deck above. Then Peter- xon, the skipper, came, bringing a jug of coffee and some sandwiches.

no

He said there was longer any danger of their being boarded.

An hour later Sigmund, the "underground" contact, came down and took them up to the forecastle.

You can sleep in the bunks for the next two nights," he said.

931

"Where shall we go when we get to Copenhagen' Péter asked.

"This is my last journey."

RADIO CALL Dangor of arrost

ON the morning of the third

day Sigmund had news.

"We have had a code .raillo from Mr Olsen!" he said. "The Jerries are waiting to me when hagen.

arrest

we get to Copen-

"Mr.Olsen is sending a small boat out to pick me up before we get in. We shall alter the ship's log so that my name is not there. You will come with

me.

"During the night we shall meet the boat. If we miss her we are all finished.

"For myself, I shall go over- board and try to swim to the shore. It will be better than a concentration comp."

"We could take a lifeboat," John suggested.

"That we cannot da. They "It is for Mr Olsen to would see that a bont was miss

ing and shoot the captain.“ decide."

They spent the rest of the day and the night waiting anxious- ly for the boat.

"Who'g Mr Olsen?"

"There is no such pèreoit. It is the name we give to the leader of the Resis tance."

They spent the rest of the day in the forecastle playing cards, sleeping and eating eggs and bacon cooked on the small stove.

By evening the ship, was rolling so much that they were glad to climb into their bunks.

man

Before daybreak the engines slowed down and they went on

deck,' There was a heavy sea running and it was raining. The city was sold and black, and the wind howled as the ship nosed down into the seu.

"It's a bit rough" Peter shouted, "Never got a small boat out in this."

"I don't like it." John said.

The ship was rolling like an she old tub At one moment was poised 40 feet in the air and In the next ste was sinking though she down, down, as would never rise agatr.

"There she

shouted.

ist"

Sigmund

During the next two days Sigmund fold them of the Ger- occupation of Denmark. How at first the Germuns had been "correct," hoping to make

Peter had just time to see a a peaceful conquest. But the red star shell curve down into Danish people had refused to the sen. "They'll have the co-operate. There had been coastal patrol on us!" he said. .clashes.

he spoke As

there was a Now, no Danes were allowed swoosh behind him and a roc- out of their houses after eight ket went rushing up into the o'clock at night, and many of night. There was an answer-

people had with- Ing star.shell and then

Alley the younger drawn to the country to waga could see the boat tossing like a

cork on the waves. guerilla warfare.

【餸]

"WO will have to jump," Sigmund sald, "They will not get alongside in a sea like this."

He went down and returned with three lifebetts.

"Wear these. We will jump one by one. Do not jump until up you see they have picked the man before you. You go first!" he told John,

The boat came round to their lee side. Her amal searchlight played on the water.

"Over you go!" Sigmund or- dered.

John held his nose and jump ed. He fell into the water be- tween the ship's side and the boat and was hauled on board in the boat fell rapidly astern. Presently she was up with them again.

"You next!" Sigmund said. Peter choosing the mament when the ship was in a trough, jumped for out towards the

padlock, which Sigmund un- locked with the key given to him by the boabagh. "We will ride Inst. It is getting late."

wero

He led them inland down the amoria tarmac roads. They blcycles. queer, heavy with thick tyres and upturned hendia-bars, but it was better than walking

Thon the sun came out and the blood moved in them. For the first time since leaving Germany they felt free.

Sigmund led them for several hours, past hamlets and villages, but pressing on all the time.

They stopped at a large farm- house.

"This is the headquarters of the Resistance," Si mund told them. "Walt while I report."

There was a

sentry at the gates, wearing British battle- dress trousers.

Sigmund spoke in Danish, The sentry saluted and stopped to one side.

the

Carl crozact to a plio of Backing in the corner and-re- turned with a Browning Fun, its barrel beat and twisted by fire.

"Where did you got them?" John asked.

"From crashed R.A.F. bomber." Carl said. "We thero

before

We got the Germans ald.

And the crew W

dead. Wo gave them milliary fun- ernl.

Thoy

are buried in the local churchyard."

The breech

is O.K.," said Peter. We can fix the Sun."

escape story

John

"That 19 good," Carl said. "We shall use it against the Germans."

In the afternoon Sigmund took them, by train to Copen- hagen. “I am taking you to my sister," he said.

"You must do exactly as she says and make no noise. On no

must you Recount

leave the

They found themselves in a 1 large tiled low room with clove at one end and in centre a long trestle table at flat." which three men were sitting.

Service rides stood in racks

wall, and be against the far neath were boxes of ammuni tlon and open trays of band Grenades.

He walked them through a maze of streets to a block of fals.

Peter and John followed him to a flat on the third floor.

table The door was opened by a trans- tall. fair girl. She looked Sigmund spoke to

To the left stood a small on which was a British mitting and receiving sel the main table

four were Browning machine guns.

Os frightened, wildly,

boat.

The sea was not cold at first. coldness gripped But then the him. He struck out his lungs full of salt water.

difficulty They had pulling him Into the boat. Then he was lying in the bot- tom and

someone was forcing brandy between his teeth.

some

A WELCOME To the R.A.F.

Sigmund joined them. The engine was put to "fuil ahead" AS they entered, the

plunging and

and they were bouncing towards the shore.

'MR OLSEN' Leader caught

FIRST light was breaking us

they came to the land. It

was a bleak and desulate const-

Ene.

her.

Her face went white, but she smiled and motioned them into the room. There was an air of feminine order about it.

Pater felt strange and uncouth three in this room-the first private men looked

up. Sigmund room he had entered for a year. spoke of them in Danish. He He felt that he was bringing spoke fast. Peter heard the dirt and danger into this girl's letters RAF repeated several flat, and he did not like it times,

The men stood up. Their faces had brightened as Sig- mund spoke..

"RAF," the man at the head of the table cald in unaccustom ed English. "You are welcome to our country."

"This is Carl," Sigmund sald. "He is Mr Olsen's second-in-

Sigmund spoke to the man who was steering.

"They have caught Mr command." Olsen," Sigmund sald. He said it as though it meant the end

of the Resistance.

"How?" Peter asked.

late forties. Grey and thin but Carl was a tall man in his

-with-keen-eyes and steady....

hands.

Bigmund warned them again not to leave the flat, and depart- cd, leaving them standing awkwardly, facing the frighten- ed girl across the table. Her fear was obvious. betrayed it.

Her large eyes was new to Peter and it dis

turbed him.

It was a fear that

NO CONTACT But heard BBC

or

Clinton

The girl was frightened all the Ume. Every time a door opened, she heard footsteps on the started pavement below, she nervously.

This was the cold, pervasive fear of the Gestapo, the four of informers, the helpless fear of the civilian under military rule.

Her fear was of torture, of whips, and the horror of the con- centration camp. The fear of be ing taken away to an unknown but imagined fate.

It was Infectious, Peter want- ed to get away from this giri, away from the fear in which she lived. He helped her to wash the | teacups in the small kitchen and went back into the lounge,

"That kid's scared to hell," he said.

own

"50 am I" John told him with these people, Peter said. "I don't like being involved

"If we're caught on our we're caught, and it's all clear- cut. But if we'get caught with a crowd like this there's no know- ing where we'll end up."

"It's a risk we've got to take. We've got to trust them.*

TO THE SHIP On way again

flat,

and

THEY slept that night in the morning Sigmund returned. One the following

of his hands was bandaged,

"How did it go?" John asked

"It was O. K.? Sigmund sald.

"We got Mr. Olsen all right. We

killed several Jerries."

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"What have you done to your cease? It can all be

JOHN Apoke-first, "It's-good-of-hand?"

you to have us here." The girl said something in

"She doesn't speak English." Peter said.

"The Jerries raided the farm "You are welcome," he sald Danish.. where he was staying. They again. have put him in prison."

"Thank you," Peter sald. He. They ran into a narrow fjord looked at the other two where there was n strip of They were bath young. He white beach and a steep path walked over to the table. to the top of a cliff,

"Browning guns!" He took up

"We must go quickly," Sig- one. mund said. "There are bicycles at the top of the clift. These men will hide the boat. There are German patrols. We must not waste time."

men.

"It will not Are," Carl said. Peter turned the gun over. "Number one stoppage," he sold.

"It's a bullet wound. Now we done with a go. We shall try to get you away tonight. We go to meet Petersen stroke of the

same

pen and

of

"We shall go In the ship. She docked last night. John tried again in French, Now I am to take you on boat but the girl still replied in again. She will pass down the Danish, and shook her head. He Swedish coast on her way back the advice tried German, but she stili could to Germany and arrangements not understand.

will be made to put you ashore." So they stood there awkward- "How will they do it?" Peter 1. Standing because the girl was asked. standing and hoping that she would st

"It will all be arranged," Sigmund assured him. "When Peter took a chair and placed they enter noutral waters they

they all sat down.

drop him again when they leave The girl seemed helpless with neutral waters. Arrangements Aring fear.

This was difficult. What will be made for you to go could they dot

ashore with the pilot."

*They elimbed the cliff, and The men watched Peter as he stood looking at the orderly stripped the gun down to the it behind her. She smiled and take a Swedish pilot aboard and countryside. A landscape of breech block. neat housea, trim fields and

well-kept roads. There were "Bad luck. Broken no hedges, but wooden fences pin." and earthen walls,

Three bicycles afood chained together and fastened by

a

SEE WHATS HANGING ON THE KREMLINS NEW-LINE)

"You can fix !!?" Carl asked. "Not unless you have a spare breech block," Peter told him.

There was a radio set standing Ho

to

it and said. "Eng-

"How shall, we get into the docks?" Peter asked,

In the corner of the room. pointed Land?"

"That also has been arranged. The girl indeed. She took a You will use the passes of two portable gramophone and put on of the crew. The same was done a dance record. Then she crossed for a prisoner called Rowe. He to the radio and turned in, very was taken from Danzig in A faintly, to England.

Swedish ship."

crouched

Peter and

John down, car to the loudspeaker, [Philip Rowe, Flight- while the girl played dance Lieutenant Oliver Philpot, music on the gramophone. It was D.F.C., M.C., escaped with Peter the B. B. Cthe calm, uneme and John from Stalag Luft 111, tional volco, of on announcer made his way alone to Danzig, reading the news.

and there got a ship to Sweden.] Peler turned to John. The old devil! He beat us to it.".

They all stood up. *•

England seemed very near". Very near and very real.

When the news was finished the girl put on her hat and cont. She traced her finger round the dial of her watch to tell them she would be gone for an hour

While she was away they washed and shaved. Then they fell asleep in their chairs.

COLD FEAR Of the Germans

"Thank your sister for us," Peter said. "Tell her we think she is very brave."

Sigmund spoke with his sister.

"Sho thanks you," he Inter- proted, and wishes me to tell you she is not brave. She, is, glad to help those who are nghing to liberate our country, But she is frightencil all the

SHE woke them in the even time," ing with cups of apple-leaf ***

tea,

!

"Even if she doesn't speak

"Tell her she's not the only

English she knows the good old one," Peter and

tea-time," John said. Pad, Sigmund translated, and the She brought a Danish-English girl smiled her disbelief. They dictionary. And she told them

to take off their shoes so that left her watching them from the their footsteps could not be top of His narrow stairs, hoard-in-the-flat below

She played the radio to drown, their conversation, &- Sho played the radio ·· all the time."o" that" they began to feel nervous' ‹if it'

was not playing,

NEXT WEEK

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