FURTHER NEWS FROM NORFOLK.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8674, 14 July 1906, Page 1

FURTHER NEWS FROM NORFOLK.

TOiat the Intelligence ■ Department ' • Know, Some very valuable information was received, by the Intelligence Department of the War Office revealing the military position of the invaders who, it was discovered, had landed at Weybourne Hoop. It appears that Colonel Charles MaedonaM, as retired- officer of the Black Watch, who lived in the " Boulevard " at Sheringhani, making up his mind to take the risk, had carefully noted all that was in progress during the landing, had drawn up a clear description of it, land had, after some narrow escapes, Buoceeded 1 in getting through th«. German lines to Melton Constable,' and thence to London. He had-, before his retiremeait, served as military attache at Berlin, and, being thoroughly acquainted with the appearance of Ger r man uniforms, was able to include in his report «yen the names of tie regiments, and in some cases their ooaninand«re. ■ Careful reconnaissance of the occupied area ahowed' that immediately on i landing the German position extended' from the Kttle, towai of Hoi*, on the west, eastward, along the main Crooner Road, as far as Gibbet. Lane, slightly south of Cromer, a distance of about five miles. This constituted 1 a naturally strong position; indeed, nature seemed to havo *provided it specially to suit the necessities of a foreign invader. The ground for miles to the eoutli sloped gently away down to the plain, while the rear was completely protected', so that the lauding could.' proceed until «very detail had been completed. Artillery was massed on both.. flanks," and w»® adequately supported by the detached infantry close at hand. The whole force was covered by a strong line of oubposta. In roar of them lay their pickets, wthich were . disposed in advantageous situations. These, in their turn, were adequately supplemented by the supports. ' ' F«Hn Colonel Macdoinald's inquiries it was shown that on the night of the invasion six men, now known to have been advance agents of the enemy, arrived, at tibe Ship lan; at WeybanTiie.

Tbiree of them took aooonuncdatdon for the niglit, while their oosnptahions slept elsewhere. At two o'clock th» trio let themselves out quietly, were joined' by six other men, and just as the enemy's ships hove in sight nine of them seized the ; coastguards and cat the wires, while the other three broke into the Weyboxrrne Stwresj aid, drawing revolvers, obtained poissejwiott of the telegraph, instrument t» SherfngjiWtt and Crooner until i&ey couM hand it over to the Germans. : ■ , The p&mo in both Sberingfaun and Or-oaner when the astounded popuiae* found the enemy billeted on tmanwai intense. There weope still many J»K-day-maiwrs in the Grand and BurHnj?- ' ton .Hotels in Sherinj^ham, as also in , the Metropoles Grand, and Pernr 1 at Oromer, and these, on tsfeat nwaniorable 1 Sunday morning, experienced • rode awakening from their early morning slumbere. ' At Cramer the enemy, as soon as they . landed, took possession. - ,of the port office, commandeered 'all tibe stores ajb < shops, including the West Bndrfupdhr Stores. and RustY; otwupied the rail* way station on the i hill,: with alt fts ootsJ aid rollttng stock, and made prison- • ««of^e coastgoa^dsj the four wires, . /as at Weybouine, having, already Iweoi cut by advance agents,; who had likewise seized the post - office wires. A German naval party occupied the coastguard station, and hoisting the German flag at the peak of the staff in. place of the white, ensign, began to make rapid signals- witb the semaphore and their own coloured bunting insteacl of out coastguard flags. ; "■' Then the leading citizens were oaßed together in the squate opposite thechurch, and were officially informed by the chief of the German staff that as long as the town remained quiet ho harm or damage would be done. In the clean, red-brick little town of Sheringham all the grocers and provision dealers were given notice not i©> seH food to** anyone, m it wte now in possession of the invader*, while a somber of motor-cars belonging to private persons were seized. jEvery lodginghouse, every hotel and every boardinghouse was quickly crowded by the Gorman officers, who remained to superintend the landing: Many/machine guns were landed on the pier at Cromer, while the heavier ordnance were brought ashore at the gap and hauled up the fishermen's slbpW. Colonel Macdonald, who had care-, Holly marked a cycling road-map of the district with his observations, driving in his own dog-cart from one point to the other, met with a number of mt-\ citing adventures. , The retired attache, however, poshed his inquiries rather too far, and unfortunately aroused the suspicions of the German cavalry oommander^ with the result that the .Englishman's movements were afterwards very) closely; watched. ■ He then found himself unable to make any further reconnaissance, and was compelled to hide his map under a 'heap of stones near the* Thornage Road, and there leave it for some hours, fearing lest he should be searched; and the incriminating plan found^up^ hjmV • v -;._•_,■■ :'.■'•;• » ■;,-• '. " At "xng&t, however, he returned captiously to the spot, regained possession of his^ treasure, and,' abandoning the dog-cart and house in a by-road near North. Bamingham, succeeded in getting over to Bdgefield. Here, however, he was discovered and challenged by the, sentries. He succeeded, nevertheless, in convincing them that he was not endeavouring to escape ; otherwise he would/ undoubtedly have been shot, there and then, as quite a dozen unfortunate persons had been, at varicuai points along the German line. To obtain information, of the enemy's position, this brave old officer had risked his life, yet, concealed in his golfcap was the map which would condemn' him as a 'spy. He knew the peril, but faced it boldly, as an English soldier should face it. 4 ■ At first the sentries disbelieved him, but, speaking German fluently, he argued with them, and was at last allowed to go free. Through the whole night he wandered on, hoping to find soane weak point in the cordon about Weybourne, but in vain. , ; . Near dawn, however, he found his opportunity, for at the junction of the ; three roads hear the little hamlet. of Stody, he came upon- a ; sleeping 1 Uhlan, whose companions had evidently' ' gone forward into Briningham village. The horse was grasung quietly at the roadside, and the man, tired out, lay stretched upon' the bank, his helmet by his side, his sabre still at his. belt. . Macdonald crept up slowly., If the man <woke and discovered him he would be again challenged. Should he take the man's big revolver and shoot him as he lay? No. That was a ooward'6 action, an ' unjustifiable murder, he decided. He would take the horse, aJnd risk Mi' by making a dash for life. Therefore, on tiptoe he crept up, passing # the prostrate man, till he approached the horse, and in a second, old though' he was, he was nevertheless in the saddle. But none; too soon; The jingle of tile bit awakened the Uhlan suddenly, and 1 he sprang up in time to see the stranger mount. . • ; In an instant he took in the situation, and before the colonel could settle: himself in the saddle he raised his revolver and fired. . The ball struck the colonel in the left shoulder, shattering it, but title gallant man who was risking his life. 'for his country only winced, cursed his luck beneath, his breath,, set his teeth, and with tihe blood pouring from the wound, made a dash for life, and succeeded in getting clean away ere the alarm could be raised. ' And twelve hours later the valuable information, he had so valiantly gained at ' such risk was ia the hands of the Intelligence Department at Whitehall, and, had been transmitted back to Norwich and Colchester.' ;