REAL WAR ROMANCE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9653, 9 July 1919, Page 7

REAL WAR ROMANCE.

The marriage of Lieutenank-Colonel S. IT. Nowcombe, D.5.0., R.E., and Miss Elsi Chaki, which took place at St. Margaret's, Westminster, early in April, was the outcome of a romantic courtship in Turkey. It appears that Miss Chaki visited Colonel Neweombe when he was a prisoner of war in hospital at Constantinople last summer, suffering from smallpox. Later, when he was transferred to Brxisa, she succeeded in following him on the plea of ill-health, being accompanied by her faithful maid.

Here Colonel Nowcombe made many amusing attempts to meet Miss Chaki, and eventually he escaped one evening disguised as a Turkish knoja (priest). He explained to her that he required a boat, money, a hiding-place in Constantinople, and means to escape from there, iv order to gain his complete freedom.

He returned to the quarters where he was confined, and Miss Chaki set to work to secure the means essential to her lover's escape. When' her preparations were ready she smuggled a note back to him. Lieutenant-Colonel Neweombe regained his liberty one night in the middle of September, and after a twentymile walk to the coast and two days' rowing in the boat procured for him, he readied his hiding-place in Constantinople. •. Here he began propaganda work for the armistice against the Germans, and just as he was ready to start with a well-known brigand to the frontier, he was asked by a high official of the New Party to remain to take out armistice terms. His presence in the capital was unknown to the police or prison authorities. „ Colonel Neweombe got away from Constantinople just before the armistice. Miss Chaki was not allowed to follow until over four months later.

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