BORDER PATROL

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 97, 22 October 1934, Page 5

BORDER PATROL

FIGHT WITH SMUGGLERS

THRILLS IN IRELAND

People who think life in England rather humdrum should come to tho frontier of tho United Kingdom—the Northern Ireland border; Hero aro thrills in plenty.

Tho Border Patrol—tall, well-built police, armed with revolvers and stationed in barracks where rifles aro always slung on the walls, in readiness •foj; any emergency—engage nightly in alattlo of wits with tho Free State cattle smugglers (writes a special representative of the "Morning Post").

There are many tense incidents along this 200-milo frontier lino that runs over or alongside hills, mountains, river, and lochs. But tho incidents are rarely recorded.

With the coming of darkness tho smugglers sally forth, and, as they do so, the men of the border patrol creep out. One night I accompanied them. The hills and mountains aro already changing to black, forbidding outlines as we set out, not on horseback, as in Wild West films, but in a motor-car. The two patrolmen hope to get into position before some watchful scout of the smugglers gives the alarm.

Gradually tho last of tho twilight goes, and there is no sound but tho steady hum of the car. The vast area is deserted. Presently in a pass between tho hills, the car comes to a halt. Tho lights arc extinguished, and with tho aid of a torch, held close to tlio ground, in order that its beam may not be revealed; the vehicle is pushed quietly into cover. . . IN A DITCH. The two members of the patrol pick their way carefully through the darkness. "Here we are," one whispers, as he drops into a ditch. Tho pair settlo down without another word. Keenly alert, they watch and listen. The grass is wet, and they may have to wait here for hours. One of them, however, has a feeling that something will happen.

A smoke would relieve tho monotony, but that is impossible. They daro not risk a light. Cramped, they change their positions, but without noise. The slightest sound might betray them. Even whispers might be dangerous. A couplo of hours go by. Tho wind has increased to a gale and it is raining heavily. There is no sign of smugglers —but thero is another route to watch.

"We'll take tho bicycles," says ono. From tho back of tho car two machines nro produced. "The car is hidden. No fear of tho tires being slashed by our friinds," says the other.

They set off on the two machines — without lamps. They cannot even soo one another in this darkness, and ono rider catches his pedal in the wheel of the second . machine. Throe spokes are broken, but the wheel holds and on they go. Soon afterwards tlioy dismount, put the machines down silently, and craw] behind a stono hedge at the roadside. Another long wait and then, at 2 a.m., there is a sound. THE BULLOCKS COME. An instant later four bullocks come racing along at top speed. A man behind is beating them furiously. The cattle pass and then the patrol men jump forward. One seizes tho man, while the other, one hand on the revolver 5n his pocket, flashes his torch full in the face of the drover. Tho man is searched—but ho has no guns. The cattle come to a halt, and tho patrol takes them and the drover prisoners. Two or three hours later two very weary members o£ the border patrol, having lodged the.driver in a cell aitd the cattle in a pound, lio down for a few hours' sleep. The patrol has j won'again. . ; j The men who compose tlio border j patrol achieve many successes, but their difficulties are extraordinary. _ They may see. the smugglers, with their cattle, in the distance, but be quito tin-1 able, owing to tho configuration of the ground, to reach them before they disappear across the border. If the patrol wins thero aro more prisoners for tho petty sessions courts, where business used to last an hour, but now goes on all day—almost entirely because of cattle smuggling. The real culprits, however, are rarely caught. It is their assistants who fall into tho hands of tho patient policeassistants who may even include daring women, earning £1 in respect of each of the cattle they manage to get across the border.

These assistants have their own helpers. When things go wrong the smugglers bolt for safety over bogs or fields or mountain paths, leaving their cattle to be seized and confiscated. The smugglers have their own scouts. Provided with bicycles, they watch for the patrol, and, at the slightest indication of danger, give signals, which aro instantly picked up by their confederates. ____

CHASING THE BANDIT

POLICE AEROPLANES NEXT?

Car bandits may soon, have to reckon with wireless-equipped aeroplanes. At Desford aerodrome, Leicester, I' have just witnessed a demonstration in which a car supposed to carry fugitive bank robbers was spotted by an aeroplane, and with the aid of Marconi wireless equipment was run to enrth inside twenty-five minutes, says a correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph."

For tho purpose of tho demonstration Desford aerodrome was regarded as police headquarters. Here a party of observers were able to hear on loudspeakers the messages exchanged between the aeroplane- and a patrolling police car, also fitted with wireless. A mimic robbery was staged. At 2 pm. word came that two men had robbed a Banbury bank of £30,000 and had been seen to escapo northwards in a car distinguished by a white roof. The aeroplane immediately took off, and at 2.30 came the news that the car had been identified from the air. "Police patrol Lutterworth road," came the instructions from tho aeroplane, and after various other directions came the words: "Pull up at Bruntingthorpo corner." Soon after the hunt was over, the unsuspecting "bandit" car having run into the- arms) of the police. Tho Chief Constable of Leicestershire (Captain C. E. Lynch-Blossc), who occupied a seat in tho polico ear, told me that he had been greatly impressed with the demonstration.

"From tho police aeroplane," ho said, "we can pick out any car at a height of 500 feet and can follow it easily." Although the system may perhaps not have immediate application, it may eventually be used all over the country. Its use in traffic direction has already been demonstrated.

At a lied Cross demonstration in Sydiify, just after the outbreak of the: war in 19H, Madame Mclba acted as auctioneer, and sold a number of farthings for gold. She invited the assembly to make a special bid for the last farthingr. -which brought £30. She then sold a anal] .Fiip.-mo.se flaI.' for 55 guineas.

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