[Published by Arrangement.] SKATING UNDER FIRE.

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 111, 6 November 1935, Page 22

[Published by Arrangement.] SKATING UNDER FIRE.

SWISS VISITOR TELLS OF UNOFFICIAL WAR TRUCE.

A story of one of the most remarkable of all unofficial war truces is related by Mr. E. Corthesy, a Swiss professional skater, who is visiting Palmerston North and will be seen at j the Show. It was a truce which occurred, during the Balkan War which preceded the Great War, and while it lasted opposing armies faced each other across a frozen river watching a man on skates gliding and spinning in an exhibition that made them withhold their fire. ' ' ,: ' • Mr. Corthesy said the performance if such it could be called, was one of many which he had given in unusual circumstances. As a member 'of a Swiss Red Cross unit he was attached to the Serbian Army, and found himself with the troops on the bank of a frozen river near Monastir. The Turkish line was on the opposite bank of the river Challenge Accepted. One day, Mr. Corthesy said, he was feeling restless and somebody dared him to leave the line and go out on to the ice on his skates. He accepted the challenge. He donned his blouse, which bore the red cross of his service, and put on his hat with its red cross badge. Then he fixed his skates to his boots and glided out on the frozen river. The Serbian soldiers had ceased firing by arrangement, but the Turkish troops continued to shoot until they realised the extraordinary and harmless nature of the skater"s appearance. Slowly the Turkish fire died down and then ceased, and a welcome quiet reigned while Mr. Corlhesy cut figure eights and sped up and down the.ice in a variety of skatinf evolutions. "Perhaps the Turks were too astonished to fire." he said. "I did not learn until afterwards that a similar incident occurred during the Napoleonic wars." Performance Before the Tsar. Recounting some of the dangers which can attend the work of a professional skater, Mr. Corthesy said he had an unenviable experience when performing before the Tsar of Russia at Tsarksoye Sclo. As a climax to his demonstration he did what he called a "devil dance." This consisted j of a violent spin while his body, naked ! from the waist, flamed like a torch. Hichly inflammable oil, placed over a protective preparation to render the flames harmless, was used to create this effect. At the sound of a rifle shot, said Mr. Corthesy, he had to stop the spin suddenly in front of the Tsar and bow. Everything proceeded according to schedule, but the muscular strain on his neck, resulting from the sudden stop, was so great that he dislocated his jaw and broke a nerve. Instead of bowing he collapsed. The St. Moritz skaters have appeared with iheir great act before their Majesties the King and Queen and H.R.H. the Prince of Wales.