SPIES IN AUSTRAILA

Evening Star, Issue 24917, 15 July 1943, Page 4

SPIES IN AUSTRAILA

INTERNEES PLEAD GUILTY SKETCH MAPS OF DEFENCE INSTALLATIONS (Reo. 12.45 p.m.) CANBERRA, July 15. A German who came to Australia in 1938 prepared sketch maps of Australian defence installations while he was in an internment camp. This German, Karl Oswald Thierfelder, pleaded guilty in the Adelaide Criminal Court to two charges of having obtained and recorded information in a manner likely to prejudice the defence of. the Commonwealth. Thierfelder has been remanded for sentence.

The news of the trial has been released by the Australian Director-Gene-ral of Security, Brigadier Simpson. Before the war Thierfelder worked as mechanic-for a German motor organisation, said Brigadier Simpson. He acquired a great deal of information about Australia's defence positions and installations, and about some measures of a secret nature. After the outbrak of war Thierfelder was interned, but the knowledge he possessed was gained in such a thorough manner that he was able to prepare carefully annotated sketch maps showing many of these installations.

" AA T hile much of Thierfelder's information could have been gained from observation, some vital facts in his possession were obtained by listening to idle chatter," declared Brigadier Simpson. " There is still far too much loose talk. People must develop a security sense." Brigadier Simpson announced that another internee from an overseas country had pleaded guilty to four counts of' having in his possession documents containng information of military value which might be useful to the enemy. His case was being heard in camera.