WAR MEMORIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 March 1930, Page 7

WAR MEMORIES

BADEN POWELL AS “SPY” TRICKING THE GERMANS [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] (Recd. March 29, 9 a.jn.) LONDON, March 28. Lord Baden Powell, discussing the widespread legend that he was Butain’s master spy stationed in Geimany during the war, declared that the story was carefully circulated by the British Intelligence Department, with the object of concealing and disguising his real activities. “The enemy went to considerable trouble to find me in Germany during the first half of the war,” he said, i expected every moment to learn that I had been taken and shot. I was really engaged in rounding up German agents in Britain of whom I knew a lot. I went to Madrid later ostensibly to hold an inspection. I inquired into reports that enemy submarines were replenishing supplies there. THE GLATTON EXPLOSION. WELLINGTON MAN’S NARRATIVE. WELLINGTON, March 29. William Thomas Fox, one of the survivors of H.M.S. Glatton ( a monitor of 5700 tons) deliberately torpedoed in Dover Harbour in 1928, lives in Wellington. He was a first-class petty officer. . At the time, the vessel was taking munitions across, and called at Dover for coal. Fox was changing in the bathroom when the first explosion occurred. He saw a mass of flames in the gangway, but made a dash, and hit something which rendered him unconscious. When he came to, he made an attempt to flood the magazine, but the heat drove him back, badly burned. The next thing he remembered was someone dragging him by a rope to safety. Within a few minutes, the ship was ablaze from end to end, and men were jumping into the water. Destroyers came alongside and tried to rescue the crew, but finding it hopeless, five torpedoes were fired into the ship to save the town and she sank with a hundred men on board. Several decorations were awarded for bravery, one in particular to Sur-geon-Lieut. Atkinson. Blinded himself by the explosion, he still managed to rescue several men. His life was despaired of, but he ultimately recovered.

DEATH PENALTY REGULATIONS.

[OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, March 28. Modifications in the regulations regarding the death penalty in Army and Air Force, -which the Government will lay before Parliament, are detailed in the Army and Air Force Annual Bill. It is provided that the death penalty shall be abolished for the following offences on active service, and that punishment for- them shall he penal servitude: — Misbehaving, or inducing others to misbehave before the enemy in such manner as to show cowardice. Without orders from a superior officer, leaving a guard, picket, patrol on post. By discharging firearms, drawing swords, beating drums, ’ making signals, using words, or by any means whatever of intentionally occasioning false alarms in action, on the march, in the field, or elsewhere. Being soldier acting as sentinel, leaving the post before being regularly relieved. The death penalty is retained for such acts as shameful abandoning or delivering up of any place or garrison; shameful casting away of arms in the presence of the enemy, treachery, or knowingly imperilling on active service, the success of His Majesty’s Forces.