GERMAN SPY SHOT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20636, 16 August 1941, Page 5

GERMAN SPY SHOT

LANDED FROM PLANE ESPIONAGE EQUIPMENT EXECUTION IN 12 HOURS (Reed. Aug. 1(5, 8.50 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 15. A German plane dropped a spy by parachute in the home counties. The Home Guard captured him. Twelve hours later, the War Office states, Josef Jakobs, a secret service agent of German nationality, bom at Luxembourg on June 30, 1898, was executed in the Tower of London in the morning. It is understood that Jakobs, a noncommissioned officer of the German Army, was attached to the meteorological service. He was clad in civilian clothes when he dropped from the plane and was fully equipped for espionage. He had a wireless trans-mitting-and receiving set, a large sum of English money, an emergency rood ration, and also carried a small hand spade for burying his parachute. After his conviction he was shot. An interpreter was placed at his disposal for the purposes of his defence. This is the first announcement of a spy having been executed by shooting since the outbreak of the war. me others, being civilians, were hanged.