WAR SPY.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 5 February 1936, Page 5

WAR SPY.

HIS FRIEND NOW. BRITISH ADMIRAL. STORY OF CAPTURE. Admiral Sir Reginald Hall, formerly war-time chief of the British Naval Intelligence Service, who cleverly outwitted and captured the famous German "Dark Invader," Capt. von ' Rintelen, and afterwards became one of his greatest friends, arrived in Sydney last week with warm praise for his ex-enemy.

As he briskly pulled on a canarycoloured blazer in his cabin on the Otranto, brushed his long white hair, and donned his jaunty naval cap, Sir Reginald told the story of von Rintelen's capture.

though a spy, von Rintelen was travelling as a passenger on the Swiss ship, Noordan, but was detected, and when asked by Sir Reginald (who really .knew of his identity), if he knew of Captain von Rintelen, the German said, "No." When Sir Reginald smiled knowingly, von Rintelen clicked his heels, came to the salute, and said, "I am your prisoner of war."

'lHe was an] interesting capture," said Sir Reginald, his blue eyes twinkling, "and we took him to dinner before handing him over, and he was it. est charming. I suppose everyone remembers how, when placed in. custody in London, he found the door open and no guard over him so calmly walked out, but grew tired of roaming London and went back.

"There is nowhere to go in London so I thought I'd come back," he said.

Just before Sir Reginald left London an the world cruise that has brought him to Sydney for the first time one of the last to shake hands was 'his "old friend the enemy," Captain von Rintelen, whose daughter had just attended the wedding of Sir Reginald's daughter, as bridesmaid.

"Von Rintelen was an extremely clever man, and a cultured one, with aesthetic tendencies," said Sir Reginald, "and even now he is uncannily up-to-date in his knowledge of international affairs. He was fabulously wealthy in Germany, but, of course, lost everything, and has a deep love of England, where he is now living by writing.

"Our friendship sprang from that episode of his capture after his great cunning had caused so many British ships to be sunk."