GIRL WHO SAVED KING ALBERT'S LIFE

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXXI, Issue LXXXI, 14 May 1920, Page 4

GIRL WHO SAVED KING ALBERT'S LIFE

HUN PiLOT FOILED

A remarkable story of'how a peasant, girl saved. King Albert's life and prevented some of the chief building©: in. Brussels,, which were mined by the Germans, from, being blown up after, the armistice,, is told hy Alderman A. T.^ Barber, ex-Mayor of "Windsor, who haSP returned, from Belgium; MUe^_ Angelica Y^ercainmen, of. St. Giles, Termonde, wa&siii a trainoa the way to. Antwerp, says Mr Barber, and overheard, conversation between, a. German officer and a aurse. The. officer asked if Angelica understood German,, so shfibsaid, "No, Ldo not." . Not satisfied, the German^ ordered: her ouix of the carriage, but she went. to the next compartment. Tlfe handleof the heating apparatus was broken,, and she peeped through a tiny hole> and; saw the officer take a ■plam.of Brus-. sels. from his valise and esplain what buildings were rained. Angelica told her story to the guard, said the officer and the nurse were arrested at Antwerp. WJwa. Angelica' pointed out to the officiafe the secret pocket in the valise in wEich th» German had concealed the plan, he drew a revolver to shoot her, but a Belgian: disarmed him*.

Documents proved the German'fc intention of blowing up the palace onFebruary 19, 1919, when King Albert met the French and Allied representatives. The officer ami the nurse wereshot .at Liege-.. King Albeit'sent' for Angelica and decorated her wi^fe- the Croix d& Guerre, the Order of Leopold 11., and the Oroix de la Ifc&ihe EKsabeth, andt offered her- a position in a Government office. He also "commendedhear for having done more good work for them, than any single person at the front.** "/, In the peace fete in August, at QPeiv >J monde, Angelica rode en, a horse led by two Belgian, soldiers.