SECRET MISSIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 14 December 1935, Page 6

SECRET MISSIONS

MESSENGERS OF THE KING.

RISKING LIFE DAILY.

International complications, such as those which are disturbing the world s peace of mind at the moment, mean a busier , and more anxious time than ever for the thirty odd men who follow the mysterious, thrilling, and often dangerous career of King’s Messenger. As you read these words many of them will be journeying to capitals m all parts of the globe, bearing documents which contain some oT the most closely guarded secrets of the State. Entrusted to them by the foreign. Office for delivery at British embassies and consulates abroad, these documents must not be allowed to leave their possession for a single moment. The King’s Messengers are known as the wearers of the (Silver Greyhound, for their badge of office is an emblem from which a tiny silver greyhound is suspended. By showing it they can get a car, a special train, a steamer, an aeroplane, or even a warship placed immediately at their disposal; they can have traffic held up for them, and they can secure admission to any foreign country without having to show a passport or made a customs declaration.

It was Charles 11. who started the King’s-Messenger Service, and he did it while in exile. The first silver greyhound badges were figures of dogs removed by him from the lid of an ornamental porringer and given to his mes‘sengers as “credentials.” To-day the Silver Greyhound men still carry occasional messages to and from the King personally; but tlie bulk of their duties are on behalf of the Foreign Office. A King’s Messenger is required to live within a mile of this building, and whenever he goes put he must leave at his home a list of the places where he •may be found during the day, in ease he is needed for an urgent errand. He travels with a small case which lie keeps permanently packed, and he has clothes and uniforms deposited in capitals all over Europe; he can thus depart on a mission within a few minutes of receiving his summons. In addition to the many sudden journeys that they are called upon to make, every week a King’s Messenger is sent on a tour of the European capitals with documents which must go regularly to our embassies and consulates, but which are too precious to be •sent by the ordinary mail service. He will probably travel from London to Paris, then to Rome, and on again to Vienna and Budapest, after which lie will pay a number of calls in the Balkans; returning by the same route, he picks up documents intended for the Foreign Office. Even more important than journeys of this kind are those which he undertakes when a new Foreign Office code has to be distributed. The cipher nsec! for the commnieation of State secrets is changed every three years—or if ever there is a possibility that it has got into other hands. Since it costs the British Government over £IO,OOO to issue a new code, extreme precautions are taken to guard against the latter eventuality.

Even in times of peace the King’s Messengers frequently have to run risk. One was captured by a horde of Alexican bandits, and all his belongings purloined. He pleaded to be given back his wallet, for this cootainued the message that he was bearing. The bandits, however, laughed at his request.

He was armed, as are nearly all the King’s Messengers, with a revolver; but it was obvious that lie would have no chance against so many opponents if he were to put up a fight. Drawing the weapon, therefore, he turned it on himself.

“If you don’t ; give me back my wallet, I shall commit suicide,” he threatened. “A r ou will have been responsible for my death, and the Government forces will hunt you down and punish you.” His threat was effective. Though keeping everything else, the bandit leader gave him hack his wallet. On several occasions King’s Messengers have vanished without trace and nothing has been heard of them again. Never has a word regarding their late been allowed to appear in the newspapers. But it is usual for them to be followed whenever they go by a guard, who seldom allows them out of his sight. So unobtrusive are these guards that often the King’s messengers .are themselves unaware that they are being shadowed!