Britain’s Traitor No. 1

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 263, 7 November 1939, Page 10

Britain’s Traitor No. 1

BAILLIE-STEWART NAZI ANNOUNCER No man is an object of such abhorrence as the traitor. Fortunately creatures “with heart so dead” are rare, but one has already been uncovered, though the war is Dut a few weeks old. He is Norman Baillie-Stewart, says the Sydney Sunday Sun. Persons who knew this man in England have recognised him, by his voice, as an announcer broadcasting in English from a German radio station. This, combined with tho fact that six years ago ho forfeited a commission in tho Seaforth Highlanders for espionage, brands him as Britain’s traitor No. 1. Baillie-Stewart was born in 1909, received his commission in 1929, and ■changed his name from Wright about the same time to perpetuate that of his mother’s brother, who was killed in France fighting the enemy which BaillieStewart has done so much to assist. No doubt his army career would have been inconspicuous had ho not been charged with imparting military information to Germany. But he was arrested on January 20, 1933, and, during his two months awaiting trial, became known all over the world j£s “the officer in the Tower.” From the opening of his court-martial on March 20 of that year details were revealed which kept public interest at full pitch. Incidentally, the president of the court-martial was Major-General W. J. Dugan, commander of the 56th (Ist London) Division, Territorial Army, now Sir Winston Dugan, Governor of Victoria. What might have been more or less dry proceedings were coloured by the frequent mention of a beautiful Teutonic blonde known as Marie Louise. Found guilty, Baillie-Stewart was sentenced to five years’ gaol. At tho court-martial the judge advocate, Major H. Shapcott, outlined the case against Baillie-Stewart as follows: “In autumn of last year a watch was kept on tho accused officer, and in November a letter addressed to him came into the possession of the prosecution. It was signed ‘Marie Louise,’ and contained £SO in Bank of England notes, the letter stating that the money was in repayment of a loan. ‘ ‘ He sold his coutry for £SO and some more which would be forthcoming,” added the judge advocate. Iu July, it was related, BaillieStewart went to Berlin. In November ho wrote to one Otto Waldemar Obst, signing himself “Alphonse Poiret, * * and thanking him for tho prompt way in which ho had settled “ our small debt. ’ ’

Decemberd brought another letter from Marie Louise in Berlin, and it contained £4O, also purporting to be payment of a loan. Evidence In Kit

When questioned concerning this correspondence, Baillie-Stewart said the money was sent by a German woman in consequence of a love affair he had with her, or, as the London Times reported it at tho time, “for service rendered.” He knew her only as Marie Louise. A search of his kit revealed various incriminating documents. He related that on the night of his first visit to Berlin he sat in a cafe until a stranger started conversation. This man said he was too busy to take him about, but ho would introduce him to somebody. Next night he brought Mario Louise. After the first few outings she paid expenses, and altogether he received from her £SO, £4O, £lO and two lots of £5. “Sacrifices Made” Baillie-Stewart served most of his sentence at Wormwood Scrubs, and was released in August, 1937. On August 30 a friend in England received a letter from him in which he wrote: — ‘‘ I am entering into voluntary and pleasurable exile, only tinged with regret at parting from some really excellent friends I had.” A little later Baillie-Stewart published articles referring to his espionage, arrest and trial. These starred with the statement:— “I alone know the sacrifices I made on behalf of Germany, but the girl I am going to marry is leading me back to normality.” Then he glorifies in the German sympathies he had had from boyhood, jeers at the ease with which tho British Intelligence officers were tricked, and asserts that, when caught, he had completed important work for Germany which was never found out. Self-conlessed Spy He relates that the much-mentioned Marie Louise did not exist. She "Was invented to mask tho correspondence between him and Obst, and, during the subsequent trial he played on his supposed dishonourable relationship with her to draw a particularly unsavoury herring across the trail followed by the prosecution. Gratitude expressed by BaillieStewart for the efforts mpde by the German Government to. help him during his trial are significant in view of the fact, cabled a few days ago, that the “super-cultured” voice heard from the German station since the outbreak of war has been identified as that of the confessed spy. By the career outlined above, Norman Baillie-Stewart, once officer and gentleman, has, at tho early age of 30, established his right to the most shameful title the Empire can bestow— Britain’s Traitor No. 1.