The Invasion of 1910.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13191, 31 May 1906, Page 3

The Invasion of 1910.

Copyright by William Le Queux, 1906

Published by Special Arrangement

With a Full Account of the Siege of London.

By WILLIAM LE QUEUX. With Naval Chapters by H. W. Wilson.

SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS INSTALMENTS.

spouse. She looked to tic about 2500 tons displacement, and she <?t<?(.-rcd »=:raiffht for the Lriceitershire. Through the water came two istieijka of bubbles ami loam, moving with lightning spfed. One passed right ahead of the Leicestershire; the other swept towards the British cruiser's stern ; there # j.i a heavy explosion ; the whole hull of the cruiser violently shaken and lifted;perceptibly up in the water; a spout, of water and smoke rose up astern, and the enpines censed to work. The Leicestershire had been torpedoed by the stranger. ■■ _ *. r . Warned by wireless- telegraphy that destroyers had been sighted. British crews were 011 the • jlli vive. There was not. lime at this eleventh hour to weigh and put out to sen: the. only possible course was to meet the attack at anchorage. About half-past two a.m. 18 German destroyers and large torpedo-boats were seen to be approaching at impetuous speed. In a moment the air trembled with the concussion of heavy guns; the quick-firers of the fleet opened a terrible tire, as straight at the British battleships came the German destroyers. Four destfoyers went to (lie bottom in that furious onrush; 10 entered the British lines; the others turned back. Fifth ship in the starboard British line lay the great battleship .Indefatigable. Four torpedoes were tired at her by the German destroyers; three of the four misled her, two of them only by a hair's breadth, but the fourth cut through the steel net and caught her fairly abreast 01 the port engineroom, about the level of the plat lot m deck. The story of the naval battle is broken at this point and will be resumed later. A chapter is devoted to (he confusion at the British War Office, and news conies through to London that three vessels had been sunk ill the Xledwuy, evidently with the object of " bottling up" the numerous men-of-war being hurriedly equipped for service in Chatham Dockvard. For a lime the truth regarding the sinking of the ships can only be surmised, but eventually a party sent to. superintend diving operations discover a Dutchman shivering with cold on an islet in the Medwav. The Dutchman had been on one of the sunken ships, and he proceeds to tell the story of the sinking so far as he knows it. "At Haw Wood I decided to pass the river by a by-road I knew at Wissett, avoiding Halesworth on the right. As far as Chediston Green all was quiet, but on turning northward to Wissett at the cross-roads outside the inn, we perceived three men lurking in the shadow beneath the wall. With one of my men I abandoned my machine, and crept softly in their direction, not knowing whether they were farm labourers or the enemy's outposts. Slowly, and with great caution, we moved forward until, on listening intently, I heard them in conversaUion., They were speaking in German. "On my return to my section Plunkett, one of the privates in mufti, volunteered to creep past without his machine, get to Aldou's Corner, and so reconnoitre the country towards the enemy's headquarters, which from Yon Kronhelm's proclamation we knew to be. Beccles. "Under our breath we wished him God speed, and a moment later he disappeared in the darkness. What afterwards happened we can only surmise. All we know is that he probably stumbled over a length of barbed' wire stretched across the road, for suddenly the. three lurking Germans ran across in his ; direction. There was a sound of shuffling, of struggling feet, and the triumphant shout in German as a prisoner was secured. " The truth held us breathless. Poor Plunkett was captured as a spy. "We could do nothing to save him, for to reveal ourselves.meant capture or death. Therefore we were compelled to again retire. We then clipped along by-roads until -we readied Rumburgh, narrowly avoiding detection by sentries stationed at the fork leading to Redisham. Rumburgh was the native place of one of my men named Wheeler, and fortunately he knew every hedge, wall, ditch, ' and field in the vicinity. . : ■ - '"Acting as' our guide, lie left the main .road, and by a --series"t»f ■'footpaths- tookus to tho main Bungay Road at, St. Lawrence. Continuing again by circuitous footpaths, lie took us to the edge of Reri ishnm Park, where we discovered a considerable number of German infantry encamped, evidently forming supports to the advance line of outposts. It then became difficult how to act. hut. this dilemma was quickly solved by Wheeler suggesting that he being in mufti should take the other ■ two plain-clothes men and push 011 to Beccles, we having now safely passed the outposts, and actually within the enemy's lines. V ■ "No'doubt we. had. penetrated the advance line of outposts when we struck off from Rumburgn, therefore there only remained for us to turn back and make good our escape,-which we did by cross-., roads.in the direction of Bungay. Wheeler and. his two brave companions 1 had hidden their cycles and rifles in the ditch outside the park, and had gone forward with whispered good-byes. " Presently we again saw groups of Germans waiting for the dawn, while squadrons of cavalry and motor-cyclists were apparently preparing to more out along Stone-street to scour all the country to the south-west.* These we at once gave a wide berth, and succeeded at last in gelling down to the Waveney and crossing it, little the -worse, save for a. wetting. "Near Harleston, four miles to the south-west, we came across two :of pur men whom we had left at Woodbndge, and from them learnt that we were at last free of the enemy. Therefore by three o'clock we were back again in Ipswich, and immediately made report to the adjutant of our regiment, ' who-was anxiously awaiting our return to headquarters. "The scene during the night in Ipswich was one of terror and disorder, the worst fears being increased by our report. "Would Wheeler return? If, lie got to Beccles he might learn the German movements and the disposition of their troops. Yet'it "was"* a' terribly risky proceeding, death being the only penalty for spies. " Hour after hour we remained in eager suspense. Shortly after eight I heard shouts outside in the street, and, covered with mud and perspiration, and bleedingfrom a nasty cut on bis forehead, the result of a spill, Wheeler burst triumphant- . ly in"Of tho others he had seen nothing since leaving them in the market, place at Beccles, but when afterwards he secured his own cycle the two other' cycles were still hidden in the ditch. During the two and a.-half hours Wheeler was in Beetles, he made good use of eyes and ears, and his report—bated upon , information given him by a carter whom s* the enemy had compelled to haul, supplies ; from Lowestoftwas full of deepest inter- , est and most valuable. "From my own observations, combined ! with Wheeler's information, T was enabled to draw up a pretty comprehensive report, • and point out on the map the exact posi- ' lion of he German Army Corps which had landed at Lowestoft. "Repeated briefly it is as follows: — ! " Shortly before three o'clock 011 .Sunday morning the coastguard at Lowestoft, Cor- ' ton, and Beach End discovered that their telephonic communication was interrupted, and half-an-hour later, to the surprise of ' everyone, a miscellaneous collection of mysterious craft were seen approaching the, harbour, and within an hour many of them were high .and dry on the beach, while other.; were lashed alongside the old ; dock, the new fish-docks of the Great Eastern Railway, and the. wharves, disembarking a huge force of German infantry, ■ cavalry, motor-infantry, and artillery. It '■ was also plain that German spies already ' in England had seized the wireless telegraphy stations along the coast. "The town, awakened from its slumbers, was utterly paralysed, the more so when it was discovered that the railway to London was already interrupted and the tele-; . I graph lines all cut. On landing the enemy commandeered all . provisions, including the stock at Kent's, Bennett's, and Lipton's, in the London Road, all motor- . cars they could discover, horses and forage, while the banks were seized, and infancy, falling in, marched up Old Nelson- , | street into High-street, and out upon the j Beetles Road. | The first care of the invaders was to prevent the, people of Lowestoft damaging i the swing bridge, a strong guard being in-,

The narrative opens in London soon after dawn i 011 Sunday morning, September 2, 1910. A breakdown in the telegraphic communication with ' Yarmouth crcates some uneasiness, and after , many inquiries as to the cause a telephone message is received from Bccrics that German sol- ( diets—hundreds of them—were pouring into the place. The people at Beccles thought the Germans had landed at Lowestoft , By midnight on Sunday the news had spread everywhere. Though the full details of the naval disasters were not yet to hand it was vaguely known that cur ships had been defeated in the North Sea and many of them sunk. On Monday morning eager thousands poured into the city by every train from the suburbs and towns in the vicinity of the metropolis, anxious to ascertain the truth for themselves, wild with excitement, indignant that our land forces were not already mobilised and ready to move eastward to meet the invader. As soon as the banks were opened there was a run 011 them, but by noon the Bank of England had suspended all specie payment*. Having described the sensation created in England by the first vague news, the authors proceed to' describe the actual methods adopted by the Germans and the subsequent happenings. On the afternoon of September 1 the North. Sea Fleet, under Admiral Lord Ebbfleet, lay at anchor off Kosyth, in the Firth of Forth. It. mustered sixteen battleships, four of them of the Dreadnought class, a squadron of armoured cruisers, eight ships strong, but no destroyers, as its torpedo flotilla was taking part in the torpedo manoeuvres in the Irish Sea. At nightfall six of the . battleships' steam tor-pedo-boats were stationed outside the Forth Bridge, while further out to sea was the fast cruiser Leicestershire, with all lights out, in midChannel, just under the Island of Inclikeith. Abreast of her, and close inshore, were three small ships, torpedo-boats, to the north, and another three to the southill all, twelve torpedoboats and one cruisei*. While the Leicestershire's wireless instruments were signalling a steamer was made out approaching Inclikeith. A flashlight signal was made to her, but she made not the faintest reTHE BOTTLING UP" OF CHATHAM. "To cut a long story short, I found the Dutchman amenable to reason, and the following is the substance of what I elicited from him. " He had been a deck hand on board the Van Gysen. When she left Rotterdam he did nob know that the trip was anything out of the way. There was a new skipper whom he had not seen before, and there were also two new mates with it new chief engineer. Another steamer followed them all the way till they arrived at the Nore. Oil the way over he- and several other seamen were sent for by the captain and asked if they would volunteer for a dangerous job, and promised £50 apiece if it came off all right. He and five others agreed, as did two or three stokers, and were then ordered to remain aft and not communicate with any others of the crew. " Off the Nore all the remainder were transferred to the following steamer, which steamed off to the eastward. After they •were gone the selected men were told that the officers all belonged to the. Imperial German navy and by order of the Kaiser > were about to attempt to block up the Med- . way. '■ ' ' " A collision between two other ships had been arranged for, one of which was loaded with a mass of old steel rails into which liquid cement had been run so that-her hold contained a solid impenetrable block. The Van Gysen carried a similar cargo, and was' provided with an arrangement for blowing holes in her bottom. The ciew were provided with lifebelts and the half of the money promised, and all except the captain, th© engineer, and the .two mates dropped ' overboard just before arriving at the sunken vessels. They were advised to make their way-to Gravesend,-and then to shift for themselves us best they could. He had found himself on. a small island, and. '. could not muster up courage to plunge .into , the cold' "water, again in the darkness.'" sf This amazing revelation showed how : cleverly contrived was the German plan of hostilities.'' All our splendid ships at Chatham had in that brief half-hour been bottled up and rendered utterly-useless. Yet the I authorities were not blameless in the matter, for in November. 1905. a- foreign warship actually came up the Med way in broad day--1 light. and was not noticed till she began to bang away her salutes, just abreast the dockyard. ' This incident, however, was but one, of | the many illustrations of Germany's scheme, : which had been years.in careful preparation. WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN ! SUFFOLK. 1 ENEMY'S POSITION RECONNOITRED. Lieutenant Charles Hammerton, Btli Volunteer Battalion' Suffolk Regiment-, of Ipswich, with his company of volunteer cyclists, reconnoitred the enemy's position- in East Suffolk during Monday night. Interviewed by the Ipswich correspondent of the Press Association, he said: — "We left Ipswich at eight o'clock in order to reconnoitre all the. roads and byi roads in the direction of Lowestoft. For l the first twelve miles, as far as Wickham - Market, wo knew, that the country was - clear of the enemy, but on cautiously entering Saxmundliam—it now being quite dark ! we pulled up before Cobbett/'s shop in the ! High-street, and there learnt from a group • of terrified men and women that a German, ' reconnoitring patrol, consisting of a group of 1 about ten Uhlans, under a sergeant-, and supported:,by'' other groups . all across the , country to Framlingliam and Tannington, i had been in the town all day, holding the J main road to Lowestoft, and watching in . the direction of Ipswich. For hours they i had patrolled the south end opposite Wat- \ kr's, upon whoso wall they posted a copy ; of Von helm's proclamation. < ' " Three Germans were on the old square f church tower'all day making signals" north--1 ward at intervals. . Then, as night closed i in. the Uhlans refreshed themselves at the > Bell, and with their black and white pen- : nous fluttering: from .their latins clattered , backward in the direction of Yoxford. "I had sent, scouts off the main road 1 from . Wo'odbiidge. through Framlingham, Tannington, and Wilby, with orders to push > on if possible to Hoxne to join the .main t road to Harles-ton, which I judged must be J on the enemy's flank. 1 "In the bar-parlour of. the Bell at- Saxi mundham wo held consultation with a ser--1 geant of .police and a couple of. constables, g from whom we gathered some further ini- formation, and then decided -to push cautiously north ana ascertain into what positions the Uhlans had retired for the night, and. if possible, the. whereabouts of the enemy's march outposts. I had with me twelve men. Nine of us were in uniform, including myself, but the other four preferred to go in mufti, though warned 01" the risk that they might- be treated as spies. 1 Carefully, and in silence, we got past t the cross road to Kelsale; on past the Red j. House, and down into Yoxford village with--1 out- meeting a sou'. We were told in Yoxn* ford by the excited villagers that there were ' foreign soldiers and motor-cvclists constantv lv passing and repassing all day, but that ". soon after seven' o'clock they had all sud--0 dealy retired by the road leading back to Haw Wood. Our expedition was a most e risky one. ,;i We went forward, determining to take c the Lowestoft high road. Where the onernv's outposts were, we had no idea. Z Quickly we skirted Thorington Park, and ; were just ascending the bridge over the |" Birth, before entering Blythburgh. when d of a sudden we saw silhouetted on the slope tl against the star-lit sky a small group of. n heavily-accoutred German infantrv, who. d had their arms piled beside the road, while two were acting as gentries close at hand. cl "At once We wore challenged 111 German. I, an instant we flung selves from our ' machines, and took shelter in a hedge opnosile Several times was the gruff dial's lenge repeated, and as I saw no possibility >f o f cross in? the bridge we stealtlr.ly turned t- our cycles round and prepared to mount. ), But wc were evidently perceived, and next d second shots whistled about -us. and poor M-iitland. a private, fell forward upon his face in the road—dead. We heard loud shouting in German, which we could not understand, and in a moment the place 1 • seemed alive with the foreigners, while we .1 onlv just had time to mount and tear away in the - direction we had com?;V . i

-ill stantly mounted upon it. So quiet aid - / orderly was the landing that it was plain . > the German plan of invasion was absolutely perfect hi,every detail. " %*' f \ "Few hitches seemed to occur. The Mayor was summoned at six o'clock by '• f General Von Kronhtlm, the generalissimo of the German Army, and briefly informed that the town of Lowestoft ,was occupied and that all armed resistance ; would bo 'J punished by death. Then, ten , minutes later, when the German war-flag- was flying from several flagstaff's in various parts of the town, the people realised their-, litter helplessness. "The Germans, of course, knew that irrespective of the weather a landing could be effected at Lowestoft, where the fishdocks and wharves, with their many cranes, were capable of dealing with a large ai.ount of stores. The Denes,"that flat, sandy plain between the upper town arid the sea, tiiey turned into a camping ground, and large ' "F:. : numbers were billeted in various quarters of the town itself, in the better-class houses along the Marine Parade, in the Royal, the Kmpire, a,ml Harbour Hotels, and especially in those long rows of private houses' in London Bond South. v „ j.; "To appeal to London for help was impossible, as the place had been cut entirely off, and around* it a strong chain of out- ,f$ posts had already been thrown, preventing anyone from escaping. - ; - • ".-'4 "While the landing whs continuing during all Sunday the advance guard moved rapidly over Mutford Bridge, along the Becclcs Road, occupying a strong position on the west side of the high ground east of Lowestoft. Becclcs, where Von Kronhelm established his headquarters, testing as it does on the River Waveney, is strongly held. The enemy's main position appears to run from Win die Hill, one mile northeast of Gillingham, thence north-west through Bull's "Green, -Heiringtleet Hill,, over to Grove Farm and Hilt House to Ravingham, whence it turns easterly to Haddiscoe, which is at present its northern limit. The total front from Becclcs Bridge north is about five miles, and commands the whole of the flat plain west towards Norwich. It has its south flank resting ow the River Waveney, and to the north ow Thorpe Marshes. The chief artillery posttion is at Toft Monks—tho highest point." Upon the high tower of Beceles Church is established a signal station, communication being made constantly with Lowestoft by , : : hello by day and acetylene lamps by night. "The enemy's position has been most carefully chosen, for it is naturally strong, ; and, being -well held to protect Lowestoft • from any attack from the west, the land- • ing can continue uninteiruptedlv, for Lowestoft Beach and docks ore now entirely out of the line of any British fire. " March outposts are at Blyfhburgh, Wenliaston, Holton, Halesworth, Wissctt, Rumburgh, Homersfield, and Bungay, and then north to Haddiscoe. while cavalry patrols watch by day, the line roughly being from 4) Leiston, through Saxmundhani, Framlingliam and Tannington to Hoxue. i "The estimate, gleaned from various sources in Lowestoft and Beccles, is that ■ ! ,/1 up to Monday at midday nearly a wliolo army corps, with stores, guns, ammunition; > etc. | had already landed, while • there are also reports of "a further lauding at Yar- . mouth, and at a spot still further north, but at present there are 110 details. "The enemy," he concluded, "are at pre*. - scut in ai position of absolute security." (To be continued daily.) ■"