KING'S MESSENGERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22094, 27 April 1935, Page 2 (Supplement)

KING'S MESSENGERS

SECRETS REVEALED PERILOUS WAR-TIME WORK OUTWITTING ENEMY AGENTS Secrets of the Corps of King's Foreign Service Messengers are revealed in an article published last month in the Sunday Chronicle, London, dealing with the adventures of Sir Park Goff, the only honorary member of the corps. One of the chief functions of the King's Messengers during the war was to carry the secret codes between London and British Embassies and Consulates abroad. These codes weie changed every six months. Had one of them fallen into hostile hands the loss would have cost the Foreign Office £30,000, as it would have been necessary to change it again immediately. Many attempts were made to steal the codes. One, which ended unsuccessfully, was tried when Sir Park Goff was travelling between Malmo and Stockholm in May, 1915. A man introduced himself to Sir Park as a Lloyd's agent and took great pains to become friondly. He looked and spoke like a British subject and even talked of the town he came from in Britain.

But on the night of May 7, 1915, he gave himself away. Sir Park was sitting in the lounge of his hotel in Stockholm with one of the British Attaches when the " Lloyd's agent " came in flushed with elation and exclaimed, " Ah, we've got you at last! We have sunk your Lusitania! " With that he swished his whisky full in the faces of the two, Sir Park and tho attache. But his triumph did not last long. He was picked up before he knew where he was and flung headlong out of the hotel. Avoiding Enemy Spies

Spain, Sweden and Morocco were the countries where the King's Messengers had to proceed most warily. Each was alive with enemy secret service agents. Spain, particularly, was a rendezvous for submarines which came in to re-fuel, guided by secret signals from the hills. Four messengers were carrying out the entire service at this time —bearing messages between governments and kings and queens, and carrying despatches to ambassadors in neutral countries. No sooner had they completed one journey than they were asked to leave on another. Sir Park Goff paid a tribute to the wonderful protection the messengers were afforded by British Consuls and agents in neutral countries. In spite of the difficult part they had to play they always contrived safe and uninterrupted conduct for the King's Messengers. Guards were sent secretly with them wherever they went. The messengers were compelled to live in London within one mile of the Foreign Office, to report three times a day and at all times to leave messages giving their precise whereabouts. Their bags were always ready packed to leave the country at a moment's notice.

On one occasion in Spain Sir Park was put under arrest, but, owing to the strong attitude taken up by tho British Ambassador, Sir Arthur Harding, he was eventually released, and tho chief of police and the officer of the civil guard who arrested him were dismissed. Ship Struck by Torpedo Sir Park Goff has over twenty passports, crammed with a score of signatures and counter-signatures in a dozen different languages. Between 1914 and 1919 he crossed the North Sea thirty times, the Mediterranean twenty-two, the Black Sea four times and the Caspian Sea twice. The Channel crossing be made nearly 100 times. On one of his North Sea journeys the ship was struck by a torpedo and he was flung from the bridge on to the deck below, breaking his leg, collarbone, elbow and •ieveral ribs..

On another occasion, when carrying cyphers to Scandinavia and Russia in a neutral ship, the boat was challenged and searched by a German destroyer. Fortunately the captain of the steamer was very pro-English. He hid the King's Messenger in the stern and arranged to blow a whistle if the boat was to be searched by the Germans, so that the all-important codes could be flung overboard. Luckily the captain's manner was so convincing that the Germans left after only a superficial examination. One of the most exciting episodes in which he was concerned was when ho assisted Sir John Norton Griffiths and Major Trelawney on a perilous mission to Rumania. Guided by Sir Park, who knew the country well, they were able

to blow up vital oil wells and make their escape unharmed. In all lie' has made over 200 of these difficult journeys without a single failure. When carrying despatches through Sweden Sir Park was informed by the British Attache in Christiana that two dangerous spies were believed to be travelling on the train. The moment the two men were pointed out to him he recognised one as Sir Roger Casement. At various points during the journey through Norway and Sweden Sir Park was aware that a close watch was being kept on him by Sir Roger and his companion. Finally Casement's companion strolled along past Sir Park's compartment, halted and looked inside. Fortunately Sir Park was also closely attended. His companion ostentatiously thrust his hand into his revolver pocket. The hint was taken. The King's Messenger was permitted to continue his journey without further molestation.