ALIENS CAUGHT

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24138, 3 December 1941, Page 6

ALIENS CAUGHT

ESCAPED GERMANS

BIVOUACKED NEAR ROAD SIX DAYS OF FREEDOM fBT TELEGRAPH—PRESS.^ASSOCIATION"! WELLIN&fto, Tuesday After nearly six days of fi|edom the three Germans who escaped from internment at Somes Island were arrested to-day north of Upper Hutt near the Akatarawa Road. They are* Hans Finke, aged about 30; Carl Oscar Schroeder, aged about 23; and Frederick Georg Tbeodor Strewe. The arrest was made as a result of information supplied by people-in the district. Sergeant F. Forsythe and Constable C. E. Tanner, of Upper Hutt, in company with some employees of a sawmill, approached the thre® Germans, who were bivouacked away from the road, and arrested then:; without trouble. Fugitives Well Equipped The fugitives were Welt equipped with clothing, blankets and stores and even a tent fly and hot water bottle. One had a large sum of money. They had been travelling on foot by night and hiding by day since their escape and stated that they brought all the gear they had with them from Somes Island and carried it all the time. One of the men was armed with a large piece of wood and was going to show fight until he saw that the police officers were armed. When they were caught they were in the middle of a hurried packing-up pending a further trek. The police were informed on Saturday night that Hans Finke bought tinned foods from an Upper Hutt store about 7.30 p.m. One Man Attempts Escape Shortly after 11 a.m. to-day Mr. Arthur Clouston, manager of Odlin's Akatarawa mill, in company with Mr. Eric Olivecrona, was driving along the Akatarawa road in bush country. They saw two heads behind some scrub. Mr. Clouston stopped his trucl and got out to stay at the 6pot while Mr. Olivecrona drove on to Mr. Wshiteman's farm to telephone the Upper Hutt- police.. While Mr. Olivecrona was absent Mr. Clouston was joined by Mr. Charles Muggeridge. Sergeant Forsythe and Constable' Tanner arrived and found the fugitive!!. One rushed off down a gully on the approach of the* police. The other two were handcuffed. Sergeant Forsythe went after Finke, the one who ran away. He was concealed in 6crub near the river and after being challenged twice came out of hiding and surrendered. Court of Inquiry Probable The Germans were brought into the central police station, Wellington, where they are in custody pending their return to Somes Island. It is probable a court of' inquiry will to held concerning the .circumstances of the escape. No charge can be brought against the escaped men under civil law fof escaping. They were only 25 miles from the Petone beach where they landed probably late on last Wednesday night from the dinghy by them from Somes Island.