COMMANDER LAYTON'S ESCAPE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLI, Issue 9247, 14 January 1916, Page 2

COMMANDER LAYTON'S ESCAPE

STORY OF COURAGE. DARING, AND RESOURCE. (From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, November 28. An interesting aocount is forthcoming of Commander Layton's escape from internment after his submarine was destroyed ia the Baltic. I may jupplttnent it by stating that, when he presented* himeelf at the Admiralty in Whitehall, one of the groat Sea Lords interviewed him very severely. "Wo don't like British officer* to break their parole," said the Sea Lord. Commander Layton vigorously protested that he had not done no. But the Sea Lord still maintained * distinctly forbidding aspect. After saluting, and just before leaving tho apartment,' the gallant youngster timidly ventured, "What about *"- olLer ship, sir?" Whereupoa .the Sea Lord exclaimed heartily; "If I had twenty of the best available, I'd cheerfully give vou the lot, my son." i And Commander Layton has indeed already secured command of the very latest thing in British submarines, i The following.-is the "story of tba escape:—At first Commander Layton ! was allowed his liberty on parole. One day, not long after his Internment, he went.to the commandant of the barracks. . "I want to take back my parole." No need for the commandant to ask the reason of this frank declaration, "You are going to try to escape." he said in effect. "I shall therefore havs you very well watched." He was as good as hit word. Commander Laytpn|s quarters were placed under double gu*rdSentries stood at the door of his room. They never seemed to. relaa their vigilance. At the-moment one peered through the peephole, Lieuten-ant-Commander Layton, '"mid noddings on," was standing upright against the wall, out of th© sentry's field of vision, and in the bed was a dummy, made with a sponge and other articles into ths similitude of a man.

A few moments later one sentry's at* tention was somehow ongaged, and Layton cautiously and quickly opened the door and slipped into the next room. There a thick serge civilian-.suit was waiting for him. and with this he clothed himself—probably more quickly than ever he dressed in his life. Then arose the necessity of testing his bump of locality and ■ the opportunity of indulging in silent celerity of movement. The Fates were propitious, and in due course the escaping officer found himself at a. window overlooking the street. Here ' came in useful the rope which he had found with his suit. Ho lowered himself into the street, and then'».fow moments later saw a couple of sentries in his path some distance ahead. The barracks, you see, are on an. island, and, making assurance- doubly sure, ih» Danes had placed patrols everywhere. Here was a difficult situation. ; Layton rose to it. A couplo of seamen were coming along. Would ■ they do him a service? The request, put with that splendid courtesy which lies inherent in minted coins of gold, r was promptly answered in the affirmative. And while a couple of merchant sailors a few minutes later were arguing question's of direction with sentries, the seeming civilian, with natural and rot unduly obtrusive manner, passed by to meet his next obstacle. This also was formidable. It was the canal, an arm of the *ea, which had to be crossed somehow. The night was dark and bitterly cold, there being several degrees of frost. Clothed as he was, Layton took the most direct course. Into the •vater he went, and swam for it.. He had about 100 yards to go. No small task this, for a man with inflnenaaBut he did it, and. having accomplished his swim, he took off his clothes and wrung tbem out, so that, although they were very much more than damp, .they did not show obvious signs of wnter. Thence to the ferry. On the ferry boat he found hinweli cheek by jowl with Danish workmen —with whom he forbore to enter into conversation. - Afterwards he turned himself into a. porter; and managed V» ccet a job to carry a traveller's heavy bag'to tho'station. There he hoarded i train, and in due course reached ths lock side, where he got on board ti ■Mn bound for Christiania. Very littfc; of the rest of the story, anfortunately, : s for publication. It wonld be inter--sting to tfll the yam of Commander barton's disguises during the remainier of his voyage to Christiania, escaping detection narrowly, and his final passage from Bergen to "England.