LOST DESPATCHES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17216, 19 January 1918, Page 8

LOST DESPATCHES

CAPTAIN WILSON'S EXPLANATION. FASCINATED BV THE DARDANKLLKS. (Fbom Ocb Own Coubespondknt.) LONDON, November 27. Captain Stanley Wilson, M.P., who was taken off a Greek ship by an Austrian submarine a couple of years ago, while carrying despatches a.s a King's Messenger, had a tortuous story to tell to the Military Court of Inquiry which investigated tho alfair at his own icquest. Captain Wilson said that ho left London on November 21, 1915, with despatches for Athens, Saloniea, and tho Dardanelles, 110 got as far as Messina, and then his only way forward was to take a Greek steamer, but that "wa.s not considered safo for a King's Messenger." After some days spent in trying to get away from Messina, ho discovered that there was a British cruiser oil' Reggio with the admiral's yacht .waiting to steam to Malta. There was just time to catch it, but the despatches were locked up in tho Vice-consul's office, and being Sunday, the Vice-consul was at home, two mties away. 110 went to lleggip and asked the captain of tho yacht to call at M.es<siiia on his way to Malta and pick up the despatches. The captain declined; ho was going to Malta direct., but us a matter of fact he did not sail till the next, morning. "Had I known," said Captain Wilson, "I should ha.vo had plenty of tiino to get the despatches." On tho 29th tho British Consul received a telegram from the Admiral Superintendent at Malta directing Captain Wilson "to proceed immediately to Malta, as ordered." This message ended: "Italian steamer arrived at Malta this morning from Syracuse. I quite expected him by that. Why didn't ho come?"

"Unfortunately for mo," said Captain Wilson, "I had never heard of that steamer." Returning from Greocc he left on Decoml>cr 4 on board a small Greek steamer called the Spctzai. Ho hnd previously telegraphed to the War Office, and received instructions to take the next boat leaving. The passengers included Colonel Napier, Dr and Lady Sybil Findlay (Red Cross workers), and an American (Mrs II ). Captain Wilson and Mrs ll—— became friendly. She told him sho was doing work m a hospital in Grosvenor Square. They discovered that t.hev had mutual friends in town, and the lady "impressed me in every way as a capable, reliable person."

The second day out tbo Spetzai was stopped by a U boat flying tho Austrian flag " I had about 10 minutes to deeido what T should do with my despatches." Mrs II offered to take care of one, "tend I came to the conclusion that here was just a possible chance to save these despatches." "Then." said Captain Wilson,_"l took the heaviest bag to the opposite side of tho ship to which the submarine was lying. It was so heavy that I had 'to use two hands to it as I heaved it overboard, convinced that it would instantly sink. To my horror it floated. If that bag with its groat weight would not sink, I knew it, would bo hopeless to throw tho others overboard."

"What happened to the bag?" asked the president. " When 1 last saw it," was the reply, it was level with tho water." On January 1, ho added, he saw in the German papers copies of some of the letters which had been in the bag. Tho despatches he had left, in charge of Mrs H wero safely delivered to the War Office in London, and the ladv officially thanked for her assistance. Two other bags were delivered by Dr Findlay. Sir Francis Elliot, H.M. Minister at Athens, said he thought that tho bag he handed to 'Captain Wilson would have sunk. Among other things, it contained some Christmas presents, including a bronxo statuette and an old pistol. Colonel Arthur RobJSt Dick, who is in command of tho King's Messengers at tho War Office, said he gave orders to Captain Wilson 'to go to Malta, instead of which he went to Athens. He had two opportunities to go to Malta. "I never told you that your despatches were so urgent as to make you tako undue risks," said Colonel Dick. "You should have gone to Malta without any further reference to the War Office." Captain Wilson: Am I not under War Office orders?— You were under my orders. " Did vou give mo orders," asked Captain Wilson, " that I was not to travel by a Greek steamer?" —"I cannot swear that, was tho reply; " but I told you distinctly that it was vorv unsafe." Colonel Dick 'was tolling Captain Wilson point-blank that he had disobeyed orders, when the president cleared the court. At the 'resumed inquiry tho president asked Captain Wilson whether, when ho was at Messina, and found communications with Syracuse difficult, he did not consider tho advisnblencss of leaving for Malta via Marseilles, as t%ee others had done. Caotain Wilson: I did, but I thought it my first duty to telegraph 'to the Ambassador at Rome, knowing that there was an Italian steamer supposed to bo sailing tho following day. I proposed to take tho Italian "steamer, with my despatches, to Athens. The despatches were all for Athens and beyond. The War Office replied directing him. to take the boat to Athens if thatleft before the Malta boat. He did not agree that when he went across from Messina to Reggio to ascertain if he could go to Malta bv a British warship the reasonable thing to have done would havo been to tako the despatches with him instead of leaving them with tho Vice-consul. Captain Wilson, in a personal statement, said he considered that the evidence of Sir Francis Elliot absolved him from blame for the loss of tbo Foreign Office bag. "It appears to mo that the chargcs and the allegations made a.gainst me and the stories to my discredit which I heard as soon n.s I arrived in England after 20 months' captivity in Austria, emanated from Colonel Dick", and I hope the court will agree with me that these * charges are based upon_ a complete misapprehension by Colonel Dick of the facts. I do wish most,' emphatically to deny that T ever mentioned tho name of tho Prime Minister in any conversation with him. It never entered into my mnd to consult Mr Asquith. I had no desire to go to Athens rather than to any other place, although I did oxpress to Colonel Dick my desire to be allowed to carry despatches to headquarters at the Dardanelles as other messengers had done. This was my third trip out east, and each previous timo I had " been slopped at Athens. Other messengers had gone on to the Dardanelles. I felt some natural curiosity, and I should havo liked t<- have a look at the Dardanelles." He was just as anxious as anyone not to travel with despatches upon a Greck_ ship if it cculd be avoided. He was entitled to assume that the War Office was awaro of the objections to travelling on a Greek boat In any event, he was bound to accept tho telegrams as his orders from the War Office. He certainly was not awaro that tho tele gram was despatched without the authority on the knowledge of Colonel Dick. "Rightly or wrongly." added Captain Wilson, "" I toolc the view that where there was a War Office and Admiralty conflict it was my duty to follow the otders of tho War Office, especially as the Admiralty Superintendent at Malta was_ unaware that tho service of boats from Sicily to Malta was suspended and tho only way of proceeding to Malta was via Marseilles. I submit that T was right in the course I took in going to Athens." That did not result in the loss of his despatches, because he delivered them to the British Minister and received return orders for the journey home. " I can only regret that Colonel Dick should have refused, as I emphatically state that he did refuse, to listen to my personal statement at my interview with him on mv return to England on August 13, and that he should have made the chargcs ho has made against, me without reading the careful 1 report which T submitted. giving a detailed account of tho whole of the circumstances."

The court then adjourned Tm'ofinitcly, the president remarking that it would take wrap time to consider tlio case. Tlio president added: "Wo appreciate- tho clear way in v.hieh you.. Captain Wilson, have stated the facts. and wo appreciate your_ apparent desire to assist the court to arrive at a true conclusion." ,