CLEVER RUSE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23109, 8 February 1937, Page 3

CLEVER RUSE

SPANIARDS GET EXPLOSIVE Six tons of high explosive, belonging to the French Government, have been spirited into Catalonia by means of a daring and well-prepared ruse. This has been revealed by investigations into the disappearance of a wagon-load of “ B ” powder, part of a train-load sent from Toulouse to the fortifications on the Maginot Line, says the Daily Telegraph. . On the way orders were received to uncouple one wagon and send it to Cerbere, the frontier station on the main line from Perpignan to Barcelona. Before it reached Cerbere the following telegram was received;— “ Stationmaster, Cerbere. Extremely urgent. Reforward to Elne goods wagon marked Northern Railway No. 279,821. Consignee Gustave Dupont. Wagon sent by mistake. Signed. Stationmaster. Toulouse.”

The wagon ' ■> ' !J ing at the small station of Blue, eight miles from Perpignan, uii.. ■. unloaded by a man who produced papers showing that he was Gustave Dupont.

He had the 55 cases on the wagon quickly loaded into two motor lorries. These were then driven over the fronttier into Spain. The police learn that a well-dressed young man sent the telegram from Toulouse. They believe that a telegraph official and a railway employee, who apparently pasted false labels on the munitions wagon, were his accomplices.