STORY DISBELIEVED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25562, 15 June 1944, Page 5

STORY DISBELIEVED

ESCAPED AMERICAN PRISONER

FIRED ON BY OWN MEN (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, June 14. Captain John Lee, of the American engineers, and son of General Lee, considers himself one of the luckiest men in the world to be alive and free, says a correspondent with the United States forces. He was captured by the Germans on Cherbourg Peninsula, and, having made good his escape, he was under fire from his own troops for several hours before he could convince them of his identity. . After being captured while engaged on reconnaissance work, Captain Lee was placed in charge of an Austrian •guard. Captor and captive settled down to a friendly chat, which lasted several hours. Captain Lse waited for his guard to turn away for a moment and then knocked him out with a German shovel. He escaped towards the American lines.

As he approached the forward American troops Captain Lee called out his name and asked to be admitted. He was greeted with, “ Like hell, Jerry! ” and a shower of bullets. For hours he lay under coyer trying to convince his comrades that he was genuine, but was regarded merely as a German who spoke fluent English. Eventually a soldier who had been at Captain Lee’s headquarters in London asked questions, the correct answers to which could only be given by 'an American. Captain Lee passed the test and returned to his unit carrying the German rifle taken from his guard.