A CYCLIST'S ADVENTURES

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 216, 16 October 1914, Page 5

A CYCLIST'S ADVENTURES

RACING LICENSE AS A PASSPORT. Arthur H. Shepherd, a member of the League of New South Wales Wheelmen, and'the paced champion of Australia, who has ridden prominently in France, Belgium, and Germany this year, reached England late in August, after a perilous journey through Switzerland, from Cermany, where he ■ was racing when war was declared. ,

According to a letter from the Australian champion, he was in Nuremberg, and ran second in a paced " event. Shortly after, Shepherd began to realise that matters were,serious between Britain and Germany. Not understanding the German language well, he paid but little "attention to the newspapers. What gave Shepherd the idea that trouble was brewing was that the manager declined to pay him the money won, telling him to see the authorities. "They told me," writes Shepherd, "to clear out —quick —but war was just then declared, and no one could leave the country. The only money I possessed was in' French notes, and, after one effort to change these, I felt that it 'would be infinitely safer to keep them well hidden. Only one route —through Zurich — was open, and with Hedspath, •an American coloured cyclist, I made the attempt to regain France. Hedspath and I scraped up every German coin we could and tried the railway. The sentries at the gates wanted to see our passports —an unwelcome request when you do not happen to have them —and the other fellow has the guns. No amount of explanation as to who we were sufficed; they wanted passports. ilt was then that Providence came to ; our help. I had with me an out-of-date racing license issued by the Federal Cycling Council of Australia. It has broad red bands top and bottom that made it a rather striking document. I handed it in as a passport, but the sentry could not decide as to what nationality I was, and asked, 'ln what part of America is Australia'?' I''was in a. quandary. Was he laying, a trap for me? I resolved upon a compromise. 'New'South Wales,'l ventured, and in reply he grunted 'Good' and pushed me through the gate into the station." "Then," continues Shepherd, "followed a hazardous journey through Germany, changing trains often, and being ordered to show 'passports' on every occasion. It seems that the German boggled at the word 'council' on my old license. They thought it referred to 'consul.' Eventually w r e arrived at Switzerland, and found that it was necessary for each person to possess 300 marks, whereas all we had was 80 marks. An Englishman who was near by, and who had often seen me racing on the Continent behind the motors, came to our rescue. He arranged ■•(, to act : as 'manager' for the 'team,' and Hedspath and I crossed the border, and afterwards passed through France to England." '' I intend,'' concludes the Australian champion, "to frame and hang my invaluable 'passport,' Which certainly saved me from imprisonment, if not worse/"