FOOTBALLER SHOOTS GERMAN SPY.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 310, 30 September 1915, Page 2

FOOTBALLER SHOOTS GERMAN SPY.

A hitherto unrecorded incident of the memorable charge at Hooge shows that to a popular New' Brighton Rugby football! player, Private T. Quinsey, of the Liverpool Scottish, belongs the credit of having foiled the plan of an enterprising German spy, whoso career he brought to a summary termination. The affair happened in this way. As is well known, the Liverpool Scottish suffered somewhat severely in their gallant charge at Hooge, having a number of dead in the furthermost line of trenches penetrated. Private Quinsey went through the charge unscathed, and later assisted in the search for wounded. While thus engaged he was approached by an individual in an officer's uniform of his own regiment, carrying a rifle, who inquired: ‘ 1 Arc there any more Scotties about?" Private Quinsey not only failed to recognise his interrogator as one of his regimental officers, but the word “Scotties," which never has been used in connection with the Scottish, struck him as strange. The conviction flashed across liis mind that the man before** him was a German -who had adopted the uniform of a British officer as a means of playing the part of a spy. On the impulse of the moment, and answering “Yes, you blighter, there are," Private Quinsey, without troubling to raise his rifle more than hip high, fired at the intruder and hilled him on the spot. Investigation confirmed his suspicions, the man being proved to be a spy, and Private Quinsoy received hearty congratulations from his comrades.