MASTER SPY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19830, 22 December 1919, Page 6

MASTER SPY.

BELGIAN PRIEST WHO HELPED THE ALLIES.

Remarkable disclosures of the Secret Service for the Allies performed br a Jesuit, Pore Meous, a distinguished social worker, were given in “ Universe.”

Pore Meeus served his country; from the beginning of the war, working continual risk of his life as a director of the organisation for maintaining the moral of the Belgians under the German yoke, and he also was a collaborator of the clandestine Press, “ La Libre Belgique,” the source of 'which the Germans could never trace. Ho organised a daring scheme by which ho was able' to forward 1,200,000 letters from Belgian soldiers to their wives in invaded districts, and also worked with Nurse Cavell and others in passing soldiers over the frontier, hour hundred British soldiers, in addition to las own compatriots, benefited from his service. He became so famous tor his work that he was ordered by his superiors in 1916 to escape, and, prowedmg. to London, he found work awaiting him at Earl’s Court. Returning to Belgium this year he was decorated by King Albert. +1 It . ls I nn . t now necessary to conceal 3?i 4l t ' was closely in touch with the Intelligence Department of tne Allies. Ho and his confreres in the oooiocy of Jesus were in fact sought by the Allied Governments because their honesty could ho trusted. Descnbuig his work with Nurse y‘, 1 1 erb Meeus says prisoners were taken into Brussels in disguise, aiid were then mot by the “grand espionne, a little girl who carried a big doll, ran about and played and looked into shop windows. The soldiers would .now her without any sign of recognuion on her part, and then she Would stop outside the house in which Nurse Oavell met them. The soldiers wero then bandaged up and transformed into hospital patients, and were introduced to Pfare Mtscms as ‘KM. Jansen ” or “ Baron Jensen.” who would get the men across the frontier.

One© ns a cattle drover he got to Ostcnd and found the real lurking place ol the German submarines. At another time hearing; that prior to air raids on England it was the custom, of Zeppelin and Gotha officers to meet at dinner, he set himself up ns a pastry cook, and was thus, able to find out where the dinners were to bo given, ineu, by means of carrier pigeons to Holland, he informed the Admiralty of impending raids. ' It was only by chance that he was not taken with Nurse Cavell. The three chief conspirators had arnnmed t0 “l oo *, m conference. Cardinal jfercier had sent for Pere Meeus to got messa g° into Holland, nrrn 1 i chiefs were airested .and, .shot. a ' ■fhwhion of conspirators was decided upon. Pere Meeus arrived dressed as a mason, and bluffed the c™ poll officer , A fdlmv . con l . spirator arrived, having in his stockanf th a Y of tll0 ,° 3l( ; nd fortifications aui J IW lser ' and tt th "'d arrived ,Usguiscd as a servant. Tlio latter was token n t d h bUt > f ? igll l DK ill,loss lle "’as taken to hospital, from which, lioweter ho managed to escape.’ 'This) Jesuit is described by Pere Meeus as s vfv pr ' GS ; lkt ‘ Ch;lrlle Chaplin.” The age^s ir V Brnaaels soon not p® P °at C ® Vl e )la,lce ' and all fntV H a h - ? er<l eeus swam the canal into Holland, and helped a colleaciio across wlio could not swim.