The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-05-31
BRITISH OFFICER BROUGHT GERMAN
 zEP BACK HOME
ICopyright. 1919, By The Interna-
 tional News Bureau. Inc.)

Was the mysterious Zeppelin com mander who, with his aerial monster and German crew, descended in the fields outside an Essex village, a Brit ish intelligence officer in disguise?
 According to the narrative of a re- sponsible authority, this strange per sonage was in reality an intrepid Se- cret Service agent. who, after some thrilling work in Germany, managed to secure command of the greatest aerial cruiser turned out up to that time by the enemy, hoodwinked his crew, supposedly got his craft into difficulties. and landed in this coun- try in order to disclose invaluable in formation which he had gleaned from the Huns.
 From this same source it Is averred that the officer was ore of the first mysterious recipients of V. C. award ed without the circumstances being disclosed.
 The story of his experiences in Ger many and the successful accomplish ment of his tasks is even more thrill- ing than the recital of the bare facts. would indicate. And it was his sue cess in making off with the most modern of Zeppelins that went far towards helping the British War Of flee solve the problems presented by night bombing raids over the pro- vincial towns of England.
 For obvious reasons, the officer who related the account of the enter prise withheld the name of the man who stole the airship. So incensed were the German authorities over the disappearance of the "Zep'' that it is possible some of those who were held responsible might seek him out and try to do him harm.
 His Secret Work in Germany.
 Seven years before the war began the officer was assigned to intelli- gence duty. Between then and the day the danger of war became ap- parent he had been in Germany much of the time studying aircraft production and particularly the de- velopment of the Zeppelin.
 Needless to say, no German ever got opportunity of learning who the student of aircraft design really was
 The day the war was declared the officer enlisted in the Germany army. His aptitude for airplane work and his seeming willingness to put his shoulder to the Kaiser's wheel soon gained for him the confidence of his immediate superiors.
 He worked tireless1y and with eff fciency that was seldom seen-so the German officers thought. Occasion ally. it Is understood. he managed to delay important work. All the time he lived-under the strain of knowing that German zeppelins were almost nightly raiding England's small towns, and that his own wife and children in their home in Essex might be killed.
 But the British War Office had as- signed the task to him, and he plug ged on. The frishtful strain never showed In his face. At any moment, he knew, some German Intelligence officer who had been on duty in Eng land might enter the Zeppelin plant and recognize him as a British of- fcer. He would be denounced, tried by Military Court, and shot.
 Ono day soon after he had demon- strated his expert knowledge of zep- pelins he received an opportunity to try for a commission. The German Air Service was being depleted rapid ly. and more officers were needed. He took the examination and passed it. He was complimented and got the rank of lieutenant.
 His commission enabled him to work with even greater success. He had access to records and drawings, and never lost an opportunity of mem orizing important details in Ger many's plans for aerial development. So thoroughly had his memory been trained that he was a living encyclo- pedia of German aeronautics. The most secret of the plans sooner or later passed before him, and were photographed on his brain.
 Again, for reasons best known to the German officers, the British In telligence man was the recipient of honors.
 You are hereby commissioned a captain in the Emperor's Air Ser vice." said the commanding officer to him ono day at headquarters.
 Thank you-and the All Highest" replied the Briton.
 His First Bombing Over England.
 That night the German commander sent for him. The two were closeted together for several hours in the commanding officers quarters. When the British officer left he carried or ders placing him in command of a Zeppelin. Several practice flights and cruises were made before the Ger mans felt that the new captain could be trusted with the command of the finest Zeppelin the old Count had ye. designed.
 | WHO Hdu DceH Ol 1 ing expeditions over England showed 1 him how the bomb releases worked. | and gave tips on air currents and l anti-craft batteries located along En siands coast.
 Then came orders for the new | captain to undertake his first bomb | ing expedition over England. He was | ordered to try for munition plants. A score of high German officers bade | him goodbye, and saw to it that Ger manys largest Zeppelin got away without mishap.
 The Zeppelin proceeded across the l German border, and began her flight across the North Sea- A thick fog | blanketed the surface of the water. and no lights were visible. Naviga- | tion -Aas done by compass alone. At a high altitude for the Zep" arrived 1 directly over the shore of England. Restraining his crew of impatien. Germans, who wished to leave a trail of smoke and flame beneath them. the British officer continued to guide the craft towards the center of Es- sex The fog lifted suddenly, and a group of lights in familiar formation |, ,s-