Evening star., 1950-09-20
How Nozi Agents Escape Story Was Exploded
CONTINUED From First Page.)

Wv wa ~H
Continued From First Page)
his mouth and as the pinnace
came in against the wind, the
naval officer smiled family.
For the Dutchman was sing
ing-a wild, delirious chant of
joy: "Oh-three cheers for the
Red, White and Blue-and the
beautiful colors of the Dutch
nag-at last, at last :"
Coastal Command Intelligence
met the pinnace at the jetty. A
bespectacled Royal Air Force Off
Ger, with notebook, maps and a
gift Of tongues, examined the
Dutchmen, their charts, papers,
copies Of Occupation Zone rules.
Finally, with many questions
answered and the Coastal Com
mand teleprinters rattling the re-
Sultant news of harborS, ships and
gunsiteS to the Bomber brasshats,
the three Dutchmen came by train
to London, watched by two taci-
turn Field Security corporals, re-
volverS at belt, in a curtained
compartment.
Taken to Patriotic School.
A khaki car waited, whiSked
them to the Royal Victoria Patri-
otic School in Trinity road, Clap
ham.
To this school, taken over by
British Military Intelligence, came
every foreigner who arrived in
Britain during the war years.
Some stayed merely one night.
Some caught in our web-came
by night, departed by night :.
never saw an English dawn--ex-
cept the one that Redeemed the
tall grey prison walls where they
were hanged.
For in this school, which was
founded by q colleague and my
self. there was only one key to
life and safety-absolute inno-
cence! Thousands of men and
women, innocent and guilty,
passed through our hands. The
innocent refugees were treated
with quiet courtesy, as guests. and
soon released.
On this morning that followed
the night of the three Dutchmen
being brought to the school in
CIapham, went rather tiredly to
my office at the school. There is
not much sleep to being counter
espionage officer.
Youngster Appeared Innocent.
I talked first with the catarrhal
Dutch youngster. He had worked
as a post Office clerk in The Hague.
until a colleague, Dronkers, the
tall man, laid plans for escape to
England. This shifting. coughing
little clerk went with him, to offer
himself to the Free Dutch Army.
I smiled a little. He seemed in
nocent.
The next fellow. that half-caste
Malay-Dutchman, was more diff
cult, being a pathological liar. We
held him for a while, listened
boredly.
Then, as the white climbing
flowers stirred in a warm April
wind outside my Office window,
and a tall lime tree rustled on the
sentry-patrolled lawn, I pressed
my bell for the third Dutchman-
Dronkers-leader of this praise
worthy little expedition
The schools two tall ex-com-
missionaire attendants brought
him in. His shoddy blue trousers
looked ridiculously short. His
hands were bony, veined, un-
kempt. We spoke Dutch. He
tossed his grizzled hair out of
his fanatical brown eyes, and
laughed at me, like a friend with
whom he had shared dangers.
Dutchman Describes Escape.
"England-my good friend" he
said. I'VE are here-this beauti-
full countryside from the Huns.
We shall fight for freedom-we
shall fight-until not one last
German pollutes our fair Holland
soil.''
listened, munched an occa-
sional chocolate-my weakness
while the lanky Dronkers told his
epic of escape.
He had been married Is years.
He loved his wife. They lived in
q small fiat in The Hague. He
was a postal clerk, earning little
money.
When the Germans came to
Holland, he said, costs rocketed,
and he was driven on to the black
market.
But the German penalty for
black marketing was-death. The
Gestapo came for him. He was
warned, escaped the tale as
he recounted it took three weary
ing hours.
Promised Use of Boat.
In q Rotterdam cafe, The At
lanta, he had met q man called