Evening star., 1950-09-21
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licensed premises where we were
checking identity cards. May we
see yours now, please?"
The three foreigners eyed each
other. The biggest suddenly
spilled out a passionate torrent in
q foreign tongue.
Thirty minutes later, at Cannon
Row Police Station, a grizzled po-
lice inspector who understood
French listened to his story-and
became the most worried man in
England!
He reached for his phone. The
operator plugged him through to
Mil. .ary Intelligence at the War
Three Frenchmen, sir" said
the inspector carefully. picked
'em up in Charlotte street. Don't
speak a word of English. Said
they landed on the Southeast
Coast in an escape boat from Brit
tany three nights ago. Made their
way to London right through all
the prohibited areas. Nobody saw
'em or stopped 'en1-not Coast
Guards, nor Home Guards, nor
he gulped sadly-"nor police, until
now"
Downing Street Ordered Inquiry.
Across London. from Soho to
Whitehall to Downing street, the
incredible tale spread that night.
From Mr.. Churchill's bombproof
operations room beneath London's
pavements came a terse instruc-
ton to Military Intelligence: IN
vestigate thoroughly"
There was grave portent in such
an incident. Three Frenchmen
had landed unobserved, on the eve
of a feared German invasion, and
with the coast guarded by radar,
criss-crossed by hundreds Of secret
devices. For many days every
bulky bit of driftwood had been
spotted as it bobbed shoreward
and now this!
Next morning the three French
men were brought to the Royal
Victoria Patriotic School at
Clapham, where Military 1ntell-
gence had founded the central
search-point for testing the stories
of all aliens who reached Britain.
Outside a cricket match was
being played.
I could hear the click Of bat and
ball in my little offices as the three
Frenchmen were brought in. They
were an ll-assorted trio. The
youngest, a lad about 20. had big
violet eyes that implored me. The
second fellow was thug. Husky
shoulders. a crumpled ear, hairy
black hands. He looked shifty.
Story Was Very Good.
The third man regarded me
jauntly. He stood nicely balanced,
looking fierce and 1.-the, breathing
easily. His arms hung lightly.
Both cheeks were Scared.
His eyes were bold. clear. He
was obviously thinking quickly. I
knew I was looking at the leader
of the three.
Their leader stepped forward.
In French he told me: MY name
is Magis, and we escaped from the
dirty Germans by boat to Eng
land !" It was a very good
story, as he went on to tell it. Full
Of plausible detail. I could not
smell in it any trace of my enemy,
Herr Strauch of the German In
telligence Service. 1t was not his
style at all-and therefore might
be true.
Good" I said. when he had
finished. "You seem to have made
idiots of our coastguardS. my
cretins of our SOL
diers. You have penetrated the
British defenses-most clever OF
you" They exchanged smirks.
Even Baby, the youngster, perked
up slightly.
Questioned Each Man Singly.
"An noW-one at time-a few
formal questions. The-er, nervous
young man first, I think"
Magis and the thug departed.
Baby sat licking his lips hesitant-
ly, across my plain little green
topped desk.
We'll, young man." I said.
'Your name? yes. Age? Il
yes. Where did you land: at what
part of the coast? Well, being in
the Southeast, as you say. was it
rocky-or was it smooth, sandy
beach?"
Baby nodded eagerly. eyes, sir
a sandy beach"
Good. This would be in the
at night?"
"It was-er, in between, sir.
About midday"
"Yes-and the description of
your boat so we can identify it, if
found. Color?"
"It was a sort of grey, sir"
II see. A sailboat?"
'Yes, sir"
Stories Fail to Match.
I waved him to depart. Then I
rang for the thug.
To the thug I gave a cigarette,
and apologized for the trouble of
these questions. Especially" I
said, "after your impressive or
deal. All, mellow you tricked our
coastguards! Was it by day or by
night you landed?"
The thug sucked his cigarette.
Flattery dulled his wits. ut was