THE SHMI WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.
EKlAVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
I a
i
i
I
'
.
j;
OUTWITTING THE HUN"
By Lieutenant Pat O'Brien
(Copyright. 1018, by Pit Alv O'Brien)
nature Gcnnnn methods behind the j as much concern as tho unexpected
front line trenches, tactics, morale of I sight of n German spiked helmet had
troops and similar matters. Then the caused me lu Belgium. It read as
aviation experts would take a whack1 follows:
CHAPTER XVI 1 1 Continued.
12
I beckoned to the chauffeur to go
with mo up to the office, as I had no
money with which to pay him, and
whon ho cot to the consulate I
told them Uiat If they would pay th
taxi fore I would tell them who I
was and how I happened to be there.
They knew at onco that I was an
scaped prisoner and they readily
paid the chauffeur and invited mo to
glvo somo account of mysolf.
They treated mo most cordially and
wero Intensely Interested in the brief
Recount I gave them of my adven
tures. Word was sent to tho consul
general and he immediately sent for
mo. When I went in ho shook hands'
with mo, 'greeting mo very heartily
and offering mo a chair.
He then Bat down, Bcrcwed a mon
oclo on his eye and vlowcd mo from
top to toe. I c6uld see that only good
breeding kept him from laughing at
tho spectacle I presented. I could see
be wanted to laugh In tho worst way.
"Go ahead and laugh I" I said. "You
can't offend mo tho way I feel this
Messed day I" and ho needed no second
Invitation. Incidentally It gavo mo a
chance to laugh at htm, for I was
bout as much amused as ho was.
After ho bad laughed himself about
sick ho got up and slapped mo onjho
buck and invited mo to tell him my
story.
"Lioutcnant" he said when I had
concluded, "yoti can Have anything
fighting every day, with nil tho horrors
and all tho risks, than ho a prisoner
of war in Germany, for tho men in
France have a very keen realization
of what that means.
Hut to return to my day In Rotter
dam. After I wns fixed up I returned to
the consulate nnd arrangements wero
made for my transportation to Eng
land at once. Fortunately there wus
a boat leaving that very night nnd I
was allowed to tako passage on it
Just as wo wero leaving Rotterdam,
tho boat I was on rammed our own
convoy, one of the destroyers, nnd in
Jured it so badly that It had to put
back to port It would have been a
strange climax to my adventure If tho
disaster had resulted In tho sinking
of my boa't and I had lost my life
while on my way to England after
having successfully eutwlttcd the
Huns. Dut my luck was with mo to
the lnst, and whllo tho accident re
sulted in some delay our boat was not
seriously damaged nnd made tho trip
over in schedule time and without fur
ther accident, another destroyer hav
ing been assigned to escort us through
tho danger zono in place of the one
which had been put out of commis
sion. When I arrived In London, tho re
action from the strain I had been
under for nearly three months Imme
diately became apparent My nerves
wero In nuch a state that It was abso
lutely impossible for mo to cross tho
you wnnt I think tfyour oxperlenco strcot without being in deadly fear
(BtltleB you to It"
"Well, consul," I replied, "I would
tike a bath, a shave, a haircut nnd
some civilized clothes about as badly
as a man ever needed them, I suppose,
bat beforo that I would llko to get a
cable off to America to my mother
telling her that I am safe and on my
way to England I"
The consul gavo me the necessary
Information and I had tho satisfaction
C knowing before I left tho offlco that
the cable, with its good tidings, wus
a its way to America.
Then he sent for ono of tho naval
men who had been Interned Uicre
JBce the beginning of the war and
who was able to speak Dutch and
told him to tako good caro of me.
After I bad been bathed and shaved
aa'd had a haircut I bought somo new
aJothcs and had something to cat, and
I felt like a new man.
As I walked through tho streets of
of being run over or trampled. I stood
at tho curb, like an old woman from
the country on her first visit to tho
city, nnd I would not venture across
until Bomo knowing policeman, recog
nizing my condition, camo to my as
sistance and convoyed mo across.
Indeed, there was a great number of
English officers at homo at all times
"getting back their nerves" after a
long spell of active service at tho
front, so that my condition was any
thing but novel to tho London bob
bies. It was not many days, however, be
foro I regained control of myself and
felt in first-class shape.
Although tho British authorities in
Holland had wired my mother from
Holland that I was safo and on my
wny to England, the first tiling I did
when "wo landed was to send her a
cablo mysolf.
Tho cablo road as follows:
Rotterdam breathing tho air of free- "Mrs. M. J. O'Brien, Momonce, I1L, U.
&tn agAin and realizing that there
was no longer any danger of being
captured and taken back to prison,
H was a wonderful sensation.
I don't bollevo thoro will over be a
country that will appear in my eyes
aulte aa good as Holland did then. I
bad to bo somowhat caroful, however,
because Holland was full of German
sptos and I know they would bo keca
to learn all they possibly could about
ey oscape and ray adventures so that
ti authorities In Belgium could mete
eat punishment to everyone who was
la say respect to blame for It Aa I was
In, Rotterdam only one day, they
didn't have very much opportunity to
learn anything from me.
The naval offlcr who accompanied
no and acted as Interpreter for me
introduced ma to many other soldiers
aad aallora who bad escaped from Bel
jtaat whoa the Germans took Ant
werp, and as they had arrived In Hol
laed ta uniform and under arras, the
Vawi ef neutrality compelled their in
tasaaeat and they had been there ever
alrwa.
Tfcs Mfo of ,a maa who la interned
In a neutral county, I learned, la any
thing but satisfactory. He goto oao
month a year to visit his home. If he
lives In England that is not so bad,
but if be happens to llvo farther
away, the timo he baa to spend with
his folks Is vary short, aa the month's
leave docs not tako Into consideration
the timo consumed In traveling to and
from Uollnnd.
Tho possibility of escape frosa Hol
limd Is always there, but the British
authorities 'have nn agreement with
' tho Dutch government to sand rata
fees buclt Immediately, la thla re
spect, therefore, the position of a man
who Is Interned Is worse than that
it a prisoner who, If he does saecood
In muklng his escape. Is naturally re
ceived with open unns In hu aaUve
land. Apart from this rostrate, how
over, Internment, with ull Its 4raw
fmcks, Is a thouiand times, yes, ttdV
Uon times, better than being a prtaoaar
of war In Germany,
i It seems to mo that when the war
Us over and tho men who have beea
Imprisoned In Germany return homes J
they should bo given a bigger ami
crMter reception than the most vic
torious army that ever marched Into
city, for they will have Buffered
and gone through more than tip world
will ever bo tfblo to understand.
No doubt you will find In the Oer
man prison camps ono or two faint
hearted Individuals with a pronounced
yellow streak who voluntarily gavo
up the struggle and gavo up their lib
wrty rather than risk their Uvea or
'limbs. Thcso sad cases, however, are,
I am sure, extremely few. Nine hun
dred and ninety-nine out of a thouaaad
' r 'ic men fighting In the allied, Unes
o ' rut her tut l& the front tranches,
S. A.
"Just escaped from Germany. Lot
tor follows."
As I delivered It to the cable dis
patcher I could Just Imagine the ex
ultation with which my mother would
receive It and the pride sho would
feel as she exhibited it among her
neighbors and friends.
I could hear tho volley of "I told
you so's" that greeted hor good tld
lngs.
"It would tako more than the kaiser
to keep Pat In Germany," I could hoar
one of them saying.
"Knew he'd be back for Christmas,
anyway," I could hoar another re
mark.
"I had an Idea that Pat and bis
comrades might spend Christmas In
Berlin," I could hear another admit
ting, "but I did not think any other
part of Germany would appeal to him
very much."
"Mrs. O'Brien, did Pat writo you
how many German prisoners ho
brought back with him?" I could hear
still another credulous friend inquir
ing.
It was all very amusing and grati
fylng to me and I must confess I felt
quite cocky as I walked Into the war
department to report
For the next five days I was kept
very busy answering questions put to
mo by tho military authorities regard
Ing what I had observed as to condl
tlons in Germany and behind the lines
What I reported was taken down
by a stenographer and made part of
the official records, but I did not give
thorn my story in narrative form. The
taformatloa I was ablo to give was
naturally of Interest to various
branches of the service, and experts
la ovary Una of government work took
It la tarns to question me. One morn
Ins would bo devoted, for instance,
to answering questions of a military
at me and discuss with me all I had
observed of German flying corps
methods nnd equipment. Then, again,
tho food experts would Interrogate
me as to what I had learned of food
conditions in Germany, Luxembourg
and Belgium, and as I had lived pretty
close to the ground for the best part
of seventy-two days I wns ablo to give
them somo fairly accurate reports as
to actual agricultural conditions,
many of the things I told them prob
ably having more significance to them
than they had to me.
There were many things I hnd ob
served which I have not referred to'ln
thcso pages because their value to us
might bo diminished If tho Germans
knew wc were aware of them, but
hoy wero all reported to the authori
ties and it was very gratifying to me
to hear that tho experts considered
some of them of tho greatest value.
Ono of tho most amusing Incidents
of.my return occurred when I called at
my bankers In London to got my per
sonal effects.
Tho practice In tho Royal Flying
corps when a pilot is reported mis
sing Is to have two of his comrades
assigned to go through his belongings,
check them over, destroy anything
that it might not bo to his Interest to
preserve, and send tho wholo busi
ness to his banker or his home, as the
case may be. Every letter is rend
through, but their contents Is never
afterwards discussed or revealed In
any way. If the pilot is finally re
ported dead, his effects are forwarded
to his next of kin, but while ho is of
ficially only "missing," or Is known to
be a prisoner of war, they are kept
cither at tho squadron headquarters
or sent to his bankers.
In my case as soon as it was learned
that I had fallen from the sky. It was
assumed that I had boen killed and
my chum, Paul Rancy, and another
officer detailed to check over my ef
fects. The list they mado and to
which they affixed their signatures.
as I havo previously mentioned, is
now In my possession and Is one of
tho most treasured Bouvcnlrs of my
adventure.
My trunk was sent to Cox & Co. In
duo course, nnd now that I was In
London I thought I would go and claim
it
When I arrived at tho bank I ap
plied to tho proper window for my
mall and trunk.
Who nro you?" I was asked rather
sharply.
"Well, I guess no one has any
greater right to Pat O'Brien's effects
than I have," I replied, "and I would
bo obliged to you if you would look
them up for mo."
"That may be nil right, my friend,"
replied tho clerk, "but according to
our records Lieutenant O'Brien is
prisoner of war in Germany, and wo
can't very well turn over his effects
to anyone else unless either you pre
sent proof that ha is dead and that
you are his lawful representative, or
elso deliver to us a properly authenu
tlcatcd order from him to give them
to you."
He was very nosltive about it all
but qulto polite, and I thought
would kid him no more.
"Well," I said, "I can't very well
present proofs to you that Pat O'Brien
Is dead, but Pwill do the best I can to
prove to you that, he is alive, and if
you haven't quite forgotten his sig
nature I guess I can write you out
an order that will answer all your re
quirements and enable you to gtvo mo
Pat O'Brien's belongings without run
nlng any risks," and I scribbled my
slcnaturo on a scran of paper and
bunded It to him.
Ho looked at me carefully through
the latticed window, then Jumped
down from tho high chair and came
outsldo to clasp me by the baud.
"Good heavens, lef tenant 1" he ex
claimed, as he pumped my hand up
and down, "how did you ever get
away?" and I had to sit right down
and tell him and halt a dozen other
peonlo In the bank all nbout my ex
periences. I had been In England about five
days when I received a telegram
.which, at first, occnsloued mo almost
"Lieut. P. A. O'Brien, Royal Flying
Corps, Regent's Palace Hotel, Lon
don:) "Tho king Is very glad to hear of
your escape from Germany. If you
are to be In London on Friday next,
December 7th, His majesty will re
ceive you at Buckingham palaco at
10:30 a. m. Pleaso acknowledge.
"CROMER."
Of course, there was only ono
thing to do nnd that was to obey ord
ers. I was an officer In tho nrmy and
tho king Was my commander in chief,
had to go, and so I sat down and
sent off the following answer:
Earl Cromer, Buckingham Palaco,
London :
"I will attend Buckingham palaco
as directed, Friday, December 7th, at
10:30.
"LtiSUT. PAT O'BRIEN."
In tho interval that elapsed, I must
confess, the ordeal of calling on tho
king of England loomed up moro
dreadfully every day, and I really
believed I would rather have spent an
other day In the empty houso In the
big city In Belgium or, say, two more
days at Courtral, than to go through
what I believed to bo in store for me.
Orders wero orders, however, nnd
there wns no wuy of getting out of it
As It turned out it wasn't hnlf as bad
as I had feared on the contrary, It
was ono of the .most agreeable expe
riences of my life.
CHAPTER XIX.
Jtf441W-f
ikwt omcxTuxoxurm.
12
w
toll
l7
Ta.
For Pootaco Stamps.
i . J-tU Mot U la
4 mt
TO
I Am Presented to the King.
When the dreaded 7th of December
arrived, I halted a taxlcab and in as
matter-of-fact tono of voice ns I could
command, directed tho chauffeur to
drive mo to Buckingham palace, as
though I was paying my regular morn
lng call on the king.
My friends version of this Incident,
havo since heard, is thnt I seated
myself in tho taxi and leaning through
the window said: "Buckingham pal
ace!" whereupon tho taxi driver got
down, opened the door und exclaimed
threateningly:
Tf you don't get out quietly and
chuck your drunken talk, I'll Jolly
aulck call a bobby, blT mo, If I
won't 1"
But I can only give my word that
nothing of tho kind occurred.
When I arrived at the palaco gate,
the sentry on guard asked me who I
was and thon let mo pass at onco
up to tho front entrance of the palace.
There I was met by an elaborately
uniformed and equally elaborately
decorated personage who, Judging by
the long row of medals he wore, must
havo seen long and distinguished serv
ice for tho king.
I was relieved of my overcoat hat
and stick and conducted up a long
stairway, .where I was turned over to
another functionary, who led mo to
tho reception room of Earl Cromer,
tho king's secretary,
There I was introduced to another
earl and a duke, whose namo I do not
remember. I wus becoming so bewll
dered, in fact that It Is a wonder that
I remember as much as I do of this
eventful day.
I had heard many times that before
being presented ,to the king a man Is
coached carefully ns to Just how ho is
to act and what ho is to say and do,
and nil this timo I was wondering
when thla drilling would commence.
I certainly hnd no idea that I was to
be ushered Into the august presence
of the king without some preliminary
instruction.
Earl Cromer nnd the other noblemen
talked to me for a whllo and got me
to relate In brief th story of my ex
perience, and they appeared to be
very much Interested. Perhaps they
did it only to give me confidence and
as a sort of rehearsal for the main
performance, which was scheduled to
take place much sooner than I ex
pected.
I had barely completed my story
when tho door opened nhd an attend
ant entered and announced:
"Tho king will receive Leftenant
O'Brien 1"
If he hnd announced that tho kaiser
was outside with a squad of German
guards to tuko mo back to Courtral
my heart could not havo sunk deeper,
Earl Cromer beckoned me to follow
him and we went Into a large room,
where I supposed I was at last to re
ceive my coaching, but I observed tho
earl bow to a man standing there and
realized that I was standing in the
presenco of tho king of England,
Tour majesty, Leftenant O'Brien 1"
fift" ... S,
MSHWHMiKTHwa bhbb
from
tv. iu. J wtofUH wnatmra, wuu. . . v.. .i o, im i
Lieutenant O'Brien's Answer to Summon of King George.
account of being an American? Wo
heard that the Germans had threat
ened to shoot Americans serving in
the British nrmy If they captured
them, classing them ns murderers,
because America was a neutral coun
try "nnd Americans hnd no right to
mix in tho war. Did you find that to
bo tho case?"
I told him that I had heard similar
reports, but that I did not notice any
appreciable difference In my treat
ment from thnt accorded Britishers.
The king declared that he believed
my escape was duo to ray pluck and
will power nnd thnt It was one of the
most rcmarkablo escapes ho had over
heard of, which I thought was quite
a compliment, coming as it did from
the king of England.
T,hopo thnt all the Americans will
give ns good an account of themselves
ns you have, leftenant," ho said, "nnd
I feel qulto suro they will. I fully
nppreclnto all tho service rendered us
by Americans before tho States en
tered tho war."
At this moment I asked him If I
was taking too much time.
"Not at nil, leftenant not at all I"
ho replied, most cordially. "I wns
extremely interested in the brief re
port that enmo to mo of your wonder
ful escape and I sent for you because
I wanted to hear tho whole story first
hand, and I am very glad you were
able to come."
I had not expected to remain more
than a few minutes, ns I understood
thnt four minutes Is considered a long
audience with tho king. Fifty-two
minutes elapsed before I finally left
there 1
During all tills time I had done most
of the talking, in response to the
king's request to tell my story. Occa
sionally he interrupted to ask a ques
tion about a point he wanted me to
mako clear, but for the most part he
was content to play the part of a lis
tener. t
Ho seemed to be very keen on every
thing and when I described some of
the tight holes I got into during my
escape ho evinced his symputhy. Oc
casionally I Introduced some of the
few humorous incidents of my adven
ture nnd in every Instance he laughed
heartily.
Altogether the Impression I got of
him was that he Is a very genial,
gracious and alert sovereign. I know
I have felt moro 111 at ease when talk
ing to a major than when speaking
to the king but perhaps I had more
cause to.
During tho wholo Interview we
were left entirely alone, which Im
pressed me as significant of tho dem
ocratic manner of the present king
of England, nnd I certainly came
nway with tho utmost respect for him.
In all my conversation, I recalled
afterwards, I never addressed tho
king ns "Your Majesty," but used the
military "sir." As I was a British of
ficer and he was tho head of the army,
he probably appreciated this manner
of address more than if I had used
tho usual "Your Majesty." Perhaps
he attributed it to the fact that I
was an American. At any rate, he
didn't evlnco any displeasure at my
departuro from what I understand Is
the usual form of address.
Beforo I left ho asked me what my
plans for tho future were.
-wny, sir, i nope to rejoin my
squadron at the earliest possible mo
mentl" I replied.
"No, Leftenant," he rejoined, "that
is out of tho question. We can't risk
losing you for good by sending you
back to u part of the front opposed
by Germans, because If you wero un
fortunate enough to be cantured
uguln they would undoubtedly shoot
you."
Well, If I can't serve In France.
Blr," I suggested, "wouldn't it be feas
ible for mo to fly in Italy or Salon
lea?"
"No," ho replied, "that would be
almost as bad. Tho only thing that
I can suggest for you to do is either
to take up Instruction a very valu
ablo form of service or perhaps It
mignt do safe enough for you to
servo in Egypt, but Just at present.
lettcnant, I think you havo done
enough anyway."
Then ho rose and shook hands with
mo nnd wished me Uio best of luck,
and wo both said "Good-by."
in tne adjoining room I met Earl
Cromer again, nnd as ho accompanied
mo to tho door seemed to bo surprised
nt tne length of my visit
As I left tho palace a
Savoy by a fellow officer who had
bet thrco other friends of mine that
I would be homo by Christinas. This
wager had been made at the timo he
heard that I was n prisoner of war,
and the dinner was the stake.
The first Intimation he hud of my
safo return from Germany und tho
fact that ho had won his bet was a
telegram I sent him reading as fol
lows :
"Lieut Louis Grand:
"War bread bad, so I camo bomo.
"PAT."
Ho said ho would not part with
that message for a thousand dollars.
Other banquets followed in fast suc
cession. After I had survived nlno of
them I figured that I was now In as
much danger of succumbing to a sur
feit of rich food as I had previously
been of dying from starvation, and
for my own protection, I decided to
lenve London. Moreover, my thoughts
nnd my heart were turning back to
the land of my birth, whero I know
there was a loving mother who was
longing for moro substantial evidence
of my safo escape than the cables and
letters sho had received.
Strangely enough, on the boat which
carried roe across tho Atlantic, I saw
an R. F. C man Lieutenant Lascel
les. I walked over to him, held out my
hand nnd said "Hello 1"
Ho looked at mo steadily for at least
n minute.
"My friend, you certainly look Ilka
Pat O'Brien," ho declared, "but I can't
believe my eyes. Who aro you?"
I quickly convinced him thut his
eyes were still to bo relied upon, and
then he stared at me for another' min
ute or two, shaking his head dubi
ously. His mystification was qulto expli
cable,. Tho last time he hnd seen me
I was going down to earth with a
bullet in my face and my mnchlne do
ing a splnnlng-noso dive Ho was ono
of my comrades in tho flying corps
The King Had Me by tho Hand.
and was in tho fight which resulted
In my capture. Ho said he had read
the report that I was a prisoner of
war, but ho had never believed It as
he did not think It possible for ma to
survive thnt fall.
Ho. was ono of the few men living
out of eighteen who were originally
In my squadron I do not mean the
eighteen with whom I sailed frost
Canada last May, but the squadron I
Joined in France.
As wo sat on the deck exchanging
experiences, I would frequently no
tice him gazing intently in my face
as if he wero not quite sure that the
wholo proposition was not a hoax
and that I was an lmposter.
Outside of this unexpected meet
lng, my trip was uneventful.
I arrived at St. John, Now Bruns
wick, and eventually In tho little
town of Momence, Bl., on tho Kan
kakee river.
I have Bald that I was never so
happy to arrive In a country as I was
when I set foot on Dutch soli. Now.
I'm afraid I shall have to take that
statement bnck. Not until I finally
landed In Momence nnd realized that
I was again In tho town of my child
hood days did I enjoy that feeling of
absolute security which ono never
really appreciates until after a visit
to foreign parts.
Now that I am back, the wholo ad
venture constantly recurs to me as a
dream, and I'm never quite suro that
I won't wake up and find it so.
(THE END)
Just a Flower.
nere comes a market basket filled
with nient, potatoes, turnlns. onions.
cauliflowers and radishes, a suhstnn.
PUllCtMDUn I . 7 -
nnd a sentry outsldo camo smurtly to Kni " V tne nungry household
attention. Perhaps they figured I had fP lne)i tfrom theso vnried tttbl
been made a ccneral. . ... . "looming rrom
As I
In a taxi
uu u KVUUIUI. II,,. . . ' " -
was riding back to the hotel w nf P -mnB the Ptatoe8
ri I reflected on the romnri nt a rld of melody 1 baPPJ
. riunnPA Imilnlo 1 fPl. i
the earl announced, and then Immedl- "Die course of events which in tho i,int fnmi 7 rt., 1 ? r
ately backed from the room. I he- snon space or nine months had taken lookirf - j ih- t "Ts J I
.. rn thprnmh .i muiteo, nt me good woman whu carried
1 1 m vi'i i i wniiin iiiivn tiiiiiiwimi ririiL i hM uiuui uiiu t 1 1 1 1 tM i nn i jn i
hDhin,i him h,,f hv ti,t tim thn like the finish of u hook, with mv Dn.s.Kct nni Bnw 'n her countenanco
ing received
klngl When
cordially and
king had me by the huud and was
u v sr-mTstr
I flymhjliVyu , ?!!l-0-J?-faco
congratulating me. and ho spoke so wns I When I first Joined the Royal nd .Wc u .".I Inc
democratically njmg corps i never expected to eeo tt sign of thZZZ 711.,.' I"
' " " nua uuu V UCt
very
that ho nut mo at my ease at once. tae insiue or Buckingham nalace.
He theni asked me how I felt and much less being received by tho king.
whether I was in a condltlou to con
verse, and when I told him I was, he
said he would be very much pleased
to hear my story in detail.
"Wero you treated any worse by the
Germans, leftenant?" ho asked, "on I
CHAPTER XX.
Home Again.
That same day, in the evening, I
was tendered a banquet at tho Hotel
u.u.iy responsibility; somewhat to
Rrnce the table and lend a charm to
the family life. Amid the dull neces
sities of life ehe had planted a little
nower. What radiance It would bring
to her modest household, and how God
would thank her for it I Columbus
Ohio State Journal.