WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:20.840 Blair of the Mounties, the story of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police. 00:20.840 --> 00:25.840 We present the 13th episode in the dramatic series Blair of the Mounties. 00:25.840 --> 00:32.480 1915, the dominion of Canada at war since our last episode. Three more Canadian 00:32.480 --> 00:36.720 divisions have left Canada for the battlefront. After the Battle of the 00:36.720 --> 00:40.600 Marne and the drive for the Channel ports, the great armies have settled down 00:40.600 --> 00:45.920 to the long war of attrition. The grim lines of trenches stretch from the 00:45.920 --> 00:50.880 English Channel to Switzerland. Inspector Blair and his assistant Sergeant 00:50.880 --> 00:55.880 Marshal are now on special service in France. 01:01.240 --> 01:06.840 Where are you Marshal? Right here inspector. It's pretty dark. Yes, where's that guide? 01:06.840 --> 01:10.840 Here I am sir, right ahead of you. Take care now and keep on the deckboards, the 01:10.840 --> 01:14.400 much pretty deep here. How far is it to this 90th battalion headquarters? Just a little 01:14.400 --> 01:18.000 piece now sir, we're getting closer to the line. There's the old ridge ahead of you, 01:18.000 --> 01:22.840 you see them flags going up. Fine, go ahead. What kind of war inspector? Look at all 01:22.840 --> 01:27.200 those fireworks. Them's the German trenches, they use an awful lot of 01:27.200 --> 01:32.480 flares. Hey! Wait for the developer McGinty and it's me old friend Spike so it is. 01:32.480 --> 01:36.120 Ah, get you with it. What do you want? I have a couple of gentlemen here to see the 01:36.120 --> 01:40.160 commanding officer. All right runner, better wait here. You too Marshal. I'll go down 01:40.160 --> 01:43.320 and talk to Colonel Smith. Now watch your heads, they're going down them stairs. 01:43.320 --> 01:49.080 Hello, down there. I'm looking for Colonel Smith. Here you are, I'm Colonel Smith. 01:49.080 --> 01:54.200 Oh, excuse me sir. Good evening sir, my name's Blair. Oh yes, Blair. I've heard about you from the 01:54.200 --> 02:00.040 general. Sit down. Man that gas curtain. Thanks. Here's a general's letter sir. No, never 02:00.040 --> 02:04.560 mind that, I know the contents. This is a bad business Blair. If you just give me an 02:04.560 --> 02:09.080 outline of the things, perhaps I can help you. Well I hope so, but I don't see how. We've 02:09.080 --> 02:13.160 had lots of spy scares but this is the real thing. Any proof that there's a 02:13.160 --> 02:17.720 spy working? Proof? No, plenty of indications though. The enemy's on to 02:17.720 --> 02:20.720 everything we do. Our reliefs get shot up and our raiding 02:20.720 --> 02:24.160 parties are simply getting massacred. Any suspicions? Not a trace. What about your 02:24.160 --> 02:28.980 officers? Blair, I'd stake my life on every one of them. I see. I sent for 02:28.980 --> 02:34.560 Ralston. He's our scout officer, knows more about this than I do. He'll work 02:34.560 --> 02:39.640 with you. Now who have you got with you? Just Sergeant Marshall and then the 02:39.640 --> 02:43.920 general lent me his own run-in. He's alright I suppose. Who? Mickey Flanagan? 02:43.920 --> 02:49.000 I should say so. Knows every foot of those trenches and he's the most expert 02:49.000 --> 02:53.380 ration thief in the Canadian Army. Seem rather versatile chap. Yes, Mickey's 02:53.380 --> 02:58.120 travelled a lot. No education but talks several languages. You should hear him 02:58.120 --> 03:02.640 talk to our German prisoner. You mean he speaks German? Just like a native. That's 03:02.640 --> 03:09.280 very interesting. Oh, come in Ralston. Blair, this is Lieutenant Ralston. 03:09.280 --> 03:14.440 How are you Ralston? Ralston, this is the special service officer on that spy job. 03:14.440 --> 03:19.520 Give him all the assistance he wants. Very well sir. Alright Blair, that's all now. 03:19.520 --> 03:24.520 Let me know if you need anything. See you in the morning. Thanks. Good night sir. 03:24.520 --> 03:29.440 Good night. Now what's the program Ralston? Well I thought we'd talk things over 03:29.440 --> 03:33.400 first sir. Then we can look around the front line. It's bright moonlight and we 03:33.400 --> 03:37.520 can see pretty well. Right, that suits me. Now here's a map of our trench positions 03:37.520 --> 03:41.280 in the German lines opposite. You see we're on the slope of a ridge here and 03:41.280 --> 03:44.920 the Germans are on the other slope. The top of the ridge is no man's land. What are 03:44.920 --> 03:48.240 these circular things along the front line? Well those are the big mine craters. 03:48.240 --> 03:52.720 There's one of them inside our line. Yes, it's funny you should mention that. What do you mean? 03:52.720 --> 03:56.880 Well you see it's the only point from which we can see into the German lines. 03:56.880 --> 04:01.120 The only thing we have got on the theory is the spy came in that somebody had 04:01.120 --> 04:03.840 been signaling to the enemy from that crater. What do you think of the idea 04:03.840 --> 04:07.640 yourself? I think it's a very likely story. All right we might as well start somewhere. 04:07.640 --> 04:12.160 Suppose we take shifts tonight. You and Marshal and I. We watch that crater through the 04:12.160 --> 04:15.720 hours of darkness. Two hour shifts eh? Oh well nothing like starting it at once I 04:15.720 --> 04:20.880 suppose. Exactly. Never mind that trip around the trenches. We'll start in my way. Marshal you 04:20.880 --> 04:26.000 take first shift. I'll take second. Ralston the third. Understand? Right on inspector. 04:26.000 --> 04:35.240 Fine. I'm gonna turn in for a couple of hours. See you later. Breakfast ready sir. 04:35.240 --> 04:41.040 Oh hello Mickey. What time is it? Six thirty sir and a fine morning. Hey wake up 04:41.040 --> 04:49.680 Marshal. Breakfast. Oh good morning sir. Better turn out and get something to eat Marshal. 04:49.680 --> 04:53.800 Ralston will be around pretty soon. Did you pick up on anything last night sir? No I didn't 04:53.800 --> 04:58.600 expect to. What? Oh then you don't think much of this crater idea. I thought it 04:58.600 --> 05:01.680 was pretty foolish myself. On the contrary I believe it's going to work out all 05:01.680 --> 05:08.460 right. You do? It doesn't look reasonable to me. There's somebody coming. Oh hello 05:08.460 --> 05:18.080 Ralston. Come in. Thanks. I have some news for you. That so? Oh come on down. Did you spot anything last 05:18.080 --> 05:22.280 night when you're on duty? I certainly did. What was it? Well between 315 and 330 there was a 05:22.280 --> 05:27.080 signal light working from Winnipeg credit toward the German line. Listen Ralston 05:27.080 --> 05:31.040 surely a man couldn't use a light right out in the open with hundreds of men 05:31.040 --> 05:35.360 around he'd be spotted in no time. Well I'll explain. You see nobody ever thinks 05:35.360 --> 05:38.960 of looking back from the front line and another thing there's only one point in 05:38.960 --> 05:41.480 our trenches from which you can see that crater. That's where we were watching 05:41.480 --> 05:46.200 last night. I see. Yes that's reasonable. It's a clever stunt. Any other details 05:46.200 --> 05:50.200 Ralston? Yes just about 315 there was a blue flare from the German lines just 05:50.200 --> 05:54.080 behind Spanbrook readout. I believe it was a signal. Any of our men in that crater? 05:54.080 --> 05:57.080 They weren't supposed to be. You think this fellow will try it on again tonight? 05:57.080 --> 06:01.400 Well I don't know. Well we'll be on hand again tonight hey. Well then I'll see you 06:01.400 --> 06:05.640 tonight sir. Yes. Goodbye Ralston. Goodbye sir. 06:10.560 --> 06:15.520 Just a little further inspector. Look out mind that hole. Man needs eyes like a cat 06:15.520 --> 06:19.600 in this darkness. Well it'll lighten up soon. Well here's our spot sir. This is where I 06:19.600 --> 06:24.560 stood when I saw that light working. Yes and now what? Do you see the crater? Yes I can 06:24.560 --> 06:28.440 just make it out. Well if that fellow starts signaling again Mars will be 06:28.440 --> 06:33.120 within a few feet of him. We ought to get him. I hope so. Do you have any ideas of 06:33.120 --> 06:37.160 your own on this case inspector? Oh just one or two but we'll see how this works out. 06:37.160 --> 06:43.120 What time is it? It's past 315. Look inspector behind you. What is it? Over 06:43.120 --> 06:48.320 that high point in the German lines. A flare. Don't you see it? I see. A brewish saw the 06:48.320 --> 06:54.960 light. Yes that's it. Just like last night. Now watch the crater. There he goes. I 06:54.960 --> 07:00.360 don't see a thing. Oh yes up near the top of the crater. Yes he's sending Morse 07:00.360 --> 07:04.440 letters. That's it. But surely they can't see that from the enemy lines. It's just 07:04.440 --> 07:07.520 a tiny light. Oh yes they will with high-powered glasses. That's quite a 07:07.520 --> 07:12.320 message he's sending. Code of some sort. Sure you've got that crater 07:12.320 --> 07:24.600 surrounded? Absolutely. Come on let's pick him up. All right. Look here inspector I 07:24.600 --> 07:28.040 can't understand this. Aren't you going to question that man we got in the crater 07:28.040 --> 07:31.160 last night before you talk to the Colonel Smith? Well no not just now 07:31.160 --> 07:36.160 Martell. What's his name by the way? Hanson. He says he's a Swede. More likely a German. 07:36.160 --> 07:41.080 I see. It seems to me that this fellow Ralston is stealing the show. Does it? Just hang 07:41.080 --> 07:45.000 on for a little while. You'll see some fun. We've got to meet Ralston and Colonel 07:45.000 --> 07:53.400 Smith in a few minutes. So the mystery is all cleared up. Yes apparently sir. I want to 07:53.400 --> 07:58.080 congratulate Ralston here. It's a neat piece of work. That's very decent Blair. Of 07:58.080 --> 08:02.460 course the credit for the man's capture really belongs to Ralston. As I told the 08:02.460 --> 08:06.880 general it takes a man with frontline experience. Probably so. I've no wish to 08:06.880 --> 08:10.920 rob Ralston of anything that's coming to him. No no of course not. Well Blair 08:10.920 --> 08:16.200 there won't be any need for you to stay now that it's all cleared up. No sir but 08:16.200 --> 08:20.200 there is a small matter that I have to attend to. Ralston put your hands up. 08:20.200 --> 08:25.160 Don't move. All right Martell take him. Keep still Ralston. No use. What in 08:25.160 --> 08:29.400 thunder does this mean? Blair leave that off the road. Just a moment sir. You've seen my 08:29.400 --> 08:33.640 credentials. I have authority to arrest any person of any rank in this battalion. 08:33.640 --> 08:38.440 I'm arresting this man who passes under the name of William Ralston. What on earth 08:38.440 --> 08:41.800 are you talking about? I mean that this man is a German subject born in 08:41.800 --> 08:45.960 Nuremberg, educated in Canada. He joined the officers training corps in Montreal in 08:45.960 --> 08:52.360 1914. Let me introduce you to Erich von Sturm officer in the Imperial German 08:52.360 --> 08:56.200 Army. Clip past us. I'll have you court martial for exceeding your authority. 08:56.200 --> 09:00.040 German officer my eyes. Before you do anything foolish Colonel Smith you better 09:00.040 --> 09:03.680 hear the rest of this story and I'd advise you to turn this man Hanson loose. 09:03.680 --> 09:07.760 He's innocent. Innocent? Didn't we catch him sending signal? Where's the evidence 09:07.760 --> 09:11.160 that he did that signaling? Well for that matter where's your evidence against 09:11.160 --> 09:16.680 Ralston? Marshal. Yes sir. Take this officer's belt and tune it off. They suppose the next 09:16.680 --> 09:20.240 thing you'll tell me that Ralston was sending those signals himself. Just what 09:20.240 --> 09:24.400 he was doing. Hot? He was standing with you all the time 50 feet away from the 09:24.400 --> 09:28.600 crater. Excuse me a moment. Find anything Marshal? Yes sir. Got a lot of fine rubber 09:28.600 --> 09:32.080 core around his waist and there's a little electric lamp at the end of it. 09:32.080 --> 09:36.960 Good that's what I want. Well bless my soul. Colonel Smith that's my reason for 09:36.960 --> 09:40.240 arresting this officer. He's your spy. He was working that 09:40.240 --> 09:45.000 signaling himself with the wire marshal found. He was always 50 or 60 feet away 09:45.000 --> 09:49.560 when he sent those messages. It is pretty dark but I happen to spot the trick. Good 09:49.560 --> 09:57.240 Lord. I, I Ralston or whatever your name is. This is monstrous. You masquerade in 09:57.240 --> 10:01.720 the uniform of my battalion. You do this after all I've done for you. Why it's the 10:01.720 --> 10:05.760 most terrible thing. General Smith. This gentleman's my prisoner. I must ask you not to 10:05.760 --> 10:10.400 make accusations. Abominable. Colonel Lieutenant I'm going to send you back to 10:10.400 --> 10:14.520 Corps headquarters on the close arrest. You'll get a fair trial. That's all I can 10:14.520 --> 10:20.960 promise you. That's all I can ask sir. May I offer my congratulations. Sorry about 10:20.960 --> 10:27.000 all this von Sturm. Don't apologize. We both serve our countries. I was afraid you 10:27.000 --> 10:37.040 weren't as foolish as you pretended to be. All right marshal take him away. Oh hello 10:37.040 --> 10:47.240 inspector. Is it all over. Yes it's over. For heaven's sake get me a drink. Sure. Sure. 10:47.240 --> 10:56.160 What about that execution. Did they. Yes they shot him at 430 this morning. I 10:56.160 --> 11:00.920 know I felt so utterly sick of my job as I do at this moment. Did he stand up to 11:00.920 --> 11:06.160 it. Did he. God he was wonderful. If you'd seen the way that kid faced a firing 11:06.160 --> 11:11.000 party. They read out the sentence and asked him if he had anything to say. And 11:11.000 --> 11:17.240 did he. Oh he just smiled and said. Dutchman River Alice. Then they shot him. 11:17.240 --> 11:26.560 Oh for heaven's sake give me that drink. There you are. Thanks. And so the boy could take it. 11:26.560 --> 11:31.440 Of course. Ever see a German officer that couldn't. God I'll never forget the nerve 11:31.440 --> 11:36.080 of that youngster. Say what you like about Germany but there must be something 11:36.080 --> 11:44.560 fine about a nation that turns out men like that. You have heard the 13th 11:44.560 --> 11:49.600 episode in Blair of the mountains. Tune in for the next episode in this series 11:49.600 --> 12:18.600 entitled the naked truth.