This is the story of the most gripping adventure that has come my way in 20 years of newspaper reporting.

I could receive no better reward for the effort of setting it down than the satisfaction of knowing that others have been able to share in it also. I hope this may prove to be so.

Not all may share as yet the views expressed in the final chapter. I believe time will soon prove who was right. I consider it better to make safe now than risk being sorry later.

I am glad to be able to vouch for the accuracy of all the important facts in this book. This is possible because not only was I there to see for myself but I was able to obtain first-hand accounts from all who had played leading parts, and the authorities kindly gave me access to all relevant official records.

This book could never have been presented without the whole-hearted co-operation of many, foremost among whom are the publishers and the printers. They have established what must be nearly, if it is not actually, a record for speedy production for this country. Only the highest efficiency and the best equipment could justify publishers and printers anywhere promising publication of such a work as this within one month of receiving the final manuscript.

For the idea of producing this book I have to thank my friend, Mr. Henry Cooper, Private Secretary to Field-Marshal Smuts. For providing or checking information or helping in the preparation of the manuscript I am indebted to Mr. D. D. Forsyth, Secretary for External Affairs, Mr. J. D. Pohl, Under-Secretary, and other members of their staff; Major-General Evered Poole, Deputy Chief of the General Staff, and Major Mark Graaff, General Staff Officer to the C.G.S.; Mr. Jack Gibson, Secretary for Transport; Commodore J. F. Dean, Director of the S.A.N.F.; Mr. G. A. Harvey, Chief Engineer of the Civil Aviation Telecoms Division; the captains and ships' complements of the S.A.N.F. frigates and of the S.S. Gamtoos; the Librarian and staff of the S.A. Public Library; Mr. Lawrence G. Green; my sister, Miss Joyce Marsh; Mr. and Mrs. R. Moffat Scott; and Leona, my wife, who not only did most of the hard work but cheerfully suffered an unsociable husband !

To these and many others unnamed I express my grateful thanks.

J.H.M.
Cape Town.
April 12, 1948.

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