Pluschow's
Escape
from
China
Planning the Escape from Donington Hall
Escape from Mainland Britain - London Sojourn
Suspected of being a Spy in Germany
In Shanghai, because of its connections with Great Britain, the Chinese authorities interned Pluschow. A single guard was assigned to watch Pluschow. Pluschow was housed with some German sailors who were quite happy to spend the rest of the war playing cards and having dinner. Pluschow was disappointed with their attitude, but persuaded them to enlist the help of a local German lady, to help him escape.
One night the lady invited the German internees to dinner. The Chinese Guard carefully counted the number of Germans entering her house for dinner. When they left he noticed that one was missing. Confused, the Guard asked the Lady about the missing man. She told him he must have made a mistake, and unless he ran after them, he would be in trouble. He ran off into the darkness. Meanwhile a carriage was waiting outside the rear of the house, which sped Pluschow to the Wusung Roadstead, and freedom.Waiting for him were German helpers.
Pluschow was taken to a safe house. Day and night he pretended to be a mad man in order to fool a Frenchman who lived above him.
Finally after a few weeks Pluschow was given false papers, and under the disguise of a Swiss Sewing Machine Salesman, he boarded a steamship bound for San Francisco via Nagasaki.
