Lody was born in Berlin on the 20th of January, 1877, and joined the German Navy in 1900 - serving for a year before he was transferred into the First Naval Reserve and then going into the merchant navy, where he served on English, Norwegian and American ships.
In 1904 he graduated as a captain from the German Maritime Academy, but due to illness, decided to became a tour guide - making many trips to the United States. He spoke fluent English, but with an American accent.
At the outbreak of World War I, Lody offered his services to German Intelligence and travelled to the UK on the 16th of August 1914, using an American passport in the name of Charles A Inglis.
His first stop was Edinburgh, where he stayed in the North British Hotel. He hired a bicycle and rode out to the Naval Dockyard at Rosyth.
He reported what he found in a telegram sent to a German agent in Stockholm. All telegrams were being monitored by British Intelligence at this time and so he was placed under surveillance and his movements tracked.
On the 29th of September, Lody travelled to Ireland from where he sent a further telegram. He was arrested at the Great Southern Hotel in Killarney on the 2nd of October. He is found to have British, German and Norwegian currency on him and also a tailor’s ticket inside his jacket pocket in the name of Lody.
Lody was charged with two offences under the Defence of the Realm regulations. His courts-martial trial began at The Middlesex Guildhall, Westminster, on Friday the 30th of October 1914. He pleaded not guilty to both charges. The guilty verdict was reached on Monday the 2nd of November 1914 and he was sentenced to death by firing squad, the first of eleven World War I spies to suffer this fate.
He was transferred to the Tower of London for execution which was scheduled for Friday the 6th of November 1914. At 6am. Lody was brought up from cell 29 and the procession formed up on the verandah of the Tower Main Guard for the walk to the miniature rifle range.
It seems that the person least affected by the grim proceedings was the prisoner!
Lody reportedly said to the Assistant Provost-Marshal “I suppose you will not care to shake the hands with a German spy?” “No,” he replied, “but I will shake hands with a brave man.”
An armed escort marched either side of Lody, led by the Chaplain, reading the Burial Service, with the firing squad composed of eight members of the 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards following behind.
As was normal practice, Lody was tied to a chair in the rifle range shed. He was subsequently buried in the East London Cemetery at Plaistow.
A letter written by Lody to the commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards, thanking him for the good treatment he received was discovered this year (2014) and is shown here.

Comments
Post a Comment
We can do better!