CAMP HIS'l'ORY 
2f 
ST. LAG LU PT III (SAG AN), 






APfi.IL, '.42 -JA:lUAHY, 1945 
This copy of the CAMP HISTORY OF STALAG 
TJJFT III ( Sagan) is loaned to the U. S., 
Air Force Academy for copying by: 
AIR FORCE ESCAPE & EVASION SOCIETY c/o Claude Murray 
CLAUDE MURRAY 
811iiiii:S 




l IJ ,D E X,  
Pl.RT I,  
 
CHAPTER I,  
1.  LOCATIO!i AI-!D DESCRIPTION OF CAMP.  1  



2. 
(a) cc:.0ITIONS. 
1 
nu.ber of P.1 s/W and accommodation. 
1 




2. 
3. 
18 4. 21 
5. 24 
6. FOOD. 
26 7. .-27 8. 

28 
9. 28 10. 30 ll. 33 
12. 34 , 34

(s) Finance. 
1. 

14 
16 





14. TOOLS. 


35

15. GADG.:¥.¥.. 

,,:;-

35 
\_) 16. TUir:::L CONSTRUCTION. 
17. GAT. ¥ áá.i,K-OUT SCHEMES. 43 
47

18. WIRT: ._'. .:IEMES. 
.....
¥. 
51
WALL SCHEMES. 


(b) {c) (d) (e) 
(f)(g) 
(h) (i) 
(j)(k) (1)
(m) 
(r) 
German Administration. P/H Administration. .Roll Calls. 
3 
Food. Clothing. .?.arches. G¥..;rman .Anti-escape Measures. Punishment for Escape Activities. 8 l:":ducation. 

9 Library. .:3y,orts. .'neatre. 
.. 13 


(n) 
:"J.eligion. 

(o) 
Shooting Incidents, etc. 

(p) 
P/W Morale. (q) 11edical. 


Reprisals. 



\ 



-2 .
20. 
51 21. 51 
22. 52 23. 52 24. 52 25. 52 

CHAPTER III.








1. 2. 
63 

3. SECURITY. 70 

CHAPTER v.t. 
. 
RADIO. 

1. 
REQUIBE:filTTS.2. AIDS 13CEIVED FROM I.S,9. 
3. REMA::=tSS '.)N PACKING. 
4. CONCEA.LlIENT OF ESCAPE AIDS -GADGETS. ETC. 
5. ACQUIREMENT OF SPECIAL PARCELS. 
6. DAI;"GERS OF STEALING PARCELS. 
7. MATERIAL AVAILABLF/ACQUT'-'J\BLE OH THE SPOT. CHAPTER IV. CENSORSHIP BY GERMANS. 
1. METHOD. 

2. RESULTS. 
3. OBJECT OF CENSORSHIP. 
4. PA.llCEL MARKINGS. 
5. COMMEHTS. 


54 56 57 57 58 
¥ 58 58 

59 

62 62 62 





8. ORGANISATION RECEIPT OF MESSAGES. 75


9. 
.-





81 CHAPTER IX. 
INTER': .\L SECURITY, 

C:!l\.PTER VII. rr:::1s LETTERS. 
77 77 


78 






83 83 
SUCCESSFUL ESCAPES. 89 















-1 .




INTRO:JUCTION 
1. 

railway station at SAGAN (GERl'-.Y 1:100,000, Sheet 0.52, B,26). is flat, well-wooded, and sandy with a clay strata about eight inches thick at depths varying f'rom nine to fourteen feet. about three hundred feet below the ground level. kilometres South-East of BERLIN, 60 kilometres West of GLOGAU, 130 kilometres North-East of DRESDEN, and 200 kilometres East of LEIPZIG. An aerial photograph of the area is at Appendix 1C(1, and a plan of the whole Camp at Appendix 1B1¥ The Camp has been 
constructed specially for the accommodation of Air Force person:,el. CAMP CONDITIC'.lS (a) 
The Ca.mp was divided into five compounds, the East, Centre, North, South and BELARIA, each of which is dealt within 
a separate Part of this volume, 




excepting trw South Compound which was reserved for the accommodation of 
The East Compound 
was opened in April, 1942, for officers of all Air Forces. The first P(1s/iv to arrive were an advance party of 20 from STALAG LUFT I (BART'ri), followed in the next few days by 100 from the same camp. In the third week of April, 15 P(1s/W arrived from DUI.AG LUFT (OBERURSEL), another 150 from STALAG LUFT I (BARTH), 80 from OFLAG fil (WARBURG), and another 20 from DULAG LUFT (OBERURSEL), making a total of 385 P(1 s/W in the Compound by the end of April. 
DULAG LUFT (OBERURSEL). LUFT (OBERIJRSEL). 
. {SCHUELM), and followed by further batches of 50 at a time ¥. By the end of 1942, there were approximately 700 P(1 s/W in the Compound. 
In March, 1943, 850 P(1s/W were transfeITed to the North Compolllld, leaving about 20, mostly Czechoslovakian P(1s/W. Then the 350 P(1s/w who had been sent to OFLAG . (SCHUELM) in September, 1942, returned. Between .u.ly and August 80 P's/W arrived from ITALY, followed within the next few months by batches of 50 P1s/w at a time from OFLAG VIB (WARBURG), and DULAG LUFT (OBERURSEL). 
/In 














-2 .


Compound. 

built 

about a foot off the ground. 
These were 

Officers of all Air Forces were accommodated, e.g. R.A.F., R.A.A.F., R.C.A.F., R.N.Z.A.F., S.A.A.F., Fleet Air Arm, U.S.A.A.C. and U.S.N.A.C. and 









a large number of nationalities were 
represented. 
From November, 1942, American P(1 
were segregated 
in Block 
The fuel supply was inadequate during the entire period. 

The Camp was evacuated on 27th Januar.y, 1945. Prisoners of this Compound were marched to SPRENBURG and there put on trains, the majority destined for STALAG IIIA (LUCKENWALDE), and the remainder for HARLAG-MILAG 
NORD (WESTARTIHKE) ¥ P
1 s/W who w.re sick or fell sick on the march remained at or were returned to 
trucks each containing forty, with ten German guards to each truck. 
(b) German hdministration 
The Camp was administered and guarded in the beginning by 500 -600 Germans who accompanied the P(Is/W from STALAG LUFT I (BARTH). As the numbers of P(1 s/W increased, so new guards arrived. They were mostly Flak personnel on rest from the Eastern front, and therefore always changing. 
The Camp Kommandant was Oberst von LINDEINER, (Luftwaffe) until ?I.arch, 1944, and from then until the evacuation, Oberst KORDA (Luftwaffe). The Senior Abwehr Officers were, first Major PESCHEL á(Luftwaffe), then Hauptmann BREULI (Luftwaffe). Administration of the Compound, except for roll-call, anti.escape measures and inspections, was left to the Senior British Officer. 
(c) P/w Administration Administration .. of the Compound was carried out by the Senior British 
Officer, assisted by an Adjutant. Senior British Officers were:./05175 






























-3 .



16163 G/Capt. A.H. WILLETTS, from October, 
1943 till January, 1945. 

Adjutants were:.
33120 
s/Ldr. A.R.D. 
Ma.cDONNELL, from April, 1942 till June, 1942. 

28224 s/Ldr. L.M. V. 
JENNENS, R.A.F. 
from June, 1942 till April, 1943. 
34205 s/Ldr. D.C. TORRENS, 
33120 s/Ldr. A .R. D. MacDONNELL, R.A.F. 







Conference took place between 
the various Compound Senior Officers every week. Conferences between the Compound Senior Officers and the Camp 
Kommandant were held when the need arose, and on these occasions all complaints, breaches of the Geneva Convention and other matters were brought to the notice of the Camp Kommandant. was responsible for dealing with correspondence and delegations from the International Red Cross, and the Young Mens¥ Christian Association, and for making representations 
to the Protecting Power when necessary. 
evacuated in January, 1945. 
(d) Roll-Calls 
Parades were held morning and evening for the purpose of counting the number of P'l.1J.4r1s/W in the Compound. in bad weather, when they took place in the corridors of the barracks. 
When the parade was held on the Sports Field, sick personnel were allowed 
to remain in their rooms, 
where their numbers were checked. 
Guards were stationed at strategic points in the area of the barracks to prevent 
















-4 .

personnel from 
transferring from 
one barrack 
to another and having them.selves counted twice. Such P's/W had to have a chit from the Medical 



In theory, the parade on the Sports Field took place in the form of a hollow square, 
the occupants of each 
barrack lining up in files 
of five, in parties according to the rooms they occupied, and always keeping to one place on the parade ground. There was a space of several yards between 






each block 
of men 
representing 
a barrack, and a smaller 
space between the occupants of each room. Armed guards were posted around the outside of the hollow square to prevent prisoners slipping from one pu-ty to another and thus upsetting the counting. 






the following information .Number 

on parade 
from each room 
Number sick in each room Names of personnel working in Sick Quarters Names of personnel working in Vorlager Names of personnel working in Theatre Names of personnel working in Kitchens 










The numbers 
of the occupants in each barrack were checked by one 
German checker walking in 
front and another walking 
behind 
each row, taking each room in turn. When one room had been counted, the number was compared with the number on the Adjutant's chit. If it varied, a re-count took place. 



Whilst this was going on, other German checkers counted the sick in every room, the numbers 
working in Sick Quarters, the Vorlager, the Theatre, and the ldtchens, They y1ould return to' the parade and a pa.per check of numbers would be made ¥. If the numbers did not tally, these checkers would have to carry out their counts again. 


When the parade took place in the barrack 
corridors, armed guards would 
Chits would be presented as 
In practice 
the 
parade was a complete farce, purposely made so by the prisoners. They and 













-5 .

creating disturbances. The sick prisoners slipped from one room or barrack to another and were counted twice. 
Thlil Gerz:1ans carried out a superficial count as well as they could under the impossible circumstances, but rarely attempted to take a second count, usually accepting the count falsified by the Adjutant, or falsifying their own count. 
(e) ¥ Food 
As soon as the Compound was opened Red Cross food pa.reels began to arrive regularly, but during the first month the quantity was sufficient only for the issue of half a pa.reel to each prisone_r weekly. This was also the case in very bad weather, and at times when there were transport difficulties or the route was changed. 

During 1942 the issue of food parcels was stopped as a Compound punishment when escape attempts were made. This was contrary to the GENEVA Convention as it constituted a reprisal. These measures eeased after a report made by:.
Lt.(A) D.M. LUBBOCK, R.M.V.R. a qualified dietician, was sent to the International Red Cross, and a copy to BERLIN. It pointed out that P's/w were receiving too few calories to maintain their health. The issue of confiscated food pa.reels then took place, with the result that for Christmas 1942 every P/w had about five pa.reels. 
Parcels were issued by a P/W Parcels Staff supervised by Germans. About three months after the Compound opened, a system was introduced by:.


J.3514 F/Lt. T.R. KIPP, R.C.A.F. whereby any P/w who had food which he did not want handed it to him in exchange for points. These would be exchanged for other items of food 









from KIPP Is stock. This system was taken over by:.


76017 F/Lt. L. REAVELL-CARTER, R.A.F ¥. as a Compound project on a non-profit basis, and continued as such under various controllers, until January, 1945, there being a representative of the system in each barrack. 

All parcels of damaged food were taken over, and the Escape Committee drew from the store any food required for individual escapers or for making 
/LUBBOCK1s 







-6 .



LUBBOCK'1 s escape 
food, 
which 
is described 
in Chapter II, Section 6. 
German rations decreased steadily in quantity and quality. Potatoes 
sometimes ran out completely. There was very little meat and no fresh 
milk. There were fresh vegetables.in season. P
1 s/W grew 
vegetables in 
Compound 
gardens from seeds supplied by the International Red Cross 
Society. 


Further details concerning food for escape purposes are given in Chapter 

II, Section 6. 
(f) Clothing 


Items 
of R.A.F. o.R1 s. Service 

issue clothing were supplied through the agency of the International Red Cross Society. when the Compound opened, but increased greatly. 
These items were kept in and 


28104 R. ABRAHAM, R.'A.'F.'¥ assisted by N.'c.o¥s.', and supervised by a German. 
The German Staff orders laid down that every hut was to be searched 


evecy 
two days, but this 
was not carried out. 
At irregular intervals, usually at the end of the month, 
be made during roll-call. 


allowed into their 
barracks. On rare occasions every barrack would be 

searched durin'g the day, from roll-call till 1600 hours. 
The purpose was to discover traces of escape activity, escape aids, 
radio sets, diaries, etc. 




















Details of counter measures adopted by P'1 s/w se'ction 3. {h) was lmown as the Abwehr. 



from 0830 hours till 1800 hours. They 



/They 








-7 .

They 
crawled under huts looking for tunnels, dug spikes into the gromd to mcover sand, peered through windows, eavesdropped, and entered rooms. Ater some months, there 
was always one ferret in the Compomd 
till lock-up. All vehicles 
leaving the Compound were searched and any loads prodded with a spike. 
There was a perimeter fence round the Compound. It consisted of two barbed-wire fences about 7 feet apart, and 5 feet high, with barbed-wire entanglements 2 feet high between them. It was lighted from dusk to dawn, 
There were sentry-towers at each corner of the
fence, and in the middle of 
long stretches. They were fitted with machine.guns and searchlights. 
During air-raids sentries were 
doubled as the lights went out. 











A 
warning fence, 
consisting 
of a 
wooden rail 2 feet high, 
was situated 
15 yards inside the perimeter fence, and moved in a further 3 yards, where gromd microphones were installed. The area between this and th. perimeter fence was 1No Han Is Land'¥ P'Is/W were forbidden to cross the fence. or even 
Balls falling into this 
1 ferret'1 or guard. 
to cross the warning fence. 

After a 
successful daylight 
escape through the 
perimeter fence in September, 1942, sentries were placed on patrol outside the fence, between the sentry-towers, and other sentries were on duty in the woods áat night. Also during the hours 
of darkness 
patrols were carried out by armed guards 
known as Hundfuchrer with specially trained dogs, one patrolling inside and one outside the perimeter fence. 

Yellow sand 
was spread 
between 
the warning fence and the perimeter 
fence, so that any P'1 s/W crawling in this area could be seen easily. Sentries were supposed to be visited at irregular hours of day and night,

¥ ¥. 1 ¥. 







four 
times 
in the twenty-four hours by an N.c.o., and one. by the officer-in.charge. This took place only in spurts of German enthusiasm. 
Ground 
microphones were installed shortly 
after the Compound was built, at depths of 3 yards below the ground, and at intervals of 32ft yards along the perimeter 
fence. These contained a highly sensitive swinging pen which was set in motion 
by the slightest 
disturbances in the gromd. 
The noise was registered through the microphone and transmitted by a cable to the control 
/listening 







-8 .

listening post in the 
Kommandantur, where a twenty-four 
hour watch was kept. 
They were intended to pick up sounds of tunnel activity and began to be operated in the Summer of 1942. 
An anti-tunnel 
ditch was dug inside the perimeter fence. 
It was 7 feet deep 
and 6 feet wide, and the overflow of water from wash-houses was allowed to drain mto it. 
German staff entering or leaving the Camp, or passing from one Compound to another had to produce a pass signed by the Abwehr Officer. After December, 1942, the design of these passes was altered and a photograph of the person to whom the pass was issued was attached. Personnel had to produce these passes when entering and leaving 
the Vorlager, 
and had to 'book in' and 'book out' at an office near the gate between the Vorlager and the German Compound. An interpreter on duty there during German working hours had photographs and descriptions of all lmown 



production of a :µi.ss. 
Foreign workers and Russian P' s/W were accompanied by armed guards, and had to produce their passes. They were forbidden to talk to, or come into contact with Air Force P's/W. 
Workers visiting the Compound regularly, such as garbage clearance men, were not accompanied by guards. A description of each P/W, with his photograph and finger prints, was kept by the Abwehr Department. 
(i) Punishment for Escape Activities 
The usual punishment for a first offence in attempting to escape, or taking pa.rt in escape activities, was ten days' confinement to the .ell Block in the Vo.lager. For subsequent offences, it was fourteen days ¥. Persistent escapers were liable to be transferred to OFLAG IVC (COLDITZ). 
There were three types of arrest. The first permitted no food except a double ration of bread and water, for three days, then a hot meal with the normal ration of bread on the fourth day, this being repeated during the period of detention. No Reu Cross food was allowed, and no smoking. The second type consisted of normal meals, but no Red Cross food and no smoking. The third entailed no deprivations. 
Detention could be prolonged by holding a prisoner "pending investigation" and then sentencing him. 

/(j) 





-9 .

(j') Educat'
ion Educ'ational facilities for the whole camp were organised by:.70699 F.H. VIVIAN, R.A.F. 
Courses 
of instructi
on began 

soon after the Compound opened, and covered Books were supplied by the Interna'tional Red Cross Education 
the New Bodleian Library, Oxford, Canteen. Items of equipment, stationery, etc. were supplied by the two last named sources. 

Classes were held in four classrooms which co
nstitut'ed part of the Theatre Block, and in common-rooms in the barracks. They were well 




escape 
activi'ties 
whi'ch were ca
rried out under cover of a 'lecture''. Education Section was able to supply certain equipment to the Es.'ape Committee. 


(k) Library 

P'1s/W brought 
their library '\fith them from 
STALAG 
LUFT I (BARTH), and a common room in one of the barracks. Books were sent 




from the Red Cross, the Y.M.C.A., next-of-kin, etc. P's/iv signed when 
they 
took books out and again when they returned them. The library was run by:'.34205 S/Ldr. D.C. TORRENS 




and was used also for escape activities. 
Dyes were 
made from book bindings,-and fly-leaves used for forgery. 
(1) Sports 
The Sports Field was inadequate in size. It could be used at all times. Games played were soccor, rugby, cricket, volley-.D:, etc. The field was flooded in winter by P'1 s/W with permission of the Kommandant,and ice-hockey was played. There was a prisoner in charge of each type of g'ame played, and P'1 s/W wishing to play gave him their names. There were occasional inter-Compound matches, which were a useful means of communication between the Co'mpounds. 
Equipment was supplied by the Red Cross Society, and 
the Young Mens' Christian Association. 















-10 .



The standard 
of physical fitness was high. 

(m) 
Theatre 

By.'October, 1942, P'1 s/W had converted three rooms in one barrack into a theatre that held 150 people. It was designed by a prisoner and built with German 

and German tools and materials. 
Straight plays were produced once a fortnight except 
when the weather was 
too hot. There were also revues, symphony concerts, band concerts, gramaphone recitals, etc. 


All shows could be attended by Germans, Interchange of shows between the East, North, South and Centre Compounds was permitted. 

Costumes were hired from BERLIN, and scenery was obtained locally, and paid 
for out 
of the Communal 
Fund. 
Interchange of costumes and scenery between Compounds was allowed. P's/W were on parole not to appropriate any stage properties for escape purposes. 

The theatre could be used until 2100 hours. Entertainments were organised 
by:.
37048 
N/Cdr. H. R. 
LARKIN, 

(n) Religion 


Three padres were resident in the Compound, representing the Church of England, the Roman Catholic Church, and Other Denominations. The Roman Catholic padre was allowed to hold services in the Centre Compound. 

The theatre was used for morning service, and a classroom for evening service. 
Padres carried secret messages between the Compound, usually being unaware of the contents. One padre', the Reverend MAGONOCHIE, was very co-operative in carrying 
messages and helping in any way he could. 

(o) 
Shooting Incidents, etc. There were a number of cases of P'1s/W being shot at whilst á.áretrieving
. ¥á ., 














balls beyond 
the warning 
fence, but on no occasion was anyone injured. Soon after the Compound was opened:.43282 
G.J. CORt'ITSH R.A.F. 

was shot at whilst going from his barrack to a lavatory', just before 
0600 hours. Lavatories in the barracks were not yet equipped, and although a 












-11 .

Windo1.-1-shutters 
were not allowed 
to be opened during the hom.s of darkness, and occasion a guard put a shot through a window because he thought the shutters were open. 
In the spring of 1943 a prisoner whose nerves had been seriously 






cells in the Vorlager. 

after this, an International Red Cross Commission visited the Camp, and the state of the prisoner's health was discussed. 
They visited the prisoner 
in cells, then recommended 

that he should be placed in the Camp's Sick Quarters for observation. 

this prisoner climbed on to the roof of Sick Quarters during the daylight hours of evening, in pyjamas. 
He began to shout, and a sentry 
patrolling outside the main fence close to Sick Quarters noticed him, and it was understood that he ordered the prisoner to get back inside. The prisoner jumped down off the roof, ran across the intervening space 
to the main fence, and began to climb 
it. The sentry shot him at close range, 
and he was killed. This officer 

-Lt.'(A) KIDELL', R.N. 
A day noted for shooting incidents, and subsequently known as 11Chattergun Friday", was Friday, 29th October, 1943. On the' previous day, three P'1 s/W had carried out the "Trojan Horse" escape, which is described in detail in Chapter II, Section 16, sub-Section (b) (4). When this was discovered the Germans ordered an emergency roll-call at 1000 hours. P'1s/W thwarted the attempt to discover who had escaped by making the parade even more ofáa farce than usual, carrying on an impromptu game of rugger. In face of this the Germans gave up, but said that another roil.call would be held. 
Shortly afterwards, squads of Germans armed with tommy-guns-marched into the Compound. At this time all P'1s/W were in their barracks. The Germans fired some warning rounds, whereupon P'1 s/W came out of the barracks and 


a general 
The guards took all ringleaders out of the ranks 
and marched 























-12 .




them off to cells. It was obvious by this time that the Germans were prepar
ed to shoot P's/W creating any more distwban
ce, so the parade and the count was taken. No one was injured on this occasion. 
(p) P/W Morale 
The morale of P's/W in the Camp wa
s high at all times. Morale -w:as closely bound up with escape attempts, and would rise when these were successful, and drop at times of inactivity. It was bolstered considerably by the reception of daily news bulletins, of which a full description is given in Chapter VI, Sections 5 and 6. 
When neYs was received of the shooting of 60 of the P'1 s/W who had escaped from the tunnel 11HARRY11 in 







There was a genera
l 
feeling of depression and anti-climax, but P'1 s/W put on a stiff front to deceive the Germans. All P'1 s/W who had helped to make the escape possible were thoroughly upset because they felt themselves 
partly responsible. The news was 
faced with admirable fortitude. 
(q) Medi.al 
There was a Sick Quarters in the Vorlager of the East Compound for the East and Centre Compounds, and one in t
he Vorlager of the North Compound for the North and South Compounds. A British and a German Medical Officer w
ere in attendance in each Sick Quarters. and French l-iedical Orderlies and P'1 s/W. 
There was a Dental SUrgery in the East, and one in the North Compound, 
who would give his name to the German Compound Sergeant for Sick Parade, and he would be taken under escort to Sick Quarters. The 1'-iedical Officers
. .. 
visited the Compounds for which they were responsible every day, and attended to any prisoner too ill to leave his bed. Cases requiring major operations were sent to a French Hospital in 
. STALAG VIII c. There was always at least one prisoner from each Compound in this hospital, which was a useful source of information, and supplies, as described respectively in Chapter II, Section 9, sub-Section (b), and Chapter II, Section 10, sub-Section (b). 




















-13 .


Camp Sick Quarters were useful for supplies, as described in Chapter II, Section 10, sub-Section (b). P'1s/U suffering from skin-complaints were sent to STALAG VIIIB (W1SD0RF)'. German medical supplies were inadequate, but supplies were sent by the 
Red Cross Society. Innoculations and vaccinations were given on instructions received from the British Government. 
(r) Reprisals 




Mass reprisals were instituted against the whole Compound when escape attempts or escape activities tried the patience of the German authorities too much. These reprisals took the form of closing 
the theatre, forbidding visits of theatre shows from other Compounds, forbidding 






this Chapter, Section 2, sub-Section (e)o 
(s) Finance One third of each officer's pay was put straight into the Conu:n.mal Fund, which was administered by:.NZ.40631 F/Lt. R.G. STARK, R.N.Z.A.F. 


until his transfer to the North Compound in April, 1943, and then by:.90900 ]1/'Lt. J.A. GILLIES, R.A.F. Money from this fund was used to meet German claims for barrack 

damages, costs of theatrical productions, 
bills for purchases of 
furniture 
Escape Committee. 










Sums 

of money were 
sent to 
the Centre Compound, and 
to .ther Camps to''assist Air Force N.C.0'1 s. 

Pay was stopped during detention in cells. 
From February, 1944, P'1 s/W were allowed to send money home. 

The R.A.F. O.R1 s. lllliforms'áwhich were issued to officers in the Camp were charged for 
by the Air Ministry when the P'1 s/w returned to the U.K. 










-14 .

1. CONTROL 
BY Clu-:IP AUTHORITIES 

As soon as the compound was opened an Escape Committee was 
set up and assumed control of all escape 
activities. The first Chairman, or 1 Big X'1 was:'.
Lt.Cmdr. J. BUCKLEY R.N. 





All escape activities, 


attempts, allocation of tunnel sites, etc., 
were controlled by the Escape Committee, British Officer. At first, of an escape plan, promoters of the plan began their work, providing for themselves whatever 
extra security systems they needed, and 
to a large extent their own supplies. Very soon, departments were set up for various escapes activities. These departments, their work and personnel, are described in detail in subsequent Sections of this Chapter. The heads of these departments attended Committee meetings when matters involving their 






departments . 
discussed. The first regular Committee consisted 
of:'.90285 G.B. CRAIG, 
in charge of custody 
and issue of escape equipment. Lt.(A) in charge of food. 102269 
Lt. A.S. RUFFEL, 
advisor on escape schemes generally. 05225 WLdr. N.H.J. 
TINDAL, 






R.N. V.R. 
S.A.A.F. 

R.A.F. 


in charge of intelligence and the 1 cont'act'1 organisation. F/Lt. O. W. WALREN', R.A.F. 
in,'cha'rge 
of wire escape schemes. 
39193 
W/Cdr. E.N. RYDER, 
who continued his work until August, 1942. 


In October, 1942, the 
Committee enlarged under the new leadership of:.90120 S/Ldr. R.J. BUSHELL, R.A.F. it now consisted of:.










-15 .







28104 
s/Ldr. R.B. ABRAHAM, 
in charge of Clothing. 42-587 N.E. GARTON, in charge of wire-escape schemes. Lt.Col. 
CLARK, in charge 
of Security. F/Lt. R.G. KER-HANSAY, in charge of Tunnels. 70209 F/Lt. D.E. PINCHBECK, in charge 
of Tunnel 

Security. 78847 D.L. 
PLUNKETT, in charge of Maps. 


95225 s/Ldr. H.H.J. TINDAL, in charge of Intelligence and 1contacts'l.1J.4r1¥ 
O.W. WALENN, 
in 


the Committee changed again. leadership of:.90276 W/Cdr. J.R. 
KAY.LL, it now consisted of:.28104 

S/Ldr. R.B. ABRAHAN, in charge of clothes. 44677 F/Lt. J.F. CLAYTON, in charge of Maps. 90130 F/Lt. A.M. CRAWLEY, in charge of Intelligence. Lt.(A) 
D.:tv.. LUBBOCK
, in charge of Food. 37913 ToW. PIPER, in 
charge of 64926 F/Lt. E.H.L. SHORE, in charge of Forgery. 88219 F/Lto P. STEVENS, in charge 
of Contacts. 
J.4787 F/Lt. W.F. ASH, vas co-opted as tunnel expert. 











R.A.F. R.A.F-. 

u.s.A.A.F. 
R.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F. 

¥
R.A.Fo 
Under the R.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F. 
R.N.V.R. 







RoA.F. 

R.C.A.F. 
/In 









-16 .

In September, 1943, 
39385 W.D. HODGKINSON, R.A.F. replaced 
PIPER as Compound Security Officer. He was succeeded in Vay, 1944, by LUBBOCK. 
The Committee continued in this form until January, 1945. 
The head of each department met the head of the Escape Committee at least once a week to discuss his department's work. Meetings involving more members of the Committee were held when the need arose, and usually took place 
in barrack 69. 
During the Spring of Summer of 1943, meetings of the whole Committee were held weekly to discuss methods of escape. 
The barrack escape representatives met the head of the Committee and the Senior British Officer once a week, and were given an account of all escape activity, and the reasons for unsuccessful attempts to escape. 












warned 
not to be 
inquisitive and never to take notice 
of any 
strange 
They were told to volunteer to the escape representative of 
their barrack if they wished to help in the Escape Organisation. 
Barrack escape representatives kept lists of volunteers for escape work. P's/W who volunteered were warned that, while their preference for 
one type of work would 
be allowed wherever possible, they might be directed to any work for which they were considered suitable, but that they would never be ordered to do any jobs which involved the risk of.losing their lives. 
The Escape Organisation in the Compound assumed a far greater importance 
There were four main methods of escape:.

(a) 
Walking out through the Gate. 

(b) 
the Gate. 

/(c) 










-17 .



(c) Over or through the wire. 
(d) Through tunnels. 
It-was found convenient to have a planning staff of experts in these methods, who would review the proposed plan and hammer it into shape before it was submitted to the Head of the Escape Committee. 
The experts in these methods were:.

(a) and (b) 42356 F/Lt. V. PARKER, R.A.F. 
1942. 90130 F/Lt. A.M. CRAWLEY, R.A.F. 

from April, till September, 1942. 102269 Lt. A.S'W'in. 
S.A.A.F. 









R.A.F. 
34167 S/Ldr. B.G. MORRIS, R.A.F. from V.ay, 1943 until January, 1945. 
(d) A Tunnel Committee consisting of:.

J.5481 
c.w. PLODDY, 
R.C.A.F. 
373
21 R.G. KER-RAMSAY, R.A.F. 36103 H
.C. MARSHALL, R.A.F. 42255 á R.A.F. 

from April, 1942 until April, 1943. (MUIR left in September, 1942). J.4787 W.F. ASH, R.C ¥ .A:.F ¥ 


of the Planning Staff. The prisoner would explain 
his plan, and the 

explain it to the Head of the Escape Committee, who would make the final decision whether or not it should. be carried out. If the plan was approved 





























-18 .



was given first chance to use it. If it had already been used or suggested', 
the head of the Escape 
Committee would chose who should attempt.'it. 
The P/W chosen would then attend a meeting of the Committee where there would be representatives of 
every department which would be involved in his plan. Details would be worked out, and he would be told which departments would be helping him. 
The Head of the Escape Committee in each Compound was kept as fully informed as possible of escape activity, and intended escapes in the other Compounds, in an attempt 
to prevent 
clashing escapes which would jeo:i,:ardize each other. 
During the Winder of 1942-1943, large-scale efforts to escape were abandoned so that the move to the North Compound could be prepared for 
and the Germans persuaded that no .interest was taken in escaping. SECURITY 
When the Compound opened, BUCKLEY held himself responsible for security, which was considered as a camp duty rather than as a committment of the Escape Committee. 
From April till the end of May, 1942. 
90285 G.D. CRAIG, R.A.F. was 
in 


charge of the safe-keeping of 

39193 

R.A.F. who was given the appointment of Security Officer. He was succeeded 

-, -u.s.A.A.F. 

T.W. PIPER, R.A.F. 


w.n. 


Lt.(A) D.M. LUBBOCK, R.N. V.R. till 
January, 1945. security representative lmown as 'Little 3'1 , whose 






















duties were:.
(a) To maintain a high standard of security amongst 
numbers of his 






-19 .






security directives from the Senior British Officer and the Security Officer. {b) To supervise searches of his barracks, and ascertain the number of 



{e) To provide 
rosters for 
the Duty
-Pilot organisation, 
and see that members carried out their duties. (f) To report to the Security Officer the results of barrack searches by the Germans. 

The organisation of 
the Duty-Pilot system at 
first was the responsibility of all officers above the rank of Squadron Leader; the 









actual watching being done by all officers of lower rank. 

c.Ro: HATTERSLEY, R.A.F. took 
charge of the oganisation. He was succeeded in April, 1943 by:.Lt.'(A) D. :MYLES, R.N. 

who continued 
till January, 1945. The purpose of the Duty-Pilot system was:.
(a) To note in a log-book the time of entry and departure of every German in the Compound, with his name or a description of him. 
(b) 
To inform all personnel concerned of the number of Germans in the 

(c) To warn the whole Compound when search parties were approaching. 
(d) 
To warn the prisoner responsible if his 1 con'tact1 entered the Compound. 









There were two duty-pilots on duty every hour. of an hour a day for a fortnight at a time, one beginning his tour of when the other had completed his first week. One duty-pilot acted as 
out duties (c) described above was by window, 

to 




























-20 .


lock-up time. 

From Christmas 1942, Escape Departments appointed their own members .. These personnel co-operated with the Compound Security Officer and the Duty-Pilot Their work is more fully described in this Chapter in the Sections dealing with the respective Departments. 
Members of'.a team of carpenters lmo1.-m to have constructed hiding places are:.
J.4882 J.E.T. ASSELIN, R.C.A.F. 
74768 F.H. BABCOCK, R.A.F. 
40514 C. C. COOPER, R.A.F. 
101024 W.J.H. GREENAWAY, R.A.F. 
32090 R.H. HAW, R.A.F. 
40631 I.A. McINTOSH, R.A.F. 
40058 A.R. MULLIGAN, R.A.F. 
The hiding-places built for equipment are described in 
thi.s Chapter in the Sections concerned;'_ they consisted mainly of cupboards in walls. A great deal of escape activity was carried on in classrooms, mder cover of 1lectures'1 ¥ 


' 
















then invite the 1contact'1 to his room for a cup of very hot coffee, a cigarette 
and a chat, and would 
keep him safely out of 
the way for an hour or so. He would be given a seat far from the door, and a security man of the Contact Department would keep watch outside the door. 

















-21 .CLOTHING An Escape 
Clothing Department began to be organised in April, 1942 by:'.



90130 


R.A.F. 

who handed over in June, 1942 to:.
28104 S/Ldr. R. ABRAHAM, R.A.F. who continued in charge until January, 1945. 


e.g. worker or business man, and for his or by train. 

When a plan for escape had been approved by the Escape Committee, 
the intending 
escaper discussed his requirements with the Officer-in-charge Clothing, and they decided the clothes most suitable for the nationality and 
Items of clothing and materials for making clothes were obtained from the following sources given in the order of their productivity:.
(1) 
The Red Cross Clothing Store in the Vorlager. 

The Abwehr Store of confiscated Clothing, situated in part of the Red Cross Clothing Store. 

(3) 
Parcels from prisoners .ext-of-kin. 

(4) German 'contacts' handled by traders. 
(5) 
I.s.9. 










Source (1) consisted of all items of O.R. service issue clothing, also blankets,sheets, 
quilts, towels, kitbags and woollen comforts. ABRAHA11 wa
s in charge of this store from September, 1942 onwards, assisted from 



H.D. SEAL. R.A.F. He was able to appropriate considerable quantities of clothing. At one 
time the Feldwebel 
of this Store 
was ordered to remove all the civilian He conscientiously did so,
shelf, whence ABRAHA1'1 carefully removed them. 
consisted of civilian clothes confiscated 
from prisoners' parcels, 
and recap
tured escapers. ABRAHAM stole some four civilian suits and three civilian rain coats were stolen in September, 1942 by:.
76017 L. BEA VELL-CARTER, R.A.F. 

















-22 .







Source (3) consisted of 
parcels 

of 
uniform clothing 

which 
co
uld be sent every quarter by next-of-kin. Any civilian clothing sent was confiscated, but prisoners working in the Parcels Store were able to outwit the censors and smuggle clothes into the Compound. Uniforms sent could be converted into civilian clothes. Source (4), German ¥contacts'¥, provided some civilian 
clothes, overalls, 
painters coats, badges, buttons and buckleso 

Source (5)', I.S.9., ' 



Items sent included a few Trilby hats,. Luftwaffe insignia', and blankets. Blankets were sometimes sent with an overcoat design traced on', which showed up when rubbed with a damp cloth. These could be cut out and made up 
in twelve hours. On one occasion an R.A.F. officer's uniform was received in the Compound which proved on close inspection 






potash and 
gentian violet could be 
stolen from Sick 
Quarters. Chloride of lime left by the Germans in the wash-houses for cleaning purposes were used for bleaching. Tea and coffee were used, especially 
for dying khaki.trousers. 
Beetroot and coloured bindings of books were available. 
'Contacts'' provided packets of dye, and by late 1943, I.S.9., was sending brown and violet dyes which could be used with cold water. all the other dyes needed boiling water, which had to be fetched from the kitchen in jugs, ostensibly for tea-making, and boiled up again on room 
stoves. 
All dying took place in the huts at night, and every article had to be dried in time to be hidden away by morning. 
on stoves. 
P's/W known to have worked in the Clothing Deparment are:.

R. ADDINSELL, R.A.F. 
Lt.'(A) T.G. BENTLEY, R.N. 82541 
F. CIG0S, R.A.F. 102523 F
/0 L. DIV0Y, R.A.F. 82606 v. MILIAN, R.A.F. NZ 405286 F/Lt. R.W. KING, R.N.Z.A.F. 






















-23 .

43832 F/Lt. K.s. 
McHURDIE, R.A.F. 

P.'1603 
M. 
R.A.F. 

P.0913 
J. :t¥10NDSCHEIN, R.A.F. 

P.0065 F/Lt. J. NOGAL, R.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F. 
R.A'.F. 

done during the 
day between 13.00 hours 
and 15.00 hours, and from 18.00 hours onwards, and during the night. It was done in the rooms of 
ABRAHAM, CIGOS and MONDSCHEIN. Most of the cutting out, measuring, 
fitting and 
pressing was done 
by CIGOS, 
MONDSCHEIN and TONDER. 
Very little 
work was done from the winter of 1942 until the move to the North Compound in April, 1943, because P'1 s/W knew that this move was imminent, and large stocks of clothing could not be left in the Compound, or transferred to the 







Clothing was hidden 
in cupboards in the walls of rooms, hidden in beds, and slept on. 
The following items of cloth:i,ng were made:'.
(ii) 
30 German uniforms, usually made from O.R's. tunics, and trousers, with 

(i) 40 overalls. 
The type worn by 1 ferrets1 were 
made from sheets dyed Those worn by German and foreign workmen were made from white 






badge being embroidered. 
(iv) 
90 German uniform buckles, buttons and badges, made by pouring molten silver paper into plaster carts produced out of plaster-of-Paris from Sick Quarters. 1 Contacts1 would lend buckles, buttons and badges for an 

or this could be done any time whe. a., German took a chair or hook. 

(v) 
uniform belts were made of black pa.per from hut walls, or from leather, 
as described in this Chapter, Section 13. 

(vi) 60 civilian jackets, made from o.R1 s. tunics dyed after removal of pockets 
and belt, and rounding off of corners. 



(vii)30 pairs of civilian trousers, made from O.R1 s. trousers or blankets. 
Plus-fours were made by threading a boot-lace through the bottom of the /trousers 



















-24 .






trousers and tying it below the knee. Not many were made because there were not enough long socks to go with them. (viii)lOO overcoats, made from officers' great coats with shoulder straps removed and civilian buttons substituted for gilt ones, from O.R1 s. great coats, and one or two from blankets. 
(ix) 200 caps, made from blankets, ski-ing caps were made from O.R'1 s. field service caps with cardboard-stiffened 
peaks. 
(x) 50 ties, consisting 
of uniform ties with patterns worked in coloured threads. 
(xi) 
50 haversacks, made from kitbags and from the mackintosh covers in which "Shove Ha'1 penny11 Boards were sent. 













was organised in April, 1942, by:.7.3022 
G.W. WALENN, R.A.F. succeeded in April, 194.3 by:.64926 F/Lt. E.H.L. SHORE, R.A.F. 
who continued 
until January, 1945. The Escape Cora.'lri.ttee told the Head of the Department what documents were 
needed, and he handed them over as 
soon as they were completed. P'1 s/W known to have worked in the Forgery Department were:.F/Lt ¥ J.M.B. BOARDI¥'IAN, R.A.F. 





6106.3 F/Lt. E.G. BRITTELL, R.A.F. 42102 F/Lt. MoA. BUSSEY, R.A.F. 112714 F/Lt. R.A. FRESHWATER, RoA.F. 48667 F/Lt. c.J. FRITH, R.A.F. 101024 F/Lt. W.J.H. GREENAWAY, R.A .¥ .. ¥ 
... 









HUNTER, 
R.A.F. 
F/Lt.
898.35 



108110 
F
/Lt. F.S. 
KNIGHT, R.A.F. 8'9580 R. MARCINKUS, R.A.F. 67064 F/Lt. H.W. PICKSTONE, R.A.F. 101492 F/Lt. R.G. SD-MONS, R.A.F. 88219 F/Lt. P. STEVENS, R.A.F. 70699 
F .H. VIVIAN, R.A.F. 39921 s/Ldr. V.T.L. WOOD, R.A.F. 













-25 .





Working hours were from 13.00 hours till 14.'00 hours, 15.30 hours till 
16.00 hours, and during the evenings in Sum..er. The work was done in the canteen in the kitchen barrack, and in the Church room in barrack 66. 

The 
materials needed, such as pens, brushes, inks, papers, tracing cloth, etc.', were obtained 
from three sources, (a) Contacts, (b) Camp resources, (c) I.s.9. 


(a) Contacts provided quantities of all the above items. 

(b) 
Camp resources consisted of toilet rolls for use as tracing µiper, fly leaves of 
library books, 
linoleum and rubber from boots for stamps, and quantities of the above supplies from the Education Section. 

1 Contacts1 
would lend their 
documents for copying, and warn their 11 traders11 when and in what way documents were to be altered. Some of them helped with the actual work, 
_eog. Unteroffizier 

HESSE typed travel permits, letters, and temporary Ausweise. He also arranged contact with a colony 
of Dutch 
workers who lent their identity cards for copyi
ng. Forg'ery was done almost entirely by hand. About eight passes or stencils for duplicating passes were typed by:.590560 W.O. STRETTON H. R.'A.Fá. 
who, though not resident in the East Compound, worked in 
the Red Cross Parcel Store. 








Stamps were made by BOARDMAN, BRITTELL, and WOOD. They 
made them from linoleum at first, and then from rubber soles of boots, painting the design 
on and cutting it out with 
razor blades. 


(a} Ausweise and temporary Ausweise. 
(b) 
Identity cards of various kinds. 

(c) 
Gate passes. (d) 

(e)'
. 



(f) 


(g) Letters of introduction 
from firms, the headings being taken from advertisements in German newspapers. 


























-26 
The 
i.J0p.:.irtment(


1 s 

language advisor 
was MARCINKUS. 
Departi:iental security was looked after by a team of watchers 

headed by:.Lt.((A) C.M. FILMER, from June till October, 1942(, and then by 

41459 A.Z. PENGELLY, till March, 1944. Documents ru.d equipment were hidden in wall cupboards. 





The i¥i.t.p Department was incorporated in the Forgery Department until April, 1943, but the full description is given in this Chapter, Section 7. 
Very little work was done 
after March, 1944. Six sets of documents were kept ready, and taken out and altered to bring them up to date from 
6. 
lQ.QQ 

Intending escapers were advised to save a store of food from their Red Cross food parcels and private parcels sent from countries other tha.. the United Kingdom, through their respective Red Cross organisations. 
In addition to this, 




Lt.((aj D.M. LUBBOCK R.N.V.R. began, in May, 1942, to specialise in the production of a food concentrate which could be stored indefinitely. He chose Red Cross food of the highest nutritive value, i.,.:. milk powder, Horlicks powder or tablets, vitamin pills, oatmeal, crushed biscuit, Ovaltine, raisins, glucose, and chocolate, boiled them all, and baked them into a fudge-like substance. 
During 1942, he produced two white ápowders which quenched thirst. 
He continued this work until September, 1942, and renewed it on his return to the Compound in April, 1943, continuing until March, 
1944. He was assisted by a team of workers, headed by:.










K.M. SYMONS, R.A.F. 
llll.31 
F/Lt. 
A. VAN ROOD, R.A.F. In June, 1944, the Food Department was taken over by:.41505 F/Lt. R.D. WAWN, R.A.F. 

F/Lt. R. HERRICK, R.A.F. /till 









-2.7 .


till April, 1943, then 

90130 
F/Lt. A.M. 
CRAWLEY, 
R.A.F. Portabl'e stove's provided for escapers to make a hot drink 
when they 
were travellin'g are described in this Cha'pter, Section 12. 7. 





being acquired mainly from 'contacts'. The chief map-maker in the period 


was:.
D.L. PLUNKETT, R.'A.F. 
In April, 1943, the Department was set up independently under the 
leadership of:.44677 
J.F. CLAYTON, 
R.A.F. P'1 s/W known to .l:-i.ave worked in the Department were:.49634 
E. 
EDGE, R.A.F. 80551 W.c. HARTOP, R.A.F. 



F/Lt. F. HEGILL, R.'A.F. 
R.G. SIMMONS, R.'A.F. 108171 
K.M. SYMONS, R.A.F. 117137 F/Lt. C.F. THORPE', R.'A.F. 



Maps acquired from 'contact/ and later from I.S.9. were reproduced by the jelly process, using jelly crystals from Red Cross food parcels, and 
ink from 
indelible 
pencil leads 
boiled down. Toilet 

rolls 
were 
used as tracing paper. Other paper came from the Education Section, 1 contacts1 and fly-leaves of books, including hymn-books and Bibles. It took several prisoners one month each working every day, to reproduce 

one large scale, detailed map; this was used for briefing escapers. 


















-28 .


intending escapers by the Escape Committee. 
Few were made before 1943, then many were produced by:.7476
8 F/Lt. F.H. BABCOCK, R.A.F. 8664 :F/Lt. W.H. HOLLAJ."iID, R.A.F. The cases were 
made 
from 
gramaphone records, 
the needles from steel 

needles or strips of razor blades, magnetised, and the mounts from glass tips of injection ampoules acquired from Sick Quarters. 
9o 
J.E.J. ASSELIN, 
R.C.A.F. 

The purpose of the 
Escape Intelligence Department 
was to acquire all information which would facilitate escape. were:.
{a) Contacts 
1 contacts(1 were:.
100056 W. BARRETT, R.A.F. 33228 T.D. CALNAN, R.A.F. 88590 F/Lt. O. CERNY, R.A.F. 86685 

R.A.F. 33245 F/Lt. R.A.F. 70899 
F/Lt. R. HERRICK, R.A.F. 89580 
F/Lt. R. MARCINKUS, 
R.A.F. 

w. PALMER, R.A.F. 81018 J .A.G. PARKER, R.A.F. 70902 F/Lt. D.E. PINCHBECK, R.A.F. 22246 F
/Lt. A.A. RUMSEY, R.A.F. 62288 F/Lt. H.D. SEAL, R.A.F. 69463 F/Lt. J.s. WALTERS, R.A.F. The information received concerned:.












of searches, alterations in passes, camp defence, procedure for foreign 










-29 .



workers entering and leaving the Camp, and the passes they used. Details about the town of SAGAN, the Railway Station, and yards, local airfields and aircraft, and the movements of troops in the neighbourhood. 
(b) Journeys outside Camp 

P's/W who worked in the Parcel Store were sent to SAGAN Railway Station to collect i:arcels, and were able to supply information about the area, the station and the railway yards. 




There 
was always one prisoner in the French Hospital at STALAG VIII C for treatment, and considerable information was available there. Also, 



documents, what flaws were discovered, etco They could describe the 



They were interrogated by the Head of the Escape Committee on their release from cells. 


(e) I.S.9. 


Information lmown to have been received from I.S.9. was the address of a 
brothel in STETTIN where an escaper could get help. This 
information was received at Christmas 19420 

It was felt that a great deal more escape intelligence should have been supplied by I.S.9. especially about contacts in occupied countries, routes, frontiers, ports and shipping. Detailed and up-to-date information about 









/Denmark 








-30 .

DENMARK 
and SHEDEN would 
have been welcomed. 


Any 
information about 

pass regulations of foreign workers would have helped. 
(f) Camn Resources 
German newspapers and magazines available in the Compound contained a good deal of information about every day life in Germany which was very useful. l¥iARCINKUS was responsible for noting all such information 
a team of intelligence workers helped the Escape Intelligence Officer for collating and supplying, when required, all information 
on particular subjects. These P's/W'l.1J.4rand their subjects, were:.
90120 S/Ldr. R.A.F. -Germany 30305 F/Lt. 
F. CHAUVIN, R.A.F. -France NZ.413380 A.G. CHRISTIANSEN'l.1J.4r, R.N.Z.A.F. -Denmark 

Lt.'l.1J.4r(A) M. V. DRIVER, R.N.V.R.-Ports and docks 377 Lt. 
M. ERIKSEN, R.A.F. 
Northern ports 77933 
S/Ldr. 
R.A.F. .89580 R.A.F. -Low 
Countries 68797 
F/Lt. R.N. RAYNE, R.A.F. .30649 B. SCHEIDHAUER, R.A.F. -France 
82532 E. VALENTA, R.A.F. -Czechoslovakia 
106346 B. VANDER STOK, R.A.F. -Low Countries Officers in 
charge of the Escape Intelligence Section 
were:.05225 N.H.J. 
TINDAL, R.A.F. .
90130 F/Lt. A.M. CRAWLEY, R.A.F. April, 1943 .January, 1945 TINDAL'l.1J.4r1 s assistant from October, 1942, until April, 1943, was:.90408 W/Cdr. A. EYRE, R.A.F. CRAWLEY'l.1J.4r1 s assistant from 
April, 1943 until January, 
1945 was:.33228 













-31 .



with the Compound Security Officer and the Compound carpenters, hiding places for his supplies. Sources of supplies were:.
(a) Cont'acts 




The 1 contact1 system continued 
in this Compound 
from where it had left off at STALAG LUFT I (BARTH), as all the German 
administrative staf'f, 
guards, 1ferrets1 and interpreters, 
accompanied the P'1 s/W from 
that 
Camp, 
1 con'tacts1 amongst them. 

The Head of the Escape Committee and the Head of the 'Contact' Department appointed 1 traders1 who were usually fluent German speakers and had the tact, patience and persuasiveness necessary for making the Germans tractable. 
The method of gaining a useful 1 contact1 usua'lly began with the inviting a German to his room for coffee and a cigarette. If the German seemed to be corruptible, 
the 
acquaintance was developed. Then the 1 trader'1 would ask if the 1 contact1 



such as sketching materials, coffee or cigarettes. From then onwards, the items required would be less innocent ones, but by this time the 1 contact1 could be blackmailed if he took fright. 1Contacts1 were always received in the 1traders1 room, and none of 
them knew who other 1 can'tacts1 were, unless one recommended another, when he would be told if the recommended one was already a 'contact', or if his 




a and any doing so would be severely reprimanded by his Barrack 

D. STEVENS, R.A.'F. P's/W known to have worked in this Department, and examples of supplies 
the supply side was:'.
D.E. PINCHBECK, R.A.F. 
J.E.J. ASSELIN, R.C.A.F. local maps, train-timetables, specimen 
papers) 












-.32 ..37078 
D.M. BARRETT, R.A.F. 


J.B.J ¥ BOARDJ:vIAN, R.A.F. 


92120 R.J. BUSHELL, R.A.F. (miscellaneous items) 82590 
O. CERNY R.A.F. 
87635 F/Lt. C.C. CHESHIRE, R.A.F. (uniforms) 
44677 
J.F. CLAYTON, R.A.F. (Pens, inks, wireless parts) 



42699 B.A. 

G.J. CORNISH, R.A.F. 

R.A.F. 


(printers'W'in' ink, radio i:arts, copies of passports and passes) 

40527 P.M. 
R.A.F. 

(jewellers'W'in' 
42255 
I.M. 
R.A.F. 
R. HERRICK R.A.F. 

G. HILL, R.A.F. 



22246 F/Lt. A.A. 
R.A.F. 

(ink, stationery, pencils) 68184 
P.R.M. RUNNACLES, R.A.F. (electric wire, candles, :ink) 
79220 
J.V. SILVERSTON

, R.A.F. 
88219 
F/Lt. P. STEVENS, R.A.F. (dyes, passes, radio parts, clothing) 

69463 
J.S. WALTERS, 
R.A.F. 


77955 s.w. WEBSTER, R.A.F. (stamps, dyes, insignia). 


1 Contact'W'in1 given 
in detail, :in the description of the Department concerned. 

One contact, Unteroffizier 
HESSE, Luftwaffe, typed 
documents for the Escape Committee, as described in this Chapter, Section 5, and arranged contact 
with a colony of Dutch workers, 
who lent their 
passes 
for copying. 
(b) Camu Resources 

As soon as P's/i-1 moved into the Compotm.d they combed it thoroughly and collected odds and ends left .ing around by builders and electricians, 













-33 .



e.g. timber, wiring, metal,tools, coal shovels, screws and nails, concrete, 


etc. Sources of wood were bed-boards, tables, From 
the barracks, nails, screws 
and 

used. Messing Officers could supply tins, knives and saws. 


co'nvert for 
as described in this Chapter, Section 4. 
('c) New P1s/W 



compasses, and maps. 
(
d) I.S.9. 


are fully described in Chapter 3, 

clothing, radio Jnrts, dyes, maps, compi.sses, hack-saw blades, 

nibs, brushes, forged documents, etc. 
11. 

Carpentry done by P'1 s/W 
consisted of making hiding-places, tunnel 
equipment such as shoring, ladders, sledges and traps, and dummy rifles. Sources of wood are described in this Chapter, Section 10, sub-Sections 
(a) and (b) 






Rifles were carved from hl.ID.ks of wood, stained with brown shoe polish, the 1 metal'1 parts made 
by fi'lling them in with a lead pencil and polishing 






-.34 .


until 
they shone. Two were made before April, 194.3, and some more later. The vaulting horse made by:.32090 W/Cdr. R.'WalkH. HAW, R.A.F. 
is described 
in this Chap
ter, Section 16, sub-Section (b). 


pr s/W known to have worked on carpentry are:.

J.4882 F/Lt. J.E.T. ASSELIN, R.C.A.F. 
-




74768 F/Lt. F.H. BABCOCK, R.A.F. 
\._/ 



33303 F/Lt. J.C. BREESE'Walk, R.A.F. 101024 F/Lt. W.J .M. GFEENAWAY, R.A.F. R.403218 
A.A. HAKE, R.A.A.F. 


88039 
P.I. HALL, R.A.F. 

898.35 F/Lt. W.J. HUNTER, R.A.F. 
406.31 
I.A. McINTOSH, R.A.F. 
32090 
R.H. MAW, R.A.F. 

P.0338 
B. MICKIEWICZ, 
R.A.F. 


F/Lt. 
R.A.F. c.94065 R.C.A.F. 104538 F.J. TRAVIS, R.A.F. 

12. METAL WORK 
The making of tunnel lamps and portable heating stoves is described in this Chapter, Section 15. A few torches were made. Buttons, buckles and badges were made by pouring 
molten 
tin-foil 
into casts made with plaster of Paris obtained from Sick Quarters. Solder was melted off tins and used again. 
Metal work was done by:.

A.400367 F/Lt. J.A.C. GORDON, R.A.A.F. assisted by:.









P.0
552 F/Lt. z. GOTOWSKI, R.A.F. 

13. LEATHER WORK 
This consisted of covering great coat buckles, altering leather belts, and making belts from boots. The work was done by:.


76011 

L.P.R. HOCKEY, 
R.A.F. 


TOOLS 


Tools left lying around by workmen 
when the Compound was opened were appropriated, and others stolen whenever possible from workmen and electricians. 

Many were obtained from 1 contacts'Walk1 , as described in this Chapter, 

/Section 





-35 .Section 
10, sub-Section (a), and some from 1.s.9. Knives and saws were 
stolen by l'-.essing Officers. 
Saws were made from gramaphone springs and .lmives, shovels were made out of tins, and wirecutters out of stove-bars. Other tools made were hammers and screw-drivers. 
Officers 
in charge of the 
custody and issue of tools were:.

.39107 B.A. MITCHELL, R.A.F. 

They kept some in wall panels in their rooms for immediate use, and buried others in Compound gardens. 
Tunnellers kept the tools, which they used, in their tunnels, and gave CANTON or MITCHELL a list of what' they had. 
Toolmakers were:.
N.E. CANTON, R.A.F. 


880.39 

HALL, R.A.F. 


15.3574 F/0 
R.A.F. 41602 F/Lt. Co MARSHALL, R.A.F. Lt.'(A) D. MYLES, R.N. 1045.38 F/Lt. F .J. TRAVIS, R.A.F. 


lamps were made by:.




33.30.3 F/Lt. J.C. BREESE, R.A.F. .37.321 F/Lt. R.G. Y.-RAMSAY, R.A.F. Portable stoves were invented by:.28104 S/Ldr. R.B. ABRAHAM, R.A.F. 

so that escapers could make a hot drink to sustain them while they were travelling. 



They consisted of a 1 Nescafe'1 tine 
filled with margarine, with a pyjama-cord wick, which fitted into a tobacco tin, which in tum fitted into a biscuit tin. These lamps boiled water in ten minutes. 


Other gadgets 
made were the dummy rifles described in this Chapter, Section 11. The air-pumps used 
in tunnels were made out of two kitbags distended with wooden hoops, and had inlet and outlet valves, springs taken from chest.a wooden handle and wooden framework.














-36 .

Carpentry Department made the pumps. The air-lines consisted of dried.milk tins and were erected by the tunnellers. 
16. TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION 
(a) Genera'l 
When the Compoun'd opened, any 
P1 s/W who had plans for 
escaping 
through tunnels first proposed their plans to the Head of the Escape Committee and then, when they were approved, interested, and organised their own supplies, security and sand dispersal. 

During the Spring and Swnmer of 1942, between sixty and seventy tunnels were started. The majority were very shallwand were discovered before completed. Two were successful. 
One 
tunnel assumed 
paramount importance and 
was constructed on scale. It was started in April, 1942 from barrack 67 by:.



42255 F/Lt. I.M. MUIR, R.'A.F. and was considered so 

the Escape 
Committee that it was taken over as a committment. A Tunnel Committee was formed with MUIR in charge, consisting of:.

J.5481 F/Lt. C.W. FLOODY, R.C.'A.F. 


37321 
R.G. KER-RAMSAY', R.A.F. 

36103 F/Lt. H.C. MARSHALL, R.A.F. 


From Sept'ember, 1942, until the 
discovery of the tunnel in 
October, 1942I, no other tunnels were allowed to be started, so that all efforts could be concentrated on this project. 


(b) Engineering 

are consi'dered to be worthy of description:'.


(i) One successful tunnel 
was built by:.89772 F/Lt. R.A.F. 60286 
F/Lt. 
R.A.F. 
F/Lt. R.A.F. 






/dispe'rsed 













-37 .



They walked to SAGAN airfield intending 
to steal an 
aeroplane, but could 

Then they changed their plans and made for STETTIN. Whilst sheltering under a rowing boat which they had stolen they were discovered and arrested. (ii) On 23rd July, 1942:.
following day. (iii)P's/W 
had already learned from experience that if a large-scale tunnel escape 
were to be made 
the tunnel 
must be built at greater depth. This was carried out with the tunnel started from barrack 67. 
on two levels, a dummy tunnel being built at a depth of four feet, and a trap made in the floor of this to the shaft of the tunnel proper, which was another twenty feet below. 
'

Workers were divided into three shifts of seventeen men each. They dug all day and at night. One P/W cut the sand at the working face, a second on a wooden sledge, which was hauled back to the chamber at the foot of the shaft, where the dispersal men took charge 
of it. 1 duck(1 lamps described in this Chapter, Section 15. 
At first, air-holes were the only means of ventilating the tunnel. 
Short lengths of wood joined by metal sockets were pushed up into the roof tm.til they broke grotm.d, when a watcher in the Compound camouflaged the hole with This method took up a good deal of time, the camouflage was poor 
from a security 


was inadequate. At a later date an air 
pump was 
constructed in the chamber, and an air-line laid to the working face. The tunnel ran to the kitchen, but there was 
no room under the concrete floor for sand to b. dispersed, so another tunnel was dug from barrack 67 
















backwards eighty feet to barrack 66, the sand being dispersed under the hut, and then this tunnel was packed tightzy with sand from the tunnel proper. 









-38 .


The trap and dummy tunnel from barrack 67 was discovered, but not the tunnel proper. Another trap and shaft were built from another room in the 
same barrack, to link up with the tunnel, but a heavy fall of sand proved that this second dummy tunnel was unsafe, so a third was built. 




in October, 1942. 
(iv) The only tunnel through 
which a successful escape was made was built by:.200507 Lt. R.M.C. CODNER, R.A. 77151 F/Lt. 0.1.s. PHILPOT, R.A.F ¥. 117660 F/Lt. E.M. WILLIAMS, R.A.F. 
following a scheme devised by CODNER. 
A vaulting horse, light and hollow 

but strong was built by:.

W/Cdr. R.H.MAW, R.A.F. using stolen wood and sheets of three-ply wood from Canadian Red Cross 
crates. One of the three engineers hid inside the horse, which was carried by their helpers into the Compound and placed near the warning fence. While P's/W spent 
hours vaulting, the tunneller worked. 
The trap consisted of wooden boards, 
which were covered with sand to resemble 
the 
surface. 
The tunneller took up the trap, propped it inside the horse, and dug up the sand. This he put into twelve bags made of trouser legs which 
When these were filled he replaced the trap and covered it with sand, then the vaulting horse was 
carried back to the barracks. 

























-39 .




When the tunnel.was long enough 
for them both to work in it they went down together, one digging while the other pulled washbowls full of sand to the bottom of the vertical shaft. Thirty six bags full of sand were filled in this way and left in the tunnel. The next three trips were made by one 
of the engineers, going down and bringing back twelve sacks at a time. 

By 29th October, 1943, the tunnel was almost completed, and at 13.00 As he still had some work to do he his At 16.15 hours PHILPOT, WILLIA1.S 





and 62326 
F/Lt. 
A.W. McYi.AY, went out in the horse. PHILPOT and WILLIAMS entered the tunnel and were 

sealed in 
by McKay. They spread the last 
of the 
sand behind them in the tunnel, Their escapes are described in Chapter X. This tunnel 
was about one hundred feet long, and the exit was fifteen feet out'side the perimeter fence. 
(v) The success of the Troj'an horse 
gave P'1 s/vl 
the idea that other successful 
tunnels might be made with similar traps elsewhere than under barracks, or 
In the Winter of 
1943 -1944, as 11MARGARET11 was st'arted. 
The chief engineers 
were:'.NZ.411354 M.N. AICKEN, R.N.Z.A.F. 62326 A.W. McKAY, R.A.F. 43051 F/Lt.. G.S. WILLIAMS, R.A.F. 
Five other P's
/W (names unknown) worked on this tunnel, taking it in turns 
to go down, first one at a time, then, when it was big enough for two to work in it, These eight P's/wall planned to escape through this tunnel. 











The trap itseli' was made and carried out to roll-call under a greatcoat. During the roll-call two cubic feet of sand were dug away, the trap put in and the 
/sand 






-40 .

sand replaced. During each subsequent roll-call the trap 
was raised 
and a tunneller went down and sank the vertical shaft. 

possible by the chaotic state of the parade, which was 
always 
rendered a The distance of the trap from the perimeter fence 

The shaft was four feet deep. A chamber 
was built at the foot of it so that 
two men could get in and 
work together, going 
down during morning roll-call and staying there until evening roll-call. During 
this time the trap was in position and ventilation was by means of air-holes to the surface. 




The work proceeded without a hitch. P's/W stamped and shuffled their feet to make the replaced earth over 
the trap indistinguishable. In order 







to 
get the tunnellers up in time to be counted in the evening, the P'(s/W who fomed the squadron covering the site of the trap went on parade early(, accompanied by 
two 
or three other squadrons so that the constant 
early arrival of one would not be conspicuous. Since the tunnel was dug in Winter 
when all P's/vl wore greatco.ts, 
the 
dispersal of sand was no problem. 
Small sacks containing sand were handed out by the tunnellers when they emerged and hitched inside greatcoats. Shoring boards were carried out in the 
Sat"ne way and handed down to the tunnellers when 
they got inside. When the 

so bad that roll-calls were held in huts, games of rugby were organised and a scrum formed over the trap while the tunnellers got out. Tunnellers did not go down if 
the weather was bad in the morning, 
but when the weather broke in the afternoon the game of rugby was essential, 










peculiar love of sport. 




The tunnel 
was almost completed by March, 1944. On 24th March, a mass.esca}:e took place in the North Compound through the tunnel 'HARRY' and later it was learned 
that fifty of the escapers who were recaptured were shot. Consultations were held in the East Compound, and only one of the tunnellers still wished to try and escape through 'MARGARET'. The Senior British Officer thought 

it advisable that no escape attempts should be made, so the tunnel was not used. a code message from I.S.9. stated that it was 
This confirmed the opinion of the 
Senior British Officer. 














-41 .


The tunnel was completed 
and a plan was made 

for a mass
-escape through it as pa.rt of the Compound Defence Scheme. This scheme was instituted when it became increasingly probable that, in view of a complete rout of German 
forces, the Camp Staff or the retreating armies would exterminate all 



or at least desert and leave the Camp without food, water and 
forces, were ready, if the need arose, to overpower the Germans, take control of the Camp, and make a mass-escape joining the nearest Allied Forces. The situation never arose and tunnel remained unused. 
(c) Dispersal 




The first method of disposing sand from the tunnel described in (ii) above and from all the other tunnels up to this date in this Compound, consisted of burying it mder the top layers of soil mder the huts. At first 
basins and containers 
of all kinds were used, and passed from the worr..ing face to the shaft by a chain of P(1s/W. This method was very wasteful of man power. The second method was that containers were hauled backwards and 
forwards by ropes of plaited string. Finally a great improvement 
was made 

when wooden sledges were built, which could be loaded with Red Cross food 

cartons filled with sand and pulled by a stronger rope. The sand was kept in 


the mderground chamber at the foot of the shaft until watchers signalled that 
it was safe for dispersers to bring it up and bury it. 

After a while the level of the ground mder 
barrack 67 began to 




At this time a German order was 
issued that P(1s/W were to put out all empty Red Cross boxes for removal from the Compound; this was done and two hmdred 
boxes full of sand were 
taken 
out of the Compound on a horse-drawn cart. This, however, was a temporary expediency and a new method was needed for safe dispersal of large quantities of sand. A certain amount was packed 
under the cement floor of 
the kitchen, but the final 

It was in this Compound, in 

with a tmmel constructed from 

tunnel dug backwards to barrack 67 a distance of 

As much sand as possible was buried under this barrack, and then the tunnel itself was used, the sand being packed as tightly as possible. 
Lt.Cdr.((a) P.E. FANSHAWE, R.N. that the method of carrying sand-sacks inside trouser-legs 
was developed. 



























-42 .



Long narrow sacks made of kitbags, 
towels, etc.', and closed at the bottom with 
pins to which string was attached, were carried inside trouser legs and held up by string round the waist. the Compound and released the sand into holes in P'1 s/W gardens on sandy 

or into holes covered by sunbathers, etc. 

During the first months 
in this Compound, tunnel engineers were expected to make their own arrangements for 
the 
provision of supplies, 

using bed.boards from their own beds, and approaching the Escape Committee for permission to get other items. In May, 1942, when tunnelling ceased being 

became an Escape Organisation com.mittment, the Tunnel Committee reported 






of the approach of Germans, and advise dispersers about the state of the Compound. up positions where they could 
see the Duty-Pilot's signals and relay them 



Other items required were string, supplied by the Parcels Officer; tools 
Sections 14 and 15, respective.ly; tins for the air-line, supplied mainly by the Messing Officer; kitbags, wire, etc., for the air-pump as described in this Chapter Section 15. 












to 

watchers near the trap. The locations of the ground-microphone system was mown to 
the tunnel 
engineers, who defeated .;t by tunnelling .tween them and at\,.,_,1 
twenty feet ¥. 

The precautions.'taken to avoid discovery 

of sand have already been 

/(f) 






(f) Comments 


The following 
remarks apply to the tunnels described in sub-Section (b) of this Section:.
(i) 
The site chosen _for this tunnel, the concealment of the entrance and the mode of construction are worthy of special note. This is an excellent example of the way in which advantage was taken of conditions and seemingly innocent activities. 

(ii) 
The full details of this scheme are not know, but it is believed that discovery was due to the fact that a Gerr:ian found traces of freshly excavated sand in the coal shed which resulted in a thorough search being made. (iii)This major tunnel was planned on original lines and the method of dispersing the sand in another tunnel is noteworthy. It would appear that the Germans were su.picious that a tunnel was being constructed and this led to a most vigorous search and its discovery. 

(iv) 
This tunnel, lmown as the "Trojan Horse11 Scheme, was unique in many respects. The whole scheme was brilliantly conceived and executed. It was the only tunnel scheme in any P/W Camp in Germany which was one hundred per cent successful -three P'1 s/W escaped through it and all reached the U.K. 

(v) 
This tunnel scheme was an ingenious variation of the 'Trojan Horse' Scheme. It is worthy of special note. 



17. GATE HALK-OUT SCHEM1i.;S 
(a) First attempt In April, 1942, the first gate walk-out attempt to escape which had been 
prepared in detail was carried out by:.787656 u.o. C. CHALOUPKA, R.A.F. 05175 w/cctr. H.M.A. DAY, R.A.F. 05225 s/Ldr. N.H.J. TINDAL, R.A.F. 
They were dressed in German uniforms made out of their own uniforms, the facings dyed yellow with dye obtained by bribery by CHALOUPKA. and the braid and badges obtained in the same way by TINDAL. They had gate passes, copied from one TINDAL had borrowed from a German interpreter. 
They got through the first gate but were stopped at the second. The guard asked CHALOUPKA for their passes and whilst these were being shown started questioning TINDAL, who spoke no German. The three were arrested and spent fourteen days in cells. 
/(b) 


















-44 .


(b) Second attempt In September, 1942, an escape was made by:.111131 F/Lt. A. VAN ROOD, R.A.F. 
He was provided by various departments of the Escape Organisation with a German Hundfuchrer uniform, money, and forged papers, and had made keys to unlock the padlocks of the gates between the Compound and the Vorlager. 
He unlocked the gates after the dog patrol bad entered the Compound at 
23.00 hours. Challenged and passed by a watch-tower sentry, he continued his way to the gate between the Vorlager and the German Compound. Here he produced his German pay-book and was allowed to pass through. Once inside, he climbed over the fence behind the guard room. 
Crossing the road into SAGAN railway goods yard, he jumped on to a goods train that w.s pulling out. Travelling on various trains eventually he reached NEUDmGEN, and then started walking towards the Swiss frontier. He had to produce his papers several times on the trains. A Frontier Guard Police Officer gave him a lift towards the frontier and recommended to him a good place for a holiday. At 18.00 hours two days later he arrived at the point vhere he intended to cross the 
frontier and hid until it was dark. Crawling up 
the bu.shy slope to the frontier he was heard and attacked by patrol dogs, and captured. He persisted that he was a Dutch workman, but this was not believed, nor was his confession that he was 
an escaped P/w. He was severe. beaten in the police 
cells, 
but eventually his identity was credited. Whilst being taken back to SAGAN 
he slipped away from his guards during an air raid at LEIPZ'IG. 
far as an air-raid áshelter, where he was recaptured during a police check. 


70699 
F/Lt. F.H. VIVIAN, walked out through the gates disguised as a German 
medical orderly. He 
carried a forged German i:e,ybook, 
a foreign worker's travel pass, and movement papers for the area north of BERLIN, and a good deal of money. 

Once out of the Camp he took off his w.if'orm, ha;ving underneath it a He /travelled. 













-45 .


travelled by train from SAG.AN to BERLIN and from BERLIN to DAIIBIG, arriving there the following moming. Then he vent to the docks to look for a ship, but vas unable to find one. Late that night he vent by train to STETTIN, where again he could not find a ship. The following night he went by train to STRALSillID, but was still unsuccessful in his search for a ship. 
He walked_ t(? RUGEN Island, hid in a copse for the night, and walked to SASSNITE next morning. He watched the ferry, but there were many troops about so he decided to give up this plan and make for SWITZERLAND. 
That evening he was returning by train to BERLIN Yhen two policemen asked for his papers. He had destroyed them because they were applicable only to Northem Germany. He was arrested and even. retumed to this Camp, where he served twenty-one days in cells. 
(d) Fourth attempt In October, 1942:.61046 F/Lt. G. HILL, R.A.F. 82161 F/Lt. V. OGILVIE, R.A.F. 
-walked through the Compound gates into the Vorlager dressed as 1 ferrets'Walk1¥ They hid in a wash-house during the night'Walk, intending to 'Walk out of the Camp 
¥. in the morning with a German bath-party. During the night the Vorlager was searched because some N.c.o¥s. had got out of the Centre Compmmd, and lllLL and OGILVIE were discovered. 
(e) Fifth attempt 
This attempt, which took place in ear:cy-March, 1943, was carried out by:.
P.76776 F/Lt. L. KOELOWSKI, R.A.F. who bore a very strong resemblance to a German Interpreter. He was provided with forged passes, civilian clothes and a bogus miform, by the Escape Organisation. 
On the selected day he wore the German uniform over the civilian clothes and passed through the Compound gate into the Vorlager. A few moments later he met the German he was impersonating and was arrested. 
(f) Sixth attempt On 12th.March, 1943:.Lt.Cdr,'Walk(A) H. SCHAPER, R.A.F. -Dutch 106346 F/Lt. B. VAN DER STOK, R.A.F. 
went to the Vorlager in a de-lousing party, -wearing Russian greatcoats /and 







-46 .


and caps. They hid in the roof of a lavatory used by the Russians. their greatcoats they wore Luftwaffe uniforms, and under these, civilian clothes. Two other P's/w were discovered hiding in the Vorlager and in a further search SCHAPER and VAN DER STOK were found. 

(g) Seventh attempt On 3rd June, 1943:.88219 F/Lt. P. STEVENS, R.A.F. 
tried to hide in the bath-house in the Vorlager intending to walk out with a party of German guards when they had taken their baths the next morning. Whilst he was dressing a German guard became suspicious and as he found that it would not be possible to hide in the roof he gave up the attempt. He disposed of most of his escape outfit to other P'Walk1 s/W in the bath party, but on the way back to the Compound he was searched and found to be 1n possession 
89604 F/Lt. R. KEE, R.A.F. 





HESSE. 
They hid in sacks in a carload of books which were being 
taken back to the Book Store, from the Compound, at 17.00 hours on 19th November. 
They spent the night in the roof of the Books Store. 
At daw it was the practice for Russian P'Walk1 s/w to be allowed 

out of the Camp gate with a pass. CALNAN and KEE had obtained Russian uniforms, and Gefrieter HESSE had given them information about the procedure at the gate and sufficient details about the passes to enable two forgeries 
to be made. 
Leaving the Book store shortly before the Russians were due, they 










-47 .
error on their identity cards. Having persuaded the police that they were escaped P'Walk1 s/W they were returned to the Camp. 
18. WIRE SCHEMES 

(a) First attempt In April, 1942, while serving a sentence in cells for a previous attempt to escape:.
42356 F/Lt. V. PARKER, R.A.F. 
stole a key 
from a door and altered 
it with a nail 
file 
to fit the 
lock of his cell. While a fellow prisoner diverted the guard I s attention, PARKER opened the door, jumped through a window and climbed the perimeter fence. 
He wore R.A.F. trousers and a grey sweater, but had no escape equipment or food. 
Travelling partfy by goods 
trains, which 
he boarded 
in shtmting yards'Walk, and part]Jr on a stolen bicycle, he reached ZULICHAU, 
seen and caught whilst climbing into a train going to WARSAW, where he had intended to get help. He was 
the Camp and sentenced to twenty days in cells. 
Whilst serving his sentence in cells for the above attempt, PARKER vith:.88863 F/Lt. J.P. DICKINSON, R.A.F. 
(c) Third attempt 
TilIDAL, whilst serving his sentence for the attempt described in this 
Chapter, Section 17, sub-Section (a), filed down a key to fit his cell door, but had difficulty in opening the door and was caught as he walked out of it. 
(d) Fourth attempt On 10th August, 1942, an attempt was made by:.37355 W/Cdr. G.L.B. HULL, R.A.F. 
He vore a German-type white working jacket, leather belt 'With Luftwaffe 
/wearing 















-48 .

Wearing a R.A.F. greatcoat to cover his disguise he attended a Sick Parade in the Vorlager. On the return journey, during a pre-arranged diversion, he removed the greatcoat and walked towards a coal-shed looking like a German on fatigue duties. He hid in the coal-shed till midnight, 
then crawled to the perimeter fence camouflaged with a blanket. he was cutting the wire the entanglement collapsed on top of him and attracted the attention of a pa.trolling guard, who arrested him. 

(e) Fifth attempt An attempt to escape by cutting through the perimeter fence in daylight 
was made in September, 1942, by:.86619 F/Lt. W.H. NICHOLS, R.A.F. 70879 F/Lt. K.S. TOFl', R.A.F. 

The Chief of the Escape Committee, BUCKLEY, undertook to control a well-planned series 
of diversions designed to attract the attention of the guards. took up a position commanding a view of the gate leading into the Vorlager and the four sentry-towers. 

NICHOLLS and TOFT had discovered that if they could cross the warning fence and lie flat against the perimeter fence between two sentry boxes they vere unlike. to be seen. They had worked out that it took thirty-five seconds to valk from the cookhouse 
door to a point at the vaming fence opposite the point in the perimeter fence where they had decided to cut through the wire. 



Officer, BUCKLEY engaged another sentry. The fourth sentry was asked for 
permission to retrieve a football, and the fifth was occupied in watching a 

NICHOLLS and TOFl' cut through the wire 'With cutters made by themselves from iron from their barrack and case hardened with sugar. When they had cut the last strand of the six feet of wire TOF.l' signalled, and the diversions were repeated while the escapers got onto the road. They had made themselves 


















(f) 
On the day that NICHOLLS and TOFT made their escape:.42587 F/Lt. N.E. CANTON, R.A.F ¥ .39024 
M.J. CASEY, R.A.F. 900452 w. o. A.H. JOHNSON, R.A.F. 





's jacket, and JOHNSON a R.A.F. 

became 
'ghosts'Walk' hiding 
in the Compound so thatihe 
Germans would think they had escaped with NICHOIJ..S and TOFT, and would not send other search parties out 
when 
they did escape. CASEY was discovered whilst being a 1 ghost'Walk' CANTON and JOHNSON .ere 'ghosts'Walk' for a Yeek. 
On the night of 14th September, they crawled along a ditch made by the Germans in the destruction of a turmel, and made a dash for the wire. Using Camp-made Yire-cutters, they cut through the wire into the Vorlager, and crawled across on their stomachs, dodging the searchlights. Then they cut through the wire into 
the 
which was :i:artiaJ4r 
wooded, 
climbed a wooden 
fence, and got 

They had no papers, but were supplied with LUBBOCK1 s escape 
food. They :intended to make for CZECHOSLOVAKIA. They had a R.A.F. button.compass and a self made map. 
For four days they walked by day and jumped goods trains at night. On the fourth day, JOHNSON boarded a train going to BRESLAU. CANIDN boarded another, was discovered and arrested, but evaded his guards on the pretext of getting a drink of water, and jumped on to another train bound for COB.LITZ. Then he walked South for tvo days, but was stopped an the outskirts of REICHENBERG by a party of peasants, interrogated by s. s. men, and sent back to the Camp, where he was sentenced to fourteen days in cells. 
JOffiJSON was seen in the railway goods yard at BRESLAU and chased by a railway guard. He hid in the axle of a truck which was taken to the repair shop, where he was .scovered. He was sent back to the Camp. 
(g) Seventh attempt On .30th November, 1942:.

/86685 














-50 .


86685 F/Lt. S.H. DOWSE, R.A.F. 
P.0237 F/Lt. s.z. KROL, R.A.F. cut through the wire into the Centre Compound, crawled across that Compound using blankets as camouflage, and cut the wire between the Centre Compound and the Gerrna.11 Compound. sentry-towers discovered them. before being arrested. They were sentenced to fourteen days in cells. 
(h) 
Eighth attempt On 4th December, 1942:.787656 W.O. C. CHALOUPKA, R.A.F. 

787656 
W.O. C. CHALOUPKA, R.A.F. 








70775 F/Lt. J.c. 'WILSON, R.A.F. 

in the glare of a searchlight and arrested. 
(j) Tenth attempt 
In the Spring of 1943, before the construction of the North Compound was completed, parties of P's/W from the East Compound were taken to the North Compound each morning, under escort, for the purpose of preparing it for occui:ation by the removal of tree stumps, building the theatre, etc. These P's/W were not asked to give a pa.role. At this time the perimeter fence of the North Compound was not guarded in any vq. 
In March, two officers decided to take advantage of this condition. They made all the necessary arrangements with the Escape Committee and were provided with civilian clothes, maps, money, forged papers, etc. It was arranged that 





-51 .

6105.3 F/Lt. E.G. BRETTELL, R.A.F. c.1037 F/Lt. K.E. BROWN, R.C.A.F. When all the preparations had been completed,they donned their 
civilian clothes and wore their uniforms on top, then joined the workjng party. On arrival in the North Compound they worked for a time 'W'ith the other P's/w. At midday, 'W'hen work ceased while the Po1 s/W had a meal, BRETTELL and BROWN eluded the guards and made their way to the South fence, over which they climbed. They were recaptured two days later and returned to the Ca.mp. 
19 ¥ WALL SCHEMES 
N/A. 
20. TRANSPORT SCHEMES 
When the Compound was opened there were numerous unpremeditated attempts to escape on the carts which were going to and from the Compound laden with tree branches and workmenso' equipment. These continued for the first two weeks, and amounted to a leap from a barrack room to a cart, and an arrest at the Compound gate. No Po1 s/W were successful. They were entirely unequipped and were merely taking obvious opporttmities on the chance that an attempt might succeed. 
(a) First attempt In August, 1942, the first planned attempt of this kind was made by:.33331 F/Lt. A.D. PANTOM, R.A.F. 
who hid in a laundry basket. He was wearing a white jacket, R.A.F. trousers, and jackboots, and had maps, compasses, áfood and identity papers. He vas caught at the gate when the basket was opened and the contents examined. 
(b) Second attempt In January, 1944:.66002 F/Lt. R. EDGE, R.A.F ¥ 




-52 .


They were:.
200507 Lt. 
R.M.C. 
CODNER, R.A. 
O.L.S. PHILPOT, R.A.F. 

E.E. WILLIANS, R.A.F. They escaped by means of a tunnel scher:ie lmown as the 'Trojan Horse t. A full description is given in this Chapter, Section 16, sub-Section (b) (iv). Details of their movements after leaving the Camp are given in Chapter X. NUMBER OF ATTEHPTED ESCAPES 



Between sixty and seventy tunnels were started involving a large number of raen. TW'o of these were successful. One is referred to in Section 22 above. The other is described in this Chapter, Section 16, sub.Section (b) (i), an. as related therein three P's/W got clear of the Camp. 
In addition to tunnelling activities, thirty-four personnel attempted to escape in twenty separate attempts. These are described in this Chapter, Sections 17 to 20 inclusive. 
24. 
MASS ATTENPTS 

Nil. 

25. 
SUMMARY OF METHODS 


(a) Tunnels 


Although between sixty and seventy tunnels were started, o. five are considered to be wortey of description. Details are given in Section 16, sub-Section (b) of this Chapter. Comments are given in sub-Section (f) of that Section. 
nervousness. 








-53 .



Some were planned, but the majority were not. Two attempts of this type are described in Section 20 of this Chapter. 
(f) 
Miscellaneous schemes Nil. 

(g) 
Mass attempts 













-54 .

CHAPTER III ESCAPE MATERIAL, etc. 

1. REQUIREMENTS The requirements for this type of Camp are as follows:.
(a) 
Clothing 

(i) 
Civilian suits and overcoats of average size with good turnings to allow for enlarging them if necessary. Civilian shirts, collars, ties, hats, caps and foot-wear. The material and style should be similar to that worn in the co1mtry of imprisonment. All articles should have malcers tabs or stamps identical with those used by authentic manufactur.ers in the country of imprisonment. 

(ii) 
Enemy im.iforms of all ranks, complete'With.insignia, badges of rank, belts, pistol-holsters, dummy bayonets and bayonet frogs, jackboots, caps, shirts, collar and ties. 


It should be ascertained -whether Army, Naval or Air Force uniforms are required. 
(iii) :tt.ia.terial for making civilian clothing and enemy uniforms. This should be sent in the form of blankets, overdyed with a design in bright colours which would wash out. Some should have a cutting-out pattern traced in such a way that it would be visible only when damp. The blankets should be despatched as from a Welfare Organisation. 
(iv) 
Silver and gold braid for trilIIDing Camp-made enemy uniforms; also insignia and badges of rank. 

(v) 
Pieces of leather for the manufacture of brief-cases, jackboots, belts, pistol-holsters, etc. 

(vi) 
Sma,11 suitcases, the tops and bottoms being sent separately in the guise of clothes containers. 


(vii) Dyes for clothing and p:1per, these should be suitable for use in cold water. Instructions for making tints should be enclosed. 
(viii) Small sewing machines. These should be sent in parts with i'ull instructions for their assembly. Some of the parts should be incorporated in the mechanism of gramophones, etc. 
(iX) Sewing thread, cotton, sewing needles, tailor''Walks shears'Walk, scissors'Walk, etc. (b) 

(i) Printed reproductions of all identity documents, used by the Detaining Power, with full particulars of the 
exact circum.stances 
/:m 



-55 .




in which each is used. Some of each type of document should have forged 
signatures of the individuals authorised to issue them in the various districts within a radius of one hundred miles of the Camp. Some 
of each of the documents should bear the appropriate stamps of issuing offices. These signatures and stamps must be up to date. It is important that not all £orged documents are completed with signatures and stamps. 


(ii) Quantities of the food and 
tobacco ration coupons used in the country of imprisonment, with full details of their value and use. 
(iii) Currency of the country of imprisonment in bills of small and 
(iv) Quantities 
of paper 
of the various colours, thicknesses and surfaces used by the Detaining Power for the production of their various identity documents, etc. 
(v) One or two portable typewriters. 
(vi) 
At least one hand printing-press with founts of type of the style in general use in the cotm.try of imprisonment. 



(vii) A minature camera with suitable films for taking identity photographs, 
photographing documents, etc. Chemicals and printing J:aper. A larger camera suitable for plates and films, fitted with a bellows extension suitable for the photographic reproduction of documents. All che.icals likely to be needed in connection with such work, especial]y 
P.A.C. emulsion. Printing paper of various surfaces, hardnesses, thick.nesses and sizes. Reproduction films and plates. Photo-flood lamps. 
Full details of the various methods of photographic reproduction. 
(viii) A quantity of high-grade gelatine suitable for the base of a 
duplicating machine. 

(i
x) 
A variety of pen nibs and high-grade sable hair artists'l.1J.4r' 
(x) Reproductions of the 
headed notepaper used by well-known manufacturing concerns, etc., in the coi.mtry of 
imprisonment. 

(i) Maps of the whole country of imprisonment and adjoining countries .If possible these should be annotated to show 

















/(ii) 











-56 .




(ii) 

Maps 
of the area within 
a ten-mile radius of the 
Camp -
scale 
1:25,000. 
(iii) 11aps of all neutral frontiers -scale 1:25,000. 
(iv) 
Target maps of aJ.l ports in the enemy territory showing locations of quays used by neutral shipping. 

(v) 
áA map tracer and enlarger. 

(d) 
Compasses 
(i) 
Large quantities of small compasses for use by escapers. 

(ii) 
Bearing compasses for use in connection vith tunnel construction. 

(e) 
Tools 





screwdrivers, adjustable spanners, etc. 
(f) 
Radio eguinment 

At least one battery/mains operated radio receiver. One trans.mitter. Quantities of radio components, especial1y midget 
valves, condensers, etc. 

(g) 
General 

(i) 
Whittakers Almanac (ii) 


(iii) Plans 
of the cockpit lay-out, starting 
and flying instructions of all types of aircraft in general use in the country of imprisonment. 
(iv) Binoculars. (v) (vi) (vii) (viii) enemy territory and bearing appropriate 
manufacturers stamps. 



(iX) Soap, chocolate, coffee, tobacco, cigarettes, etc., for bribing 
enei:ey-guai:ds, etc. 

AIDS RECEIVED FRDH I,S.9. 
Maps, compasses, back-saw blades, 
dyes, and 
radio parts were received from 

I.S.9. in games parcels, milk, tobacco and cigarette tins, gramophon. records, 
etc. Indian ink and 50 centime stamps for French identity cards were received 









-57 .

Blanlrets with designs traced on them were received. 
Once I.S.9. had been notified, b-.f code messages, escapers, and repatriated P'l.1J.4r1 s/W, that P'l.1J.4r1 s/W in this Camp were able to abstract undisguised parcels provided they were warned when to expect them, it would appear that this method should have been used in preference to any other, the parcels sent being kept small and addressed to the Senior British Officer. It was considered that a much greater quantity of supplies should have been sent, and at an earlier date, also that more attempts should have been made to comply with requests for specified articles. Warnings of the despatch of parcels should have been sent well in advance, and the vamings sent in duplicate because, as I.S.9. was informed, the Germans purposely held back mail in order to delay the reception of code messages. 
Concerning other methods of packing, almost every method used was successful 


-58 .

are given in Chapter IV, Section l, sub-Section (a)'l.1J.4r. 

DANGERS OF STEALING PARCELS 
As no prisoner was caught in the act of stealing parcels, it is not 

lmown whether there were any special dangers. It is thought that anyone 
apprehended would have received the usual punishment of confinement to cells, 
and be prevented from handling parcels from then onwards. The danger of 
discovery by the Germans was that their suspicions and precautions were 
increased and escape activity thereby menaced. 

MATERIAL AVAILABLE/ACQUIRABLE ON THE SPOT 
This subject is dealt with in Chapter II, Section 10. 











-59 .
CHAPTER IV, CENSORSHIP BY GERMANS 
l. METHOD 
(a) Parcels Red Gross food, next-of-kin clothing, games, cigarette, 
and tobacco 

.eels arrived'W'in.at SAGAN Railway Station and SAGAN Post Office. A party of P'W'in1 s/w were sent in a lorry to collect them. They were escorted by German guards, and accompanied by a member of the 
Parcel Censorship staff, who supervised 

put into 
the 
Parcel Store under 
close supervision of members of the Parcel Censorship staff. There was a Parcel Store for the East and Centre Compounds in the Vorlager of the East Compound, and one for the North and South Compounds in the Vorlager 

In each Vorlager Red Cross food parcels were stacked in one store. Next.of-kin clothing, games, cigarette and tobacco p;i.rcels were put in another store, and sorted into piles for the various birracks. This work was done by volunteer P's/W, who bad nominal rolls of the P1 s/W in each barrack. 
While this sorting was being done, P's/w who had been specially briefed abstracted all games parcels and parcels which the Escape Committee had been warned to expect by code messages from I.S.9. 
Cigarette and tobacco p;i.rcels were not subject to search. They were put into sacks, ready for delivery into the Compound. The parcels which had been abstracted were slipped into these sacks while the attention of the censors was diverted by other P's/w. The sacks were then taken to the Compound and these pa.reels handed over to the officer responsible for such items. 
Games parcels frequently were smuggled back into the Store when the escape aids concealed in them had been extracted, so that the censors would not become suspicious of the conspicuous absence of games parcels. 
Parcels known not to contain escape aids vere opened by-the P/w. Parcels Staff in the presence of the censors, -who examined every article. Civilian clothing was confiscated and put in the Abt.rehr Store of Confiscated Clothing. All articles were searched carefully by the censors for concealed escape aids. Gramaphone records were nicked round the edge and holes bored near the middle. The backs of brushes were tested to see if they were hollow or 
/removable. 








-60 .





food could not be hoarded for escape purposes. 
After the Winter of 1942, gramaphone records were sent to BERLIN to be x-rayed. Tw'enty per cent of the first batch sent were found to contain escape aids, so for the next nine months P'W'in1 s/w were not allowed to receive any gramaphone records. After that, the Camp Senior British Officer persuaded the Kommandant to allow the German Camp Medical Officer to x-ray them, and P's/w were no longer deprived of them. 
Shoes were subjected to x-ray from time to time. 
Books were taken to a Book Store for special censorship. The bindings and texts were examined for concealed aids, code messages, and invisible ink messages. The texts were also censored for their moral, political, religious and philosophical desirability, and banned if folllld unsuitable on any of these gromids. 
From October, 1944, onwards, parcels for P1 s/W in the North Gompolllld were dealt 'With in the Parcel store of the East Compound, and taken, after censorship, to the North Compound by:.
A.400102 W/Cdr. R.A. NORMAN, R.A.A.F. P'W'in1 s/w in charge of the Parcels Store in the Vorlager of the East and Centre Compounds vere:.7Û:l:Jl7 F/Lt. L. REA VELL-CARTER R.A.F. -April, 1942 .April, 1943. 
F/Lt. J.F. CLAYTON, R.A.F. -April, 1943 .January, 1945. 




-61 .

p I s/W lmown to have worked 
in the Parcels Store were:.Lt.(A) R.N. R.A.F. Lt.t

(A) 
R.N. 

39098 R.A.F. 
F/Lt. M.M. 
MA .. tt.SH, R.A.F. 68184 
R.A.F. 
\._J 

A.40214.3 R.A.F. 
(b) . 
Censorship of the :in-coming and out-going mail of all Air Force Camps :in Germany 'Was done at STALAG LUFT III (SAGAN) during the period April, 1942 to January, 1945. 
Oberleutenant von MASSOW (Luf't'Waffe) was in charge of censorship. His staff consisted part4r of Luftwaffe personnel and part4r of civilianst, including women. Each censor t-ras responsible for one group of letters of the alphabet and did not change to any other group. There were far too many letters for the censors to cope with, consequently many were not censored. 
Letters frequently were held back for any length of time up to sixteen veeks, although the actual time in transit was ten days, so that any code message contained was received very late. Some letters were destroyed. Letters addressed to P1 s/W who had incurrred the suspicion or anger of the German authorities were closely censored, if not destroyed. 
Records 'Were kept by the censors of the names of senders of contraband and mail 
from 
them was censored strict4r. 
Letters were tested for invisible ink, and from time to time selections of letters were sent to BERLIN to be tested for code messages. 
P.ESULTS 


(a) Parcels Parcels packed by the International Red Cross Society, and parcels of cigarettes and tobacco, were accepted as being above suspicion. The censorship of all other parcels was efficient in theory but not in Jl['actice, because many were abstracted before the censors had seen them. 
The censors did nothing about confiscating the materials used in pa.eking and consequently quantities of string, mackintosh and linen covering, were taken into the Compounds and used in the making of escape aids. 
/{b) 









-62 .




(b) Hail 
The ce...sorship of mail was efficient. Obscure 
phrases, groups of figures, a11d unusuallJ' vorded sentences vere blacked-out. 
OBJECT OF C.ISORSHIP 
(a) Parcels 
The object .of censoring Je.rcels was to prevent the reception by P 1 s/W of escape aids and concealed messages. 
(b) . 




was received in code messages from the U.K. 
s. 
(b) . 

All out-going 
letters 
containing code messages were censored by the Head of the Code Department and the Senior British Officer to ensure that the phraseology would not arouse suspicion. 









CHAPTER V, CODE-LETTER MAIL Il1TRODUCTION 
The incorporation of code messages in letters was introduced into this Camp by PI s/W who had carried out this work at STALAG LUFT I (BARTH), when they moved into the Ea.st Compound in April, 1942. When P1 s/W were transferred to the North Gompomd in April, 1943, those who had been doing this York continued. When the BELA.RIA Compound was opened in January, 1944, P'W'in1 s/W transferred from the East and North Compounds introduced code-letter writing. 
The dictionary code lmoi-m as IAMY I was in main use at this Camp. The five-letter word code lmown as 1 BOB'W'in1 was used from April, 1942 until 1943'W'in, 'When information was received that the complete working of the code had been found by the Italians on a prisoner of war in a hospital, and it was not knmm whether 
the info:r1Jation had 
been passed on to the Germans. 

Iillitary information for transmissions to r.s.9. in code messages, came from the sources described below, and was passed to the Code Intelligence Officer, who, with the sanction of the Senior British Officer and his Intelligence Officer, originated all code messages. 
In the East Compound, Gode Intelligence Officers were:.NZ.40631 F/Lt. R.E. STA.BK, 
R.N.Z.A.F. .
90285 
D.G. CRAIG, 
.


Intelligence officers who 
approved the messages were:.
05125 
H.M.A. DAY, 
.16177 R. KELLETT, .



In the North Compound the Code Intelligence Officer was STARK, from March, 1943 until January, 1945. Messages were approved by DAY U11til March, 1944,and from then U11til January, 1945, by:.
26250 W/Cdr. M.F.D. WILLIAHS, In the BELARIA Compotmd the Code Intelligence Officers yere:.4.3954 F/Lt. J .R. DENNY, R.A.F. 86664 F/Lt. W.H. HOLLAND, R.A.F. Messages were originated by:.2618.3 G/Capt. J ¥ C. MA.ODONALD, R.A.F. 
/(a) 













-64.

(a) 
tfilitary information for transmission in code messages to I.S.9., came from 

(i) 
Contacts 
Information was obtained through the organisation 
described in .Chapter II, Section 9, sub-Section (a). 'Traders'l.1J.4r' reported daily 






to the Code Intelligence Officer who briefed them on any special information required, and cross-examined them on a:rry information obtained from the Germans the dey before. Information obtained concemed:.
(1) 
Details of troop movements, locations and strengths. 

(2) 
Locations of factories, the war material produced, the output and the number of workers. 

(3) 
Locations of airfields, the strength of their grotmd and air defence, number and types of aircraft there. 

(4) 
Experiments Yith new weapons, location of experimentalsites and their defence. 

(5) 
The importance of local railways to transport of troops and war material. 

(6) 
German reaction to different types of warfare, methods of attack, strategy, new weapons; their effect on mor.ale. 

(7) Bomb damage, its extent and effect on production of war material and on morale. 
(8) Internal economics, details of the cost 
of war, the shortage of food, ray materials, fuel, etc. and their effect on morale. 


(ii) Recaptured Escapers Selected 
escapers were briefed by the Senior 
British Officer about required information, 
and if recaptured and returned 
to the Camp were interrogated by the Senior British Officer and the Code 


Intelligence Officer. Escapers who had not been briefed were 
{iii) New P'l.1J.4rIs/W New P1 s/vl were interrogated by 
the 
Code Intelligence 
Officer for the foll-owing information:.
{a) Details for their casualty report which included the following information:.
/(1) 
















-6,5 .
(1) 

How shot down, by Flak or fighter, what 
type (2) (3) 
(4) 
Whether aircraft caught fire in the air. 

(5) 
áWhether the casualty was due to the pilotbeing killed. 

(6) 
Whether the aircraft crash-landed or the 
crew baled out. 


(7) 
Whether the final cause of the casualty was:.



(a) 
Fire. (b){c) (d)(e) 
(8) 

(9) 
Whether the aircraft was destroyed, not destroyed, or unlmow. 

(10) . .Any difficulties with escape hatches. 
(11) 
Any secret equipment not destroyed. 



(b) Military information seen or heard by the prisoner from the time of crash to the time of imprisonment, e.g. Aerodromes, factories, state of railways and rail 
(c) 
Description of the prisoner's interrogation by Germans, especially how much the Germans knew of their unit, mission, 



etc. From this, 











sources:.
(1) 
Contents of pockets of aircrEn-1. 

(2) 
Information which seemed to the prisoner to be non-military, extracted on interrogation. This .was done by lulling him into a false sense of security by showing him how much was known already, and that whatever he might saycould add little to their knowledge. In this vay, small unimportant information about the private affairs of members of his Squadron, was extracted and used again to impress other members of the same Squadron. 





-66 .
(3) 
Injudicious talk during the journey from the place of crash to DUI.AG LUFT in the presence of apparently non-English speaking Gemans. 

(4) 
From bogus escape organisations in occupied countries. This was thought to have been done in the following ways:.

(a) 
Completion of a detailed form giving name of unit and other secret informationt, which the organisation insisted on, ostensibly for checking the prisoner1 s bona fides. 

(b) 
Careless talk between evaders in the presence of members of the organi.sation, or in rooms with microphones. 




(It 1-1as from interrogatmg new Pt1 s/W on the subject that information was sent to I.s.9. about 1 the Captain' in BRUSSELS who ran a bogus escape organisation). 
(5) 
Aircraft letters helped to identify the prisonert1 s Squadron. 

(6) 
Newspaper mentions of air-crew, their units, careers, and decorations. 


(d) Message from Allied agents in civilian gaols, and the conditions there and in Concentration Camps. 
(iv) 
Journeys outside Camp PtI s/W journeying outside the Camp were briefed by the Senior British Officer and .interrogated by the Code Intelligence Officer. They were able to supply military information seen or heard on the journey, and to bring back military information from contacts, especia.1.q those in the French Hospital at STALAG VIII/C. 

(b) 
Collation 


The collation of information from the above sources was done by the Code Intelligence Officer and i:assed to the Senior British Officer and his Intelligence Officers. They originated all messages for transmission to the U.K.t, and passed them to the Coding Staff. 
(c) Coding Staff The Coding Staff in the East Compound vere:.
- 
47002  F/Lt.  H.J.W. BOWDEN,  R.A.F.  January, 1944 -January, 1945.  
- 
43954  F/Lt.  J.R. DENNY,  R.A.F.  April, 1943 -January, 1944.  
109037  F/Lt.  P. FUSSEY,  R.A.F.  January, January,  1944 -1945.  








-67 .90900 
J.A. GILLIES, R.A.F. .
86664 

R.A.F. 


F.T. KNIGHT, R.A.F. 
-

90089 F/Lt
. J.H.C. ROWE, R.A.F. 
March, 1943¥ 



T.H. TAYLOR, R.A.F. .

,.-----.,_ 

\._/ 

33294 


R.A.F. .
-

The 
members 
of the Coding 
Staff in the North Compound were:.39107 F/Lt. R.A.F. 118725 F. S. McWBIRmR, R.A.F. 90089 F/Lt. J.H.C. ROWE, R.A.F. 
33294 
P.E. WARCUP, R.A.F. In the BELARIA Compound the 
Coding Staff consisted of:.43954 F/Lt. J.R. DENNY, R.A.F.) 
-January, 1944 
.86664 F/Lt. W.H. HOLLAND, R.A.F.) -January, 1945. 
(d) Code letter writers 
received by I.S.9.:.






R.N. 
J.C. BREESE, 
J.B.S. BROCKWAY, 
R.A.F. 




s/Ldr. 
33303 F/Lt. F/Lt. F/Lt. 

R.A.F. 
R.A.F. 
R.A.F. 

R.A.F. 
R.A.F. 
47002 
R.A.F. 

R.A.F. 

78530 
R.A.F. 

67664 
R.A.F. 
41899 
37275 
R.A.F. 
R.A.F. 

43932 
74666 
S/Ldr. F/Lt. 
R.A.F. 
R.A.F. 
F/Lt. 

s/Ldr. 
Lt..(A) 
90120 
R.A.F. 
R.N. 
37595 F/Lt. S/Ldr. 
R.A.F. 
R.A.F. 
44879 
69467 F/Lt. 
R.A.F. 

68794 
M.F. CARSON, R.A.F. 
F/Lt. 
Lt.Cdr.(A) J. CASSON, 41255 F/Lt. R.S.A. CHURCHILL, R.A.F. 44677 F/Lt. ¥.. J.F. CLAYTON, R.A.F. 
Lt..(A) C.A. CONN, R.N. 108572 F/Lt. L.D. COX, R.A.F. 

/90285 
R.N. 









R.A.G. ELLEN,
E.D. ELLIOTT, R.A.F. 

F/Lt. B. 
EVANS, F/Lt. R.A.F. w/cdr. A. EYRE, 
R.A.F. 


F/Lt. F/Lt. R.A.F. F/Lt. R.A.F. F/Lt. F .R. C.;1.AEME-EVANS, 
J.A. GILLIES, R.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F. 



R.A.F. 
76904 
R.A.F. 
B. GREEN, 
42000 

422.31 

W.H.C. HUNKIN, R.A.F. 

R.11. ILIFF, 
63lll 
R.A.F. 40714 R.A.F. 90276 W/Cdr. J.R. KAYLL, R.A.F. 
Lt. (A) HEARLE, R.N. 89604 F/Lt ¥¥ R. KEE, 27256 16177 
R.A.F. 
84934 
R.A.F. 
43422 
R.A.F. 

R.A.F. 
81404 
G.A. UlESON, R.A.F. R.A.F. 

R.A.F. 
42232 


R.A.F. 
R.A.F. 
R.A.F. 
G/Capt. 77532 F/Lt. V.K. KELLY, R.A.F. 39103 S/Ldr. T.G. 
KIRBY-GREEN, R.A.F. 
F/Lt. 


40120 
R.A.F. 
37938 

F/Lt. F/Lt. F/Lt. 
R.B. LANGLOIS, R.A.F. 
R.A.F ¥ 
. 
26183 

62667 
G/Capt. 
W.N. LEPINE, 

G. LEYLAND, R.A.F. 
R.A.F. 
R.A.F. 
R.A.F. 
R.A.F. 
J.K. LYON, 

J.C. MACDONALD, 

R.A.F. 
S/Ldr. 
A.R.D. 
MACDONNELL, R.A.F. 

D.M. MAW, 
R.A.F. 
R.A.F. 
90285 F/Lt. 
F/Lt. 


41681 
39509 J:t'/Lt. F/Lt. 

39973, 24205 

-68 .
D.G. CRAIG, 
R.A. 
CRAIGIE, 

A. 
CRAWLEY, 




C.A. CREWS, 
D.S. DICKINS, 
M.
V. DRIVER, 

F. 
G. DUTTON, 




R.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F. R..A.F ¥ R.A.F. R.A.F. R.N. R.A.F. R.A.F. 

33245 l0006o 
F/Lt. F/Lt. F/Lt. F/Lt. F/Lt. F/Lt. 
E.S. FEtálTRELL, 

D.A. FRENCH-MULLEN, 

E.N. POINSETTE, 

G.11. FULLER,

P. FUSSEY, 
R.A.F. 
R.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F. 
F/Lt ¥. 85248 F/Lt. 42985 F/Lt. 88939 F/Lt. 76456 s/Ldr. 82180 F/Lt. 

J.3755 F/Lt. 82956 F/Lt. 42004 F/Lt. 86664 F/Lt. 44066 F/Lt. 

Lt..(A)39418 P.E.J. GREENHOUS, 

G.R. GUEST, 
T.F. GUEST, 
P.I. HALL. 

F
.J. HARTNELL-BEAVIS, 

J. 
HEUDERSON, 



R.R. 
HENDERSON, 

R. 
HICKS, AJ.J. HILL, 


W.H. HOLLAND, 
N.E. HORE, 

R.A.F. 
R.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F. R.C.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F. 
R.A.F. 
R.A.F. 
R.N. 
42016 
F/Lt ¥..s/Ldr¥.
F/Lt. 
. ¥ 


R.A.F. 
R.D. MAY, R.A.F. 
/ll5420 





-09 .
115/420 F/Lt. 
R.A.F. A.402005 F/Lt. R.A.A.F. F/Lt. 
R.A.F. 
118725 
F.s. NcWHIRTER, 
R.R. 
H[TCHELL, 
C.J. MEYERS, 
82193 
80082 
R.A.F. 
A.G. MIDDLETON, 
P.C. MIDDLETON, F/Lt ¥ B.A. MITCKELL, R.A.F ¥ F/Lt. H. T. J:.10RGAH, 
R.A.F. 
F/Lt. 78251 F/Lt. F/Lt. 
R.A.F. 
R.A.F. 
128416 
.39107 

74683 
R.A.F. 
. 
Lt. (A) A.D. NEELY, R.N. F/Lt. E.E. 0.1 FARRELL, R.A.F. Lt..(A) 
A. OLSEN, R.N. 
F/Lt. 
40742 
64320 

R.A.F. 
33331 
\_,/ 33575 
82712 
R.A.F. R.A.F. 
F/Lt. 
R.A.F. 

42146 
25125 
F/Lt. 
R.A.F. 

R.A.F. 
R.A.F.
80563.
. 
F/Lt. 
77151 F/Lt. R.A.F. S/Ldr. 
70541 
G.F. PfilPPS, 
R.A.F. 
70549 
G.H. PORTER, R.A.F. 
34201 
105191 68797 
s.a. PRITCHARD, F/Lt. G.M. RACKOW, s/Ldr. c.a.c. RAWLINS, R.A.F. F/Lt. 
R.A.F. 
R.A.F. 


R.N. RAYNE, R.A.F. 
A.404116 



R.A.A.F.
P.R. ROBERTS, 
N.C.T. ROTHHELL, á J.H.C. ROWE, R.A.F. 

SAGE, R.A.F. 
P. 
RUlINACLES, 


R.A.F. 
41475 
90089 
F/Lt. F/Lt.
F/Lt. 
S/Ldr. 
68186 
R.A.F. 
39342 
124341
105046 
D.E. SAVILLE, 
R.A.F. 
F/Lt. A.402550 F/Lt. R.A.A.F. 42900 F/Lt. R.A.F. F/Lt. 
43076 F .A.B. TAMS, 

A.A.a. 
Lt. 39132 S/Ldr. 
R.A.F. 
64926 
R.A.F. 
64678 
R.A.F. 

62676 
R.A.F. 
R.A.F. R.A.F. 
R.A.F. 
F/Lt. 79173 F/Lt. R.A.F. 76593 F/Lt. 
R.A.F. 
s/Ldr. R.A.F. F/Lt. 
R.A.F. 
104505 
T.H. TAYLOR, R.A.F. 
70667 
39410 F/Lt. 
R.A.F. S/Ldr. 
C.R. TENCH, R.A.F. 

Lt..(A) 
s/Ldr. F/Lt. F/Lt. 
R.A.F. 

R.A.F. 
117137 
R.A.F. 
R.N. 
34205 
R.A.F. 
D.C. TORRENS, 
104538 

F.J. TRAVIS, R.A.F. R.A.F. 

101563 26216 
F/Lt. 
s/Ldr. 


R.A.F. 

W.H.N. TURNER, R.A.F. 
F.H. VIVIAN, R.A.F. 
70699 
F/Lt. 
85280 

R.A.F¥. 
F/Lt. J.s. .33294 F/Lt. R.A.F. 37140 s/Ldr. R.A.F. 

R.A.F. 
6946.3 

R.A.F. 
772.J.4 
J.5308 
R.G.A.F. 

R.A.F. 
R.A.F. 
F/Lt.
G/Capt. R.A.F. 


R.A.F.
40775 
F/Lt. ¥. 



-70 .
42779 F/Lt. G.M. WILTSHEAR, R.A.F. 39592 F/Lt. P.A. WIMBERLY, R.A.F. 67076 F/Lt. W.A. WISE, R.A.F. 41514 F/Lt. R.C. WOOD, R.A.F. 
126516 Lt. R.G. WOOD, R.Bde. Sub.Lt.(A) C.A. WRIGHT, R.N. 
(d) Despatch of Messages 
Messages were encoded by the Coding staff and passed to the 'writers'l.1J.4r' who incorporated in their outgoing letters and postcards. These vere handed to the Code Intelligence Officer, who passed them to the Senior British Officer for scru.tiny, to ensure that there were no remarks which might be censored by the Germans, and no stilted phraseology -which would arouse suspicion. 
Records of the code messages were kept in numeral form, with serial numbers and writers'l.1J.4r¥ message numbers, in the account books of the Compound Finance Officer, vho was usua.Dy a member of the Code Sta.ff. STARK was Finance Officer in the East and then the North Oompotmd, and GILLIES succeeded him in the East Compound. Security 
It was gener. known by P1s/w that some means of secret commwication existed between the Camp and the United Kingdom, but the method vas known to ve-ry fev apart from the code users. 
Code users did not lmov who other code users vere, only the Code Intelligence 

At first, letter writers worked :in their own rooms, but after a while they congregated :in neighbouring barracks, the number of barracks used being kept as 
low as possible. Letter writers had to inform the Coding staff vhen they 
so that a team of vatchers could be put an. No work began until the Compotmd ¥state'l.1J.4r' had been ascertained. Then watchers, vho 
usual.q vere letter writers also, took up their posts, one in each barrack, ma room commanding the fullest viev of the Compowd, and others at strategic but unsuspicious places,á-.where they could receive the 1Duty-Pilots'l.1J.4r1 signals. Some of the watchers vere provided by the barrack Security Representative. There was at 


/all 








-71 .

all times close co-operation between the Barrack 
Security Representatives, the Duty-Pilot Organisation, and the Code Department's watchers. Duration of each Code User's Activities 
The number of messages received by I.S.9., together 
with the period, is 1A'W'in1
show in the Appendix in respect of each code user. 
5. Comment 



A considerable amount of very useful military 
information was sent from this Camp, where the organisation of obtaining and despatching it was outstandingly successful. 








6. Criticisms by Coding Staff The security of the Code Letter Organisation in this Camp was, at times, endangered by carelessness or lack of imagination on the part of I.S.9. writers. In most cases the fault was reported at once to I.S.9 and corrected. 
Examples of such faults were:.
(a) 
The use of sinilar types of note-paper for letters to different code users. 

(b) 
The use of the same typewriter. 

(c) 
Different signatures by the fictitious individual writing the letters. 

(d) 
In one case, the use of FRENCH-Mf.JLLEN'W'in1s code number on the envelope as his P/W number. 

(
e) In one case, a P/w being addressed as 'Dear Bimbo', which was his code-word. 

(f) 
Cases of inefficient interception of letters in England, when P1 s/W 'Wl"Ote to their fictitious correspondent. These letters sometimes reached the P'W'in1 s/w family, who wrote to enquire who the addressee was. In one case the letter was returned to the Camp marked 1 Not mown at this address'. 

(g) 
Lack of understanding in the early days that it was impossible to keep detailed records of all messages sent to the U.K. 


These remarks appq mainly to the early days; a considerable improvement was noticed in the later days of the war. 












-72 .CHAPTER VI. 
RADIO 
1. INTRODUCTION AND CONSTRUCTION 
The first radio receiver brought into this Compound was given by .A:rmy P'l.1J.4r1s/w of OFLA.G VI/B (WARBURG) to R.A.F. P'l.1J.4r1s/W transferring from there in April, 1942. It proved unsatisfactory when tested, so was put in a gram.a.phone case and hidden in a cupboard in a room where the entrance to a timnel was located, while vork progressed on spare parts for its modification. entrance to the tunnel and the set was lost. 

In December, 1942, a 1 contact'l.1J.4r1 brought in a German had one of its three valves broken. set was stored until one could be acquired. 
(SCHUBIN) By:.

78668 

F/Lt. H.E. CU11DALL, a biscuit tin, and a medicine ball. They were assembled by the end of April, 1943, in a wall in In December, 
1943, the receiver was rebuilt into the top of a desk in the same room ¥ .Another set was made from spare parts by June, 1943, and kept in a false side 

of a box in which 
BARRY kept bis clothes. These two sets had three pairs of handphones each. BARRY was Head of the Radio Department from April, 1943 until January, 
1945. OPERATION 

CUND.ALL was in charge of operating from 1943 until January, 1945. operated the set in the wall of BARRY1s room for B.B.C. news bulletins from May, 1943 onwards. 

In June, 1943, this same set vas used, operated by BABCOCK, for the reception 
of code messages from I.S.9., the first message being received in June. In August, 1943:.977249 A.c.2. P. MACE. 523071 Cpl. L. LYNE, R.A.F. 
became responsible for operating the set and taking down the code messages in 
/roorse. 











-73 .

morse. In November, 1943, LYNE resigned and his place was taken by:.
116498 F/Lt. L.K. BROWNSON, R.A.F. who was now res:ponsible for operating the set for code messages. BROWNSON and MACE continued this work until January, 1945. MAINTENANCE 

CUNDALL was in charge of maintenance. Maintenance, and all the construction work described in this Chapter, Section 1, va.s done by:.


NZ.411354 
M.N. AICKEN, R.N.Z.A.F. 
74768 F/Lt. F.H. BABCOCK, R.A.F. 
J.15591 F/0 45231 
R.C.A.F. 
F/Lt. R.M. DURHAM, R.A.F. 
131855 F/Lt. D.F. GREAVES, R.A.F. 73046 F/Lt. P. MARDING, R.A.F. 
916557 
Cpl. 
RICii4.RDSON, R.A.F. 

79920 F/Lt. J.v. SILVERSTON, R.A.F. 916209 F/Sgt. R. W. STRONG, R.A.F. 
some from I.s.9., Apart from these many were made by the maintenance team. made from t:ins, with solder from silver paper., and lead, resin being used for the 
flux. Gramaphone records were broken and melted down for insulation. Bakelite ends of shaving-sticks were ma.de into ttllling-knobs. resistors, chokes and transformers were amongst other ,P1rts manufactured. SECURITY 

A team of watchers, responsible for co-operating 
with the Duty-Pilots and giving warning of approaching Germans when operating and maintenance work were in progress, was organised by:.
76573 s/Ldr. D.L. ARMITAGE, R.A.F. 
The custody of the first receiver in the room where the tunnel entrance vas situated was the responsibility of:.FAA/FX. 76292 P.O. (A) H.G. CUNNIUGHA.1'1, R.N. 
37.321 F/Lt. R.G. KER-RAMSAY, R.A.F. This set was lost when the Germans discovered the tunnel. 
built by BABCOCK, BARRY and cmmALL. 
/spaced 





























walls of the Horth Compound barracks for hidden radio sets, so this áset was taken out, rebuilt by OUNDALL, and fitted into a desk with a false top made by BARRY and:.

C.H. FRY, R.A.A.F. 
Another set was hidden .in BARR.Y's clothes-box in a false side bl.ilt by BL1m.Y. 
When va.rning was received from 
the watchers that Germans vere too near, operating stopped, and ne\-rs or code messages which had been ta.ken 
doYD. were 
Security while news was being read in the barracks l-18.S of the Barrack Security Representatives. 
The 

main dangers from the secur
ity point of view were:.
(a) 
That the Germans might discover radio sets or parts through bad concealment or by carelessness 

an the :i;:art of P'l.1J.4r1s/w. 

(b) That they might discover sets while operating ws in progress. Opera ting could talce place only while electric power was available, so the Germans could calculate 

the hours when operating might be 
in progress. 
There was 
also the possibility that the Germans might be using radio-direction.finding apparatus; this necessitated great caution an the pa.rt of the 











05225 S/Ldr. N.H.J. TINDAL, R.A.F. 

/woo 




-75 .
vho read them in the various barracks. 
From April, 1943, until January, 1945, the B.B.C. nevs bulletins which were received by means of the radio sets :in this Compo,md were recorded in shorthand by:.
79736 F/Lt. E.A. RANCE, 
88237 &l'Ldr. E. SYDNEY-SM[TH, They dictated their notes to the undermentioned personnel on the morning after receipt of the broadcast:.
116498 F/Lt. L.K. BROWNSON, R.A.F. 68156 F/Lt. J.D. MARGRIE, R.A.F. Lt.(A) R. ROSS-TAYLOR, R.N. 
37758 F/Lt. P.J.S. SCHUGHNESSY, R.A.F. These officers wrote the bulletins in long hand and read them in the various barracks, ai'terw-ard$ passing their notes to BARRY for destruction. 
VALUE AND REMAPJCS 
Receipt of the dai:cy B.B.C. news broadcasts on the secret radio receivers vas a big factor in ma:intaining the morale of the P's/W. 
It vas felt that the difficulties of improvising components such as condensers and smoothing chokes, which involved changing valves and a great deal of experiment by trial and error, should have been avoided ii' these items 
had been despatched 
to the 
Camp as requested in code-letter messages to I.S.9. W/T COMMUNICATIONS -INTRODUCTION 
Details of a new code based on the dictionary code were worked out during June and Ju:cy, 1943, by:.




90285 S/Ldr. G.D. CRAIG, R.A.F. 90900 F/Lt. J.A. GILLIES, R.A.F. 
Details vere sent to I.S.9. in twenty or thirty letters, also:.
34205 s/Ldr. D.C. TORP-ENS, managed to get a letter, written by GILLIES incorporating the whole code, posted in SWEDEN by a Y.M.O.A. friend of his who visited the Ca.mp. The code came into operation at the end of July, 1943, and the first complete message was received in August, 1943. ORGANISATION -RECEIPT OF MESSAGES 
Code messages .rom r.s.9. were received from July, 1943 onwards on the set hidden at that time :in the wall of BARRY1 s room. 

/The 












-76 .


The set was operated for code messages by BABCOCK until August, 1943, then by 
LYNE and NACE. In November, 
1943, 
LYNEd1 s 
place was 
taken by BROWNSON, 
who 
He handed the messages to the Head of the Code Department for decoding. 

The East and North Compounds acted as cover for each other in the reception of messages, any message not received by one Compound being passed over by the other. VALUE AND REMARKS 






In the Spring of 1944 the Radio Section was instructed by the Senior British Officer to design and construct the essential components of a radio Most of the parts 1contactsd1¥ 



Occasiona.J.:cy unnecessary strain was put on members of the Radio department by unpunctuality and disregard of the customary routine on the pirt of the operator transmitting code messages. A late start involved a waste of security, and an early start involved the loss of the message. 

The transmission frequencies were not always suitable for the Camp. It was considered that a listening watch should have been kept in the United Kingdom to ensure that the transmission was free from interference from other 
frequencies. 





It was considered that the entire work of Pd1 s/w Radio Departments in this 
Camp would have been facilitated if r.s.9. had sent, as soon as possible, radio 
parts, sets, and teclmical handbooks, and if the various departments responsible for co-operation with Pd1 s/w had worked in closer co-operation with one another. This would have avoided such occurrences as the change of the W/T code transmission frequency to 51 metres at the same time as a good set, which could not react on the upper bands, was sent to the Camp. 
10. 

















-77 .








INTRODUCTION 





intended to bolster morale. 
In addition 
to news letters, some quantities of' handkerchiefs were 
received from I.s.9. with invisible messages written on them. Instructions 


and the necessary cheDicals for making the messages visible vere also sent, 
by news supplied by the 
Compound Radio DeF8,rtments and by new 
P's/W. 











-78 .


CHAPTER VIII INTELLIGEIICE MILITARY INFORMATION 
(a) Methods of collection 
Full details of the methods employed for the collection of military information are'l.1J.4r.given in Chapter V, Section 2, sub-Section (a). 
(b) Best targets for this type of Camp 
Information an the undermentioned subjects was acquired by the Code Intelligence Organisation in this Camp:.
(i) 
Details of troop movements, locations and strengths. 

(ii) 
Locations of factories engaged in war production, type and output of material, number of workers employed. 


(iii) Locations of aerodromes, number and types of aircraft located on each, details of ground and air defence of each. 
(iv) 
Details of experiments with new weapons, methods of attack, strategy, etc., Particulars of the location and defences of experimental sites. 

(v) 
Military targets including:-Railways, Junctions and marsbaJline yards, the location and strength of their ground and air defence, their importance in the transport of troops and war materials: River dams and bridges, details of the effect their destruction vould have upon the production and transport of war materials. 

(vi) 
E1emy reaction to different types of warfare, methods of attack and defence, strategy, new 
weapons, etc. 


(vii) Details of the effect of bomb damage on the production of war materials and on the morale of the people. 
(viii) Accurate'l.1J.4ráassessments of areas of good and bad morale, types of warfare 
details of the cost of war, the material sacrifices involved such as shortage of food, fuel, clothes, etc. Details of the causes of loss of British and Allied aircraft as 
(xi) Chapter 
V, Section 2, sub-Section (a) (iii) ¥ 




(xii) Details of .. enemy 
bogus organisations in enemy-occupied 
territoI7 

purporting to assist British and Allied personnel to evade capture. /(xiii) 













-79 .

intercepted by 

German censors, and delivered 
to the German authorities 
for'W'ináwhom they were :intended. Copies of these letters were made and sent to a fictitious 'Miss Small1 in England, after warning to r.s.9. 
The letters had been 
sent by a woman of abnormal 



This is an example of the brilliance of the Intelligence 
All messages from 
I.S.9. were handed to the Senior 
British Officer, 
'Who initiated action to comply 'With requests. Every effort was made to get the 












-80 .



(2) In photographs which were split, a 
piece of tissue pa.per with inforraation on it inserted, and the pieces stuck together again. This work was done, under the direction of the Senior British Officer, by:.
405
27 F/Lt. P .M. 
GARDNER, R.A.F. 
who sent fourteen of these photographs between April, 1942 and February, 1943. 
(3) By repatriated P1 s/w, who were briefed by the Senior British Officer and his Staff 
and learned by heart the messages they were to deliver to an Intelligence Officer on arrival in the U.K. 







to the 
Kommandant, 
he 
was removed from the Camp. 
Only 'traders'l.1J.4r' 
contact with the Germans. Other P'l.1J.4r1 s/w' were forbidden to have any dealings with 
Germans, or to talk to them. 
The knowledge that an organisation existed for sending militazy information to I.S.9. was kept secret from all P'l.1J.4r1 s/W not actu.a.J.ly involved in the work, and the letter-writers themselves were kept ignorant of the information they sent and of each others identity. This was 
done so that if one of the personnel 
of the Coding Section were caught and broke down in the hands of the Germans, the remaining personnel might not be involved. 
{b) These consisted of:.

(i) The ground microphones installed to pick up sounds of tunnelling activity, as described in Chapter I, Section 2, sub-Section (h). 
(ii) 
The introduction of a German agent, as described in this Chapter, 


(iii) suspected microphones, although existence va.s not proved, in the reception 
Block where new P's/W were put before being searched. /(c) 




















-81 .


United Kingdom. INTER-C0MP0mm Af41) INTER-CANP C0NMUNICATI0N 
(a) 
Inter-Compcnmd Conmnmication Communication between Compomids were arranged in the following ways:.

(i) 
Transfers of P'l.1J.4r1s/yI 



When reliable P'l.1J.4r1s/W were transferred, a code word on ¥1 
BOB1 code was 
chosen for future use. If the P/W being transferred was not considered suitable for future commmiication he was given a long letter, ostensibly 
He placed the letter in his letter file and handed it over to the Senior British Officer on arrival. 
(ii) 
Official letters between Senior British 
Officers These were written in code and dealt -with an official matter such as 




finance. 


another Compound. 
(iv) Tobacco pa.reels from friends, etc. 

Messages could be hidden in packets of cigarettes and in false bottoms of tobacco tins and concealed in re-directed parcels. 
(v) P'l.1J.4r1s/W going to hospitals P'l.1J.4rIs/W usually met P'l.1J.4rIs/w from other Compounds in hospitals and could exchange messages. 
(vi) Inter-Comp01.md visits These were permitted for games matches, theatre shows, etc. 
(vii) Meetings of Senior British Officers 
Official meetings took place in the Kommandantur and a packet of cigarettes containing a code message could be handed over. 
(viii) Meetings of Accomitant Officers Official meetings took place in the Kommandantur. Messages coded into 

the figure stage could be secreted amongst accounts figures and /exchanged 

















-82 .




exchanged. 
(ix) 
Padres Padres 
carried messages 

in cigarettes and tins of Elastoplast dressings. 

(x) 
Reliable 'Contacts'W'in' 


A thoroughly reliable 'contact'W'in' might be given a letter to deliver, but this method was used only for non-dangerous messages. 
P'W'in1 s/W employed in Parcels Stores, Clothing Stores, Sick Quarters, etc., met P'W'in1 s/W' of other Compounds employed in the same places and messages were exchanged. 
(b) Inter-Camp Communication
This could be arranged as described in (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) in sub-Section (a) above. 
(c) 
Comments 









-83 .




CHAPTER IX. ANTI-GERMAN PROPAGANDA 
l. INTRODUCTION AND l-':ETHOD 
.An anti-German propaganda organisation which became known as 'Plug'l.1J.4r' was started in Jtme, 1942 by:.
321.32 W/Cdr. R.C. COLLARD, R.A.F. 
on the advice of:.90120 S/Ldr. R.J. BUSHELL, R.A.F. This organisation aimed at a subtle and insidious propaganda, less obvious 
than the method widely used by P'l.1J.4r1s/W, who would sey 1 Deutschland kaput'l.1J.4r', or something of similar sentiment to the guards. 
All ¥traders¥ met weekly to discuss the policy of 1Plug'l.1J.4r1¥ The current news was studied closely, and when German newspapers told stories of heroic action, a parallel was sought which bad been similarly advertised and had then had results disastrous to the Germans, e.g. the propaganda about STALINGRAD, OP.EL and KHARKOV. The similarity was suggested gently by 1 traders'l.1J.4r1 to their ¥contacts¥'l.1J.4r. Extracts from German newspapers were put on a notice board in the Corapound kitchen \lith the similarity pointed out. German newspaper extracts predicting success were put on the board when the result was failure, and when German newspapers had dropped the subject, fearing an adverse effect on morale. Extracts from German and Italian i:npers which contradicted each other were put up together. 
Copies of 'Plug'l.1J.4r' extracts were sent to the Centre Compound each week tmtil June, 1943, as described in Part II, Chapter IX, Section 1 of this Volume. 
First Italian and then German nevspapers were banned from the Compound by the Kommandant, who forbade propaganda'l.1J.4ráin the Autumn, of 1942. By Christmas 1942, 'Plug'l.1J.4r' could no longer be continued as public propaganda on the notice board, but the work was carried on less openly by 1traders'l.1J.4r1 , and continued in this form in the North Compound under:.
102215 Lt. W. MORGAN, S.A.A.F. and in the BELARIA Compound. 
2. RESULTS 

German reaction to the notice board propaganda at first was mild amusement, succeeded by annoyance. .Iany cuttings were ripped off the board. The Camp Kommandant found the propaganda sufficiently disquieting to forbid it. 


The results of .Plug'l.1J.4r' on ¥contacts¥ was good in as much as 1 contacts'l.1J.4r
1 believed 
-what they Yere told and spread the propaganda, which did undermine morale ¥. One /alleged 



-84 .



alleged reason for the Gestapo visit in the Summer of 1943 was, that German morale was lower at SAGAN than at a:ny other Camp. 
An adverse result was, that information given to 'contacts'l.1J.4r' came back to 'traders'l.1J.4r' in a completely different and often unrecognisable form, which it was difficult to distinguish from authentic military information. 
The result-of putting out a wild and violet rumour was, that 'contacts'l.1J.4r' would refute this and give the true story. 
Although it has no direct bearing on the propaganda disseminated amongst the Germans in this Camp, the following article, which is an extract from the translation of a captured Secret German document -an S.'l.1J.4rS. Report on Internal Security, dated 12th August, 1943 -which is now in the hands of the Allied Control Commission, is considered to be of interest:.
"HERREN EMGLANDER" 
This report co.cerns British prisoners in the Reich and the impression they make on the German people. According to numerous reports from various parts of the Reich, the presence in agriculture and industry of British prisoners raises a series of problems which may become serious if they are neglected. We learn from many sources that the outward bearing of the British is not failing to make an impression on the local population. A report from Central Germany, for instance, states:.
"Although a large proportion of British prisoners in Germany come from ordinary working classes, a large number of them s,I:eak impeccable and fluent German. Their attitude is self-possessed and, indeed, often borders on arrogance. Their bearing and their whole behaviour are doubtless intended as effective propi.ganda.11¥ 
From Klagenfurt, too, we hear:.
"Of all the prisoners-of-war in this district, the British are the most respected and discussed by the local population. The reason for this lies in the smart appearance of individuals, as well as the smartness of organised units of British prisoners. The British are always decently dressed,their uniforms are always in faultness condition, they are shaved, clean, and well.fed. Their attitude is extraordinarily self-possessed, one could almost say arrogant and over-bearing. This, combined with the good impression they give of their nation, influences the German people in a way that should not be under-estimated. When they march in foriila.tion, they frequentl;r look better than our ow German replacement units. You can see that the uniform they 


/wear 




-85 .


wear is of much better material than the German uniform". 
The general attitude of British prisoners to the Reich is absolutely hostile. They make fun of Germany, Gernan institutions and leaders on all possible occasions. In Bayreuth, for instance, two British prisoners called themselves 11 Churchill11 and 11 Pioosevelt11¥ As a foil they picked on a German worker who stuttered and called him 11 Hitler11 as a joke. Some other British prisoners were singing a rude song to the tune of 11Deutschland uber Alles" as they passed two high German officials in uniform. When one of these officials said "That is going a little too far, my friends", one of the prisoners who understood German called back 11We'l.1J.4r1re not your friends, we're British11¥ 
The challenging and aggressive attitude of the British prisoners towards the German population is often manifested. A short time ago some forty British prisoners were sent to an industrial town to be split up among six different factories. 
They arrived at the station with masses of heavy luggage, and 
were very short :in Germany at that time. 


pu.sh the carts. The German sentry took no action whatever. 




their Camp, they again hailed some German boys, who carried their luggage into the Camp for them. 

In the factory the German foreman energetically opposed the efforts of the 
British spokesman to dictate certain terms about working hours and conditions. 
-"And we're Germans, not Indians, negroes or any other sort of Colonials", retorted the foreman, "and we give the orders here11¥ 
Two other small incidents show 
the arrogance of the British prisoner. In a factory kitchen, where meals were an Englishman 11demanded11 that the Fuhrer'l.1J.4r1s portrait be removed. In Villach, a German worker took away a copy of the Volkischer Booba.chter from an Englishman, who said 11 I don't keep it for read:ing, as it'l.1J.4r1s nothing but a tissue of lies -I need it for something altogether different". The crown:ing insult was the disfigurement of a portrait of the Fuhrer in a station waiting-room by a British prisoner who drew rude pictures over it. 







































-86 .






victory and self-possession 
does not fail to impress the people, who think they see in these qualities the symbol of British strength. 
The British usually take very little notice ofthe Germans and look straight through them. Many Germans have remarked that their own women, and :in particular some of their allies, could profit by studying the attitude adopted by the British towards their enemies. Sexual relations, for insta11ce, between British prisoners and German women are very rare. This is probably due to the fact that the British have a strongly developed sense of national pride, which prevents them from con.sorting with women of an enemy nation. A striking example of British national pride and attitude towards the Axis was seen the other day. Some Italian soldiers on a :p3.ss:ing convoy threw some 
cigarettes to some British prisoners, who turned their backs on the Italians and left the cigarettes ly:ing on the ground. 
Most of the reports state that the output of British prisoners carmot compare with that of Germans. Production reports :indicate too, that the tm.willingness of the British to work has a bad effect on other foreign 
workers, and leads to a gener. slowing-up of production. Broadly speaking, the British do just enough work to avoid be:ing penalized: their poor production is also i:a,rtly due 
to the fact that the German guards do not carry out their duties with sufficient energy. This creates bitterness among the German workers, who point out that the British are 

















healthier". 
In 
a Graz factory 
the 11 go-slow11 policy of 
the 
British reached such a point that many of them were taken off work and sent back to their camps. Examples were quoted of prisoners simply walk:ing away and refusing to work .so badly 
that 
it constituted a danger. Thus, track were sent away to their camp, for fear that the bad quality of their work would result in the derailment of trains. 


"Swinging the lead" is 
another means employed by the British to slow 
dow It often happens that 50 per cent of the prisoners are on the sick 
/It 














-87 .





signs to each other, and the British often give the 
Russians the Communist clenched fist salute. An official gave an account of two adjacent camps near bis home which contained British and Russian prisoners respectively. At first the Russians used to file past the British camp in silence. 
After a time, the British used to gather together to watch the Russians go by, and oombard them 'With cigarettes. 

It is also worthy of note that, especially in agricultural York, the British frequently succeed in lodging complaints with their guards without consulting their The guards themselves sey that the British frequently complain about 
and that they have no chance to defend themselves. 11 It often happens11 , says a report from Graz, "that the guards are arrested on the strength of a British complaint11 ¥ 

A guard 11.c.o. wrote:.
11 It'W'in1 s no wonder the British get cheeky, as the officers listen to their 
complaints, pt'ivately, and simply send the German soldiers out of the room. 
The on:cy-thing we don't have to do is to stand to attention in front of the 
goddam British. When that happens, I'W'in111 stick a bullet in my hand0¥ 
German opinion is influenced to no small extent by seeing the gifts of food sent to the British. Their parcels consist largely of articles which have for a long time been in short supply in Germany. The British realize the propaganda value of these gifts, and take every opportunity of bragging about theo. Such remarks as. 11 0h that's nothing -England's full of stuff like this" often has the desired effect on the Germans. The prisoners receive from home aIJ.ple supplies of chocolate, sausage, tinned meat, ham, etc.'W'in, and in the work .interval they consume them as ostentatious:cy-as possible. The German worker looks on and draws his own conclusion. Con.iderable ill-feeling arose among the German workers of the stone.breaking quarries at Holzkirch when they saw the good food the British had. 11we'W'in1 re expected to do double shifts on bread and margarine", they said, "while the 'Herren Englander', are too idle for words, and think of nothing but guzzling". Eventually an order was brought out forbidding British prisoners to bring their food to work with them. 
The Geman authorities too, make concessions to British prisoners; this the workers simp:cy-cannot understand. Beer is often available in the prison camp canteens, Yhile Germans cannot find beer even in the inns. In a Camp near Dresden, 







-88 .


African ce.mpaign. This made the German workers in the camp very angry; one of them wrote: 11The Germans can just work till they bust, as long as the prisoners.of-war get all their little luxuries". 
British prisoners used for agricultural work are particularly arrogant to the local population. The situation is especially intolerable on farms where the prisoners are working for the farmer. Here the Englishman feels lord of the manor is waited on hand and foot, accepts no orders, and does exactly as he likes. T'ne prisoners are particularly well treated by the womenfolk, who believe the political prophesies of the British and think it clever to ingratiate themselves. It is quite clear that the farmers are afraid of their prisoners, and affected by their arrogance. In this connection the authorities have been requested to use British prisoners on]y in industrial plants or on farms where there is adequate male 







The story 
of the escape of CODHEa, PHILPOT and WILLIAHS continues here fro:: Chapter II, Section 16, sub-Section (b) (4) . 

The er.it of the tunnel was made at 18.00 hours on 29th October, 1943. 









CODNER was wearing converted Naval tunic and Naval battle-dress trousers, brown sl:Des, civilian shirt, collar and tie, R.A.F. mackintosh, Camp-made beret and voollen gloves. He carried a Camp-made canvas valise containing toilc articles, shoe-cleaning materials, food, a pullover and spire socks. The food consisted of five tins of concentrated foodstuff 
and some chocolate. He had a Vorlaufiger Ausweis, an .A.rbeitskarte, a police permission to travel, a reason fc travelling supplied by his firm on Reichsba.uamt, a Swedish seaman''s pass, and fi Reichsmarks. 



cover any linguistic lapses. He had an original Vorlaufiger Ausweis, two Polizeiliche-Erlaublisse, 
one Bescheinigung, an Arbeitskarte, a Bestatigmig, a letter from the Margarine Verkauf Union, a letter from the National Samling, and membership card of the same, a Swedish sailor's pass. 










WILLI.AláIS 
was wearing a beret, an Imperial Ainra.ys greatcoat, a Narine's uniform converted, and black shoes. He carried a small leather attache case, containing food, toilet articles, and a black sweater for 
his role as a Swedish 
sailor. His documents were the satne as CODIIBR's, but in addition there were one hundred more Reichsma.rks, a photograph of a girl, and two letters written by 




there took off our black camouflage suits and hoods and cleaned one another down. Then we walked to the station and bought two tickets tc 
FRANKFURT. We arrived 
at FRANKFURT-an-der-ODER at 20.'50 hours and tri 

























at 
four hotels to get a room. They were all f'ull, so we walked out of the town and spent the night in a drain, which was dry and sheltered 
1:: 

extreme. cold. We had intended to spend all our nights under cover /and 























-90 .

and had not taken enough warm clothing. We came out before dawn'l.1J.4r, Saturday, 30th October. 





There were a number 
of people Then we had coffee in the 

The train was a 
Personenzug (local stopping train) as ve wished to avoid fast trains and travel with local workers. The first carriage we entered was full of 



Russian P'l.1J.4r1s/w. We were 
turned out by the German guards. 
the Germans are used to incompetent foreigners and one has only to say 
1Ich bin Auslander'l.1J.4r' lti,Je left at 08.50 hours and arrived at KUSTRm 
at 10.00 hours. 

walked into the J:ark and ate some food. 

or coupon-less meal, at a cafe and went to a cinema until 
At 17.30 hours we caught another Personenzug for 









We again tried 
four 
hotels, but so we walked out to the suburbs and slept in an 
air-raid shelter 
in a garden. 
"We moved off before dawn on Sunday, 31st October, and cleaned up in a lavatory in the 
town. We booked a room in the Hotel Schebel at 09.30 hours. We had to produce our Ausweise and fill in a form stating that we were French draughtsmen on our way to ANKLAM to work at Arad Flugzeug.
We managed to book for two nights, explaining that Ye Yere visit.in. 
coaling station, where Ye expected to find a Swedish ship. see any 
Swedish flags, and could not go very near the docks as there was a policeman on guard on the bridge. received no help. We returned to the hotel and ate some of our food. At 
We did not meet any Frenchmen, and, we returned 
to the hotel at about 22.00 hours. 
"About 07.30 hours on Monday, 1st November, CODNER made contact with a Frenchman who confirmed that there were SW'edish ships in the FREIHA.VEN, bu-t appeared too scared to help us. dock and located a Swedish ship. 
































-91 .


her position by a large German vessel called the 
11Walter11¥ We decided that if we had not contacted a Swedish sailor by that evening we would climb 
into the dock and stow away. 11 We 
spent the afternoon 
in the cinema and in the evening 

we put all our food in our pockets, leaving our bags at the hotel. We tried a number of cafes'-and, meeting with no succes:;, we walked to a spot we had oarked during the morning and climbed over the wire into the dock. There were high lamp standards at intervals round the wire, but our spot was fair. dark 
and we entered unseen. 11 We reached the quays without being stopped, but found that the Swedish ship had sailed and there was a German vessel in her place. We explored several ships, but they were all German and we decided to move to another pa.rt of the dock. We had been coLJ.pelled to use a torch to read the names 
of the ships, as it was very dark. Just then a light began to move up 
the quayside towards us, forcing us to retreat 

to a siding, where we saw another man with a torch coming towards us. We were caught between the two and could not get ai,ray. We rolled under the platfom of the siding and after about ten minutes they moved off. We had a short conference 















and to return the next day. 
11He had to cover about a hundred yards lit by arc lights before we could regain cover, so we walked boldly as if we had a right to be there. An armed guard intercepted us and demanded our papers. We produced our .Ausweise, 

which appeared to satisfy him. 
After a casual enquiry 

about the time we walked to the dark spot in the wire and climbed out again. We decided that climbing into the docks involved too great a risk of capture and that the only certain method of escape -was to contact the sailors We returned to the hotel and planned an intensive 




















"We left the hotel next morning, 
Tuesday, 2nd November, 

and went dow to the docks, where we fotmd a symp:3.thetic Frenchman. Up to now we had not divulged our true identity, but we decided that, for the French to trust 
This proved to be the case. This man arranged to 
We 
were to climb over the wire and go 
to his hut, where, he said, there was a man who 
spoke English. We had a coupon-free meal at middey and spent the afternoon at the cinema. In the 
/evening 





















-92 .


news. As we had no room for the night we hurried 
back to the toim and managed to book a room at the Hotel Gust. as ve expected that the police would have to be

we hadbreakfast 
with a Colonel and two Captains 

of 
During the morning we walked round the docks, making a note of the likely-looking cafes lfo had the afternoon, as we thought it one of the safest places. There were not nany cinemas in STETTIN, and only one comfortable one. We saw the same film four 
times and never understood a word of it. 
11At about 19.00 hours we started once more our rounds of the cafes. At one cafe we met a Frenchman 
who seemed very anxious to help us, but was so furtive m his manner and a 

asset. He took us waitress 
in came in they were to be shown to our table. He came across us and started to talk in Swedish. walked out, while CODNER tried to expla:in tha't WILLIA.HS was Swedish and he 


on Thursday, -4th November, we again walked out to We to'ok a tra.IJ back to The 
customers were Germans. We returned to the hotel for our bags and 
booked a room 
for 
one night at the Hotel Sack. We kept our rendezvous with both the English-speaking and the furtive Fren'chman, but neither had 
We contacted two more Frenchmen who were themselves 
at first that we were Gestapo agents. We to the Cafe de 1'1 Accordion was 
Here we met another 

CODNER returned with hira to his camp, where he met Andre'' Henri DAil, a former Sergeant in the French Army 































-93 .

made a contact who, back to his Camp. would be severe if we were discovered. The Frenchman insisted and we went with him to his camp, several miles out of STETTIN. 
"At 07.30 hours the next morning, Saturday, 6th November, one of our other French contacts arrived. He had 1r1alked several miles from his own to tell us that he had found a Danish sailor who would take us. We hurried to 
the docks and met the sailor. This was the same ship which was taking DAIX. We walked into the dock, using DAIX's pass. We found him already on board. We hid in a tiny compartment in the fo'c'sle while the ship was 
searched. Dogs accompanied the searchers. 
11When 
this was over, we were put into the sail locker where we remained until clear of SWINEMUNDE. We were then given food in the fo'c'sle and slept 
there that night. 

11 The ship
1 s route vas STETTIN -
-
-GOTEBOBG. We docked at COPENHAGEN at 12.00 hours on Sunday, 7th November, and 
were taken ashor by the sailor we had met at STETTIN, who now hid us in a flat some distance out of the town. 

we stayed in the flat all day. 
late and very drunk, and insisted on 
talking English vecy 
loudly in the When we returned to the ship we were told that the first mate wished to see us. He told us that he would look after us. 
11 0n Wednesday, 10th November, Ye sailed for OSLO. locker where we stayed for the rest of the day and all night; sick. 

"We remained below until Thursday afternoon, when we were brought up to 


























-94 .


-we -were taken to GOTEBORG -where the British Consul met us, gave us a meal, and sent us to STOCKHOLM. Soon afterwards we were returned to the U.K. 
It had been arranged that PHILPOT should travel alone. He was posing as a quisling :Norwegian 
on an 
exchange from NOR.HAY to 

a Margarine Marketing 


Union in BERLIN, doing a tour of all branches, factories, etc., in Germany. His story continues in his own words. 
"At SAG.AN Railway Station I bought a ticket to FRANKFURT-on-ODER. The train was half an hour late and very crowded. I stood in the gangway of a third-class carriage and no one paid any attention to me. 
"I left the train at FRANKFURT and, as there was no further connection that night, walked down 
one of the main streets and slept beside a stretch of -water, possibly the ODER. up and travelled by the 06.56 hours slo-w train for KCJSTRili. On arrival there I went to the lavatory, which is the escaped prisoner of war train.
stage of this journey rather impaired by my going to sleep on my case, 







-95 .





me, but of another officer. 



of our 

at the end of September. Thus or harbour because of the darlmess. 11.Aftcr a beer .in the refreshment room I travelled by tram to It was 

and I blundered open space, but which really led to some oil tanks. A dog barked, a car moved up, and I left the area. Eventually I 

I had planned to be there .in the early morning, 
"At 
DIRSCHAU I changed to a fast train going 
to DANZIG. I had been afraid through POSEN, which we regarded as dangerous. me into D!CfZIG 

at 17.00 hours, about twenty-three hours after emerging from the 













over to WEICHSELMilliDE and I crossed, peying rrr;r fare. I walked up and down near the Swedish docks trying to locate the Swedish ships. My reconnaissance was perfectly open as I merely walked about carrying 'Irf3' suitcase and trying to look busy. Soon, however, I ran into an elderly, railway official who headed me off at one point. I said I was lost and asked to be directed to the ferry. He escorted me to it and we parted on good terms. I returned to DANZIG by tram and had a coupon-free meal and some beer at the railway station. 




"At this point I felt very tired and it seemed important to avoid nights ir. the open if I was to remain fit, and, more important, efficient and of goo 


Accordingly I went to a hotel close to the railway station an 
a room. 1-tY' reception was unfriendly, but I think this may have He said there vere no rooms, He 
perfectly good authority. 
This and the train check near SCIDIBIDENMUHL were 


I had to fill in a hotel registration form stating who I was, nationality, last address, etc., none of which were at all difficult questions provided one 
care in pre!Xl,ring one1s story. 
The registration 
form, .incidentally, had the various columns headed in a number of languages, /En'glish 























-96 .







English amongst ther:1. 

11I went to my room, had a bath in a private adjoining bathroom, 
hurried to bed and was asleep before the other man arrived. Having no P.Yjamas and possessing 
rather odd equipnent generalzy, I was afraid of bis becoming suspicious. He crune in late, and to my great relief left at 07.45 hours next morning. I got 
up afterwards, avoided breakfast because I had no food coupons, paid my bill and left. 




nr 
took a trip round 
the harbour in a ferry which makes a round trip of thE whole dock area, and on this trip saw a Swedish ship being loaded with coal in the Swedish dock. The harbour ferry took me quite close and I was able to plan 
a 
method 
of 
approaching 

the Swedish ship along 
the 
dock. 
11In the afternoon I walked to the outskirts of DANZIG and in a wood buried my greatcoat, hat, and suitcase containing nearly all my personal equipnent, but nothine to identify the things with STALAG LUFT III or myself. 




11Hatless and wearing my dark suit with R.'A.F. shirt and R.A.F. black tie with a white thread pattern in it, I travelled part of the way back by trr-. and walked into WEICHSEIJvlUNDE. I was prepared to attempt to get on ooard the ship, or if this failed and I was still free, to disinter my equipment and return to my former 
role of 
a 









11I went to the North-westerly part of the Swedish dock to the harbour boats I land:mg stage, situated immediately South of the WEICHSID1UNDE stage for the shuttle-service with NEUFAHRASSER. There was no one in the imr.1edia te vicinity so I slipped dow on to the stage and 
climbed along just above water level and below the lip of the dock, around past a barbed-wire 
fence extension. 
Swedish ship vas adequately guarded by ten paces in front of it. 







11Event. I got to a vertical steel ladder let into the side of the dock to facilitate entry into small boats. While 
I Yas on this ladder a small boat approached, apparently conta:m:mg harbour officials, or police, which had been hovering around. I crawled swiftly up onto the dock just as one of the sentries from a nearby gate approached the ladder flashing his torch. He went to one side of a large sandbox and I to the other. After he had spoken to those in the boat the disturbance died dol-m, and I decided to proceed further. 
/1tA11 




















-97 .





11 All this tiJ;J.e I was aiming to reach the moor:ing-cables of the ship. As I crawled towards the cables two more guards approached with torches, but I lay quite still near the railway track and they walked by, the width of the track away. After this I reached the cables and climbed up one of them. This was a bad error as it'.was secured to the far side of the ship and was drawn right round the stern-plating affording no band-hold up by the vessel. I lmocked on a port-hole with no result, so returned to the quayside. After a rest I hauled myself up the next cable, which led directly to the deck through a large hole in the plating. I scrambled through this and as there was no shouting or excitement, I am convinc'ed I was not seen. 
"During the whole evening the .fair:cy-strong dock lights, situated high up, lighted the area, and the coal-loading of the ship was taking place with u powerful searchlig'ht following the grab. 
"I could see no promising hiding-place on deck and it seemed senseless to remain there too long. The door in the stern on the dark side was locked, so I crawled amidships and entered a door which led to a IX1,ssage off which there was a small galley. Here I drank a sort of chocolate brew whi.h I fotmd simmering on the fire, then called at a lighted cabin which belonged to a member of the ship's crew. 
"I felt that my ignorance of where the German ssarch party looked and did not look was so great that what might appear to me to be a wonderful hiding-place might turn out to be just where they searched regularly,'hence: the obvioun thing was to enlist help. 
"After I had spoken to the occupant of the cabin, one of the ship's officers appeared. Neither would say anything definite tmtil the Captain was brought and then another of the ship''s officers joined us and a conference was held, half in and half out of the cabin. I asked .rmissia to stay and stressed the fact that no one had seen me get on board. The Captain said the war was going to last only for another three or four months and asked wey I did not return to Germany, since if I stayed, he might be hanged and it was not worth his while to risk this, even for the recompense I offered. He said I must leave the ship, but recommended another Swedish ship further along the dock. I offered to disappear, meaning to hide myself on the ship and not reappear tmtil later. He went away without making any attempt to remove me from his ship or to report 







-98 .

rae to the Germans on the adjacent dock. 
11 The meeting broke up and as I went on deck to look for a likely hiding.place, a ship1 s officer pointed to a hatch which I entered. As I sat below, one of his subordinates came and showed me a coal bunker in uhich to hide. 
11The time was now 21.00 hours, and I remained in this bunker for nine hcurs. It is not a spot that I recommend since, apart f'rom being uncomfortable, it seems impossible to cover oneself properly with coal. I should imagine the most stupid German could find anyone hiding there, especially if accompanied by a dog, vhich the crew told me, is the custom at STETTIN. 
11 At the end of nine hours one of the crew took me to a hiding place where I remained for twenty-eight hours. During that time the ship cast off, at 07.45 hours on 2nd November. At about 10.00 hours on that day the sawe member of the crew took me to a place near some machinery, still well below deck level. He had already given me rolls and water and now he produced some more. "I remained in this place until about 20.00 hours, when I was taken to bee one of the ship's officers. He told me that my story to the Captain, the crew and every one else must be that I hid unaided in the coal, and when well out to sea knocked on the bulkhead, vhereupon he found and released me. 11i1.t 
23.00 hours I was taken to I told him our prepared story. 











"T
he next day I Legation on the afternoon of 4th November. Some time later 
I was returned 

'¥¥ 







APRIL 1942 ... 

1. 
2. 
1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 6. 
?. 
8. 
9. 
10. 
11. 
12. 13. 
14. 

\,_I 
1

Number of P1 s/W 
and accommodation. German administration. 2 
(c) 
P/W Administration. 

(d) 
Roll Calls. 4(e) Food. 7 
(f) 
Clothing. 

(g) 
Searches. 

(h) 
German Anti-escape Measures. 

(i) 
Punishment for escape activities, etc. 11 {j ) 11 


(k) 12 
(1) 12 (m) 13 (n) 14

(o) (p) 15 
(q) Medical. 15 
16 
18 
SECURITY. 18 

20 
21 
.EQQ,Q. 23 .-23 
24 
24 

25 
28 
29 
29 
TOOLS. 29 

1 






15. 
16. 17. 
18.
I..._,/ 
19. 

29 
30 
36 
38 
38
20. 

38
21. 
39
22. 


-2 .
23. 
OF ATTEMPTED ESCAPES. 
39 
24. MASS ATI'EMPTs. Lt) 

SlnlMARY OF METHODS. 40 
ESCAPE MATERIAL. 1. REQUIREMEliTS. 42 


'..._,) 2. AIDS RECEIVED FROM I.S.9. 43 
3. REMARKS ON PACKING. 44 
4. CONCEALMENT OF SPECIAL PARCELS. 44 
5. ACQUIREMENT OF SPECIAL PARCELS. 44 
6. DANGERS OF STEALING PARCELS. 44 
7. MATERIAL AVAILABPfi(ACQUIRAfileE ON THE SPOT. 45 


2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 

48 

49 


49 

49 

1. INTRODUCTION. 50 

53 
54 
2. 
3. 
4. 

VI. 

55 55 55 4. 
SECURITY. 55 5. 57
'..._/ 
6. 57 7. 57 s. 57 




---\_,I  1. 2. 1. 2.  
1. 2.  


-3 .


oPnrrons. 
CHAPTER VIII. 

CHAPTER IX. 

RESULTS. 

58 58 
59 59 
6o 6o 







-l .

LOCATION 
.AND DESCRIPTION OF CAMP. 

Full details of the location 
and description 
of the Camp are 
contained in Part I, Chapter I, 
1. detailed pla.L'l. of the layout of the Centre (N .c.o's.) Compound 



2. GAf.!P CONDITIONS. The folloyjng particulars of Camp conditions apply to The Centre 
(N'.C.0'1 s.) Compound only and cover the period April 1942 -June 1943. {a) Number of P 's/il and accomodation. 
The 1'1.c.o¥s. Compound was first used for the accolllillodation of' P's/W when a batch of about 200 Air Force personnel were transferred there from STALAG LUFT I (BARTH) in April 1942. During the next two months further batches of approximately the same size were transferred from STALAG LUFI' I (BAR'l'H), STALAG IX C (BAD SULE!.), STALAG VIII B (LAHSDOR.1',), and STALAG III :E: (KIRCHHArn). In addition, several ba. tches of new P's/W arrived from DUI.AG LUFT (OBEllUHS.81) until about October 1942. The final strength of the Compound was about 1,'800 personnel of the R.A.P., H.A.ii..F., R. C.A.F., R.N .:l.A.F., S.A ¥ .A .. f. and Naval Air Arm. 
The P's/W were accommodated in wooden barracks, which had double sides and double floors. Bach barrack \las di video. in to two 1,iain rooms, each accommodating 80 men. Floor space was very li.ited. In addition, there were two small rooms at ea.ch end of each barrack. 





-2 .

room had a small barrack stove. 

The German dry rations were issued frou, 
the cooked 
reations were cooked in, the two main cookhouses. This work was done by volun'te'er P'Is/W under German supervision. 

The ration of i'uel issued. by the Germans to barracks for heating, 

and 
the 
cooking of 
the 
Red Cross food, 
always inade.qua'te. 
About October, 1942, and Dominion .Air l¥'orces were transferred to STALAG LUFT I ( BARI'H) for the re-opening of that Cainp. 

a new Camp. 
About October, 1942 a small number of N.C.0'1s volunteered to accompany the officers being transferred from the East Compound to OFLAG 
XXI B (SZUBIN) to act as batmen. Of these, several volunteered 


Set. 'JAREING, P.T., R.A.1',., made a successful escape. The rer.iainder returned to this Compotn1d when 
the officers were transferred. back to S'I'/i.LAG LUFT III in I-larch, 














cleanliness',  the administration of  the Compound was le'ft to the Ca.mp  
Leader  
/.(c.) P/W  

at irregular intervals. E.xcept for roll-calls, anti-escape measures, and inspections for 






-3 .
(c) of the Compound was carried out by a Camp 


Leader and AGsistant Camp Leader. They were:.6801.14 1á/ ¥ 0. 
J.A.G. D&UJS', 7449'79 w.o. H.L.li'. NOGG, 
both of whom had acted in similar capacities for a time in the N.C.0'1 s. 


Compound at STALAG LUFT I(B.A..t7.TH). the rear .etc. 
Compound would be filled. An election would then be held to appoint the permanent Camp Leader. As each of the barracks was filled the-occu.pants elected a Barrack 
Leader, Assistant Barrack Leader, rt.ed Cross Representative and Clothing H.epresentative, by majority vote. 


At the end of Hay 1942, when all the contineents from other Ca.raps had arrived, the above mentioned, and eight addition.al repre.each barrack attended a Heeting to elect a Camp elect'
ed and was asked to nominate his 
own assistant 
and staff. He nominated MOGG. The Camp Leader was responsible to tne Germans for arranging parades, and acted as liaison between the Germans and the H.c.o. 
















Young 
Men'1 s Chris'tian Ass'ociation, etc.', when 


they visited the Compound. The 



Camp Leader als'o undertook the function to the Protecting Power and the Kowman'dant relating to German breaches 


/etc.', before 













-4.


(d) 
Roll Calls. 

Parades were held morning and evening for the purpose 
of' counting the number of P'1 s/W in the Compound. As a rule, 

w
ere allowe
d to remain in the barracks, where their numbers were checked. stationed at strategic points in the area of the barracks in an endeavour to ensure that such personnel could. not transfer from one barrack to another in order to be counted twice. It was an order that personnel who were sick had to have the authority of the Hedical Officer to be absent from parades. 
'.l'he parade on the Sports li'ield took the form of a hollow square. The occupants of each barrack had to line up in files oi' i'ive', in parties', in accordance with the rooms they occupied', i.e. 11A11 , "C" 

11B11 , in that order, and were ordered always 
to stand on the 

part of the pa.raee'ground. 
A space of several yards separated 
each barrack and a smaller 
space separated the 
Armed guards Yere posted at 
intervals around the outside o,;,.á the hollow square in an to enslll'e 
that personnel could not move fro1:i one 
rart:r 
to another 
in order to be counted twice. 
Before the para.de each Barrack Leader had to prepare a "chit" 
11 C11 Total on parade ¥¥¥¥¥ 
/Humber sick 













-5 .
II AII 11B11


sicl;: llOOl!l sick Room 
11 C11
Humber Boom ¥¥¥¥¥ 1'otal number sick in barrack ¥¥¥¥¥ 

Names of personnel working in Kitchen's 
Grand total 
of personnel accommodated 
:in Barrack 



The Ca.zap Leader, 


was in 
charge 
of the parade, and when the German Officer arrived with the two checkers, the whole pirade was called to attention. After the exchange 
of salutes 
by the Camp Leader and the German Officer, the parade was ordered to 
¥stand at ease"'. The checkers then proceeded to count the occupants of each barrack who were on parade. They always started 
at the same corner of the hollow square and always worked in a clockwise direction. 
The nwnbers of the occupants of each barrack were counted :in the following manner:-One checker walked before, and the other 
behind, the rows of' P'Is/1:l, and H.oom 11AII was counted first. When this done the chief checker obtained the Parade 11 chit11 from the Barrack Leader and checked to see that the number written on the 11 chit" agreed with his col.mt of the number present. If they did not agree there was nri ir.u:i.ediate re-cotmt, and if necessary the Barrack Leader had to alter the 11chit11¥ The occupants of uoom "C", the Barrack Leader and hi::; assistants, were then cowted, l'olloweC. by the 
same procedure was carried out until 
While this was taking place other checkers 
went 
into each oi' the 
barracks and took a note of the number of P'1 s/W in each. The Camp Sick Quarters, Vorlager 
Stores, Compound Theatre and Corapound Coold1ouses were also visited and the names and. barracks to which personnel belonged 
were noted. 
When all counting of P'1 s/w had been completed, the chief checker totalled the figures supplied by each of the 
/checkers 















sent to the appropriate barrack, Store or Cookhouse, to make a re.

count. If the 
figures 
were still incorrect, 
the 
whole 
count was 

but this was infrequent. Finally, the Grand Totals supplied on the Barrack Leaders'' "chits" vere checked against the list, held by the Germans, of the numbers of P's/W allocated to each of the barr'acks. If this was correct, the parade was dis.missed. 
When the counting was done inside the barracks in wet weather, armed guards were stationed at strategic points to prevent any :individual moving from one building to another. The Barrack Leaders subnitted 11 chits" as for out-door parades, and the P'1 s/W were assembled in their own rooms. On such occasions the German Officer usually accompanied the checkers from barrack to barrack. 
Despite these elaborate precautions, the Escape Organisation was able to cover up the absence of all those who succeeded in escaping from the Compound. In each case this lasted for several days. The method generally employed was to have a substitute for the 
escaper, who resembled him, to lie in the escaper's bed during all roll calls. The escaper was marked on the Barrack Leader's parade 11chit11 as being 11sick in barrack". By appropriate substitutions it was arranged 
that the last barrack to be counted on parade was actual..47 short of the required number. During the counting of the number of men on parade, a suitable diversion would be 









All the arrangements in connection with these "cover-ups" were made by:.





-7 .



914683 w.o. J.N. GIBSON, R.A.F. The Assistant Camp Leader, W.O. MOGG, was 
most co-operative 
on such occas'ions. 
By coincidence, parades were always held in the open when it was necessary to "cover" an escaper. 
(e) .¥ 





When the Ca.mp was first opened, 
supplies of Red Cross food parcels were brought by the various contingents of P's/W from other Camps. In some cases consignments of parcels were re-directed from Camps which had closed down. Quantities of parcels also arrived from GENEVA,but the total ainotmt was not sufficient for the issue of one parcel per man per week tmtil the Camp had been opened for several months. From about August 1942 until the evacuation of the u.c.o.'¥s from this Compotmd in June 1943 the supply of Red Cross food parcels was adequate. The issue was under the supervision of Gennans. 

Throughout 
the period 
from April 1942 until June 1943 
the 
issue of German rations was meagre and gradually decreased in quality and quantity. No fresh green vegetables were supplied at any time, but the P'1 s/W endeavoured to overcome this deficiency bu' cultivating 

Seeds were purchased from the Gerinans through the No milk was supplied at any time. Details concerning food in relation to escape activities are given in Chapter II, Section 6. 
(f) Clothing. 



During the first six months after this Camp was 
opened, compara.tively small quantities of R.A.F. O.R.'1 s unifonns, boots, underwear, shirts, socks, áetc., were supplied through 
the agency of the International Red Cross Society. These items were distributed pro rata between the Officers and the w.c.o.¥s. 
Although limited quantities of these items were at all times it was not until available. 
















-8 .



The issue 
of the clothing to the P'1 
s/W was controlled by Air Force personnel working tmder the supervision of a German. further dotails concerning clothing in connection with escape activities are given in Chapter II, Sect'ion 4. (g) 
At irregular intervals every barrack was searched by members of the German Anti-Escape Organisation while the P's/W were on .ade. 
On such occasions 
the doors of the barrack, or barracks, were 
locked and armed guards were posted to ensure that no P/w could gain entry. 
The possessions of P'1 s/w and the 
structure of the barracks were subjected to scrutiny of varying degrees of intensity. 

The main object of such 
searches was to discover escape aids, tools, entrances to ttmnels, radio sets, diaries, etc. As a rule, hoards of food were not interfered with. 
Details of the cotmter measures adopted by the P1 s/w are given in Chapter II, Section 3. 
(h) German Anti-escape Measures. 



The German Anti-Escape Organisation, 
known 
as the Abwehr, was very hig. organised. Specially trained Luftwaffe personnel were detailed to be in the Compotmd during the greater part of each 24 hours. 
These men, who were warmed, were dressed 
in dark blue overalls and wore Luftwaffe field service caps and the normal Luftwaffe leather duty belt. Because of their habit of crawling tmder barracks, etc., lookine for ttmnels, they were nicknamed "ferrets". They walked around the Compotmd, 
and entered the barracks, at all times of the day and night, looking for signs to indicate that someone was engaged in some forbidden activity. 
All vehicles 
leavine the Compound were searched. 


The perimeter fence ofthe Compound was composed of two fences of barbed wire about 6 feet 6 inches apart and 8 feet in height. The area between the two fences was filled with barbed wire entangle.ments to a height 
of about 2 feet. The fence was lighted from dusk to dawn, except during air-raid alarms, by arc lights spaced about 20 yards apart. Sentry towers, which were fitted with 
/machine-guns 











































-9 .

machine-guns and searchlights, were situated at intervals of about 100 

yards ( See Appendix IB 1 ) ¥ 
During air-raid alarms the sentries outside the fence', between the sentry towers, were doubled before all lights were switched off. When 
necessary the 

searchlights still could 
be operated. 


A warning fence, which consisted of a wooden rail attached to posts about 3 feet in height, was situated inside the perimeter fence at a distance of about 15 yards from it. The area between the 
warning fence and the main fence was 1No 
Man's Land'1 and it was a German order that anyone crossing the warning fence would be shot. Footballs, etc., were knocked into the forbidden 
daily and eventually it was arranged that balls could 
be recovered by a P/w wearing a special red and white smock, which was kept at the South-east corner of the Compound close to the sentry tower situated there. 
Prior 
to this arrangement a number of P'1 s/W bad 
been fired upon whilst attempting to recover balls from the forbidden zone after having indicated to the guard in the sentry tower that this was their :intention. 

During the first few months there were no sentries pa.trolling 
between the sentry towers on the perimeter fence. As the reoult of a party 


successful escape through the fence, in daylight, 
from the East (Officers) Compound by F/Lt. TOFT, R.A.F'. and F/0. NICHOLLS, Eagle Squadron, sentries were placed on patrol outside the fence between the sentry towers. 
A notable feature at this Ca.mp was the provision by the Gennans of a syste1;i of carbon microphones which were buried to a depth of about 3 yards at intervals of about JO yards along the perimeter fence. These were connected 
by 
wiring with a control room in the Kommandatur, 
where a 24 hours 'watch I was kept. In this way the vibrations caused by the diggin of tunnels, etc. was located. It was the usual practice of the Germans to allow the construction of 


V a 
tunnel 
to proceed until it was close to the perimeter 
fence. Then they would go straight to the site of 
the tunnel and dig it up. This would coincide with a rigorous search of adjacent barracks. This 
/measure 




















-10 .



measure was most effective. 
All German personnel entering and leaving the Camp, or passing from one Compound to another, had to produce a special pass signed by the Abwehr Officer. After the escape of w.o. 1s GRIMSON and MORRIS in December 1942 the design of these passes was altered and a photograph of the person to whom the pe.ss was issued was attached. 
All P'1 s/w leaving the Compound had to be accompanied by a German with a special pass, for each party, which had to be signed by the Ablehr Officer. 
All German personnel, irrespective of rank had to produce their special passes when entering or leaving the Vorlager. In addition, they had to "book in" and 11 book out" at an office close to the gate between the Vorlager and the German Compound. An interpreter was on duty there during normal working hours, i.e. when members of the German Administrative staff were on duty and would enter, or leave, the P/W Compounds. This interpreter had photographs and descriptions of all know escapers. It was his duty to ensure that no P/w left the Vorlager disguised as a German and in possession of false passes, etc. The effectiveness of this measure lay in the system of "booldng11 since no 11 German11 could leave without first having "booked in". 
Foreign workers, Russian P'1 s/W, etc.', who were taken into the Compound for construction work, were always accompanied by armed guards. They were not allowed to speak to, or come into contact with, Air Force P'1 s/W. 
During the hours of darlmess specia.14' trained dogs were used to patrol the Compound. They were accompanied by an armed guard lalow as a Hundfuehrer. 
After the re-capture of W.0.'1 s GRIM.SON and MORRIS following their escape in December 1942, they were sentenced to 14 days in cells. At the end of that time they were ordered to move from the barracks they had been living in prior to their escape, and to live in a barrack close to the gate leading from the Compound to the Vorlager. They refused to obey this order and were sentenced to a further 14 days in 
/cells. 


















-11 .

cells. They then reached a compromise with the Germans 
and agreed 
to live in a barrack near the gate, one the Germans had previously ordered them to live in. 
From then until the evacuation of the Compound in June 1943 they were ordered to be in their barrack at stated times each day for special checking. Despite this precaution GRilvfSON escaped from the Camp in early June 1943 and his absence was not discovered until his 

(i) Punishment for escape activities, etc. 
The usual pmishment for an attempted escape, whilst engaged on activities connected with escape, 14 days in cells. in prisons, or other P/w Camps, following re-capture. 
The cells were 
located in 
a speci. constructed 
Cell Block situated in the Vorlager. During the period in cells the only food allowed was a double ration of bread daily and water for three days. 
In certain cases where serious 
offences 
had been committed, 
e.g. sabotage, or where 
the Germans wished to make an exa.inple of an individual, the limit of 28 days punishment laid down in the Geneva Convention was overcome by holding the P/W "pending investigation11 for a period of from a few days to several weeks. At the end of the period the individual might 
be sentenced to two or three weeks in cells or released. an individual was held 11 pending investigation" he was allowed to have the contents 
of a Red Cross food parcel per week in addition to the normal daily German ration issue, and was permitted to smoke. {j) 

\...ti were begun. 
Books 
were obtained through the Red Cross Society Educational Department, the 
/New Bodleian 








































-12 .
Hew Bodleian Library, 
Oxford(, and items of school equipment, stationery, etc., vere supplied by the Young Men's Christian Association. The classes were well attended and education was the chief interest of a 
large number of the P(1s/W'. Hany of them were enabled to sit for the 





The chief oreaniser of education in this Compound was:.
9.39492 w. o. He assisted the Escape Organisation by providing paper and other materials for forgery, etc. Some forgery was done 
in the class room when it was not in use for instruction. The classroom was at the rear of the East Gookhouse and was also used as the Compound Library. 
(k) Librar;y. 

A Compound Libary was formed soon after the Compound was opened. All P(1 s/W in possession of books were requested to give them to the library 
and in due course many 
hundreds of books of all types were available. Some consignments of books were received from the 
International Red Cross Society and the Young 
Men's Christian Association. All books draw by the P's/w were recorded and a time limit was set for their return. Offenders against this rule were debarred from using the libra
ry. 
The Chief Librarian was:.












580404 w. o. W.H. EDEN, R.A.F. 

(1) Sports. 


extremely popular 
and each barrack had one, or more, teams. Each barrack had a representative interested in each type of sport 
/and these 












-13 .

and a limited number of officers were allowed to visit the N.c.o.(¥s Compound, 
parole, as spectators. 
popular pastimes. In winter, ice-skating 
rinks were made, and ice.hockey and general skating were enjoyed. 
The bulk of sports equipment was supplied by the Young 1'1en(1 s 



(m) 
Amateur theatricals. etc. 
As soon as the Corapound was opened the 
Germans agreed that one complete barrack could be used as a Compound Theatre and Church. The 
P' s/W received the permission of the Geruans to carry 
out structural alterations. The Germans supplied the materials and tools, and 
the P's/W carried out the work. When completed the Theatre seated about 400 persons. 

Various 
Pla;ys, Revues, Symphony Concerts, Gramophone Recitals, etc., were produced at regular intervals from about August 1942 until June 1943 and vere most popular. Parties of German officers and 

on parole and the N.c.o.(¥s were 
not allowed to make contact with them. The Germans were most helpful in all matters connected with 












/the Compound 





-14 .


the Compolllld Theatre and did everything possible to meet requests for 
J:8role. When required, they sent a German N.c.o. to BERLIN to hire stage costumes, drapings, etc. These were paid for by the P1 s/W in Camp Money drawn from the Communal Fund subscribed by the Officers in the other Compounds. 

The N.C.0.(1 s connected with the running of the Theatre were allowed 
to manufacture 

civilian clothes for use in Plays, but a parole had to be given tha.t such items would not be used for escape. This also applied to stage properties which were hired. 






A number of the skilled P(1 s/W, who were engaged on work connected with the Theatre, were most helpful to the Escape Organisation. The most important were the stage Wardrobe tailors and the Theatre Electrician. Full details are given in the appropriate sections of Chapter II. 




The 
Germans arranged 
for two German 

films to be shown to the N.c.o.1 s; one concerning action on the Eastern Front and the other concerning the Dieppe "Invasion". Not one dead or wotmded German was seen in either film,but many 11shots(11 were 
shown of Allied dead, wounded and prisoners. The N.c.o.(¥s hissed and behaved so badly that no more films were shown. 
(n) Religion. 




A portion of the Compound 
Theatre was set aside for religious 
services and a Protestant Padre was resident in the Corapomd. A Roman Catholic Padre, who was resident in the East (Officers') Compound, was permitted to visit the N.c.o. 1 s Compound to conduct services, etc. 















(o) 
Shooting incidents, etc. 



As related in this Section, sub-section (h) there were a number of incidents when P1 
s/W were shot at after crossing the wam.ing fence in order to recover balls,etc. 

In early 194.3 an N.c.o., who was believed to be suffering 
/from mental 







-15 .



Compound towards the fence. One 
of the guards in a sentry tower 


opened fire with a machine-gun and one of the escapers was seriously wounded. He died some weeks 
later. The personnel concerned were:.
754903 w.o. A. SAXTON, R.A.F. 

1258913 A.E. JOYCE, R.A.F. (deceased) 

(p) P/W Morale. The morale of the P's/W'in this Compound was high at all times. The opinion has been expressed that this was due to the fact that 
news broadcasts ware received on a secret wireless receiver in the Compound and Full details are given in Chapter VI. 

(q) Medical. 
Two N.c.o.'¥s acted as first-aid men and resided in a small room attached to the Compound Theatre. They had 
ointments, 












-16 .
CHAPTER II ESCAPE ORGANISATION 
1. CONTROL BY CAHP AUTHOll.ITIES. Althoueh the Compound was opened in April 1942 there was no organisation in connection with escape activitieo for several months. A few individuals, who had been interested in escape at other Carnps, held a small quantity of escape aids. Chief amenest these were:.
979955 w.o. R.J ¥ ALEXANDER, R.A.F. 581031 w.o. F.A.S. HOCHE, R.A.F. A402478 w.o. F. SEAMER, R.A.A.(F. For several months there was little escape activity, except that various groups of N.C.0.(1 s attempted to construct tunnels, all of which were discovered during the early stages. About September 1942 590230 w.o. T.G. ROSS, R.A.F., who was keenly 
interested in escape, approached ALEXANDER and asked him to interest himself in the formation of an Escape Committee. had learned of the success (KIRCHHAIN) ¥ _Due to ill health ROCHE declined to take aey-active pu-t. then approached GIBSON, 
who had worked with him at STAI.AGE III/E, and he agreed to become a member of the Escape Committee ¥ 

R.A.F. 

R.A.F. 
R.A.A.F. 

At first, the activities of the Committee were confined to considering schemes proposed by various individuals, but all were considered to be impractical. During this 
period various escape 








In late October 1942, at the instigation of' the Senior /British Officer 





-1'7 .



introduced to Squadron 
Leader R. BUSHELL, R.A.F., 


During the two 


weeks that GIBSON remained in the East Compound he was given detailed information regarding the Officers'' organisation of escape activities. At 

the 
end o_;_á this time he and his 'double I again exchanged 
identities in the Camp Sick Quarters and returned to their respective Co1i1pounds. 
British Officer, Group Captain MASSEY, it was arranged through the 
Compomid Leader, Warrant Officer DEAHS, that 
a member of the Escape Committee 
should go to the Ea.st (Officers') Compound in order to 

learn how the Officers'' GIBSON was 
selected 
for thismission and by means of an exchange of identities, which took place in the Camp Sick Quarters, he was transferred to the Ea.st Compound. An Officer who was of similar appearance to 

The information which was imparted to GIBSON was such that the 

N.c.o.'¥s Escape Committee was unable to organise escape activities along similar lines to the officers. However, progress was slow due to the following factors:.


' Compomid discipline was maintained amonest the P'1 s/W by the Senior British Officer and his assistants, who held their positions and exercised their authority by virtue of their seniority in rank. The Senior British Officer ruled that all Ga.mp activities would be subjugated to escape. In the N.c.o. 1 s Compound seniority in rank was not recognized and the Compound Leader was elected by majority vote. He 
maintained his position by virtue of his popularity and could not give orders. Escape Committee had no official standing and had no means at its disposal for issuing orders, enforcing 
their wishes. This inability to direct other P'1 s/W was the greatest 
which 



















deeply interested in escape. The majority did not consider that 
they were duty bound to make an 

Despite 
the difficulties outlined above, and details are eiven in the following sections of this Chapter. 

Individuals who were interested in escape sought the advice and assistance of the Escape Committee. Escape Committee would control all escape attempts. PLANNING. 




Individuals 
who had ideas for attempts to escape, approached the Escape Committee either direct, or by direction from the Compound Leader. 
The Colilillittee then discussed the scheme in detail with the proposer, and, if it was considered to be feasible, everything 
possible 
was done to provide 
the necessary 
escape aids. Proposers of impractical schemes were discouraged from carrying out their ideas. 

The conditions 
ar,plied frol!l November 19/;2 until the evacuation of the If .c .o. 1s in June 1943. SECUnIT'l. 





Although the Escape Committee always recognised the need for good security, and adequate 
security measures were ta.ken in connection with all escape activities 
which came 
under its control, 
no sation was set up until the Sprine of 1943. known as "TALLY HO" came into beine, sponsored by the Escape Committee. 

This organisation 
was composed of 
individuals 
who were interested in escape and prepared to assist in escape matters, but not necessari:cy interested 
in makine an attempt t.hemselves. they promised to do anything which was requested of them, at any time, with.out 
question. They 
were informed that they would not be asked to do 
anything which would involve risk of their o\m lives. 
/The escape 




















-19 .
The Escape Committee appointed 
566088 w.o. K.W. WRIGHT, to set up the organisation 
and to act as and the Committee. WRIGHT appointed a of the eleven barracks and these leaders 
canvassed the likely personnel in their barracks. 
The functions of the "TALLY HO" 
were:.
(a) To provide watchers to cover all activities 
the Compound and 
their whereabouts until they left the Compound. This record was maintained throughout the 24 hours of each day. 

(c) 
To provide the labour for the dispersal of sand excavated from tunnels. 

(d) To collect items of clothing, etc., from other Pa1 s/w. 
(e) 
To collect wood, metal, etc. left in the Compound by workmen. 

(f) To 
steal tools, etc. from workmen 
and to attempt to recover items confiscated by the Germans during searches. 
(g) 
To hide escape aids of all kinds, but only selected members of 
the organisation were entrusted with this function. 




carried out 

was that a battle of 
wits developed Many ingenious hiding places inside a piano-accordian which could still be pley"ed, inside a portable gramophone which played as 




/efficiently 






















-20 .


efficiently 

as before, in caches in garden plots, 
in pa.llisses 

which were filled with wood-shavings, etc. Many of these hiding places were not discovered by the Germans. 
The "TALLY Hoa organisation functioned in the Compound until the transfer of the N.c.o.¥s to STALAG LUFT VI (HEYDEKRUG) in June 1943. CLOTHING. 
After the formation ot the Escape Committee, intending escapers, or members of the Committee, made a direct approach to those P1 s/w who were known to be in possession of items of civilian clothing, or blankets suitable for the manufacture of such clothing. These individuals vere then persuaded to make a gift of such items, or to accept something else in exchange. These conditions applied mtil the Spring of 1943. From then onwards this work was undertaken by the "TALLY HO" Organisation and the items obtained were pa.seed to the Escape Committee. 

Items of R.A.F. O.R.'l.1J.4r1 s uniform which were required for conversion into Luftwaffe uniform were obtained by the Escape Committee from the Camp Clothing Store, situated in the Vorlager, through the Compomd Clothing Representative, 
90.4254 w.o. D.W. DAVIES, R.A.F. 
1he reason for this was 





by I.S.9 were not considered to be suitable for this purpose. From the inception of the Escape Committee until the transfer of the N.c.o. ¥s to STALAG LUFT VI in June 1943, the conversion of 

R.A.F. uniforms into Luftwaffe uniforms, the manufacture of civilian clothes 
from blanket material, and the alterations to various items of civilian clothing sent in next-of-kin ptrcels and acquired by the Escape Committee, was carried out under the direction of SEAMER by 
/the following 





-21 .
the following'l.1J.4r:. 
743061 562560 1251274  w.o. w.o. w.o.  L. BARROWS,E.E.B. LE VOI,L.E. CARDEN,  R.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F.  



BARROWS, who was a tailor by profession, was in charge of the tailoring section. He did the designing, cutting-out, band sewing of edge seams, etc. The general sewing and the manufacture of caps, etc. was done by LE VOI and CARDDl. All three worked in 11,he Stage Wardrobe Department of the Compound Theatre. 
The insignia required for Luftwaffe uniforms, i.e. buttons, belt buckles, badges of rank, Luftwaffe eagles, etc. were made rv ALEXANDER and GIBSON aided by certain Poles who were skilled in handicrafts. The buttons were made by pouring molten metal into a mould made of plaster of _paris. The metal was obtained by breaking up alloy water jugs supplied by the Germans. A genuine Luftwaffe button was used in making the mould. The belt buckles were beaten out of tin. The silver braided badges of rank were made by sewing together pieces of shoe laces, which were coated ldth silver punt, origina. obtained for coating model aircraft. The Luftwaffe eagle badges, etc. were embroidered by the Poles. 





FORGERY. 
(a) Papers. The first documents obtained. for coP,Ying were acquired by:.631689 w.o. G.J.W. GRIMSON, 
from a German about June 1942, before the formatian ot the Escape Committee. These documents were the Gate Pass and Sold.bu.ch (Pa1"book)'l.1J.4r. Rough tracings were made by:.
651865 w.o. S.I. HARRISON, who then made forgeries by band. These documents were used by GRIMSON to enable him to escape from the Compomd about J. 1942. 
When the Escape Committee was formed in September 1942, ALEXANDER approached HARRISON and asked him to organise a Forgery 



-22 .


assist him:.905999 w.o. L.A. BECKETT, R.A.F. 990458 w.o. J. PRYDE, R.A.F. 115.3799 w.o. F.E. WOTTON, R.A.F. 
From then onwards HARRIOON made master copies of all documents and these were copied and improved on by the other members of the team. The originals for copying were supplied to HARRISON by the Escape Committee. Amongst these were:-Luftwaffe Pey-book Covera, Gate Passes, Travel Permits, Special Ah.rehr Passes, Letters of Introduction in respect of foreign workers, etc. 
When the forgery of the printed matter an documents was completed, the personal details relating to the individuals using them were filled in, in German script, by ALEXANDER. 
Certain types or original documents vere not printed'l.1J.4r, but were duplicated by means of a typevritten stencil. The Forgery Section reproduced a similar erfect by making a master forgery, imitating typevritten characters and using ink made by boiling indelible pencil leads. The master cow was used to transfer the indelible ink an to a flat sugarless jell´ and by this method of duplication an average of about 20 copies vere obtained. This vork of dupli.cation by the njellyn process was carried out by:.
563997 w.o. J.W.H. PARSON, The false documents used by all the N.c.o.¥s vho escaped from this Compotmd were made by the Forgery Section. 
The Escape Committee ana]´sed the factors leading up to the recapture of escapers and concluded that the chief factor was the inadequacy of the papers vith which they had been provided. The workmanship of the forgeries was all that could be desired, but very few original documents could be obtained for copying. 
(b) Photographs. 
No camera was available in the Compound during the period 'llll.der reviev. Pencil sketches in lieu of identity-photographs for attach.ment to forged documents were made by:.
905999 w.o. L.A. BECKETT, These drawings vere covered with milk in order to produce a shiny 
/surface 






surf'ace. They left much to be desired, but they were eood enough cond'iti'ons.


Stamps for reproducing the effect of rubber stamps in f'orged documents were ma.de by:.
651865 w.o. s.r. HARRISON, R.A.F. 
He drew the 
designs, in reverse, on linoleum and cut them out with a razor blade. 




Intending escapers were advised by the Escape Committee to save the chocolate, dried fruit, hard biscuits, etc. from their Red Cross food pa.reels. 

A reserve of 
food suitable for 
use by an escaper was 
maintained 
in the Red Cross Food Store situated in the Vorlager. This reserve was built up by salvaging items from Red Cross food :rarcels which had been damaged in transit, and by collectinz tins of Horlicks tablets from Red Cross Invalid food parcels. 
When 
necessary, the Escape Committee drew f'ood frolll the reserve a concentrate in accordance with a formula supplied by 
the East (Officers') Compound Escape Organisati'on; als'o tins of issued to the escaper 
just before he was due to make his attempt. The food drawn handled 









by:.R 59280 u.o. W. MENZIES, H..G.A.F. 1378671 w.o. K.G. LEWIS, R.A.F. both of whom worked in close co-operation with the Escape Committee connected with pircels. 





Maps which were received from I.S.9 in games pa.reels, etc., and from Germen sources, we're copied by:.A 400748 W.O. L.L. CLARK, 

copies were used for the production of duplicates by the 
/jelly 





u.o. 
8. 
COEPASSES. 


Compasses 
were 

supplied to intending 
escapers 

by the l.scape Committee from a stock which was built up by supplies received in games parcels, etc. from I.S.9., and from P'1 s/W who had managed to secrete their compasses during searches followine capture. ESCAPE INTELLIGEf.CE. {a) 
Contacts. 

There was little organisation in connection with obtaining information from Germans which would be of use to an escaper. This was largely 

due to the conditions referred 
to in this 
Chapter, 
Section 10, sub-Section (a). 

However, a certain amount of escape information was obtained by members of the Escape Committee and certain individuals who were in personal contact \.d th Germans. Most successful amongst these were:.






631689 w.o. G
.J.W. GRIMSON, R.A.li'. 
994380 w.o. R.A.F. 979955 w.o. R. J. ALEXANDER, R.A.F. 580114 w.o. J.A.G. DEANS, R.A.F.', 




all of whom obtained 
documents from Germans for copyine by the Forgery Section', in addition to details regarding rail travel', etc.', etc. (b) Journeys Outside Camp. 



under German guard, to collect parcels; and those who were sent to hospitals for treatment. All such personnel were interrogated by the Escape Committee upon return to the Compound. 
The most 

source was 
R 59280 w.o. W. MENZIES, who always went with the P3,rty collecting parcels 
f'ro1:1 the railway station and Post Office. about the topograpey of the immediate area and in particular of the railway yards, etc. He also made contact with French P'1s/.1 working at the railway station and obtained information and certain items from 
/them 














-25 .




then. 
(c) Recapturccl Escapers. 
Hecaptured escapern 
were the most fruitful 

and dependable source of escape information. All were fully interroeated by the .c;scape Committee imr.1ediately after their return to the Cor.1pound. 
In particular they were able to supply detai1s about travel conditions, effectiveness of disguise, mode of dress worn by Gennan civilians, Poles, etc., manner of inspection of identity papers, etc. In some cases, pa.rticulars about the flaws in their false documents, or stories supporting their false identities, were obta.1ed. 
The Escape Committee analysed all information fained und applied it to the preparation of the next escaper. 
(d) New P'1 s/W. 
All new arrivals in this Compound 
were 
interrogated as related in Chapter V, Section 2, sub-Section (a) ¥ .Any information which could be of use to an escaper was passed to the Escape Comrai ttee. (e) From I1 S.9. 









which advised. escapers not to attempt to leave G,t!;J.1lli.i.NY 
by travellil11Z 
10. 




There 
was no organised system 
for obta:ininc 
supplies frm1 Germans, etc., by bribery. This was primarily due to the i'aet. that the German Administrative 



staff, 
interpreters, etc.', had been at 
STALAG 
LID.T I (BARTH) prior to their transfer to this Camp and were on friendly terms with certain P'1 s/W who had also been at that Camp. Conditions there were such that certain P'1 s/w were engaged in trading activities with the Germans for items which had no value as aids to escape. These activities continued in this Compmm.d, but the Escape Go11m1ittee could not control them and the Camp Leader was not in a position to issue orders. 







/It uar, 







-2u .




It was 
apparent that the Germans fixed their 
own fanta
stically high prices in chocolate, cigarettes, etc., for such items as pencilsa, etc. 'rhey laughed whenever P's/vi interested in escape asked for torch batteries, dyes, etc. 
Several Pa1 s/W who were deep1´ interested in escape made attempts 
to stop this form of 
tradinga, but their efforts were unsuccessful. Chief amongst these was 
590230 W.O. T.G. ROSS, R.A.F. 
Despite 
these 
factors a 
small 
number 

of individuals were able to obtain items useful for escape from Germans by bribery and friendq persuasion. In all cases the Pa1 s/W were Germans concerned through Camp duties over a period of several weeks or months. successful individuals were:.
(i) 631689 W.O. G.J.W.a, R.A.li'.: a German speaker, who got the Compound 
Leader to appoint him as Compound Quartermaster as opened. His duties 
were to issue the broomsa, water jugsa, blankets, 
etc., supplied by the Germans. In this capacity he became 












friendly 'With the German Storekeeper and eventually persuaded him to lend his Gate Pass and Paybook for a few minutes so that tracings could be made. When GRIMSON returned to the Compound after his escape in July 1
942 the Germans would not allow him to resume his duties as Quartermaster. The German was posted soon afterwards. 


(ii) 994380 w.o. MORRIS, A., R.A.F.: a German speaker, who got the Camp Leader to appoint him to take charse of the distribution of the f'uel issued by the Germans about October, 1942. He became friendly with the German Unteroffizier in charge of the issue of fuel and persuaded him to supply a Travel Permit as well as details of the Gate Pass. In return he was supplied vi.th a 48-hour Pass duly signed and stamped. This was produced by the Forgery Section. When MORR.LS .returned to the 
/GomJX)und 




-27 .





the GerlJl8.Ils The afterwards. 

(iii) 979955 W.O. ALEXANDER, who, in to being Chairman of 
the Escape Committee, a Parrack Leader. In the latter capacity he came into 



a number of Germans and made 
full use of-his 
ability to speak the German language. to persuade one German to allow him to see his Abwehr Pass. 

{iv) 580114 W.O. DEANS, J.A.G.', Compound Leader and a German speaker, German to lend bis soldbuch and Gate 
Pass for minutes. 

HARRISON, of the 
Forgery Section, made a quick 

(v) R 59280 W.O. MENZIES, W., R.C.A.F.: as a parcel 
worker, 
was brought into close contact 
with 
members of the German Farcel Censorship Sta.ff, 

of the censors to supply dyes, inks, radio parts, etc. This 
German also accompanied MEN:lIES and other P'1 s/W when they went to SAGAN Railway Station and Post Office to collect parcels and MENZIES was able to make contact with 







at the railway 
station, and to etc. from them. MENZIES did not speak German or French. 



{vi) 

625686 


w.o. FOREMAN, T.A., R.A.F.: worked in the Book Censoring Office in the Vorlager. dyes, etc., and a tracing of the Gate Pass, from one of the Book Censors. 
(vii) 580404 W.O. as Librarian', Censors. He obtained items 
of Luftwaffe uniform, etc. from one of the censors. 
(viii) 902601 W.O. BRISTOW, J.F.H.', R.A.F.': 
was able to obtain 
radio parts from an interpreter. 
/With the -26 .







With the exceptions of GRIHSON and BRISTOW all the above mentioned worked for the Escape Committee. 
(b) 
Camp resources. 
Until the Spring of 1943, those 
individuals 
who were interested in escape collected all the materials, i.e. pieces of timber and metal,tools, etc., which they discovered in the Compound, or could steal from Germans, German vehicles, etc. 

From the Spring of 1943 onwards 
this work was undertaken 
by the ffTALI,Y H011 Organisation as outlined in this Chapter, Section 3. The fullest possible use was made of all materials which could be acquired by any means. 
(c) New P1 s/W. 
All new arrivals in the Compowd were 
interviewed at anoe 
as outlined in Chapter V, Section 2, sub-Section (a). During the interview they were requested to hand over all the escape aids which they had in their possession. Some individuals were successful in getting compasses, maps and money through the various searches 
The in bandages around real or 
(d) 
During the period under review, games pa.reels, and :rarcels 
maps, compasses, money, two radio tuning condensers, etc. Three comments on 
the contents of these pa.reels have been made:.






(iii) Not enough radio parts. 




No organisation existed in this Compound, during the 
period for the manufacture of wooden articles in connection 
/with Escape 




-29 .



with escape activities. The shoring of tunnels, etc., was done by 
the individuals eneaged on tunnel construction. 12. The manufacture of articles of metal which were required by the Escape Committee was divided into two cateeories:.



(i) The manufacture of buttons, buckles, etc., required for false German uniforms. This work 
was undertaken by several Poles in the R.A.F. and ALE.XANDER and GIBSON', of the Escape CoDllni ttee; also:.




Section 4, last paragraph. 
(ii) The manufacture of keys and lock picking implenents 
was done by:.507047 Sgt. W.H. HALES, R.A.F. 

13. The manufacture of articles of leather required for escape purposes 

was done by:.745334 w.o. L.R. ?iEAD, R.A.F. assisted by:.

906183 w.o. K.F. ADLAli, R.A.F. These articles included holsters for dummy pistols, German jackboots, covers for Passes, and alterations to leather belts, etc. 






14. TOOLS. Implements 
for excavating sand were designed and made by those individuals who were engaged on the construction of tunnels. Wire cutters, hammers, saws, etc., were eeneral. obtained by stealing them from German 
workmen engaged on structural alterations 
in the Compound. Some were also obtained by bribery, and details are given in this Chapter, On occasion, tools which were supplied to the Compound Theatre were borrowed. 
15. 











Three dummy pistols were made and used by GRIHSON and 'MORRIS /in their 



-30 .


in their escapes as related in this Chapter, Section 17, sub-Sections 
(b) and (c)'. A dummy electrical 
test meter was made to GRIMSON'1s specifications and used by him in his escape as related in this Chapter, Section 18. Articles of this type were made by:.N.Z.4012.31 w.o. D.G.B. PROTHEROE, R.N.Z.A.F. 
902601 w.o. J.F.H. BRISTOW, R.A.F. TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION. 

(a) General. 
In some cases this led to controversy between different groups. Several tunnels were under construction at once. 







tunnel should be mder construction at a time. 
(b) Engineering. 








/551296 

-31 .
5
51296 w.o. V.G. 
R.A.F. 
w.o. J.L. .AXFORD, R.A.F. 745687 w.o. H.G. BENFIELD, R.A.F. 966856 D.H. BERNARD, 
R.A.F. 

w.o. 

w.o. K.R. COLES, R.A.F. 
S.R. CROFT, 

R.A.F.
w.o. 


Sgt. A. T. K. 0 ' s.A.s. 

w.o. 

w.o. 



w.o. 
R.A.F. 
w.o. 
R.A.F. 

w.o. 
J. PRYDE, R.A.F. 


R.A.F. 


w.o. 
w.o. 
J.W.B. SNOWDEN, R.A.F. 

w.o. 
W.W. STREET, 


R.A.F. 
997227 w.o. 917291 
R.A.F. 

F. WEBSTER,
w.o. D. WESTMACOTT, R..A.F. 

No tunnel was organised 
as a Compowid undertaking 
and 
all were 
constructed at a short distance below the surface. Most tunnels failed 
because of 
falls of sand, or through discovecy by the Germans. 
most nearly successful tunnel was constructed from No. 56 Barrack to 
the 
South fence, 
a 

distance of about 100 
feet, 
where it was located by the Germans, probably through the detectors referred to in Chapter I, Section 2, sub-Section (h). This tunnel was organised by SNOWDEN. 
(c) Dispersal. 





Until the Spring of 1943, the uispersal of sand excavated dut'ing tmmel construction, always the greatest 
difficulty to be overcome, was done by the individuals concerned. was done by the "TALLY HO" 


which is described 
in this Chapter, Section 3. 

Various ruses were employed to conceal from the Germans the fact that tunnels vere being constructed. The excavated sand was dumped in cesspools and the fire-fighting static water tank; also distributed on the Sports Field and on specially prepared tenni-quoit pitches, etc. 

(d) 
Supplies. 


The main requirements for the construction 
of tunnels vere timber for shoring and containers for carrying away the sand for 
/dispersal 524851 w.o. 625686 w.o. 742039 w.o. R91186 w.o. 564839 w.o. 





w.o. 

J. FANCY, 
T.A. FOBEHAN, 
W.G. GARRIOCH, 
J.A. GORDON, 
R.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F. R.C.A.F. R.A.F. 
R.A.F. 













-J2 .
dispersal. 

From April 
1942 until 
the Spring of 1
943 these items were acquired by the individuals undertaking the construction of any particular tunnel. From the Spring of 1943 onwards this work was undertaken by the "TALLY HO" Organisation. No tunnel was sufficientlJ' long nor deep to require an elaborate air-pump for ventilation. 
(e) 
Security. 
Until the orJJanisatian of "TALLY HO"e, the individuals concerned with the construction 
of any p:1.rticular tunnel 
made their own arrangements for watchine for the approach of Germans whilst work was in progress, to the tunnel, dispersing the excavated sand in such 
a way that 
the Germans were unaware t
hat a tunnel was under construction, etc. dispersal and watching was done by the 11TALLY H011 
(f) 
Comments. 
successful tunnel 
was constructed may be attributed to the following factors:.
(i) 
The efficiency of the German anti-escape measures which are described in Chapter I, Section 2, sub-Sec'tion (h). 

(ii) There was no Compound organisation for the con.struction of tunnels with the 
result that there was no co-ord:ination of effort. Individual skill and ample mat
erials were 
available, but not used 
to the best advanta,ee. the 1democratic11 attitude of m:ind of N.C.O. P's/W. 

17. 

to escape from this Compound by walk:i.ne through the gates was 
made in June 1942 by:.
518168 w.o. R.A.F. 
563997 w.o. 
a German purporting 'l'he party successfully neeotiated 
the Compound gate, but was stopped at the gate leading from the Vorlager into the German Compound through 

/PARSONS 























-33 .



PARSONS being recogn:i.sed 
by the interpreter on duty there. All arraneements and preparations were made by the :individuals concerned as the attempt was rua.de prior to the formation of the Escape Committee. 
(b) Second attempt. 
The first successful escape from the Compound 
was made in July 1942 by:.
631689 w.o. G.J .w. GRll1SON, R..A.F. who walked 
through the Compound 
and Vorlager gates disguised as a German. GRIHSOU made all his own preparations as the attempt was made before the formation of the Escape Committee. 
In 
for this atte
mpt GRIHSON got the Compound Leader to appoint him as Compo1.md Quartermaster and was able to obtain tracings of a Gate Pass and Paybook from the German i/c Stores. Full details are given in this Chapter, Section 10, sub-Section (a) (i). The details 
of the forgery of the above mentioned docuraents are given in this Chapter, Section 5, sub-Section (a). 
GRIHSON also arranged for the manufacture of a white jacket, made from German issue 
towels, which resembled the fatigue jacket worn by Luftwaffe personnel; also a civilian jacket and cap. This work was done by BARROWS, who later formed the Tailorine Section of the Esca_pe Organisation. 
GRIHSON induced READ and ADLAH, later of the Leathenrork Section, to make him a pistol holster and alter a leather belt. He persuaded Poles in the R.A.F. to convert a R.A.F. Field Service cap into a Luftwaffe 
Field Service cap and to embroider the appropriate badges on it. These Poles worked for the Escape Committee at a later date. 
In order to make his R.A.F. O.R.'1 s trousers look like Luftwaffe trousers, GRIMSON treated them with purple and blue chalks. Wearing the disguise which is described above, and usint; his forged documents, CRIMSON walked through the Compomd and 
/Vorlager 














-34 -









Vorlager 
gates in daylit:;ht. He remained in the German CompotU'ln until 
evening, when he walked out through a wicket . gate at the side of 
the German Officers¥ Mess. He was recaptured near KOTTBUS a few days later and returned to the Camp. 


(c) 
Third attempt. In December 
1942 a successful escape was made from the Compound by two German speakers:.631689 w.o. G.J.W. 
GRIMSON, 


994380 w.o. A. MORRIS, They left the Compound at night disguised as two of the Luftwaffe personnel 
who were in the Compound 
Theatre seeing 

a show. They 
produced foreed passes to the sentry at the gate and told him they did not like the show. They did the same thing at the Vorla.ger gate 
and 
left 
the German Compound by the w:i.cl(et gate 
at 
the side of 
the Officers¥ Mess. 

Once outside the Camp they altered their diseu,ises and from then on they purported to be Dutch civilian workers. They travelled by train from SAGAN to BAYREUTH, where they were apprehended two days later through a check of documents as they attempted to leave the railway station. In due course they were returned to the Compound. 


This was 
the first escape which employed the resowces of the recently formed Escape Committee. German uniforms, civilian clothes, 
etc., were 

the .scape Organisation and GRIMSON and HO&i:u:s. Preparations took about three months. 
(d) 
Fourth Attempt. In Nay 1943 a successful attempt was made by 628,366 w.o. C. B. FLOCKHART, n..A.F. 
He left the Compound with a party 
visiting the Camp Dentist, who had a consulting room in the Vorlager. He wore Luftwaffe fatigue dress under his greatcoat. 
On arrival 
at the dentist's hut the party was placed in a waitine room and the door was locked. The door was 
opened in 
/accordance 











-3::> .



accordance with the pre-a.rranaed plan by 

W.H. HALES, who had canufactured a lockpick for the occasion. FLOCKHARI' removed his greatcoat and left the hut disguised as a German. He joined a party of Geruans who were standing outside the shower ba.ths in the Vorlager and marched with them into the German Compound. 
In the meantime HALES had re-locked the waiting room door and when the party of uo.c.o.¥s were being taken oo.ck to the Compound, a Red Cross worker in the Vorlaeer 
R59280 W.O. W. MEMZIES, R.C.A.F., joined the party in order to cover FLOCKHART''s absence. He bluffed his way back into the Vorlager short4' afterwards as he was well }mown to the guai--d on the gate as a Rad Cross worker. 

FLOCKHART remained in the German Compound until evening. He spent most of the time in a hayloft. At midnight he left the Camp by climbing the single barbed wire fence on the South side of the German Compound.. He travelled by rail and on foot to near REISE in German Occupied POLAND, where he was apprehended about five days later by a suspiciou:, German-Polish farmer. He was returned to the Comp:>und in due course. 
The preparations made by the Escape Orcanisation and :FLOCKHART took about six weeks. 'rhis included. watching tho movements of the German weekly bath party, because the success of the scheue was dependant upon correct timing; ma.king the lock pick for this particular lock, which had a shaped key hole; manufacture of civilian clothes, and Luftwaffe fatigue jacket and Field Service cap; forgery of Polish civilian worker's passes, etc. 
(e) 
."'ifth attempt. 
An attempt to escape by walking through the Compound gate disguised as Germans and joining the German bath party in the Vorlager was made in June 1943 by:.
775137 A.c.r. J. GEWELBER, ll.A.1''. 1068112 w.o. J.B. WIIJCiii:, R.A.Ii'¥ After producine forced passes at the Compound eate they were allowed 
/to ,r:ass 














-3o .



to pass tluáotl[;h, but they were Germans in 
the Vorlae; er before 
they marched into the German Compomd. endeavour to join the party as it passed through the gate, but they were stopped and their true identities were discovered. 




and WILKIE took 
a.bout two 
weeks. This included 
the pre:r:aration 
the forgery of two Luftwaffe Paybook covers, gate passes, Polish civilian workers' passes, and letters introduction from a German Labour Office to an employer. 


This was the last escape attempt made during the period under review. 18. 
Only one escape was made from this 
Compound, ey means of a wire scheme, during the period under review-. 
631689 H.O. G.J.W. GRIMSON, R.A.F. 













from a sentry tower 
where telephone lines crossed the fence. He was wearing the dark blue overalls and a Luftwa.ffe Field Service 
cap. He was carrying a ladder, which he had borrowed froi: the Compotmd Theatre, and a dummy electrician's testine device, which 
the ladder 
and walked to where a plank was lying a few 
yards 
away. He carried this up the ladder and placed it across the double fence. It transpired that the plank was just too short to span the gap and it fell between the two fences. GRil1SON climbed down the ladder and walked to another pa.rt of the Compound where he 
















-37 .
He 
climbed the ladder and placed the plank firmly 
across the .ap 
He then crossed the plank and began to test the telephone wires on the other side of the fence. Whilst he was doin. this the sentry }:atrolling the German Compound side of the fence stopped 

opposite him and enquired \.Jhat he was doing. Apparently 
the 
reply and demanded to see his pape'rs. GR.IHSON produced his false pass and told the e;uard to mind his own business. 
A few moments later GRIM.SOU deliberately dropped his testine meter amongst the barbed wire entanelements between the fences, but close to the wire on the German Compound side. He began to swear 
the fence within the German 
He picked up his test meter and after exa.minir1e; it care.fully walked of'f grumbline about the amount he would 
have stopped from his pey-because it was damaged. This swearing and erumbline; was done for the benefit of the guard in the sentry tower. 
GR.IHSOU walked throueh the German Compotmd and left it by the wicket eate at the side of the Ger111an Officers' Mess. He discarded his overalls in the woods nearby and travelled by train to 3TETTIN, dressed in civilian clothes which 
he had worn underneath the overalls. He was 
picked up about 5 days 
later uue 

to the fact that 
a special check was beine made in the area for a Hussian who had murdered a German. The Russian was captured soon afterwards an<l was lodced in the sane cell as GRIHSOU. GlUláT::JON was returned to the Camp a few 
days later. 
As as GRiiáiSOU was seen to be safe. in the Gennan 
Go1i1pounc.l. 
the Escape Connni ttee approached the 

the Abwehr De.rtment and to tell him that a member of his staff had entered the Theatre and demanded 
the ladder. He had taken it away and not returned it and that it was required in the Theatre; also that it wa. now lean:i.nc 


























at:;ainst the fence. The Theatre l-lanager carried out his instructions and the ch'ief Abwehr n.c.o. recovered the ladder and returned it to the Theatre. He did not suspect that an escape had been effecteu. As a reault of this ruse and despite the fact that Gn:CNSON 'Was 
under special surveillance his absence was 11 covered11 until it was learned from the Abwehr Department that he had been 
recaptured. 


Details 
of the 
method of 11 covering11 

the absence 

of escapers are given in Chapter I, Section 2, sub-Section (d). Particulars of GKLJ,1SON'1s special surveillance are given in Chapter I, Section 2, sub-Section (h) final paracraph. 

This IBethod of escape was GRii1iSON Is own idea. The clothes, passes, etc., 

who also provided watchers and created diversions to occupy the attention of all Germans in the Compound whilst the escape was being effected. 









20. 

Several attempts were made by PI1 
s/H, who were unable to speak German, to escape from the Compound by hiding in German vehicles. None 
of these attempts were successful as all personnel were apprehended 
when the vehicles were searched at the 
Gate. 
Personnel Lla.ldng such attempts were given every possible assistance by the Escape Organisation, but as the Escape Committee considered 
that the chances of success were very s1:ia.ll, they were not 
provided with the forged documents clothes. .he escape aids which 
were provided 
consisted of maps, 
compasses, a small amount of money, and the creation a suitable diversion to enable them to board the vehicles 'Without beine seen by the Germans accompanying it. 









In December 1942 an attempt 
was made to escape from the Compound by crawling 
at night from between Barracks 55 and 5o to 




-39 .
a pit beyond the warning wire near the South perimeter fence {see Appendix 0B11). The distance was about 100 yards over bare sand and the area was swept by two searchlights. A sentry was patrolling outside the fenoe. The attempt was made by 
628366 w.o. C.B. FLOCKHART, 
748713 w.o. W.J. CHANTLER, 


They crawled to the pit, which they reached after about 2 

hours, and began to dig a burrow-like tunnel about 2 feet beneath the surface. No shoring was needed as the sand was supported by the roots of small tree stumps. The distance from the pit to beyond the fence was about .30 feet. They estimated that they could burrow this distance in about 4 hours. They had a rope .30 feet in length and one end was fastened at the mouth o£ the burrow so that they would know to surface after all the rope would be paid out. The intention was to follow one another through the burrow, one to dig and the other to push the sand back to .fill the burrow mouth. They carried a spuie with a short handle and a pole about three feet in length with which to make air holes as required. 
After they had burrowed a few feet, and before the mouth of the burrow could be sealed, they were discovered by the dog patrol. 
The Escape Committee supplied maps, compasses and money. {b) In February 194.3 two other N.c.o.¥s attempted to carry out a similar scheme. They were seen before reaching the pit and one was seriousq wounded by machine-gm fire from one of the sentry towers. Further details are given in Chapter I, Section 2, sul>.Section {o), final paragraph. 
22. 
NUMBER OF ESCAPER¤. 
Du.ring the period under review no escaper was successful in leaving German occupied territory. 2.3. Brief accomits o£ the partq successful escapes from this 

/Compomd during 






-40 .
Compound during the period under 
review are given :in 
this Chapter, 
Sections 17 and 18. Three individuals got clear of the Camp 
area:.
once once. 
There were no mass attempts to escape from this Compound during the period under review. 
25. 
(a) 

Tunnels. 


This 
would appear to have been due to the German anti-escape measures and to the lack of organisation of tmmel construction. Coments are given in this Chapter, Section 16, sub-Section (f). 
(b) Gate Walk-out schemes. 
Three of the four partly successful escapes from this Compolllld during the period under review were made 1zy" walking out of the Camp 
in German uniform. In order to do this the individual had to be able to speak German. (c) 



The scheme related :in this 
Chapter, Section 18, was dependant 
for its success upon the individual's knowledge of the German language and German psychology, as well as considerable talent as an actor. 
(d) 
Wall schemes. 
N/A. 
(e) Transport schemes. 
Attempts to escape hidden .in German vehicles were usually made by individuals of small stature who could not speak the German language. Because every vehicle was searched thoroughly at the Compolllld gate and the Vorlager gate, the Escape Committee did not consider this method to be worth serious consideration. (f) 





21, 
/sub-Section (a) 








-41 .

sub-Section {a), was dependant for its 
success 
upon the 
ability of the individuals to discipline themselves to elbows and toes, an inch at a time, under the glare of sweeping searchlights, for a distance of about 100 yards. The scheme might have succeeded but for the advent of the dog patrol a few minutes too soon. 
Prior to this 
attempt, the opinion 
of escapers had been that a body lying on the ground would be detected at once in the glare of a searchlight. 
The failure of the second attempt to carry out this scheme was probably due to the fact that the individuals tried to cover the distance too quick:cy-. To do this they lay still while the searchlights were sweeping the area in their immediate vicinity and made short dashes when the searchlights were switched off for a few seconds between sweeps. It would appear that these discernable movements led to their detection. 








-42. .

CHAPTER III 





The requirements of this type of Camp are as follows:.

(a) 
Authentic civilian clothes, 
including shirts, collars and ties, of average size with good overlap of material to enable garments to 

necessary. individual's 
chances of success by about fifty 
per cent. 


(b) Ene?ey" Officers', N.c.o.¥s, and lower ranks' 
jackboot's, headresses, dummy 
etc. The uniforms 


should be of average size lrlith generous overlap of material to permit garments 
to be made larger if necessary. 
Ascertain whether Air Force or Arrrry uniform required. 
(c) 
F.nemy uniform and civilian clothing material, 


to that in use by the Detaining Power, made up :in the form of blankets. It is suggested 
that these should be overdyed with a design in bright colours which would wash out. They should be despatched as from a Welfare Organisation. 

(d) 
all descriptions, especially hardened steel 'Wirecutte

rs, various 
types 
of files, screwdrivers, wood chisels, chisels, steel drills, etc. 
(e) Cameras 
with films for normal photographs. 
Special films, or plates and plate-type cameras, for reproducing documents. Quantities 
of all the necessary photographic chemicals and photographic printing pa.per of various sizes, surfaces and hardl1esses. 




/(f) 













-43 .
(f) 

Portable typewriters 
for producing documents, 
letters, etc. 
(g) 
Reproductions of all the types of identity documents, travel permits, etc.'l.1J.4r, in use by the Detaining Power, with full particulars of the circumstances in which each type is used. Those needed 
by females should be included. If possible, at 


signatures of the individuals authorised to issue the various types of passes, etc., in the various areas Yith:in about 100 miles of the Camp to which the 
shops. 
1:25,000. 
Target maps of all ports, show:ing quays used by neutral shipping, etc. 
(1) At least one copy of Baedecker. 
(m) Accurate marching compasses and a few bearing 
were received from I.S.9. 
/in games 



















in games 
y.:arcels, 
gadgets and double-sided 
condensed milk 
tills. All items which were received were useful, with the exception of sma.11-scale maps. 
J. REMARKS OH PACKING. 
Games parcels and gramophone records were subjected to close scrutiny by the German censorship, in particular balls and games of the puzzle type. All gadgets passed the censorship successful:cy-. 
It is suggested that the best method of introducing escape aids to this type of Camp would be to despatch straight parcels addressed to specified individuals, but before this is done contact must be established with the Camp in order to ensure that conditions are such that certain parcels could be stolen before possible censorship. In all cases it is essential that the Ca.mp is advised of the despatch of such parcels by means of code messages in duplicate, and that ample warning is given. CONCEALMENT OF ESCAPE AIDS -GADGETS. ETC. 

The concealment of escape aids in gramophone records was discovered. All other methods of concealment were 
5. No straight 1.mcamouflaged pircels were received in this Compound during the period under review ¥ 
.All parcels which were known to contain escape aids, as 
advised by code messages, 
and all games pa.reels, 
were 
abstracted by the N.c.o.'1s handling .eels in the Vorlager. These were taken into the 
Compound 
without having been censored 
by the Germans. Details are given in Chapter IV, Section 1, sub-Section (a). 
No parcel containing escape aids was discovered by the Germans during this period. 
6. 
DANGERS OF STEALING PARCELS. 
The success of stealing JE,rcels prior to censorship 
vas dependant upon the quick vit and ingenuity of the personnel handling the parcels in the Parcel Store in the Vorlager. 
/As no 





















-45 .




As no individual was apprehended whilst stealing a parcel it is not known whether any special dangers existed. It is considered that if any individual had been caUt;ht in the act the punishment would have beena short period in cells and he would 
7. MATERIAL AVAik4BLF/ACQUIRABLE 
ON THE SPOT. 
In general the only materials which were of use as aids to escape and acquirable on the spot were:-Bed boards for the shoring of tunnels. Tools which were stolen from workmen, etc. Oddments of civilian 
clothing and blankets for the 
manufacture of civilian clothes which were obtained from P1 s/w. R.A.F. O.R.'1 s uniforms and greatcoats which were altered to look like Luftwaffe uniforms and greatcoats. Scraps of metal alloy and the tinfoil out of cigarette packets which were used for casting Luftwaffe buttons, etc. Waxed paper from packets of biscuits in Red Cross i'ood parcels, which was used to make transformers for the radio receiver. 
Veey little material was acquirable b,y bribing Germans because of the conditions described in Chapter II, Section 10, sub-Section (a). 





















-46 .CHAPTER IV. 



1. 

(a) 
Parcels. 


Red Cross food, next-of-kin clothing, games, cigarette and tobacco p:1.rcels arrived at SAGAN Railway Station and SAGAN Post Office. When the Germans learned of the arrival of pa.reels they sent a party 
of 
Air Force 
N.c.o. 1 s, 
under escort, with a vehicle to collect them. A member of the Parcel Censorship staff always accompanied the N.c.o.'1s. The i:arcels were loaded on to the vehicle 
under the close 
supervision of this 
Parcel Censor and the escorting guards. 

When the vehicle arrived in the Camp the parcels were unloaded by Air Force N.c.o.'¥s and transferred to the Parcel store in the Vorlager. This 
was done under the supervision of members of the Parcel Censorship staff. 



Red Cross food parcels were stacked in one room of the Parcel Store. Next-of-kin clothing, ga.rnes, cigarette and tobacco pa.reels, which usually arrived in mail bags, were taken into another room 
where they were sorted into 
piles for the various ComJX)unds. This was done by the N.C.0.'1 s, who had nominal rolls showing the location of all P'Is/W in the Camp. Whilst this sorting was being done by 
N.c.o.'¥s, who had been specially briefed, games pa.reels and all i:arcels addressed to certain individuals were placed on one side. Book pa.reels were taken to the Book Censoring Department in the Vorlager. 



The Germans allowed cigeratte and tobacco rarcels to be taken to the Compounds at once. They were never censored nor opened. Those which 
were addressed to 
N.C.0.'1 s were placed in mail bags for transfer to the Centre ComJX)und and the ):a.reels which had been placed 
on one side were put into these bags while a suitable diversion 

was created 
to 
distract 
the attention of the Germans. The sacks were then taken into the Compound and the special pa.reels 
passed to 564838 w.o. E.L.G. HALL, R.A.F. 
/who examined 












-47 .


who examined the games µircels, eadgets, etc., and passed the escape aids they contained to 
the Escape Committee. 

Next-of-kin clothing µircels for N.c.o.'1 s which had not been taken mto the Compotmd 

as outlined above were kept 
in the Parcel Store for a few days. They were then opened by Air Force N.c.o.¥s in the presence of the Censors who examined each item in evecy parcel. Certain listed items, especially 
civilian shirts, etc.á were confiscated. The remaining items were then tied in the 




escape aids, and which had been placed on one side, were opened 

distract 

the attention 
of the Censors. In due course 
these pircels were loaded on to a hand-wagon and taken into the Compomd. Those parcels which were believed to contain escape aids were passed to 


aids were discovered. 





Gramophone 
records, of the 12 inch size, were subjected to special examination, believed to be in BERLilf. For several months no records of this size were allowed to be issued and all were sent away from the Camp. After some time some of them were returned and issued 
to the individuals to whom 
they had been addressed. Al:x>ut once a month they were re-collected and played by the Censors. 

/Germans 














-48 .


Germans maintained a record of all individuals in possession of 12 inch 
gramophone 
reco1¥ds. In addition 
to the foregoing, the Camp Censorship of these records amo,mted to every record being played and a hole being drilled through the centre of each where the label is affixed. 
All books were censored. 

The N.c.o.¥s who outwitted 
the Germans and acquired pa.reels containing escape aids and smuggled them into the Comp01.md without censorship were:.



565033 w.o. A.G. FRIPP, R..A.l<'"' . R59280 w.o. R.C.A.F. 1378671 w.o. K.G. LEWIS, R.A.F. FRIPP was informed by the Compound Leader when advices relating to pircels containing escape aids were received by code messages and he 






The censorship of all in-coming and out-going 
mail was carried out in the German Headquarters attached to the Camp by Luftwaffe personnel assisted by civilian women. In general, in-coming letters were divided into alphabetical groups but these groups were not always censored by the same censor. 



Letters from the U.K. were delivered in the Camp from six weeks to six months after posting. On several occasions no mail was issued to the P'1s/H 
for varying periods up to one month. No explanation was made to the P'1 s/W. 
2. Parcels. 

















Red Cross parcels and parcels containing cigarettes and tooo.cco were accepted by 
the Germans as being above suspicion. 



In theory, the 
censorship of all 
other pa.reels', i.e. next-of-kin clothing', games, sports equipment, books, musical instruments, gramophone records, etc., was carried out efficiently. all ,IE.reels which were believed to contain escape aids were got into the Compound 
as outlined in this Chapter, Section l,su.Section 
(a). 

/(b) Mail 















-49 .

(b) .. 

The 
German censorship 
of in-coming 
and out-going mail was reasonably efficient. Obscure phrases, stilted sentences and groups of figures were blacked out. There is evidence that some form of 
code communication between the P'1s/W and the U.K. was suspected, but as far as can be ascertained, no code user's mail 
or subjected 
to special scrutiny. It 
is almost 
certain that the P/w code was not 11broken"'. 
It is worthy of note that certain P'1s/t-1, who were blacklisted by the Germans, did not receive their mail regularly, nor were all their letters received in the U.K. 
OBJECT OF CENSORSHIP. 







The object of puncturing tins of food was to ensure that 
the contents would be consumed within a short time and not hoarded for use in an escape attempt. 
(b) Mail. 
The object of censoring mail was to delete 
passages, 
or keys to a code which might convey useful information; also to discover, by acid tests, whether messages were written in invisible ink. 
All parcels bearing special labels, e.g. 
Licensed Victuallers, etc., were abstracted by the workers in the Parcel Store as related in this Chapter, Section 1, sub-Section (a). 
Advices concerning special markings on JarCels containing escape aids were received in code messages. 




The censorship 
of letters addressed to Air Force P'1 s/w delayed the delivery of the letters very much longer than was experienced in the case of personnel of the other Services in other Camps. 





-50 .
CF.APTER V 
CODE-LETTER MAIL'. 


1. 
INTRODUCTION. 

The incorporation of code messages m letters was mtroduced to this Compound 
by certain N.C.0.'1s, who had been taught the code 
prior to capture, and who had been engaged on this work in other Camps. 

2. ORGANISATION. 



(a) 
Sources of information. 


Military information for transmission to the U.K. in code messaees was obtained from the follo'Wing sources:.
(i) 
All new arrivals in the Compound, whether new P's/w from DULAG LUFT (OBERURSEL) or older P'1 s/W 
from other Camps, were interrogated as soon as possible by the Compound Leader and his assistant:.

580114 w.o. J.A.G. DEANS, R.A.F. 744979 w.o. R.P.L. MOGG, R.A.F. The interrogation was silllilar to that done on R.A.F. stations after an operational sortie. 




(ii) 
P'Is/W .i ourn ey s outside the Camp. All P'Is/i-1 who went on journeys outside the Camp to Hospitals, the Railway Station, Post Office, etc.'
, were requested 
by the Compound 
Leader to keep their eyes and ears open and to give him details of what they had learned when they returned to the Compound. The most useful individual in this connection was 
R59280 W. 0. W. HENZIES, R.C.A.F. 

(iii) 
Recaptured escapers. All recaptured escapers were interrogated, upon their return to the Compound, by the Escape Committee. Any information of military 
value was 
(iv) 
There was no organisation 
for obtaining 
A small number of P'1 s/w '3stablished a fonn of friendship with certain 




























/Germans 




-51 .

Germans with whom they were brought into contact in the course of their Camp duties. These individuals questioned 
the Gennans about military matters and pi.ssed the resultina information to the Compound Leader. In most cases they began to do this work without direction, but at a later date the Compound Leader indicated the type of .information to seek. The 

580114 
w.o. 
R.A.F. 628366 w.o. R.A.F. 625686 w.o. R.A.F. 565033 w.o. R.A.F. R59280 w.o. R.C.A.F. 


(c) Codinff Staff¥ 



anyone. 
The Compound 
Leader decided to control the sendine of messages in order to obviate the possibility of unreliable information being desi:atched. By discreet enquiry he discovered the names of the code users and infomed them invidividually that the despatch of messages 

in future 
would be done under his direction. He instructed them not to send messages without his request and explained the reasons for this. He then selected two of the code users, whom he knew to 





E.L.G. HALL,
R.L. HOLLIDGE, The above 
named then selected individuals to form their teams 

and taught those who did not lmow the code. When this 

/had been 




-52 .
had been done the Compound Leader instructed the above named to send code mcssaees to the U.K. stating that the despatch of messages from N.C.0.'1s in this Camp had 
now been organised and that 
messages from N.c.o.¥s in the Camp, names were sul:mitted in messaees from HALL and HOLLIDGE, were to be ic.rnored. 

From June 19/42 onwards the Compound Leader gave all messages to HALL and HOLLIDGE and they either incorporated them 
in their own letters, or passed them to members of their teams for encoding 
letters. The Compound Leader also learned the code and was registered. 


All messages received from the U.K. were decoded by 
the individual code users and r:assed tothe Team Leaders. passed them to the Compound Leader. 

users in this Com!X)und, from whom 
messages were received by I.S.9.:.
w.o. 
R.A.F. 

w.o. 
R.A.F. 

w.o. 
R.W.P. ALEXANDER, R.A.F. 

w.o. 
N.M. CAMPBELL, R.A.F. 

w.o. 
E.L.G. HALL, R.A.F. 



u.o. S.N. HIND, R.A.F. 740310 w.o. R.L. HOLLIDGE, R.A.F. 7/42616 w.o. E. 
HARTIN, R.A.F. 944601 w.o. R.A.F. 976383 w.o. R.A.F. 

w.o. R.A.F. 
w.o. 
P.C. ROBSON, R.A.F. 

w.o. T. 
SCOTT, R.A.F. 
w.o. 
R.A.F. 

w.o. 
R.A.F. 

w.o. 
W. WOOD, R.A.F. 


Certain other personnel were registered as code users, bi.1t no messaees were received by I.S.9. 
(d) Despatch of messai;es. 
handed to the Team Leaders, who passed them 
to the Compound Leader 

for scrutiny. The object of this examination was to ensure that none of these letters or postcards contained any remark which might be deleted 
by the German censorship; also to check that the phraseology was natural. 
/A copy 



















-53 .
A copy of all messages was encoded 
and retained until an aclmowledgment of each message was received from I.S.9. During the Summe'r of 1942 the Compound Leader vas informed by 

628366 w.o. C.'B. FLOCKHART, that the German from whom he was obtaining military-information was willing to take letters out of the Compound and, after stampingá 

to include them in bundles of letters which had been passed by 
the censorship and were ready for despatch. The Compound Leader gave FLOCKHART 
a letter for despatch by this means and in due course received a reply which proved that the time taken for its delivery was much less than for letters sent through the normal channel. 
From then until June 1943 a considerable 
number 
of letters containing code messages were despatched by this means, were always accompanied by a number of normal letters. 
3. 


It was generally lmown 
amongst the P'1s/W that some form of communication existed between the Camp and the U.K.', but the lmown to very few. 





Very few 
of the code users knew 
the names of other code 
users. Only the Team Leaders lmew the members of each team, and neither of these lalew the names of the members of the other team. Only the Compound Leader lmew the names of all the code users. 

No special 
organisation was in existence 
for 
providing watchers to give warning when code users were at work. were encoded and decoded by the individuals in their own barracks, and although accommodation was very crowded the other occupants 












written on cigarette papers and were carried on the 

/person of 






-54 .

person of the individual. The object of this 
was to enable the individual to swallow the message .in the event of an attempt being made to search him. 
No code writer was ever discovered at work and the code was 
The number of messages received by I.S.9 from each code user and 
the period of receipt are indicated 
on his Appendix 1A'1¥ Some of the code users listed in this Chapter, Section 2, sub-Section (c), were not often employed for the despatch of messae;es 
their work was not up to the required standard. 









The amount of military information which could be obtained was limited by the conditions related in Chapter II, 
sub-.Section {a). 


















-55 .

RADIO. 
1. 

The essential .rts of a radio receiver were broueht to this Cornpoun'd in April 19/i-2 by 

902601 
w.o. 
J.F.H. BRISTOW, R.A.F. who had constructed and operated a receiver at STALAG LUFI' I (BARTH) After a short time the receiver was reconstructed by BRISTOW aided by 
w.o. 
H.L'. HURREL, R.A.F. 

w.o. 
P. STUBBS, R.A.F. 90330? w.o. D.G. YOUNG, R.A.F. 



The set was operated daily, to receive the B.B.C. news broadcasts, by BRISTOW
, assisted by STUBBS and 
YOUNG. There were occasional periods when the set was not operated due to technical faults, or Gennan searches. The receiver was operated until the 
of the Compc)lmd 
in June 19/4.3. 
3. HAIN'l'ENANCE. 
All maintenance work was done by BRISTOW assisted by STUBBS and 
YOUHG. They made 
most of the parts, but BRISTOW was able to obtain certain items from a German by bribery. 

As a rule the set was operated in the evenines 
ai'ter the barracks were locked up. Watching for the approach of Germans was done by the other occupants 
of the barrack in whi'ch the set was us'ed. 
During one evenine in January 191.3 while BRISTOW was making alterations to the set, the German N.c.o. in charze of the Abwehr 








radio parts were hidden. The German got a torch from his pocket and I..._/ was able to con'fiscate 
certain parts'. BRISTOW was 

/arrested and 













-56 .







arrested and sentenced to seven days in cells for beine in possession of radio parts. The parts which had been confiscated were replaced and 
the set was operating again 
within two days. 
From April 1942 until the aoove mentioned incident in January 1943, the set was hidden in a large piano accordian', which could be played. While BRISTOW was in cells STUBBS and YOUNG transferred the set to another, smaller, piano accordian. After BRISTOW' s ¥ release from cells he reconstructed the set in parts, each in a small wooden box and these were always 
taken on individuals. 

Shortly afterwards, at 0500 hours one morning, the Germans surrounded BRISTOW1s barrack and about fifty Germans entered the barrack. They 
enquired 
for BRISTOW and conducted a thoroueh 
search of his bed in r:e,rticular and the whole of the barrack. The whole of the radio equipment, with the exception of an earphone, the mains unit and rectifying valve, was found and confiscated. BRISTOW w
as arrested and detained in cells for eighteen days. It was 
so in order to obtain leave as a reward. 
When BRISTOW returned to the Compound, after serving his sentence, the German supplied him with a new detector valve. BRISTOW constructed a new set within a fortnight and this was placed in a wall panel. It was never discovered. 
As the Abwehr Department had not discovered any earphones when they found the radio equipnent, leave was offered to any German who succeeded in finding it. The German who had previously 
betrayed BRISTOW, suggested 

that 
the earphone should be left in a certain cupboard and he would arrange for it to be found by the 

He brought BRISTOW a new pair of earphones and they arranged the 

time for 
the "discove:cy-" of the old earphone. The German's story to the Abwehr Depirtment was that he had 
learned of this hiding place by overhearing a conversation. The earphone was duly "found" and the German got fourteen days 
leave. 
/From then 













-57 .
From then on the Germans were satisfied that there was no radio in the Compound. DISSENINA TION OF Nro-1s 


The B.B.c. news broadcasts were taken dow in shorthand by 7li4979 w.o. R.P.L. MOGG, R.A.F ¥ .580468 w.o. P. STUBBS, 
These notes were then transcribed into longhand, four copies being 
made. Three of the copies were circulated to Barrack Le.ders, 
who read the bulletins to the occupants of their barracks daily 
between 1200 hours and 1300 hours when there were no Germans in the 
Compound. Each oo.rrack maintained a watch to ensure that no German 
could walk in without warning being given. 
For several months during 1942 the fourth copy was used for transmitting the bulletins to the Ea.st (Officers') Compound by means of hand semaphore. This was done by:.
Petty Officer A. BRIHMS, Naval Air Arm. This was discontinued when the East Compound obtained a radio receiver. 

VALUE AND REHARlCS 

The chief value of the radio receiver in this Compound was the maintenance of morale amongst the P'1 s/w by the issue of a daily 
B.B.C. news bulletin. 
The main difficulty in connection with the radio was maintenance. Most of the parts had to be manufactured from scraps of material as very few parts could be obtained from local sources. It has been stated that many requests were made to the U.K., by means of code messages', for the supply of radio equipnent. Only two short-wave condensors were received. W/T COMMUNICATIONS -INTRODUCTION 

No radio code messages were received in this Compound during the period under review. 

TRA.T'f Sl¥ITTTERS No radio transmitter was constructed in this Compound. 







-53 .


1. 
No News Letters were received in this Compound durine the period under review. 
2. 






























MILITARY mFOREATION 

(a) Methods 
of collection 
The various raeans employed for the collection of military information are described in Chapter V, Section 2, sub-Section (a) 
(b) 
Best tan,;ets 
for the type of Camp 
This subject is dealt with in Part I, Chapter VIII, Section 1, sub-Section (b). 
(c) Value of direction from I.S.9. 
Instructions which were received from I.S.9 were vague, and ca.ble of mis-construction. 
(d) 
Adherence 
to direction 
All specific directions from I.S.9 were put into effect and an endeavour was made to comply with general instructions or requests. IHTERl-TAL SECURITY 
(a) Or.anisation 
.All new arrivals in the Compound were interviewea by the Ca.rap 
Leader and his assistant as related in Chapter V, Section 2, sub.Section (a) (i). Sufficient details of their Service career were obtained 
to enable a check 
to be made with other P's/w. 
There was no check on conversations between P'1 s/w and Germans and no other internal security measures were in force, exceptine those connected with escape activities 'Which are described in Chapter II under 
appropriate sub-headings. 
(b) Peculiarities of Camp 
This subject is dealt with in Part I, Chapter VIII, Section 2, sub-Section (b) of this Volume. 
(c) Subsequent 
use to M.I,5. 
Full details are given in Part I, Chapter VIII, Section 2, sub-Section {c) of this Volume. 


























-c{) .
Uniformity 
in the subject matter was aimed at and a fresh set of 
points was prepared week.cy-by:.
3213l W/Cdr. R.C. 
COLLARD, 

A copy of 
this 
bulleti
n was passed to this 
Compound, to the Compound Leader, DEANS, who chose certain reliable N.c.o.'¥s, vho were in regular contact with the Germans, to disseminate the .ro.i:aganda. The selected N.C.0.'1 s were:.
904254 w.o. n.w. DAVIES, R.A.F. 

w.o. C.B. FLOCKHART, R.A.F. 565033 w.o. A.G. 
R.A.F. 
1378671 w.o. K.G. LEWIS, R.A.F. 514061 w.o. s.E. 
R.A.F. 




L.A.C. J.o. WESTON, R.A.F. The 
Compound Leader passed the bulletin to FLOCKHART who briefed the 
The propaganda was of a military and political nature, and was intended to undermine the morale of the Germans in the immediate vicinity of the Camp. Special attention was paid to Germans who were about to go home 
This system continued until June, 1943 when this Compound was evacuated by the N.c.o.'¥s. 

w.o. 
RUSE, R.A.F. 





PA RT III 





/ 




I ND EX. PART III. ..




1. LOCATION AND DESCIUf+ION OF CAMP. l 
z. CAMP CONDITIONS. l 
Number and accommodation of P1 s/W. 
... German Administration. {c) P/W Administration. 
Roll Calls.
{de. Food. 
((f) Clothing. Searches. 
... German anti-escape measures. 
(i) Punishment £or Escape Activities. Education. 


4 
4 
(k) 
l 
Sports. Theatre. 
l 

Religion. 5 
Shooting incidents. 


26

15. 

GApGETs. 
16. 27 

GATE WALK-OUT SCHlll4ES. 
40 

18. WIRE SCHEMES. 
41 19. 41 
14.. 
TOOLS. 

1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
6. 7. 
s. 
9. 

11. 
12. 
13. 


(o) 
P/w Morale. 
Medical.
l.l Reprisals.
..) Finance. 

SECURITY.
CWTigNG. 



5 5 
6 
7 

12 13 15 18 18 
19 20 2.3 25 26 
26 

21. 

42 

41 
-2 .

22. 
42 

23. 42 
24-4.3 
25. 98 

CHAmjR III . 

,,.--, 



102 



CHAPTER VI. 
RADIO. 

l. INTRODUCTION AND CQNSTRIJCTION. 10.3 
2. OPERATION. 




3. MAINTENANCE¥ 

4. 105
SECURJJ'Y. 
5. DIS¤EMiltATION OFNEWS. 105 

6. 
106 


7. WIT COMMUNICATIONS -INTRODUCTION. 106 
s. 
OlJi.ANISATION 
106 
9. VALUE AND REMARKS. 106 

TRANSMITTERS. 106 




109 
CW'fER VIII. 

110 lll 
\.,_) 









-1 .



CHAPTER I. 

in Part I, Chapter I, Section 1 of this Volume. 
2. CAMP CONDITIONS The following description applies to the North Compound only, and covers the period from March, 1943 to January, 1945. 
The North Compound was opened on 27th V..arch, 1943. About 850 P'l.1J.4r1 s/w were 
moved in from the East Compound. An advance guard moved in first, followed by P'l.1J.4r1 s/W from the Polish barrack, P's/W from the American barracks, and then all the remaining barracks. During the first week of April 50 P'l.1J.4rIs/w arrived from OFLAG VIB (WARBURG)'l.1J.4r. In June, 50 P 's/w arrived from OFLAG XXIB (SCHUBIN). In late September approximately 40 P'l.1J.4r1s/w arrived 
In October, the South Compound, and their places filled by successive batches of 50 P's/w at a time from DUI.AG LUFT (OBERURSEL)'l.1J.4r. 
Before the end of 1943 about 
By the end of the year there were approximately 
800 P's/W .in the Compol.llld. 
In January, 1944 a small number of P's/W were transf'erred to the BELARIA Compound. During the remainder of the period P'l.1J.4r1s/W continued to arrive from other Camps, the numbers increasing till January, 1945, when there were approximately 2,'l.1J.4r500 P'l.1J.4r1 s/w in the Compound. 
Accommodation consisted of fifteen standard-type wooden single storey huts, each containing seventeen large rooms holding four to eieht P'l.1J.4r1s/W and three small rooms, a kitchen, bathroom and lavatory. 
Officers 
of all Air Forces were accommodated here, e.g. R.A.F., R.A.A.F., 
R.C.A.F., R.N.Z.A.F.'l.1J.4r, S.A.A.F., Fleet Air Arm, and until October, 1943, 






















-2 .

This 
subject is dealt 
with in 
Part I, Chapter I, 
Section 2,, 
sub.Section (c) of this Volume. The only difference was in the personnel holding the positions of Senior British Officer and Adjutant. 

The first Senior British Officer of this Compcnmd wa
s:.MASSEY, R.A.F. He became Senior British Officer of the whole Camp in April, 1943. The position of Senior British Officer for the North Compound was held 






05175 W/Cdr. H.M.A. DAY, 

-Col. 
GOODRICH, u.s.A.A.c. 
D.E.L. Wll.SON, 
Group Captain WILSON took over and continued until January, 1945. 
n.c. TORRENS, R.A.F. 


28224 L.w.
v. JENNENS, R.A.F ¥ 
.
(d) 
In general, the procedure adopted by the Germans for counting the P's/w was the same as in the East Compound. Details are given in Part I, Chapter 
I, Section 2, sub-Section (d) 
of this Volume. 
In this Compolllld there were surprise checks at night, when the 
P1s/w were cotmted in bed. 










-3 .
This subject is dealt with in Part I, Chapter I, Section 2, sub.Section (e) of this Volume. 
The oreanisation of food-exchange was carried out by:.
117157 F/Lt. A.R. DOUGLAS, 
Further details concerning food for escape purposes are given in Chapter II, Section 6. 

Items of R.A.F. O.R1 s. service issue clothing were supplied by the International Red Cross Society. 
lmtil the Autumn of 1943, clothing for Pd1s/w in this Compound was issued from the Clothing Store in the Vorlager of the East Compound. J:\Y' that time a Clothing Store had been built in the Vorlager of the North Compound. 
The issue of clothing from this store was superintended by:.42985 F/Lt. T.F. GUEST, R.A.F. who used the store as a source of suppq for escape clothing. The full story of clothing used for escape purposes is given in Chapter II, Section 4. 
(g) Searches 
Searches took place in the same wq as in the East Compound, and are described in Part I, Chapter I, Section 2, sub-Section (g) of this Volume. 
(h) German Anti-Escape Measures 
The German Anti-Escape Organisation functioned in the main as described in Part I, Chapter I, Section 2, sub-Section (h) of this Volume. The ways in which German anti-escape measures differed in this Compound are described hereunder:.
There was no anti-tunnel ditch. 
German staff entering or leaving this Compound always used Pl,SSes, and from Mey, 194.3 onwards, had to 1book ind1 and 1book outd¥ at the Compound guardroom. 
The sentry-towers had been built with balconies to enable the searchlight to cover the whole stretch of the perimeter fence. When it was found that P's/w used these balconies as cover under which to crawl, a fence constituting a wire box was built around the towers on the side nearest to the perimeter fence. Pd1 s/W still were able to hide under the balcony on the 
/side 















-4.
side farthest from the perimeter fence, so trip-wire was laid between the warning fence and the tower. A German agent was 1 planted'1 officer of the Egyptian Air Force. 




Some of the guards from the East Gom}X)und were transferred to duties in this Compotmd when it opened. (i) 

This subject is dealt with in Part I, Chapter I, Section 2, sub.Section (i) of this Volume. (j) 

This subject is dealt with in Part I, Chapter I, Section 2, sub.Section (j) of this Volume. (k) 
The library was divided into a Reference 
Library, housed in a classroom 
and supervised by the Education Section, and the Fiction Libralj", housed in 
activitie
s are as described in Part I, Chapter I, Section 2, sub-Section (k) 
(l) Sports Section 2, 













Chapter II, Section 
16, sub-Section 
(c). 
(m) 
Theatre Before the Compound was opened, P'1 s/W were allowed to start building a 


--._,,,á 
theatre. It was built under the direction of:.3?048 
H.R. LARKIN, R.A.F. All entertainment for the Compound 
was organised by:.
/37048 










-5  - 
37048 39098 40631  Lt.Cdr.'l.1J.4r(A) ,T ¥ W/Cdr. H.'l.1J.4rR. A.J. I.A.  LARKIN, MADGE, McIN'.OOSH,  R.N. R.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F.  



Other 
details 
are 
as described in Part I, Chapter I, 
2, sub.Section (m) or this Voltnne. 


(n ) 



This subject is dealt with in Part I, Chapter I, Section 2, 
sub.
section (n) of this Volume. (o} Shooting Incidents There were 
a number of cases of P'l.1J.4r1s/W being shot at whilst retrieving balls beyond the warning fence, but no one was ever injured on these occasions. There were other occasions when P's/w were shot at for not hurrying to their barracks when air-raid warnings sounded, leaving the shutters of their windows open at night, etc., but no one was hit. In late 1943 J.15107 Jl/Lt. 
C.D. McCLOSKEY, 
R.C.A.F. in cells, made a rush for the door of the cells, although it was locked. The German guard shot him twice at close range. 

Just before 
Christmas, 1943 






65568 
K.R. GRANT, 


five times; 


-6 .



Chapter II, Section 
2/., sub-Section {b). It is not lmown whether this was done as a reprisal, or as a deterrent to other P's/W. Other reprisals tool. place as de3cribed in Part I, Chapter I, Section 2, sub-Section (r) of this Volume. {s) Finance 
This subject has been 
dealt with ful. in Part I, Chapter I, Section 2, sub-Section {s) of this Volume. 
The Compotmd Accollllts 
orficer 
was:.
NZ.40631 F/Lt. R.G. STARK, R.N.Z.A.F. 




















-7 .



CHAPTER II 
ESCAPE Offi.ANISATIOii 
CONTROL BY CAHP AUTHORITIES 
East 
Compound, and had already done all preliminary planning and was ready to come into action as soon as the move took place. 
The first 
Head of the Committee was:.
90J20 R. BUSHELL, R.A.F. 
The Committee asswned a complete and strict control of 
all escape activities, and attempts. It had the support of the Senior British Officer, who 
was responsible for the appointment of BUSHELL. Plans had already been made for the construction of three large tunnels, and no other tunnels were allowed to be constructed. 
Escape activity Departmentso, their work and their staff had already been planned in considerable detail. They are described in subsequent Sections of this Chapter. Heads of Dep3.rtments attended all full Conunittee meetings and any other meetings when matters involving their Departments were discussed. 
The first Committee consisted of:.4/.,B79 
s/Ldr. C.N.S. CAMPBELL, R.A.F. in charge of 42587 F/
Lt. N.E. CANTON, R.A.F. in charge of escape food and 'Wire-escape schemes. Lt.Col. CLARK, u.s.A.A.c. in charge of Compound Security. 90408 W/Cdr. A. EYRE, R.A.F. in charge of J.5481 
F/Lt. c.w. R.C...A..F. member of Tunnel Committee. 42985 
T.F. GUEST, R.A.F. in charge of Escape Clothing. 
J.7755 
G.R. HARSH, R.C.A.F. 
in charge 
of Tunnel 
Security. F/Lt. G. KtLL, R.A.F. 



















G.L.B. IIDLL, R.A.F. 







-8 .Major D. JONES, American Escape 
Representative. 37321 R.G. KER-RAMSAY, R.A.F. Member of Tunnel Committee. 39103 
s/Ldr. T.G. KIRBY-GREEN, R.A.F. in charge or 'Duty-Pilote' Organisation. 89580 
R. MARCINKUS, R.A.F. in charge of Escape Intelligence from newspapers, etc. 36013 F/Lt. H.C. MARSHALL, R.A.F. Member of Tunnel Committee. 







D.L. PLUNKETT, 
in charge of Maps. 

N.R. QUILL, R.N. 
Advisor to Head of Committee. 37306 
W/Cdr. R.R. 
R.A.F. in charge or Supplies. 



82532 F/Lt. E. 
R.A.F.

in charge of 'Contact¥ Intelligence. 
73023 F/Lt. G.W. WALENN, R.A.F. in charge of Forgery. 
The Head of the Escape Committee, end the Senior British Officer met the Escape Representatives of each barrack once a week and gave them an account of all escape activity. The reasons for any unsuccessful escapes were explained, and the representatives were able to discuss their ideas or difficulties. It was at these meetings that a:n:y directives about escape activity were passed to the representatives for dissemination to the personnel of their barracks. 
All new batches of P1 s/W arriving in this Compound were assembled in the theatre for a talk by the Senior British Officer. He explained to them the existence and canstitution of the Escape Organisation, and warned them not to be inquisitive about it end never to take any notice of 81JY occurrence which might seem ver., strange to them. They were told no details about the work dane or the personnel involved. They were informed that if they 'Wished to help in the Escape Organisation they were to give their names to the Escape Representative or their oo.rrack. 









-9 .

The barrack representatives kept lists of volunteers á-Ur escape work. P'W'in1 s/W who volunteered were warned that, while their preference for one kind of work would be allowed whenever possible, they would be expected to accept direction to any work for which they were considered suitable, end were p,lzy"sica. fit. No P/W was ever ordered to ca:rry out'W'in. job which involved the risk of his life. In general, P1 s/w with experience of tailoring were taken by the Clothing Department, 



HULL kept a card index of every worker, and was 
expected to meet the demands of Heads 
of De}Xlrtments for extra staff. The card index was hidden amongst the records of the F.ducation Section 
HULL was succeeded in February, 1944 by KER-RAMSAY. 
There were the following changes in office up to March, 1944:.
GAMPBELL was succeeded as Head of the Carpentry Department in September, 1943 by:.
46652 &!Ldr. J.E. WILLIAMS, 
CLARK, in September, 1943, handed over Compound Security to KIRBY-GREEN, who continued to direct the 1 Du.ty-Pilot'W'in1 organisation. EYRE1 s job of collating Escape Intelligence devolved on VALENTA in September, 1943. 
VALENTA already had taken over from HILL in Jtme, 194.3 as in charge of "Contact" Intelligence, but at that date a division had been made end "ferret" ¥contacts¥ brought tmder the control of:.
?0902 F/Lt. PINCHBECK, 
JONES had left the Escape Committee in October, 1943, when American P's/W were moved out of this Compound. STANFURD-TUCK was succeeded in January, 1944 by:.A.400102 w/Cdr. NORMAN, R.A..A.F. In March, 1944, the aim for which every member of the Escape 
Organisation had been working aince he .. set foot in the Compound was 
realised. A mass timnel escape took place and seventy six P'W'in1 ,vW got 




















-10 .clear of the Camp area. 
Those 
of 
the Escape Organisation who were left in the 
Camp, relaxed and took life easily for a while, once the German storm had died down. No longer had they to descend into the tunnel, to strain their eyes forging documents, making maps and sewing clothes'l.1J.4r; to cook quantities 
of escape concentrate; to scheme and plot and al.s be on their guard. 

Shortly aften1ards they learned that fifty of the escapers had been shot. For a while all P'l.1J.4r1 s/w were too stunned to work, but soon'l.1J.4r, determined 
on a good front, and then in quiet and less ambitious ways work began again. 
J. ELLIS, R.A.F. 









J.W. 
ANNETTS, R.A.F. 

A. 
CASSIE, 



B. EVERrON..JONES, R.A.F ¥ The 1 Duty-Pilot1 Organisation was directed by:.36275 &/I,dr. C.K. SAXELBY, R.A.F. Escape Intelligence was 
done by:.

F/Lt. F.H. VIVIAN, R.A.F. 
VALENTA'l.1J.4r1s responsibilities in the 'Contact¥ Organisation 
oni.&/'Ldr. WATERER, R.A.F. 
Very little work was done because the Senior 
British Officer 
had stated that the danger was too great for further escapes. In September, 1944, a code message vas received from I.S.9. saying that escape was no longer considered a duty. 







-11 .




escapers, the self-effacing but thoroughly 
co-operative men, 
and the 

¥not-interested'l.1J.4r' class. These had all been organised in the way calculated 
to 
brin
g out the most useful qualities 
of each man. 
There 
were no square pegs in round holes, and the general 
efficiency ws increased by each P/w's sense of his own responsibility, the importance of his part in the life of the Compound, and his opportunities for making the fullest possible use of all his mental and plvsical energy. 
When the move took place the Escape Organisation, Committee and Deinrtments were ready to get into action straight awq. Ever,y P/w knew exact. what he was to do, and got on with it. 

The Planning Committee had been formed by BUSHELL to help him decide 
and direct the 
policy of the Escape Organisation, and to benefit by the experience of veterans who had learned the hard way by their mm mistakes. 
The Committee consisted of:.90120 R. BUSHELL, R.A.F. 
42587 
N.E. 
R.A.F. Major D. u.s.A.A.c. 

R.G. KERr-RAMSAY, R.A.F. 

Lt.Cdr.'l.1J.4r(A) N.R. 
R.N. In order to relieve BUSHELL of the necessity of interviewing ever,y 
Barrack Escape Representative, who would send him to discuss it with CANTON if it were a wire-scheme, JONES or QUILL, if it were a gate or transport scheme, KERr-RAMSAY if it were a tunnel scheme. These experts could see at once the flaws and good points of any plan, and would help the proposer to hammer out technical details, decide what help he would need. In the case of tunnels, since three major tunnels had already been 
started as soon as the Compound opened, and 
no others were allowed, the P/W would be told how he could help in this work, and firmly discouraged from 
A plan 

the expert thought promising would be proposed to 
BUSHELL. If it had not bean suggested 

before, the i;roposer was given If it bad already been proposed by another P/w, BUSHELL would chose whom he thought most suitable to make the attempt. /The 





















-12 .




The chosen escaper would be told who would provide him with clothing'Walk, papers'Walk, food, maps, gadgets and cover, and would be sent to see the Head of each Department concemed, who would work out with him the final details of his requirements. 
given the fullest possible information about his route, possible contacts and danger points. He would learn by heart the story he was to tell, who he was, his business, his presence 
in eve-ry locality, etc. and would be warned how to behave in case of capture, how he must destroy all equipnent, 
any w,q by any other P/W, and general:cy-to divert any suspicion of organisation of escape in the Camp. Plans for 
tunnel escapes had been made before the Compound opened. 
They will be described ru1:cy-in this Chapter, Section 16, sulrSection (a). 
After March, 19.44, a new Planning Committee was formed, consisting of ANNETTS, CANTON, and KER-RAMSAY. SECURITY 
As soon as the ComJX)und opened, 



Lt.Col. -CLARK, u.s.A.A.c. 
1 Duty-Pilot'Walk1 organisation 
.3910.3 &/Ldr. T.C. KIRBY-GREEN, R.A.F. and the Security Representative
s of the fifteen barracks took up office. 
The resJX)nsibilities of these three sections of Security were the same as in 
the East Compound, 
as 
described in Part I, Chapter 
II, Section 
.3, of this Volume. 
The 1 Duty-Pilot'Walk1 organisation differed in that night watches were kept secret, and the Compound was considered in terms of a Safe Zone and a 
40652 WI,dr. J.E.A. WILLIAMS, R.A.F. how much equipnent 
they needed hidden, 
and WILLIAMS 
explained what was needed to:.
40058 MUIJ.IGAN, 
/vho 



































-13 .... 






detail in this Chapter, Section 11. 
A great deal of escape activity was carried on in classrooms under the cover of lectures. 
1 Contact'W'in1 Organisation helped security are 
The Escape Clothing Department worked under the supervision of:.
42985  T.F.  GUEST,  R.A.F.  
1945.  
sources:- 








began to be used. Items, 
supplied by these stores were 
all items of airmen's service issue clothing, blankets, sheets, quilts, towels, woollen comforts and kitbags. 
82542 F/Lt. B. 
DVORAK, R.A.F ¥ 
who was the head tailor in the Clothing De.tment, in this store 
(c) Next-ot::,ldn 
Clo;tb;ing Parcels 
P1 s/Wwere allowed to receive J;81"Cels of tmiform, clothing, etc., from next-of-kin eve:cy three months. No civilian clothing was allowed, 









and any sent was confiscated by German censors and put into the Atwehr /Store 



-14 
Store 
of Confiscated Clothing. P's/w occasionalfy' were able to steal items from this Store. 

(d) I,s.9, 
I.S.9. supplied dyes, blankets, and items of civilian clothing. In 
The sources of dyes and the method of dying is'l.1J.4r. described in 
Chapter II, Section 4 of this Volume. All dying was done qy:.

z. KUSTRZYNSKI, R.A.F. P1 s/w know. to have worked in the Clothulg Department were:.82542 F/Lt. B. DVORAK, R.A.F. 
Lt.'l.1J.4r(A) C.H. FILMER, 
R.N. 


K.N. R.A.F. 




D.
Major 
u.s.A.A.c. 


R.W. KING, R.N.Z.A.F. 
P.76718 
-z. KUSTRZINSICT., 
R.A.F. 
MENHIBG, 
u.s.A.A.c ¥ R.A.F. 
F/0 J. MONDSCHEIN, 
P.0065 F/Lt. J. 
R.A.F. 
88465 F/Lt. M.c.w. ORMOND, R.A.F. 
83232 F/Lt. I. TONDER, R.A.F. 
DVORAK was in charge of cutting out, measuring and fitting. 
KUSTRZYNSKI was in charge of dying. 
MENNING and NOGAL were responsible for all pressing. 

Work was done in barrack 121 in the room next to GUEST'l.1J.4r1s. For a month before the mass tunnel escape vork was formed out to members of the Department in their ow rooms. 
The officer in charge of security for the Department was:.
428.32 F/Lt. K.J. McMURDIE, He had a small team of watchers who relayed the Duty-Pilot's signals to him, and he wamed the workers. 
A wall cupboard eight inches deep, six and a half feet wide and eight feet high was built in the working room by:.
When every P/w taking part in the mass tunnel escape had been equipped, surplus clothing was stored in ., the disused turmel "DICK". 
/No 






-15 .


(v) 40 overcoats. 
(vi) 

100 complete civilian suits. 
(vii) (viii) 40 ties. 

Apart from clothes made for other escape attempts, clothes for two hundred P's/w were made for the mass escape through the tunnel "HARRY" 

After March, 1944 the Department carried an under:.1017280 F/Lt. A. CASSIE, 

P's/w known to have worked in this Department were:.37921 
J.B.J. BOARDMAN, R.A.F. 






E.G. 
BRETTELL, 
R.A.F. 


J.16784 
F/Lt. R.N. 
R.C.A.F. 40514 &/Ldr. c. c.F. R.A.F. 43282 F/Lt. G.J. CORNISH, R.A.F. 50896 F/Lt. C.P. HALL, R.A.F. 



P/0 M.M. KAYE, R.A.F. 













(c) Consisted 
of a typewriter, 
a number of forged documents and 
stamps, 
all received in the Summer of 1944 .too late to be used. 





-16 .112175 
B.L. KENYON, R.A.F. 108110 F/Lt. F.S. KNIGHT, R.A.F. 
140905 86793 
D.W. LUSTY, R.A.F. 
F/0 H.A. PICARD, R.A.F. 
106346 F/Lt. 

B. 
R.A.F. 
39921 T.V.L. WOOD, R.A.F. The Department's Intelligence and language advisor was:.89580 F/Lt. R. MARCINKUS, 
R.A.F. 


A.z. 
R.A.F. 

that the Churcll Room was used for evening work on., and during the day the Library in barrack 110 was the working centre. Working hours were from 15.00 hours till 17.00 hours daily, and during the daylight hours of evening. No work was done qy electric light until March, 1944, when 
so much bad to be done that every possible minute of each day and evening was utilised. 
Materials needed, 
such as 
pens, brushes, inks, .i;:aper, tracing cloth, linen, etc., were obtained from the following sources:.
(a) 
Contacts, (b) Ce.mp Resources, (c) I.s.9. 

(a) Provided quantities 
of all the above items. {b) Consisted of all items acquired in the East Compound, and all finished 







Hauptman 
PEIBER developed and printed 














-17 .


Yi th one he supplied. The 
were BOARDMAN, CORNISH and 
HALL. 
Stamps were made by BRETTELL, COOPER and WOOD, who had done the same work in the Ea.st Compomd and knew the best methods. They painted the stamps on to the rubber in ink and cut them out with a razor-blade. 
The only method of reproducing genuine documents was by hand. Temporary Ausweise and Urlaubscheine were duplicated by the jel.J;r process. 
The first test of the Department's work came in June, 1943 in the mass-escape attempt as a de-lousing party. The on4" documents used which were not successful were a Czechoslovakian workman's papers, which passed scrutiny until vecy 
close]´ examined by 
an already suspicious member of 
the Gestapo, and a Bulgarian peasant's papers which failed because the man name wa 
1. 
holder to be on Webmacht property. 
2. .
3. country. 
4. Kennka.rte -
a light grey form 
printed an buckram, 
used as identity 
cards. 
5. 
Carte Indentite -a French identity card issued in France end bearing a 


-passes and temporary passes. 
s. Polizeitiche Beschenigung -a police permit authorising the presence of foreign workers in given areas. 
9. Letters from firms for which the holder was supposedq working, with the firm'W'in1s heading on the notepaper, e.g. Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau 
G.M.b.H., Siemens A.G., etc. 













-18 .

finished. .ti.stakes were covered by burning a cigarette hole over them. 
All documents had to be date-stamped, and as it was not decided till 24th 
March, 19-44 that the mass-escape through the tunnel "HARRY" would take place 
on that night, the Department was very busy during that day. 
PENGELLY was responsible £or the security of equipnent, which was hidden in secret cupboards in walls, and for placing watchers where they could see the Duty-Pilot's signals and wm the workers. 
After March, 19-44, many of the documents were put back into hiding and not discovered. These were ta.ken out, checked and altered from time to time, but no new work was done. 
6. FOOD 

Intending escapers were advised to save a store of food from their Red In addition to this, the food concentrate 

A full 
R. HERRICK, who provided as many ingredients as he could. 


The Map Department worked under the direction of:.

F/Lt. D.L. PLUNKETT, R.A.F. 

1017280 
A. CASSIE, R.A.F. 

91004 q/Ldr. P.I.. 72397 F/Lt. B. 


R.C.A.F.

J.3765 F/Lt. J.A. 


w'I,dr. F.J. HAR'INELL-BEAVIS, R.A.F. 
A.40128.3 F/Lt. 
H.A. HOWETT, R.A.A.F. 76590 c.c. P.024.3 F/0 w. 
79371 F/Lt. D.A. 
R.A.F. I,t. (A
) A.D. NEELY, 
R.N. 117137 C.F. R.A.F. 
/Before 
HAYTER, R.A.F.
42121. 













-19 .




Maps acquired from ¥contacts¥ and from I.S.9. were 
the jelly process, using jel]´ crystals from Red Cross food :p:1.rcels, ink made from indelible pencil-leads boiled down, tracing i:aper which was either toilet paper or the transi:arent covers of eymn-books. Other supplies of piper came from ¥'W'incontacts'W'in', books'W'in, and the Education Section. 
hours and 17.00 hours and in the daylight hours of evening. The security man of the Department was:.37931 F/Lt. J.B.J. OOARDMAN, 
Pilot'W'in1 s signals and warn the workers. After March, 1944, the Department was taken over by EVERl'ON-JONES, 
8. 
A few compasses were smuggled over from the East Compound'W'in, but a large 
A.A. HAKE, 
G.G. RUSSELL, assisted from time to time by other P's/W. 
The cases were made from melted gramaphone records'W'in, painted with luminous pa.int, needles were ordinary steel needles or strips of razor blades, magnetized. A supply of magnetized darning needles was received. from I.S.9. The compasses were made waterproof and bore a bogus manufacturer I s stamp. 
The compass-makers were so good at their work that other sources of supply were relative. unimportant. A few were brought in by new P1 s/W. Twelve were supplied by I.S.9. in time for the mass tunnel-escape, and forty after that. 
The compass-makers produced five .. hundred by March, 1944. 








-20 .

was:.90408 W/Cd.r. A. EYRE, 
W/Cdr. J. ELLIS, whose place was taken in March, 1944, and held wtil 
January, 1945, by:.70699 
F.H. VIVIAN., R.A.F. 

(a) 
¥contacts¥ 
¥contacts¥ were considered in two classes, general ¥contacts¥ and 

'contacts¥. 
The first head of general ¥contacts¥ from April, to Jwe, 1943, was:.
61046 F/Lt. G. lilLL, R.A.F. 
and the first head of "ferret" ¥contacts¥ from April to June, 1943, was:.82532 F/Lt. E. VALENTA, In June, 1943, VALENTA took over from HILL as in charge of general 
¥contacts'l.1J.4r¥ and 11ferrets" became the responsibility of:.










F/Lt. D.E. PINCHBECK, R.A.F. 

continued this work mtil January, 1945. 
In March, 1944 VALENTA Is place was taken by:.
77214 &!Ldr. D.G. WATERER, R.A.F. 
P's/W who got information from general ¥contacts¥ were:.
2nd Lt. F. BERGAN, R.A.F. (Norwegian) 
37921 F/Lt. 
J.B.J. 
R.A.F. 

82538 F/Lt. J. 
R.A.F. &II,dr. J.H.D. R.A.F. 


l.2241 
D.M. 
R.A.F. 
c.c. CHESHIRE, 
R.A.F. 



F/Lt. B.A. R.A.F. F/Lt. R.A.G. ELLEN, R.A.F.



F/Lt. A. FEATHERSTONE, 
R.A.F. 
F/Lt. E.W. FEmlERDA, R.A.F. 
/70899 








-21 .70899 

R. HERRICK, R.A.F. A.400102 W/Cdr. R.A. NORMAN, R.A.A.F. 30183 Capt. L.A. SCHAFFNER, R.A.F. {Free French Air 
Force) 




F/Lt. J.V. SILVERSTON, 
133807 F. WEBSTER, R.A.F. 
132.302 w.o. A. WISEMAN, R.A.F. 
. The information concerned:.proposed transfers of Pe1 s/w to other Camps and Compounds, Pe1 s/w under suspicion, Camp defence, alterations in i:asses, gate procedure, guard changes, searches, the attitude of the German staff, German guards and local civilian population towards P1 s/w and towards each other, etc. Details of train times, banned areas, troop movements, morale, the town of SAGAN and the locality, local airfields and the aircraft stationed there. 
On one occasion a German Abwehr Officer, who had been with some of the P1 s/W when they were at STALAG LUFT I {BARTH)e, visited this Compound, had tea with the P's/w, and gave them a good deal of information about the ground microphone, anti-tunnel device. One 

1 contacte1 was 
so well handled 
that he was sent to Paris when he went on leave, his expenses being }:aid by the Escape Organisation, and brought back some documents from the French Underground Organisation. P1 s/W who handled "ferret" ¥contactse' were:.
Lt.(A) T. BENTLEY, R.N. 82590 F/Lt. o. CERNY, R.A.F. 86685 F/Lt. S.H. DOWSE, R.A.F. 






70902 
22246 

2nd Lt. M. ERIKSEN, R.A.F. NZ.4017fJJ F/Lt. W.H.J. GRIFFITH, R.N.Z.A.F. 

D.E. PINCHBECK, R.A.F. 
A.A. RUMSEY, R.A.F. 


A.406630 F/Lt. R.S. 
R.A.F. 77214 &11,dr. D.G. WATERER, R.A.F. 
M.E. ZILLESEN, R.A.F. 




¥contacts¥ but 
whose work with Gexmans in the Compound 
gave them opportunities for 
collecting information were:.

&/Ldr. 1.w.v. JENN.ENS, 
/C.11767 








-22 .
c.'l.1J.4r11767 F/Lt. E.P. NURSE, R.C.A.F. 
84678 
W.G. SNOW, R.A.F. 
76017 
L. 
REA VELL-CARTER, R.A.F. 
¥ 
34205 
D.C. TORRENS, R.A.F. 


The information was similar to that acquired from general ¥contacts¥ (b) 
Station to collect i:arcels, and were able to supply information about the 
there. Also, the route to the hos pi ta1 lay pa.st the railway marshaJ l fog yards. P'l.1J.4r1s/w journeying outside the Camp were briefed by the Escape Intelligence Officer and reported their information to him. 
( c) Recaptured r,j13capers 
Recaptured escapers were able to give information about inspection of their documents, recent changes in documents, and fiaws found in their documents. They could describe the clothes worn by civilian and foreign workers, travelling .conditions, air-raid procedure, regulations in hotels, use of food coupons, banned areas, contacts who were favourably disposed towards them in the various places they visited, and the geograpl:\y of their route. 
They were briefed before escaping by the Head of the Escape Committee, and interrogated on their return to the Compowd by him, and members of his Planning Committee. 
(d) New P1 s/w. 















-23 .


military 

situation, industry, and important firms. 
was extracted by a P/w who had been doing this work 
in the East Compound:.89580 R. 
using also a copy of 
Ba.edacker, 
time-tables, and a Directory of German business firms. 
His work was carried on after March, 1944, until January, 1945, by:.108808 E.W. FERWERDA, R..A.F ¥ 
of MARCINKUS, and after him FERWERDA. were:.
37078 
D.M. BARRETT, 
-Switzerland 37921 
J.B.J. 

-
Russia 
30.305 F/Lt. F. R.A.F. -France (Free French Air Force) 
162340 
R.J. 
R.A.F. -Economics 
77933 s/Lclr. J.E.A. R.A.F. .A.422180 
F/0 
w.c. 
R.A.A.F. 
.Food 142332 M.M. KAYE, R.A.F. 
J.A.G. R.A.F. . .
70902 D.E. R.A.F. -Economics 
30183 Capt. L.A.s. SCHAFFNER, R.A.F. -France 










825.32 F/Lt. E. VALENTA, 
-Military Affairs and 
B. VAN DER STOK, R.A.F ¥ .F/Lt. P.P.L.E. WELCH, .















-24 .w/ca.r. 
STANFORD-TUCK, R.A.F. 
succeeded from March, 1944 till January, 
1945, by:.
R.A. NORMAN, 
described in this Chapter, Section 9, sub-Section (a). P's/w lOlow to have got supplies from contacts vere:..37921 F/Lt ¥ J.B.J. BOARDMAN, R.A.F. Lt. (A).. P.w.s. BUTTERWORTH, R.N. 

c.c. CHESifiRE, R.A..F. 
c.J. 
R.A.F. 
W.H.J. R.N.Z.A.F. Lt.(A) A.D. NEELY, R.N. A.400102 
W/Cdr. R.A. NORMAN, R.A.A.F. 
F/Lt. A.A. RIJMSEY, R.A.F. 79220 F/Lt. J.V. SILVERSTON, R.A.F. 
l.32.302 w.o. A. WISEMAN, R.A.F. 








When members of the Gestapo arrived to search the Compound after the 


it could 
be stolen. 
(b) 
Camp Resources 

Camp resources 
were the 
same in 
this Compound as in the East Compound, and provided the same supplies but in greater quantity. (c) 
New PI e/w handed over to the Ee cape Committee any aids 
which they had 







-25 .managed to retain, which were compasses, maps and money. (d) I.s,9, 


some uniform and civilian clothing, dyes, a typewriter, a camera, films and 
ll. 
The carpentry Department made hiding places, tunnel traps, shoring, 

44879 C.N.
S. CAMPBELL, R.A.F. .
40652 
J.E.A. WILLIAMS, 
R.A.F. -
.40631 I.A. McINTOSH, R.A.F. -March 1944 .
PI s/w known to have worked in this Department are: P.0554 
z. GOTOWSKI, R.A.F. 39318 F/Lt. A.V. HUNTER, R.A.F. 








D. 
u.s.A.A..c. 


F/Lt. L. R.A.F. 79377 F/Lt. D.A. McFARLANE, R.A.F. P.0338 F/Lt. B. MICKIEWICZ, R.A.F. F/Lt. A.R. MULLIGAN, R.A.F. F/Lt. v. PHILLIPS, R.A.F. 90250 F/Lt. P.G. LEESON, R.A.F. 104538 
F.J. TBA.VIS, R.A.F. 




88429 
P.P.L.E. WELCH, R.A.F. 









-26 .
12. 







The making of portable heatin
g stoves, 
badges, buttons and buckles has been described in Part I, Chapter II, The trolleys made for sand dispersal had metal rims on the wheels to make 
them wear well. The metal was cut from tins. The axles were made 
TRAVIS, R.A.F. 

R.A.F. 

13. 
LEATHER WORK covering 
great-c
oat buckles, making holsters 

and 
cartridge belts, and uniform belts. ?6011 F/Lt. L.P.R. HOCKEY, 







after its own tools. 
15. GADGETS 
The gadgets made included tunnel air pumps. These consisted of two kitbags momted as horizonta. apposed cylinders with the opposide ends fixed and the adjoining ends free to move backwards and forwards between the fixed ends. Three wooden rings kept the kitbags distended. There were :illlet and outlet valves'Walk, and the air exit was connected with the chimney so that the draught drev out the used air. After some months mechanical:J´ operated valves were fitted, and silencers to deaden the noise they made. 
The air-lines consisted ot dried milk tins which were four inches long and three inches :ill diameter. The joint between each t:ill was covered with 





F/Lt. F.J. TRAVIS, R.A.F. assisted by:.89773 F/Lt. N. BOWKER, 












-27 .



who 
had been in charge of tunnelling operations in the East Compound, and were to continue in the North Compound went over on working parties, ostensibly to help building the Compound theatre, and made themselves thorough:cy familiar with the lay-out of the Compound. 
These three engineers were:.




J.5481 
c.w. 
.37.321 F/Lt ¥ R.G. 

R.C.A.F. 
R.A.F. 
.36103 F/Lt ¥ H.C. MARSHALL, R.A.F. 
Compound. It was decided that as soon as the Compowd opened three large tunnels 









blind spots from sentry towers and from the gate. 
As soon as P'l.1J.4r1s/W were transferred into this Compound 
work began. The Map Department committed to pa.per their surveys. The three engineers searched for the best sites for traps. Metal workers began to produce 
shovels, and carpenters started planning the 
air-pumps. Tests were 
the trap for the t\Ulllel running North was less than two hundred yards from 
(
/ b) 

















-28 .


The traps were made by:.P.0554 F/Lt. z. GOTOWSKI, R.A.F. P.76776 F/Lt. L. KOZLOWSKI, R.A.F. P.0338 F/Lt. B. MICKIEWICZ, R.A.F. One of the tunnels running West was to begin 
from barrack 123. 


engineer in charge of this tunnel was MARSHALL. name of 1TOM1¥ The trap was made in the concrete floor of a small annex to 
one of the rooms. It was 
bounded on two sides by walls, and on the 
other side by a chimney. The trap had to cover an area of two square feet. A concrete block of this size was made from cement left lying around by German workers, and put in the place of the concrete which was chipped out. Tunnellers reporting 
for duty were wable to find this trap until shown where it was. It was completed on 15th April, and work began on sinking the 








The second tunnel nmning West began in barrack .122. It was named 1DICK 1¥ The engineer in charge of it was KERr-RAMSAY. wash-room there was an iron grating covering a concrete 
drain eighteen inches square and two feet deep. 
Water ran into this from the North and South sides, and the drain pipe was on the West side. taken up, the water baled out, and the East side chipped away 
and replaced with a concrete slab which could be slid up and down. 



The 
tunnel rurming North 

was called 
1 HARRr'¥ It began 
in barrack 104, The engineer in charge of it was FLOODY. In this room there was a stove standing 
on a hundred tiles. These were taken up and the concrete 
scraped from them with a pick-axe acquired 
from Russian P'l.1J.4r1 s/'W. The tiles were re.set into a wooden trap, the cement taldng four days to set. When it was ready it did not satisfy the engineer or the tra
p-,makers, so it was exchanged for 
one from the Compound kitchen 
which 
had the tiles set in wood. were taken up, cleaned, and re-set. cement 
to harden. The trap was lifted by two strips of sheet 
metal which folded down sideways and could be hooked up with a knife. Within the 
/next 


















-29 .

was done if there was more than one German in the Compomd. 
The vertical shafts of each tunnel were built by the three engineers. They were all about thirty feet deep and had ladders twenty-five feet long. Three chambers vere built at the foot of each shaft. The pump chamber was five feet long, five and a half feet high, and two and a half feet wide. 
The sand chamber was two and a half feet long, .five and a half feet high, and 
The general storage chamber for tools, shoring, lamps, tins, etc., was ten feet long, three feet nine inches high, two and a half feet wide for the first four feet, and then two feet square for the last six feet. 
conducted inside the double walls, then under the floor 
to the tmnel shafts. The power was margarine 
were 

used instead. They burned for an hour at a time and were brought 
up every night 
for 
servicing. 

As soon as the vertical shafts were finished work began after morning roll-call and continued mtil a few minutes before 
evening roll-call, after which a second shift of tunnellers went down and worked till 
just 
before 
A three-shift system was operated, 1A'l.1J.4r1 shift working during one day, 1 B'l.1J.4r1 shift during the evening, 1 C'l.1J.4r1 shift the next day, and 1A'l.1J.4r1 the next evening. The numbers of men in each shift were usuall,y six, two 






of May. 
During this 1DICK1 caused the entire shaft to collapse and 













-30 .





Such falls as these endangered the lives of the tunnellers. 
When sand had 
been excavated for six feet, the 
tunnel was 
shored with The tongue of one board .fitted :into the groove of the 
While the vertical shafts were under construction the excavated sand was hauled up in jugs. 
As socm as the tunnels were long enough, rails were laid and a trolley hauled backwards and 
forwards between 
the 
working face and the dispersal chamber. The rails, which were made of strips of wooden beading, were nailed to the wood of the tunnel floor. inches. The trolleys 

had 
wooden frames with edges to hold 
two wooden boxes which fitted into the frames. The axles and wheel-rims were made of metal. The rope consisted of plaited string. 
The trolleys and railway were a great improvement cm the sledges used in previous tunnels of similar size, because the sledges had to be pulled along the floor and wore out quickly, also they caused falls of sand. They were very heavy to pull, and tunnellers could not ride to the working face and back an them because this made them too heavy. The trolleys, running cm wheels and rails, required much less effort to pull and tunnellers could ride an them. There was much less strain on the ropes, which when pulling sledges, broke frequently. 
The air-line was laid as every few feet of tunnel was shored. 
In JuJ,y, it was decided to concentrate all efforts on 'TOM' because the Germans were building a new Compowd where 'TOM1 s'Walk1 exit was to be. As 'DICK'Walk' could not be finished in time it was used for the dispersal of sand from 'TOM', and the chambers were used as a carpenter's shop and a storage room. The trap of 'HARRY I was sealed. 


was one hundred and ten feet long, neari,-a third This One trolley operated between the working face and this room, and a second between it and the vertical shaft. 1TOM1 progressed until 10th October, when it was two hundred and eighty..five feet long. It was discovered by accident by a 1 ferret'Walk1 who was idly chip to f:cy-off the trap. It was No part of it could be used again because 

of possible live charges remaining in it. /1HARRY'Walk1 

















-Jl .

1 HARRY'Walk1 was opened again, but re-closed an 18th October, because there was no point in completing it before the Spring of 1944. It remained closed until 10th January, 1944. 
In September, 1944, Committee. It consisted of:..39024 F/Lt ¥ CASEY, who was responsible for the trap of 1TOM1¥ 

J.7755 F/Lt. G.R. HARSH, R.C.A.F. 

who was responsible for tunnel security. 




39103 

KIRBY-GREEN, 

who 
was responsible for compomd security. C.1631 P.W. 

40652 J.E. WILLIAMS, R.A.F. 
This Committee 
met only to decide 
to close 'HARRY'Walk' in October and to open it in January, but the members retained the jobs for which they had been responsible before the Committee was formed. 
When 1 HARRY'Walk1 was opened in January, 1944, it was in good condition. The air-line had sand in it'Walk, some of th
e shoring was 
weak, and the kitbags of the air-pump 
needed changing. This work was done by 14th January. 
Work carried on with few interruptions. the lateral shaft. On 1st March, 

FLOODY, 
the chief' 
engineer of 'HARRY'Walk' 
was transferred 
to the BELARIA Compomd, with HARSH, who was in charge of tmmel security. 
Lt.Cdr.'Walk(A) P.E. R.N. who was in charge of dispersal, and several other P'Walk1 s/W who had been working on 1 HARRY'Walk1¥ KEB-RAMSAY took 
over as chief engineer. 









was 
constructed to witlwl nine inches of tl::e ground level. 
There was a certain 
amomt of work still to be done. Blankets 
had to be laid an the last fifty feet of railway 
to deaden the noise as escapers were 
hauled to the 
exit on the trolleys. The trolleys had to be fitted with platforms for the es capers to lie on-. New strong ropes were 
needed which would stand the strain of pulling all the escapers along on the trolleys. 
was three hundred and forty-five f'eet long 
a vertical shaft 








-32 .

The rope was stolen by KER-RAMSAY. It had been brought into the Compound by the Germans to make a boxing ring. A few more electric light bulbs had to be fitted. There was electric lighting all along the tunnel. 
It had been planned that two hundred P1 s/W should escape. HULL 
This took much more time 
expected because the wooden .frames had swollen with the damp and were 
difficult 
to dislodge. At 22.15 hours the work was completed and the escapers started going down. The story of the escape is continued in Section 24 of this Chapter. 
In June, 1944, a tunnel known as 1 GEOBGE'W'in1 was started. This tunnel was built as part of a Camp Defence Scheme. It was thought probable that, in the event of German setbacks in the war and the possible resultant chaos, the German camp Staff or the retrating German forces would exteminate all Allied Air Force P'W'in1 s/w, or the Camp Staff would desert the Camp, leaving the P'W'in1 s/w without food, water and light. Under the direction of the Senior British Officer preparations were made to meet these contingencies. 
A Riot Squadron was fomed, trained by Officers of the Commando and Airborne troops. Polish P'W'in1 s/w formed themselves into an Assault Squadron. These Squadrons were to rush out of the barracks, overpower the German Camp Staff, and take control of the Camp. The tunnel was to be used for a mass 





The situation never arose'W'in, 42587 F/Lt. R.A.F. 




H.W. 
R.A.F. 

The trap was made under 
the stage of the Compound 
theatre, and the entrance 
shaft was twenty .feet deep. The depth below gromd of the tunnel varied because the surface of the ground sloped. The tunnel ended a short distance 
before the perimeter 
fence was reached. (c) 

The P/W responsible for dispersal of sand from the three tmmels was:.Lt.Cdr.'W'in(A) R.N. 




/who 
R.G. 
R.A.F. 

















-JJ .
who had a team of workers known for security reasons as 11 penguins11¥ When work first started on the three tunnels the evacuated 
sand was dispersed in the Compound. While the shafts were being sunk the sand was put into metal jugs which were hauled out of the shafts by rope. Once the tunnel proper was under construction the sand was loaded into two boxes at the working face, which were carried on the trolley to the dispersal chamber at the foot of the vertical shaft. 
The first method of carrying sand to the selected place .for dispersal consisted 
of putting it into bags slung around the neck and resting on 
the chest, the battle-dress blouses being rooll\Y' enough not to disp]..Ezy the bulges. When the weather became too warm for battle-dress blouses to be worn, sacks twenty inches long were made out of towels, suspended by a sling rotmd the neck, 

and fastened up the side 
by a long pin which passed through 
metal holes, holding them together, and could be pulled out of the holes by a string attached to the pinhead and the side pockets of the trousers. One bag, weighing eight pounds 
when filled, hung inside each trouser-leg 
of the Ipenguins t ¥ 
A team of South African P1 s/w invented another method of carrying sand, but this method was used onq by the South African P'Walk1s/W. They wore two pairs 
of trousers, the inner pair being secured round the ankles tu a release device similar to that used for the sacks. Sand was poured into the legs of the inner trousers, which held about thirty potm.ds of sand. The trousers wom'Walkan top were broad and loose. 
Sand was carried in blankets also. Twenty-four pounds of sand was poured onto the blanket, the four sides were folded to the centre and a neat roll made. The blanket was carried wder one 
arm, unfolded on the ground, so 
that the sand dropped out underneath and the P/w than dispersed it over the gromd, ostensib:cy-whilst sun-bathing. 
The sand excavated from the tunnels was put into sacks in the dispersal chamber. These sacks were hauled to the top 
of the 
vertical shafts, and the sand poured through funnels, made from t:ins, into the carrying sacks'Walk, which were hung on coat hooks on the wall of the trap-rooms and picked up by the dispersers. 

























-34 .
























as P'l.1J.4r
1s/W streamed to 
the Sports 
Field to .de. This covered the exit of a large number of loaded carriers from the barracks. They were routed to rooms in other barracks near 
the dumps, and emptied their bags into Red Cross boxes which were left mder beds and dispersed outside when the Germans had 
German watchers. 
The vertical shaft and three chambers 
produced twelve tons of sand from each 
or the three tunnels. One ton of sand was excavated for each three and a halt feet of length or lateral shaft. Each chamber built off the lateral shafts produced 
at least twice this amount. The dispersal methods described above were used from April to September, 1943. One hmdred and thirty-tons 












-35 .






of sand were dispersed, each 1 penguin'l.1J.4r1 carrying an average load of sixteen pounds per journey. 
the trap-roo!IB to the dumping sites was eighteen thousand. amount of sand dispersed in one day's work from eny one tunnel was sixty pounds per minute; this was sustained for one hour. The average time for handing sand up the vertical shafts, filling the dispersers bags, returning the sacks down the shafts and clearing away all scattered grains of sand was two minutes. There were about twenty three different dumps on sandy areas, and many gardens were used. When the dispersal system was working to 1'u.ll capacity seven dumps were in use simultaneously. The number of P'l.1J.4r1 s/W employed on dispersal work during this period was approximately two hundred. Five different teams each twenty-five strong composed of British, Dominion, Allied, Polish and American P'l.1J.4r1s/w, did all the trouser-sack dispersal. A sixth team of South African P'l.1J.4r1 s/W used the two-trousers method. A team of thirty, and later fifty, American P'l.1J.4r1 s/W formed the dump-camouflage .y. They were reinforced in Ju.:!´ by a team of thirty British P'l.1J.4r1 s/W who also staged the diversions. A few dispersal personnel were engaged :in sewing bags and maintaining the carrying apparatus. 

No dispersal was done 
from 15th September, 
1943 to 14th January, 1944. When work began again on the latter date there was only one tunnel, 'HARRY'l.1J.4r' It was impossible to disperse sand :in the frozen earth 
inspection. Such a place was found under the floor 0£ the theatre. The theatre had been built by P'l.1J.4r1s/w and the Germars presumed that 
there 
was no space under the floor. A trap was made under one of the seats. sixty feet of the tunnel 1 DICK1 was available for disposal of sand, but this was kept as a stand by. 
The transportation of sand from 'HARRY' to the theatre had 
to be thought out carefully. It was decided to use only the period 
of darkness before 1 lock-up1 at 21.00 hours. When there was a moon, or snow on the gound, dis.

persal could not take place. New sacks were made which held seventeen and a half pounds of sand. greatcoat. 
/trap 






















-36 .










-March, 1944 was done'Walkáby this method, when a trader kept his 1 £erret contact'Walk' in his room, which ws in the 'HARRY' barrack, for two hours, vhile four tons was taken to the theatre, representing thirteen feet of tunnel. 
trap was opened, each containing between eighty and a hundred pounds of sand. They were taken 
to a room on the opposite side 
of the barrack, then to a neighbouring barrack, and placed in a 1 loading'Walk1 Here the 


carrying 
sacks were 
filled and handed to the carriers, who proceeded by special routes to the theatre and dumped their loads through the trap. 
sand tightly. opposite room, the 'loading'Walk' If there were no Germans at large in the Compound and 1 conta.cts'Walk1 


from the trap room to the theatre, The 


The fresh sand had a distinctive smell which was noticeable in the 







that there were no traces of sand spilled by the 1 penguins'Walk1¥ 



maintenance 
work and acting as messengers, the total number of dispersers 
Dispersal of sand from the tunnel 'GEORGE', which was started in June, 1944, was done ill the same way, under the theatre and in the tunnel, 1DICK1¥ 
(d) Supplies 






R.R. R.A.F. 

A.400102 
W/Cdr. R.A. NORMAN, RaA.A.F ¥ 
supplies 
were 
obtained from the 
following sources:.
(i) Wood Fifty bed boards were supplied daily for shoring. 














-37 .

fourteen boards to each bunk, so at least seven could be spa.red. About two tho
usand bed-boards were used for 'HARRY' alone. Boards from 
the double 
flooring :ui the barracks also were 
used for shoring. Hard wood for trolleys, railway lines and ladders came from barrack chairsd, tables, benches and stools. 
(ii) Metal 
Thirty 1 Klimd1 (a brand of dried milk) tins were needed daily for the air-line. They were supplied by Pd1 s/w who got them in Canadian Red Cross pa.reels. 
The Messing Officer supplied other tins such as Nescafe tins for lamps. Metal 
for the rims of trolley wheeJs was cut from tins. Axles for the trolleys were made from bars off barrack stoves. 
(iii) Tools 
Tools left lying around 
by worlaD.en were stolen, 1 conta
ctd1 supplied others. Russian P1 s/W supplied a pickaxe. Tool-makers made other tools which were needed such as spirit-levels, Compass-makes provided compassesd, etc. 
(iv) Cement 
was stolen and used in the mass-escape from 1 HARRYd1 , because Camp-made rope was not strong rnough. 
(vi) Electric Lighting eguiqnent 

Kitbags Springs 
were taken from chest expanders. 
Eight hundred feet of single-strand, insulated, damp-proof electric wire was 
stolen from German workmen engaged an wiring. by a P/w who was returning to the Compound from the 

cells in the Vorlager. 
Icontacts 1¥ (vii) 






















(viii) Sand bags and boxes Bags for carrying sand were made from towels. 
Red Cross food cartons 





















-38 .






were used to store the sand in the dispersal chamber until it could be dispersed. 
(ix) Tunnel Lamp equipment 
Fat was provided by the Messing Officer. 
Wicks were made from pyjama cord. (x) 

Nails, screws, etc., were stolen from workmen and taken out of the barracks. (e) ' The Compound 
Security Officer during the 
period April, 1943 to March, 
1944, was:.3910.3 s/Ldr. T.G. KIRBY-GREEN, Before tunnelling began an officer was appointed in charge of tunnel 
This officer was:.

J.7755 F/Lt. 
HARSH, R.C.A.F. 
His tunnel security workers numbered one hundred and fifty men'l.1J.4r, and were divided into two groups headed by:.
956691 2nd Lt. S.C.A.N. McGARR, 
J.5312 F/Lt. 
McGILL, 
The trap of each tunnel had its own security 
man who was responsible for seeing that the coast was clear when the trap was opened and closed, and ascertaining that no traces of sand or any other suspicious 
sign was present near the trap, also that it was proper:cy-closed and lx>re no suspicious marks of use. 
The work of the Duty-Pilot organisation had already 
been described in Section .3 of this Chapter. The tunnel security men watched for the Duty.Pilot1s signals and relqed them to watchers near the trap who warned the trap 
men. From January 
to March, 
19"4, every 1ferret'l.1J.4r1 entering the Compound was tailed by two watchers, one acting as a runner, until the P/w whose ¥contact¥ he was, engaged him, when they waited till he left the room of the P/w concerned and then tailed him until he left the Compound. 
The construction of three tunnels all at the same time was a security measure so that the Germans if they discovered one, would never think that there would be another, since whichever one they might discover would be large and elaborate. dispersers'l.1J.4r¥ were never uttered. 

























-39 .


The concrete 

traps were 
excellent from a security viewpoint because the concrete went right down into the gromid, whereas the wooden flooring was about two feet above the ground, and in the East Compound a tunnel had been discovered when a 1 ferret'Walk1 saw a tunneller getting through the trap in the floor 
into the shaft. The trap of 
1 HARRY'Walk
1 was well-chosen because 
the stove was replaced as soon as the trap was closed and the fire then stoked up so that the stove was very hot, and consequently unlikely to be touched by a German. 

Tests were carried out to find how far the noise of building the traps, 
shafts, and 
first stages of the tunnels carried. The 
tunnels 
were 
built deep because the ground microphones could pick up the vibrations set up by 
As an extra precaution screws were used instead of nails on lengths of railway near the ground microphones, 
mechanical valves, also along the railway, and in the chambers, built off 
chatted to the sunbather. 
A warning device was set up from the theatre 
to the tunnel 1GE0BGE'Walk1¥ It consisted of a spring off a chest expander attached to a loose nail near a seat in the theatre, with a length of string passing through the floor of the theatre into the tunnel. end and this rattled when a watcher moved the nail. 

On the night of the escape from 'HARRY I it was necessary to adopt some method of getting the escapers from their own barracks to barrack 194 in such a way that there was not an unusual.q large stream of visitors to barrack 








104. Accordingly a census was taken over a period of days of normal movements 
between 
barracks, and a scheme developed to tally 
with 
these 
usual numbers. A despatching officer was appointed in each barrack to send the escapers out at the exact minute planned. They were sent first to barracks 109 and 110, which were the main traffic control points, and routed from there to barrack 104 by other marshalling officers. P1 s/w who lived in barrack 

















-40 .
104 but were not escaping moved to the barracks and rooms of P's/w from other barracks who were escaping, and occupied their beds. 
The exit of each escaper from 'HARRY' was safeguarded by the P/W whose tum it was to guard the exit pressing his hand an the escaper's head if a sentry was approaching and tapping his head when it was safe for him to emerge. 
17. GATE WALK-OUT SCHEMES 

(a) First attempt On 10th April, 1943, the first attempt to escape from the Compolllld 

via the gate was made by:.4.3282 F/Lt. c.J. CORNISH, 
8.32.32 F/Lt. I. TONDER, They joined a Russian working-party clearing trees from the Sports Field. They were wearing Russian uniforms with civilian clothes undemeath, and had maps, compasses, identity papers and food. 

As they moved towards the Compound gate TONDER heard a sentry in a sentry-tower shout 'There are two Britishers among the Russians¥. He broke away and got back to his barrack. CORNISH carried on and when the guard stopped him at the gate the Russians swore he was a Russian. He got through, but was recognised immediate. afterwards by the guard coming an duty and arrested. 

(b) 
Second attempt On 14th J., 194.3 an escape was made by:.89786 F/Lt. J.D. AGRELL, R.A.F. The guard an the Compound gate was a new man, llllfamiliar with Pd1 s/w,his 
fellow guards and the procedure. AGRELL, wearing a German lllliform over civilian clothes, told the guard he was an Abwehr man and demanded to be let through the gate. AGRELL spoke fluent German, had identity papers. 
He got through the gate and disposed of his uniform. His civilian clothing had SWedish laundry marks and he was posing as a SWedish workman. He travelled by train from SAGAN to STRASBOURG where he visited a priest whose address the Escape Committee had given him. The priest was unable to help him so he travelled by train to MULHOUSE where he visited a hotel proprieter whose address had been given to him by the Escape Committee. This man was tmable to help him. He met a Frencli'dP/w worker, told him his story and was advised to try to reach SWITZERLAND via WEIL. He went by train to WEIL 

/but 









-41 .
but could not show any papers allowing 
him to cross 
the frontier. He was accused of being'Walks spy and eventually had to confess his 

During the SUmmer of 1943, 

Sgt. P. BERGSLAND, got through the Compound gate disguised as a 
He wore a 1ferrets'Walk1 overalls 
pass describing him as 

a Danish worker who was being transferred to 
He spoke fluent German. his gate pass and explained to the guard that this was because he was a 
new arrival. 


The guard let him through, but a German N.c.o. who had not been convinced by his sto:cy followed him and arrested him on the road outside the Camp. 

18. 
WIRE SCHE21¤ On 12th Jl.1.47 1943 
diverted by arrangements made by BUSHELL, 
the Head of the Escape Committee. 







N/A. 
20. 

When the Compomd was opened there were many lorries and carts going through the gates carrying trees, rubbish, etc. Many Prisoners of War took the opportunity of jumping on to 
these transports in the hope that they might'Walk, with luck, get outside the Camp. None of them were prei:e,red or had aey-escape aids and all of them were apprehended at the gate. 
/In 







-42 .
In Mey 1943 
70902 F/Lt. 
PINCHBECK, hid in a lorry talwlg wood out of the Compound. He got outside the Camp, jumped off the lor:cy and hid in the woods. Here he was discovered and arrested by German guards. 
21. 
MI¤QN[J,ANEQUS scims 
Nil 

NUMBER OF ESClAPERS 

Three Air Force personnel made successful escapes from this 
Compound. They were:.373 Sgt. 
BERGSLAND, R.A.F. 1007 2/Lt. MULLER, R.A.F. 106346 F/Lt. B. VAN DER STOK, R.A.F ¥ All escaped through the tunnel mown as 'HARRY'. Their accounts 
of their escapes are given in Chapter x. 
23. 
NUMBER OF ATTEMPTED ESCAPES 
It was planned that two hundred personnel should escape by means of the tunnel 'HARRY' on the night ¥ of 21/'25 March 1944. Seventy-six of these got clear of the Camp area and four were captured at the exit; the others returned to, or remained in the barrack from which the tunnel started. Details of the construction of this tunnel are given in Section 16 of this Chapter. The statements made by the surviving escapers, who were recaptured, appear in Section 24, sub-Section (b) of this Chapter. 

In addition to the f'oregoingd, there were six separate planned attempts to escape f'rom this Compound involving forty-three personnel. These are described in Sections 17, 18, 20 and 24 sub.Section (a), of this Chapter. 
An unknown number of' attempts were made during the f'irst few weeks after the Compound was opened. These were not planned and amounted to taking advantage of seizing opportunities to get out of the Compound by hiding in German vehicles removing rubbish. All personnel were apprehended at the gate. 













MASS ATTEMPTS 
(a) First attempt 

The first mass escape from this Compound took place June 1943. Plans were made in May and it was arranged that 
several parties of Prisoners of War were to go to the Vorlager of the East Compound for de-lousing. Two of these parties, escorted by Prisoners of War disguised as German guards, were to march towards the East Compound Vorlager, and then make off into the woods bordering the road between the Vorlagers of the North and East Compounds. The second P:l,rty would occupy the attention of guards and sentries while the first 
rarty 
got into 
the woods. 
The Compound Adjutant made an unofficial arrangement with the Camp Kommandant, on the day in question, that after the morning 




by the Head of the Escape Committee. The main party, escorted by two fluent German speakers disguised as guards consisted of twenty-seven Prisoners 
of War. 
The 124747 c. GEESINK, R.A.F. F/Lt. R. 
DEWEVER, 
R.A.F. The following are lmown to have been members of the main rarty:.


42697 F/Lt. 
P.J. COLESON, R.A.F. 10.3129 Lt. J.M.W. EGNER, s.A.A.F. 103687 
2/Lt. c. 
MEYDENRYCH, s.A.A.F. 
P.'l.1J.4rO?OO s. R.A.F. 

A.H. R.A.F. 
w. R.A.F. 
J.5233 42587 H. BIRKLAND, R.C.A.F. CANTON, 

N.E. 
R.A.F. 

I.G. 
R.A.F. 
J.B. 
R.A.F. 
I.A. 
R.A.F. 
R.D. ME:LLOR, S.A.A.F. 

W.E. MORGAN., S.A.A.F. 
R.A.F. R.A.F. 
R.A.F. 107520 R.A.F. 88429 R.A.F. 






This party was assembled at the Compound gate by D.i-lEVER and 

GEESINK 
at 14.00 hours. They all wore civilian clothes, made by the Clothing Department, under their uniforms, and had forged documents, escape food, money, maps and comp3.sses provided by the Escape Organisation. This µi.rty got outside the camp into the woods, where they took off their wiforms and proceeded to SAGAN Railway Station, those who had some time to wait before their trains were due remaining in hiding in the woods. 
In the meantime the second p:1.rty had been assembled by:.106346 F/Lt. B. VAN DER STOK, It consisted of:.
Lt.Col. CLARK, u.s.A.A.c. 39973 F/Lt. ELLEN, R.A.F. 
Col. GOODRICH, u.s.A.A.c. 28224 s/Ldr. L.M.V. JENNEHS, R.A.F. P.76718 F/Lt. z. KUSTRZYNSKI, R.A.F. 37306 W/Cdr. R.R. STANFORD-TUCK, R.A.F. 


This party passed through the first gate but was halted at the second by the guard who did not recognize VAN DER STOK as one of the 
Compound guards, and took him into the Guardroom to question him. VAN DER STOK was unable to allay the suspicions ofá this guard, who proceeded to telephone the Camp Abwehr Officer. came to the Guardroom and realised what had happened. The party was arrested and an alarm sent out that the first party had got free. 

While all this was taking place, CANTON and JOHNSON had been recognised at SAGAN Railway Station by the German Camp Medical Officer, who had them arrested and telephoned the Ca.mp. Othe. members of the main party were caught in the woods or at the Railway station. 


Some managed to stay free a <i83" 
or two; one succeeding in getting 
-capture. 





bogus 
guards, succeeded in reaching a local airfield, got into an start it when a German arrived and asked them 
they were arrested. 
/(b) 






.-45 .


(b) Second attempt 
The mass escape through the tunnel 'HARRYo' took place from the night of the 24th to the early morning of the 25th March, 1944. The escapers had been chosen about a fortnight before this,. in good time for their clothes and passes to be completed and for them to be briefed and become word-perfect in their stories. 
Six hundred Prisoners of War had been engaged an work connected with this tunnel and two hundred of them were chosen to escape. The first thirty places vere reserved for the Escape Committee's choice of whom they considered most likely to make a successful escape. These were fluent German speakers and were to go out first because they were to travel by train. Their names were put into a hat and draw to give the order in which they were to go out. Then the names of forty most prominent workers were pu.t in, and twenty drawn. After that the names of the next thirty most important workers were put in, and twenty drawn. Finally all the remaining names were put in and the draw continued until two hundred names had been drawn. 
Since it was not practical for each escaper to visit each Department and collect his escape equipnent, one Prisoner of War out of each ten was selected to be a marshalling officer for nine others 
map of the frontier section they were to cross, since the 
discovery of Red Cross food and general maps would give them awey. 
About forty 
others were 
to travel The remainder were to 








-46 .
All the escapers were briefed by BUSHELL, assisted by other members of the Escape Committee. On 22nd March KER,-RAMSAY started lecturing to the escapers,'áin parties o:f twenty at a time, on their procedure from the moment they entered the shaft until they moved off with their party from the woods. 
On the 24th at 11.30 hours a conference was held to decide whether the escape should take place that night. There had been a slight fall of snow, but if the attempt were not made that night it would have to be postponed for another month until the next period of no moon. By ll.40 hours it had been decided to make the attempt that night. 
At 22.15 hours the exit shaft was opened by:.
43932 F/Lt. 1.c. BULL, R.A.F. who had been in charge of one shift of tunnellers. He was to act as traffic officer for the next twenty escapers. .g on a blanket at the top of the shaft he had a clear view of the patrolling sentries, and controlled every exit by pressing the escapers head until it was safe for him to come out, when he tapped him on the head. The first Prisoner of War to crawl from the tunnel exit to the wood took a rope from the top of the ladder to a tree in the wood. Each succeeding escaper crawled to the wood keeping one hand on the rope, which was jerked if it was necessary for him to lie flat and keep still. The first man out in every ten was the marshalling officer of his party. and detailed each member to hide behind a tree until all ten were assembled. 
Tunnel men who had not been selected to go out acted as haulers, one at the foot of the exit shaft, and one in each of the three chambers built off the tunnel. One other manned the pump, and one assisted KERr-RAMSAY to help escapers down the ladder and on to the trolley at the bottom of the entrance shaft. 
Above gromd, every escaper reported to his allotted room in barrack 104. In the corridor near the room of the trap sat an officer who was responsible for sanding each escaper down the shaft and ensuring quietness in the barrack. He had two runners who wamed each escaper ten minutes before he was to report, and collected him when it was his tum. 
/At 








-47 .
At 22.30 hours the first escaper, who was on the trolley at the entry shaft, was hauled along to the first haulage-chamber by the hauler 
there, changed 
to 
the second trolley which hauled him to the second haulage-chamber, then to the third trolley which hauled him to the exit shaft. In the meantime the first and second trolleys were hauled back 
and the next escaper got on. 

and a further 
caused by the electric power being 







More delay was caused by the next batch of escapers who carried blankets and in some cases had not rolled them tightly enough, or had put their food and other 
items in them with the result that they had to be undone 








Eventua.1J´ it was decided that because the blanket carriers were taking fourteen 
minutes to get through and already it was not going to be possible for more than one htmdred to escape, no more blanket rolls must be carried. This was l.lllfortunate because 
the weather was very cold, but by this time it was essential for emergency measures to be taken. This increased the rate of flow, but fifteen minutes 
later 
a 
frame was 
lmocked 
out in the tunnel which caused a fall of sand. It too. another half-hour to repair this. As soon as this was done the same thing happened further along the tunnel, and this took twenty minutes to repair. 
05.00 hours had been fixed as the time of the last escape, and at 


a shot was heard. The escapers still 
in 
the tunnel were called back, men were 
put to watch from evei:y window, and the remander of the two hundred started bu.ming all 
their forged papers, getting out of their civilian clothes and hiding their compasses and food. A report came 
/back 

























-48 .



back 
from the exit 
that there was a lot of shouting in the woods and a party of guards had just left the Guardroom and were making for the sentry-tower nearest the exit. t'Wl!lel came 

out 
quickly, the trap was replaced and the stove put 
back on top of it. The German Hundfuehrer arrived in the barrack, collected mto a pile all the discarded clothing he could find and set his dog to guard it. 
A number of Prisoners of War got back to their own barracks, although an order had been made that in the event of discovery of the tunnel no one should move out of the barrack he was in because of the 

danger of being shot. After about an hour the Germans mounted four machine guns near 
it. Then the 
Camp Kommandant arrived with a. of guards and turned all the inmates of barrack 104 out into the snow, where there were now eight more guards with tomzcy guns 
The Prisoners of War who were turned 
They waited there for twenty minutes 
while the Germans The Camp Kommandant had said that if aey.






In the meantime one of the 
had entered the tunnel from the 
exit and could not get out. 
The German 
Camp Adjutant, panic.1 ferreta1 was in danger of suffocatinga, 

28224 &/I,dr. L.M. V ¥ JENNENS, R.A.F ¥ to 
show him where the trap was. 
When JENNENS and the German Officer arrived at the trap they discovered that another Prisoner of War had let the 1 ferret1 out. 
The Germans then searched all the Prisoners of War who had come out of barrack 104, keeping them completezy stripped in the intense cold while they did so. Four Prisoners of War were sent to cells immediately, two for resisting attempts to divest them of their clothing, one for making mocking noises, and one for laughing. At 08.,30 hours the remainder were marched off for a photographic check, then all the 
/Prisoners 








Prisoners of War in the Compound were paraded for a photographic check. At 09.30 hours 
all Prisoners of War were sent back to their own huts, except the inmates of barrack 104, who were split up and sent to other barracks. At 11.00 hours a roll-call was held. 



During the next fortnight the tunnel was inspected thoroughly. 
:zy the Germans filled the entry shaft with sand up to the to.most two and a half feet, which they filled with concrete. The exit shaft 
was filled up with sewage from the whole Camp. Prisoners of War who original:zy lived in barrack 104 were allowed to enter it to collect their clothese, bedding, 
etc.', and 
managed to bring out the greater part of the escape equipment they had left behind them. The Ge
rmans 
searched every 

other barrack in the Compo
und after the escape', but not barrack 104. 
The following is a list of the seventy-nine Prisoners of War who got through the tunnel:.109946 F/Lt. A. ARMSTRONG, R.A.F. 373 Sgt. P. BERGSLAND, R.A.F. --120413 F/Lt. R.A. BETHELL, R.A.F. X J.5233 F/0 H. BIRKLAND, R.C.A.F. X 61053 F/Lt. E.G. BRETTELL, 
R.A.F. 122363 F/Lt. L.C.J. BRODRICK, R.A.F. X 43932 F/Lt. L.G. BULL, R.A.F. X 90120 W'I,clr. R.J. BUSHELL, R.A.F. 
J.6487 F/Lt. w. CAMERON R.C.A.F. X 39024 F/Lt. M.J. CASEY, 
R.A.F. X A.400'364 s/Ldr. J. CATANACH, R.A.A.F. 
NZ.413380 P/0 A.G. CHRISTIANSEN, R.N.Z.A.F. 












x 
12241 
F/Lt. R.S.A. 
CHURCHILL, R.A.F. 
F/0 D.M. 
COCHRAN,
P. CROSS, R.A.F. 
DAY, 
R.A.F. 
X 
39305 
s/Ldr. 
05175 W/Cdr. H.M.A. Ma" 
X 
R.A.F. 
J.B. DODGE, Territorial AraryR.A.F. 
101106 
Fitt. 
86685 
S.H. 
82542 F/Lt. B. 
R.A.F. X 378 Sgt. H. R.N.A.F. X 42745 F/Lt. B.H. R.A.F. X 742 2/Lt. N. R.N.A.F. X 103275 Lt. J.s. S.A.A.F. 
GREEN, 
F/Lt. 
R.A.F. 
B. 
60345 
W.J. GRISMAN, R.A.F. 
X 
X 
F/Lt. 
F/Lt. 
R.A.F ¥
A.D.M. 
GUNN', 
A.A. HAKE, R.A.A.F. 
A.40.3218
X 
F/Lt. 
F/Lt. 
50896 
R.A.F. 
C.P. 
HALL,F/Lt. A.R. HAYTER, R.A.F. F/Lt. HUMPHREYS, 
X 
42124
X 
E.s. 
R.A.F. 
X 44177 
F/Lt. 
B.A. 
R.A.F. 
42232 
X J.10177 F/0 X A.402364 F/0 
G.A. 
R.C.A.F. 

KIDDER,
KIERA.TH,
R.V. 
R.A.A.F. 
x P.0109 F/Lt. A. KIEWNARSKI, R.A.F. X 39103 ..T.G. KIRBY-GREEN, 
R.A.F. x P.0243 F/0 w. R.A.F. x P.0237 F/0 s.z. R.A.F. X C.1631 F/Lt. P.W. R.C.A.F. 




37938 
R.B. 
R.A.F. X 
T.B. R.A.F. X 89375 J.L.R. R.A.F. X 89580 R. MARCINKUS, R.A.F. 
H.C. MARSHALL, R.A.F. 
115320 F/Lt. A.T. McDONALD, R.A.F. X 956691 2/Lt. S.C.A.N. 
McGARR, s.A.A.F. X J.5312 F/Lt. G.E. R.C.A.F. 

J ¥ MONDSCHEIN, 
X 
R.A.F. 
X 
R.A.F. 
2/Lt. Lt.(A) A.D. 
J.E. MULLER, R.A.F. 

NEELY, R.N. 


76017 
42152 
X 30649 
F/Lt. Lt. 
D.A. POYNTER, R.N. L. 

R.A.F. 

P.G. 
R.A.F. 
M.M.
NZ.391368 F/Lt. 
w/o 
SHAND, 
R.N.Z.A.F. 
X 
213 
E. SCANTZIKAS, R.H.A.F. 
X 474.31 Lt. R.J. STEVENS, S.A.A.F. 
X 130452 
F/0 
R.C. 
D.o. 
c.n. R.A.F. 

R.A.F. 
X 107520 
X 
F/Lt. c.97013 F/Lt. A.B. R.c.A.F. X P.0736 F/0 P. R.A.F. 83232 F/Lt. I.P. R.A.F. NZ.2481 s/Ldr. L.H. TRENT, R.N.Z.A.F. X 82532 F/Lt. E. VALENTA, R.A.F. 

106.346 F/Lt. B. VAN DER STOK, R.A.F. .á .30268 F/Lt ¥ R.L.N. 
VAN WYMEERSCH, R.A.F. 7,302.3 F/Lt. 
F/0123026 F/0 
R.A.F. 
R.A.F. 
37658 
X 
X 
G.W. R.A.F. 
F/Lt. 
WERNHAM, R.C.A.F. 
X 

X 
X 
40652 
J.E. 
WILEY, R.C.A.F. 
F/Lt. 
s/Ldr.
F/Lt. 
R.A.F. 

X 10617.3 
R.A.F. 
WILLIAMS, 
The fifty officers whose 
names are 
marked with a cross,áon the above list vere shot by the Germans. 
Three of the remainder reached 
the U.K., they were, 
BEBGSLAND, MULLER and VAN DER STOK. Their accounts of their experiences are given 
in Chapter X. 

The following were arrested outside 
the exit of the tunnel:.LANGLOIS, REAVELL-CARTER and TRENT. experiences, which are extracts from their M.29/s/PG reports, are 


70811 
42872 x P.0740 X 86793 
78847 X 402894 F/Lt. F/Lt. F/0F/0F/Lt. F/0Lt.,(A) T.R. A.K. 
K. 
H.A. D.L. J. 

PAWLUK, 

PICARD, PLUNKETT, POHE, R.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F. R.A.F. 









s greatcoat and a civilian cap. 1'zy" job was to get outside the camp and then 
keep watch on the guards and machine-gun post from a nearby wood until number 80 had got out: I was then free _to go. 
11 :By 
the time the 76th man was 
coming out it was 0515 hours and I signalled him to flatten out as the guard approached. The guard then noticed the track in the snow made 






thought it was levelled at him, and called out not to shoot. This caused me to roll out of my hiding place behind a bush, 

near him, and I was captured". 




F/Lt. M.M. SHAND was number 77. -I was wearing a 'Windbreaker jacket which I had made in the Camp. Underneath this I wore Army battle-dress. I carried a Li-lo for the 
purpose of enabling me to cross rivers. I had been supplied with false identity Japers, purporting that I was a Hungarian worker, and had maps, a comi:ass, about 50 Rm. food concentrate, chocolate, raisins, etc. 



11 0n leaving the exit of the tunnel at about 0500 hrs.d, just 1 all-clear' signal an the rope I followed the rope, i:assed LANGLOIS, F/Lt. BETHELL. He then left with his Jarty and I awaited the arrival of the other eight members of my JaT"ty. 
later and was crawling along the rope towards me. 












-52 .


At this moment the sentry an patrol outside the fence began 

to approach the exit of the tUIUlel. I signalled on 
the rope to SHAND to be still. When the guard got closer to the exit of the tUIUlel he appeared to notice the track through 



In the interval SHAND resumed crawling and the guard raised his rifle in the direction of SHAND and shouted. that the guard was about to shoot SHAND so I jumped from my place of concealment in the wood and shouted to the guard in German'Walk, 11Do not shoot11¥ He then fired a shot into the air and began to call for assistance. I advanced towards the guard continuing to shout to him in German. In the meantime OGILVIE and SHAND escaped .mto the woods without the guard being aware of the fact. 
11A few minutes later an N.c.o. arrived from the guard-room 









etc. in the fire. The Camp Commandant, Oberst VON 
LINDEINER, the Abwehr 
Officer, Major BRDLI, and the Lager Officer, Hau
ptmann PIEBER, arrived and began to question us. Major BBOLI wanted to lmow how many had escaped. When we refused to tell him he said, 

11That will be so much the worse for you"¥ 
11At this stage VON LINDEINER, who had gone into another room, returned and 
to be in a terrific rage. He was virtua.1.l´ incoherent in his speech and did mention that the Gestapo 
would have a hand in the affair. PIEBER told me that 
we would never 
be allowed to return to the Compound. 
"We were placed in a room in the guardroom, where we remained for about two hours. Then we were taken to the cells in the Vorlager and placed in separate cells. We were not allowed to have aey-heat:illg, food or washing facilities. These 

























one of the guards 
that it was the Kommandant¥s orders. "At 
the end of that 
time normal cell conditions 
applied 
and at the end of about a week we were sentenced to 21 days detention. 
This was to include the time already spent in cells. 


The guard had 

11 

I was given the signal to leave the exit and I crawled 
turned back short on his beat, and, being across the track 


and awa;y from the wire, he stumbled over me and gave the 

alarm. I was arrested, but SHAND got clear and was not 







woods. Then I joined 11\V" ]:arty led by F/Lt. GRISMAN and we 
-walked West through the woods for two kilometres. Then we 
split into small groups and I went on alone. I wore civilian 
clothes made from a R.A.F. uniform, had 
forged papers, 
etc. 
I walked South across country until dawn, hid in a wood till 
dusk and then walked until 23.30 hours, when my route was 
blocked with snow-drifts. I took a second-class road and 
"At 02.00 hours on 26th March I was arrested by the German 
Home Guard and taken to the Police Station in a nearby villaged, 
where I met F/Lt.¥s BOYLE and HUMPHREYS. I was able to 
destroy all my false papers, maps, etc., and re-convert my 
tunic so that I was dressed as an airman. 
/"About 
























"About an hour 
later F/Lt. 
1 s 
MARSHALL and VALENT
A were brought into the police station. About 12.00 hours the five of us were taken to the civil .ison at SAGAN, where we were searched. At 02.00 hours on 27th March, of us and fourteen other escaped officers were taken to 


On about 5th April I was taken 



1 1I was forty-sixth man in the tunnel and I pulled twenty other officers through and then followed the sixty-fifth man out. "After leaving the exit of the tunnel I assembled my pa.rty:.
and three others whose names I cannot 
remember. West through the woods for about two kilometres, and then split up into small groups. From then on I 
was accompanied by F/Lt. LONG. 

"We walked North for about two kilometres and then hid in a wood until the evening of 25th March. We walked North along the FRANKFURT-ON-ODER railway track for a distance of about thirty kilometres, when we arrived at BENAU, at about 
06.00 hours on 26th March. We hid in a barn on the outskirts 
until evening and then went to the railway marshalling yard to try and travel by goods train. No slow train passed through so we returned to the barn at about At 
14.00 hours we were arrested by members of the German Home Guard 011 the Northern outskirts. We were taken to the civil prison in BENAU, where we remained until late that afternoon, when we were taken to the Criminal Police H.Q. in SORAU. 
searched and then taken to the civil pris011 in On the evening of 29th March we were taken to the civil prison at GORLITZ, where we were 























again 
interrogated. We remained there until 6th April when I was taken lack to STALAG LUFT III, F/Lt. LONG remaining at GORLITZ11¥ 

I was dressed in 
R.A.F. battledress and 
wore a 
R.A.F. a.R's greatcoat shortened with the buttons covered with cloth. I had false identity papers. 
"On leaving the exit I joined JI\Y' party of ten'l.1J.4r, led by F/Lt. BIRKLAND, in the woods. We walked West for two kilometres and then split into small groups. F/Lt. 1s BIRKLAND, STREET and I remained together. We walked South, hiding in woods by day, until just before dawn on 27th March, when we decided to give ourselves up because we were very wet and suffering from the cold. 
nwe went to a cottage, probably near KALKBRUCH, and discovered that there were four Germans in it. We were arrested and taken to the village Police Station. We destroyed our false papers in the fire here whilst pretending to get wann. 
"At 12.00 hours we were taken to SAGAN Police Station and then 
to the Civil Prison at GORLITZ. I was at first placed 
in I was interrogated and asked for the names of those responsible for the 






hours We assembled in a wood close by, 
splitting up either singzy-or in pairs 'When we reached 
the end of the wood. "I went with F/Lt. THOMPSON 
and we 
walked for about two miles 
and than hid in a pine forest. 
/through 







-56 .through the snow the next night until 04.00 hours, by which time I was feeling too ill to go on. F/Lt. THOMPSON continued his journey with two Americans we had met, while I hid in a barn and went to sleep. I was awakened by an armed civilian kicking me, then taken to a police station. About two hours later, THOMPSON and the two Americans were brought :in. From here we were taken to SAGAN Police station, where we rema:ined all day, during which time more escaped Prisoners of War were brought in. 
"The next morning we were loaded :into a lorry and accompanied by two car loads of guardsa, were taken to GORLITZ and placed in cells. After two days we were taken out for interrogation. One other Prisoner of War and .sell' were the only two to be interrogated in the building, the rest of the escaped Prisoners of War being taken to the Gestapo H.Q. for interrogation. I was asked the ordinary routine questions, with the exception of one, which was to ask me wey we were going to concentrate in PRAGUE. Since I knew nothing about going to PRAGUE, I could not answer. 
11 1 remained at GORLITZ for eleven or twelve days. From about Joth March, a guard would go into different cells and call out names. These men would then be taken away and we did not see them again. We thought that they were being taken out for further interrogation, and when they did not retum, that they had been sent back to Camp. 
"The last two parties to leave were one of eight and one of twelve. The pu-ty of eight was never seen again, while the party of twelve, of which I was a member, was returned to SAGAN, where we were given 21 dey's solitary confinement. 
41255 FILT. R.S.A. CHURCHTTJ,; R.A.F, 11 1 believe I was forty-eighth man in the tunnel. I joineda. 
.rty of ten, led by F/Lt. GRISMAN. When we had walked West for two kilometres we split up. I went on with F/Lt. NELSON. We were wearing R.A.F. O.R1 s greatcoats shortened and officers trousers. 
/11We 











-57 .

floods. "We 
were discovered in the barn at J2.00 hours on 27th March by the farmer and his workers who were 
We were taken to an inn in a village near HALBA.U. We hid our false papers behind a 
piano here. Then 
we were 
taken to SA.GAN Police Station. We were kept in a cell with F/Lt.'W'in¥s BIRKLAND, McGILL, McCARR, WILLIAMS, STREET AND MILFORD. 
11 0n 28th March we were all taken to GORLITZ Prison. I was interrogated at the H.Q.of the Criminal Police, 
GORLITZ. I was then returned to the civil prison and kept there until 6th May, 
when F/Lt.'W'in¥s MARSHALL, BETHELL, ARMSTRONG, BRODRICK, 






a train to BERLIN. 1 contact'W'in
1 ¥ We spent the night with a Dane in a German House. I represented myself to the German fami]´ as a renegade British Lieutenant Colonel escorted by TOBOLSKI, who was dressed 
as an Unteroffizier 
of the Luftwaffe. I told 
them I was to be shown the "wonders of Berlin"¥ 
"Next day we caught a train to STETTIN, arriving at about 

Here TOBOLSKI met his sister, who 
was'W'in, for reasons unlmown to me, unable to help us. At about midnight we 
met some French Prisoners 
of 
War, ap_pa.rently not under guard, who agreed to put us up and assured us we would not 
and
removed us to STETTIN gaol. Five days 
General called either HEBE or UBER, and told that I was 

























-58 .giving 

altoge
th
er 
too 
muc
h trouble 

and 
wo
uld 
be put in a place where I would cause no more bother. I took this to mean that I would be shot, but I was sent to the Concentration Camp at SACHSENHAUSEN. 
"I think that TOBOLSKI, was taken to SAGAN. He was subsequent]´ shot by the Gestapo with forty-nine of the others who had escaped". 

10ll06 Ma.ior 
J1 B1 
DODGE, Territorial 
Army "I was thirteenth man in the tunnel. remained together. 

We walked South through the woods to a small 
railway station, where MONDSCHEIN 
purchased 
third-class tickets to a station just before HIRSCHBERG. 25th March we got on the train. and then split into small groups. WERNHAM and I remained 
trousers. French voluntary workers. "We 
joined our party 
of eight other officers, headed by 

11We walked along the river bank to HIRSCHBERG, where we went to a small railway 
station 
on the outskirts. WERNHAM tried to 
buy tickets 
to a 
station on the CZECH frontier, 

so. We then left the station and walked North
.West along the main road. deep snow. 
to get tickets. tickets to a town near the frontier. 
















11We boarded the train about 16.00 hours. A few minutes later a German civilian came into the compartment and asked where we were gomg, what we intended doing, whom we were going to see there. We tried to answer these questions. He then asked for our identity papers. We produced these, but were aITested and 
taken to the railway police office. 






Headquarters in HIRSCHBERG. Here we met F/Lt. 1s JAMES, SHANZIKLAS, KIEWNARSKI, PAWLUK, GREEN and Lt. POYNTER. We were interrogated individually by the Gestapo. I was asked where the photographs on nzy-identity card had come from, how I had travelled, who had come with me, etc. I refused 
to answer. After the interrogation each officer was handcuffed to a guard and taken to the Civil Prison. 
"We remained here in one cell until 29th March, when I was I was joined here by W/Cdr. 







greatcoat, undyed, with the bottons covered, and R.A.F. officers trousers, undyed. He was not wearing a jacket, but had several pullovers instead. We were in possession of forged identity papers, etc. I was purporting to be a Danish worker and KROL a Slav worker. I had a three weeks 1 supply of authentic food ration coupons, which had been given 
to me by a German prior to the escape. 
hours of daylight. 110n 6th April we were hiding in a barn under a pile of wheat The a Volksdeutscher, listened to our story of being 









-60 .



to the police. We were interrogated and the Gestapo H.Q. at BRESLAU was telephoned 

and asked for instructions regarding our disposal. protests and taken to the Civil Prison in OELS, where we remained 
in solitary confinement until 12th April. 



"During this period I saw KROL on two occasions, the last being 
an 12th April. On the morning of that dey' 
the Director of the prison informed me that KROL was to be returned to STALAG LUFT III, but that he regretted that I was to be handed over 
to the Gestapo and taken to BERLIN. I ws taken by train in a special compirtment, escorted by two Gestapo officials in civilian clothes, to BERLIN. 



few minutes later the express train from BERLIN to BRESLAU arrived. We boarded it without tickets and travelled third.class to BRESLAU. On the train we met &II,dr. BUSHELL and his companion,'l.1J.4rá F/Lt. SCHEIDHAUER. 
110n arrival at BRESLAU at about 00.45 hours an 25th March, we discovered that the train to GLATZ on which we had intended to travel at 01.00 hours had been cancelled. We waited in the booking-hall until 06.00 hours and then boarded a train for GLATZ. During this time we met and spoke to &/Ldr. BUSHELL, and we saw F/Lt. 1s SCHEIDHAUER and STEVENS. 
/we 









of 28th March. 11We then walked 
to NEUSTADT, where we stey-ed in a barn attached to a farm until the evening of 1st April, when we 
We stayed at a farm there until the evenin
g of 2nd April, when we walked to the railway station at OPOCNO on the evening of 

a hotel until the morning of 6th April, and then travelled at a railway 
station an 8th April. We were taken to tre 
German police station and kept there until 10th April, 
when we were handed over to the Gestapo in KLATTAU and interrogated. We were kept in cells until 4th Heyá, when we were taken to the Gestapo Headquarters in PRAGUE. Here we remained until 21st November. On that rucy-I was moved to the Military Prison in PRAGUE. F/Lt. PLUNKET!' was not moved with me. I remained there until 30th November when I was escorted to STALAG LUFT I (BARTH)". 
76904 F/LT. B, GREEN. R.A.F. n:t,zy-number for going out was thirty-eight. I was in a party of twelve people:.Major J.B. DODGE::/f,DR. J.E. WILLIAMS 
F.O. J. MONDSCHEIN 
W.O. E. SCANTZIKAS F/0 K. PAWLUK F/LT. J.-c. WERNHAM 
F/LT. L.G. BUIJ., 
















-62 .F/O. R.V. KIERATH F/LT. B.A. JAMES LT. D.A. POYNTER and one other whose name I have forgotten. "I was dressed in an old khaki tunic with civilian buttons, old khaki battledress trousers and blue balaclava cap. 
I carried a piece of felt rolled up, in which was food, change of clothing, etc. I was equipped with an Ausweis showing that I was a Czech workman going an leave to CZECHOSLOVAKIA. I also carried some Reichsmarks. 
11At approximately 01.00 hours an 25th March, I went through the tUIU1el and made my way to the wood where the rendezvous with the rest of the pu-ty had been arranged. We then walked to a rail'Wa37' station near SAGAN, where F/Lt. MONDSCHEIN bought tickets to HIRSCHBERG for the whole rarty. At about 05.00 hours we boarded the train. 
"At 10.00 hours we got off the train at BOBER-ROHRSDORF, and from then an I made my way alone. 
"When we left the station most of the µLrty turned left, but F/Lt.¥s BULL and MONDSCHEIN turned right, so I followed them at a distance of two to three hundred yards. After a while I lost them at a bend in the road, so I continued walking in a Northerly direction by iey-self. It was heavy going as the roads were thick with snow, bu.t I gradually worked my wey round South again so that I approached the village of BOBER.ROHRSDORF from the North. I hid in a wood overlooking the village, and watched it for about two hours. 
"At the end o:f that time I decided that it would be impossible for me to by-i:ass the village and I would there:fore have to go through it. Accordingly I set off and crossed the bridge into the village without di:fficulty, and was just on the verge of getting through the village when I was stopped by a German soldier on police duty. He asked for my JY1pers'W'in, which I gave him. He then asked why I had not travelled through to CZECHOSLOVAKIA by train instead of getting off at BOBER.

I told him I bad been gambling and lost my money. 
/ (I 





-63 .

Police Station at HIRSCHBERG and 
they told him to bring me there for interrogation. 
"We then walked into HIRSCHBERG together and on arrival at the Police Station I saw Major DODGE and F/Lt. WERNHAM. WERNHAM and I were then marched to a Prisoner of War 
locked ma cell together. After two hours we were taken back to the Police Station and interrogated. 
11 The interrogation lasted twenty minutes'Walk, during which time I was told they lmew I was from STALAG LUFT III and wanted to know 
how I had got out and what number I was to go through the tmmel. During the interrogation a female typist typed out a statement at the direction of the mterrogator and I had to sign it. 
"I was then taken to the Civil Gaol at HIRSCHBERG with seven members of the original p:1.rty of twelve, vho had all been recaptured by this time. They vere:-Major DODGE, F/0. PAWLUK, 
W.O. SCANTZIKAS, F/LT. WERNHAM, F/LT. B.A. JAMES, LT. POYNTER, one other whose name I have forgotten, and nzy-self. We were all put into one cell. 
"On the second or third day Major D000-E was taken out. The following day F/Lt. PAWLUK, W.O. SCANTZIKAS and a Pole whose name I cannot remember were taken out. The next day F/Lt. WERNHAM was removed. F/Lt. JAMES, Lt. POYNTE:R and myself remained till the eighth day, when POYNTER and I vere taken back to SAGAN by two plain-clothes detectives. 
110n arrival in the Camp we were left outside the Kommandant'Walk1 s office while the two detectives went inside. After half an hour they came out and told us that the Camp authorities would not have us back. We were taken back to the Main Police Station .in SAGAN and .interviewed by the Heau of the SAGAfl Police, whose name, I believe, was SOLOMON. 












"He 
vas very pleasant and told m:; that we would have to go back to the Camp and that he would arrange everything. 

then escorted us back to the Camp and after he had seen the 
Kommandant we were told that we were being kept at the Camp. 


They then made us stand for six or seven hours in the 
guardroom, where we were treated very uncivil.zy. At the end 
of that time we were put into the cells used for German 


defaulters. After thirty-six hours we were removed to the 
ordinary cells". 





"We 
walJced 
across country to 
TSCHIERSDORF 
railway station, and travelled by train, third-class, to BOBER-ROHRSDORF, arriving at 09.00 hours on 25th March. We then split into 

HIRSCHBERG, 
arriving about 
17.30 hours. 
At the 
railway station we were arrested by German police. 

11We were taken to HIRSCHBERG Police Station, where we met Major DODGE, F/LT.'l.1J.4r1 S WERNHAM, GREEN, KIEWNARSICT, LT. POYNTER and F/0. PAWLUK. We were interrogated separately and then taken to the local Jrisan. 
110n 28th March Major DODGE was removed 
to SACHSENHAUSEN Concentration Camp. On 30th March F/LT. 1 S WERNHAM and KIEWNARSKI, F/0. PAWLUK and w.o. SCANTZIKAS 
were taken to an unlmow dest:inatian. 
On 31st March F/LT. LT. POYNTER were taken to STALAG LUFT III. 



"I remained at HIRSCHBERG until 6th April, when 
I was taken to SACHSENHAUSEN Concentration Camp. Here I met W/CDR. DAY and MAJOR DODGE. On 12th April F/LT. DOWSE arrived there. In October F/LT. VAN WYMERRSCH arrived there"¥ 































36103 F/LT. H,c. MARSHALL, R,A,F, "It was originally intended that I should go out through the tunnel at 21.00 hours, but owing to teclmical hitches in the tunnel this was not possible. With the aid of F/LT. BULL, who did all the digging,I was able to complete the tunnel just before 22.30 hours. I then changed into civilian clothes. 

"I was dressed in a black civilian suit 
and skiing 
cap, and had papers forged in the name of PETR KOVALKOV, a glass worker whose home was in BURGOS. I had also maps, a com:fS,ss, two 
hwdred Reichsmarks; and food. 
n:i,.zy-partner was F/LT. VALENTA. Our intention was to go by train to BRESLAU, MITTELWALDE, on the Czech border, and walk 
into CZECHOSLOVAKIA, 
where we would contact the organisation about which F/LT. VALENTA lmew a good deal. If this should fail we would go down through YUGOSLAVIA and join the TITO :fS,rtisans. 
"At 22.30 hours I went through the tunnel, followed by 







F/LT. VALENTA, &/LDR. 
RISHELL, LT. SCHEIDHAUER, F/LT. STEVENS, LT. GOUWS, F/LT. PLUNKETT, F/LT. DVORAK, LT. FUGELSANG, LT. ESPELID. 
"Owing to the extra time involved in digging the tunnel, and 
We set off in pairs for 
SAGAN Railway Station, at five-minute intervals. On the 
way to the station the air-raid siren sounded and it was only after much difficulty that we found the subway entrance to the station. The doors were all locked, 

and the ticket-collector 
ordered F/LT. VALENTA 
and IIJiVSelf to go to the nearest air-raid shelter. VALENTA told him that we had a train to catch, but api:arently no one was allowed to enter the station during an air-raid. 

11We made our way back to the woods and tried to decide the best course to adopt. If we caught a later train at 01.00 /hours 



























-66 .





time 
it snowed heavizy and we suffered 
badzy from 
cold 
and exposure. In the evening we set off again. At 04-.00 hourst, whil
st walking 
down a small country lane, we were stopped by two German Home Guards and told to put our hands up. We were questioned and arrested. We were marched to the 






"In this prison we met F/LT. 1 S ARMSTRONG, ROYLE and HUMPHREYS. We were all taken by car to SAGAN Military Prison where we were stripped and searched, but not interrogated. We 
All of them had been caught walking. We were given nothing to eat except one piece of dry bread and a cup of ersatz tea. 







HUMPHREYS and GRISMAN. "Next mom:i.ng we were taken out and interrogated by an interpreter and the civilian Head of the Criminal 
A female typist typed our statements. They asked wcy I was wearing civilian clothes, where I was going, what 
pape
rs I had, how I got out of Camp, and so on. I answered in a very simple manner, pretending to be a simple sort of man. was very threatening and I could see they meant busmess. 
/"On 








-67 .
"Gn 
28th Ma
rch five 
people 
were 
cells, F/LT. 'S LEIGH and CASEY, 
F/0 POHE, WLDR. CROSS 
and one other whose name I cannot remember. 
thirteen more were taken out. 
By 8th April there were only 
us left, including F/LT. 'S CHURCIITLL, ARMSTRONG, 

We were taken back to STALAG LUFT III. 






"I 
was carrying 
false papers and wearing 
civilian 
clothes. I was recaptured by members of the Landwacht who made a half-hearted attempt to beat me up. I was taken to the prison 
at GORLITZ, 
where I was interrogated by members 
of the Gestapo. I was able to eat m:, false papers and sew R.A.F. buttons onto m:, greatcoat; 
this may have been the reason why I was not shot". 
LT.{A} A.D. NEELY, R.N. 
11 ! was number twenty-eight on the list. I was wearing Naval uniform, including greatcoat, with civilian buttons, and a French beret. I carried a French identity card, papers fortm:, train journeys from SAGAN to BERLIN and BERLIN to STETTIN, and French and German money, approximately .five hundred francs and one hundred and fifty Reichsmarks. 
"I made my way to SAGAN Station alonet, bought my ticket to BERLIN and caught a train at 0.3.15 hours. I saw WLdr. CATTANACH and F/Lt. CHRISTIANSEN on the train, and saw them leave it at BERLIN at the same time as I did, at 07.30 hours. I was not asked to show my Japers during the journey. 
11 I wandered around BERLIN until 16.20 hours, when I caught a tra:ui to STETTIN. I arrived at 19.30 hours and after several attempts .found a hotel where I could stay the night. I left at 10.00 hours next morning, 26th March, and went to an address I had been given in Camp, 16 Kle:in Oder strasse. It became obvious when I spoke to the two girls in the house that this was the wrong number, and that I should go to number 17. 







-68 .


11 I 
had lunch in a restaurant 


and then returned to number 
17, 

a brothel. The people there told me they couJ.d not help me and advised me to wait until the arrival of a Swede. I waited until 17.30 hours and then left the house. I contacted a Frenchman in the street and he took me to a friend of his who worked in the kitchen of a hospital in STETTIN. I spent two nights and a day in this hospital, helped by the three men who worked 
in the kitchen. I sucy-ed 
indoors during the day and went at night into STETTIN with 

escaped by the back way. I went again to 17, Klein Oder Strasse, but there was still no Swedes there. I had TO:OOLSKI by one of the bridges 
in STETTIN on this date, but 
they did not arrive. 11At 20.00 hours I b:>arded a train for BERLIN, as I had 




papers during this journey. but only my identity card. 

It was an express 
train but I was short of food and wanted to get as far West of BEfil.IN 
as possible. At NUREMBURG an official 
in plain clothes .becked my papers. He became suspicious because 
















LUFT III. On 5th April my finger-prints were taken, and that evening I was taken back to STALAG LUFT III. 
/11While 














-69 .

1'1,Jhile 
I was in the 
gaol I was told that two of my companions were there, but I was not given their names. During air-raids I was not taken to the shelters with other prisoners and when I complained about this I was told that as it was 11\V own countrymen who were ruining the cities 

We 
walked West for 2 milometres 
and then split up into small groups. lt7' companion from then on was F/Lt. CHURCHILL. We wore R.A.F. uniform converted, and carried false identity papers, etc. 
11We remained in the barn until the afternoon of the 27th 
March when we were discovered by an organised search by local inhabitants. 
"We were ta.ken to a nearby inn and handed over to the Burgomaster of HALBAU. Then we were taken by car to the police station at SAGAN, where we were 
searched 

and interrogated by two s.s. officers. We were put into a cell, where we met 
F/LT.'l.1J.4r1S WILLIAMS, BIRKLAND, R.C.A.F., STREET, BRODERICK, 
' partner 
(name forgotten). Soon afterwards we vere joined by F/LT. MA.GILL, R.c.A.F. and Lt. McGARR, 
South African Air Force. 
"The nine of us rema:ined there until 02.00 hours an 28th March when we were taken to the civil prison at GORLITZ. 
I 

placed 
in a cell with F/LT.'l.1J.4r1S STREET AND BRODERICK. Later that'l.1J.4r. we were taken separate4' to the Criminal Police 
H.Q. in GORLITZ and interrogated, then returned to the prison. 
/"On 

















J/. 





-70 .
"On 6th April F/LT. ¥s ARMSTRONG, HARSHALL, BETHELL, ROYLE, CHURCHILL, BRODERICK, CAMERON and I were taken to STALAG LUFT II (SAGAN) and put into cells for twenty-one cuzy-s. At the end of that time we were released into the North Compound"¥ 
A,2872 F/LT, A1K1 OGILVIE, R1A1 F1 11 I was seventy-eighth man out, and I got out just before 
05.00 hours. I was wearing an army battle dress and an airman's greatcoat shortened; I had forged documents. 
"I joined F/Lt. REAVELL-CARTER in the woods where we awaited the other members of our party of ten. A few minutes later F/Lt. SHAND left the unit of the tunnel and started crawling towards us. When he was about half-way, the German sentry on patrol approached the exit of the tunnel. He fired one shot and began to shout. F/Lt. REAVELL-CARTER jumped up and shouted to him. The sent:cy ordered him to put up his hands and walk towards him. 
further into the woods and crawled away. 
It was then almost dawn. 
When 
I was about fifty yards from the sentry I began 
to run West through the woods. After a while I turned South and then found a hiding place where I stayed until it was dark that evening. 
11 I then walked South 
through the woods. At dawn on 26th 
hour and then taken to an inn and interrogated by a German in civilian clothes. THOMPSON, 


We were stripped and searched and put into a cell with about /twenty 












-71 .
twenty other officers who had taken .rt in the escape. 
"On 27th March we were taken to the civil prison at GORLITZ. I was put into a cell with F/LT.'1S ROYLE and HALL. On 29th March we were moved to the Military Prison at GORLITZ. We were interrogated separately. I was asked how I had escaped, who had ordered me to escape, where I was going, whether I had friends in CZECHOSLOVAKIA, how the tunnel had been constructed, etc. I refused to answer questions.'á 
11 0n 29th March at about 15.00 hours the door of our cell was left open for a few minutes. During this time I saw s/LDR. CROSS, F/LT. CASEY, F/LT. McGILL and several other Officers in the corridor. F/LT. McGILL was handcuffed to a very tall, broad-shouldered civilian who had a blttered pugilistic type of face. 
"ROYLE, HALL and I were returned to the civil prison. On 4th April, ROYLE, THOMPSON, ARMSTRONG and I were taken by train to STALAG LUFT III11¥ 
7¤847 FILT, D.L. PLUNKETT, R.A.F, "I was thirteenth man in the tunnel. I was dressed in my own R.A.F. lUliform dyed navy blue and altered to look like a civilian suit. I also wore my R.A.F. greatcoat with civilian buttons and the belt buckle covered with leather. I was in possession of forged identity papers, travel permits and letters from firms. 11 0n leaving the exit of the tunnel about ll.oo hours I was joined in the woods by F/Lt. DVORAK. J-tY experiences from then until 30th November are as related by F/Lt. DVORAK in his report. "I -remained in the Gestapo Prison, PRAGUE, until 1st December when I was moved to the Military Prison', PRAGUE. I was kept there until 25th January 1945, when I was taken to STALAG LUFT I (BARTH), and released into the Main Compound. 

LT. (A) D.A. POYNTER. R,N, 
11 I was wearing Naval lUliform with civilian buttons, and a 

Camp-made cloth cap. I had a satchel containing food and /was 



-72 .
was in possession of forged identity papers representing 
F/LT. GREEN F/LT. JAMES 
F/LT ¥ WEBNHAM LT. POYNTER F/LT. SCANTZIKAS F/LT. KIEWNARSKI F/LT ¥ PAWLUK 
11We were joined by F/Lt. MONDSCHEIN and one other whose name I cannot remember, and the ten of us walked South-West through the woods to a small railway station. F/Lt. MONDSCHEIN bought third-class tickets for the whole party to OBER-ROHRSDORF. 
We boarded the train at 05.00 hours and arrived at OBER-ROHRSDORF at about 11.00 hours without incident. through the village. 
"I walked into a wood on the Southern outskirts of OBER,.ROHRSDORF and remained hidden until about 16.00 hours. 











exhausted. I decided to travel by train and went into a railway station, possihl3' HAMMERSDORF, where I bought a third-class ticket to POLAUN just before the train was due to 
depart 
at 18.00 hours. 
In this way I avoided close scrutiny of my pass by a civil policeman. "I travelled 
towards POLAUN. At 21.00 hours, at a wayside station, the train was boarded by two civil 
policeman and a member of the Hitler Youth Movement. examined all papers and this examination was followed by one by the Hitler Youth. The policeman passed my papers, 
but the 
Hitler 
Youth 
spotted a defect and re-called 
the police. I was arrested. 
/"I 








-73 .


"I was to the police. I was searched and interrogated. I maintained that I was a French worker. The police telephoned to the Headquarters at HIRSCHBERG and two Army guards arrived and escorted me to the Police Headquarters at HIRSCHBERG. Before I left HA.MMERSDORF the Chief of Police asked me whether I was an officer who had escaped from STALAG LUFT III. I admitted that I was. 







took down our statements. 
11I was asked: where were you going, you were going South .
why, were you 
ordered 
to escape, were you going to the same places as the others, where did you get your civilian clothes, where did you get your identity papers, etc. I refused to answer any of these questions except to explain that rq 1 civilian clothes(¥ was a Naval uniform. Th
ey emphasised that it was ver., dangerous to be in possession of these identity papers. 


"After the eight of us had been interrogated 
we were taken to the civil prison. On the moming of 29th March, F/Lt. GREEN and myself were taken oo.ck to STALAG LUFT III"¥ 42152 F/LT. P.G. BOYLE, R.A.F. 11 I left the tunnel at 02.30 hours on 25th March. hour1s marching our party of ten split up. and myself began wal!dng South. At 08.00 hours we decided to rest in a pine forest. At 20.00 hours we started off again 
travelling South, but at 02.(30 
hours we were a
pprehended and taken to a cell at TIEFFURT. taken to SAGAN Jail. At 22.(00 
hours, with twenty of the other escapers, we were moved to GORLITZ Jail. 
I spent six days there and 
was interrogated 



On 2nd April I was sent back to STALAG LUFT III. /N(.Z.391369 





















-74 .




N,Z.391369 
F/LT1 M1 H1 SHAND, R,N,Z.A.F1 11 1 escaped through the tunnel about 
05.00 hours on 25th March. I was seventy-ninth man in the tunnel and was the last to escape from it. 11 1 was wearing Army 
trousers and greatcoat. I had 
false identity papers representing me as a Rumanian worker. "I was crawling in the snow from the tunnel exit when I received the signal an the rope to keep still. I did so, and 
I heard a couple of 
shots fired. 
At this time 
I was about ten yards from the exit of the tunnel. I looked back and saw the sentry standing at the exit. I got to my 
feet and ran 
into the wood. 11 I walked West until 06.00 hours when I hid in the wood for At dusk I started walking again, and hid in another wood through the next day. I continued in this way 
papers. 11 I was 
taken to 
GORLITZ 
later that day. 
put in a cell in the civil prison 'With F/LT.r1 S LANGFORD, POHE and HAKE. 
"About .30th March we were taken singly to the Gestapo Prison and interrogated. I 
asked about my family history. I was not threatened or beaten. We were returned to the same 
cell. 
"On about 31st March all the escapers detained in the prison were moved from one cell to another. I -was placed in a cell 

/C.9?013 






























to leave 
the tunnel. I hid in day. a road hoping to ca'tch a While passing through a small village I was apprehended by 


I was threatened with 

death, 
"I was twenty-first man to leave the tunnel. I pulled twenty more Officers through before I left. 
11I travelled with F/LT. STOWER. We wore civilian clothes made from airmen's uniforms and had forged identity i:apers and travel permits. We walked South, hiding during 
the day. At about 07.00 hours on 27th March we were seen by sent three civilian's with a dog after 
We then On the journey two German civilian officials and several military police 

comi:artment and asked for our 
identity i:apers. clothes were similar to 







those worn by escaped Prisoners 
of War who were 
custody at REICHENBERG. We were searched and 


11We were Here we 

taken away'. 




-76 .

"On 17th April I was moved to 
the civil 
prison at PRAGUE. I was interrogated on 26th April by the Gestapo about how I succeeded in getting from CZECHOSLAVAKIA to the United Kingdom in 
1939. They did not ask many questions about 
the escape from STALAG LUFT III. On 30th November I was taken to STALAG LUFT I (BARTH)". 
30268 F/LT. R.L.N. VAN WYMEERSCH, R
1A1F. 

"Once clear of the Camp I caught a train 
from SAGAN which I thought was going to BRESLAU. It happened, however, to be going to LISSA (POLAND). Here I changed trains and boarded 

On arrival there I bought a ticket for 
PARIS. Thereafter I 
passed through 
DRESDEN, LEIPZIG, and FRANKFURT-AM-MAIN, where I was successf'ul in passing the District Control Check. During the short time I was in FRANKFURT I saw F/0. COCHRAN walking in the street in disguise. I did not talk to him 
as I thought this might arouse suspicion. 





11 I continued my journey and after passing through MAINZ I arrived in METZ on 26th 
March. Prior to my arrival e/Ldr. BUSHELL and F/Lt. SCHEIDHAUER had been arrested owing to a small irregularity in their forged }:8sses. 
Their arrest led to an intensive check at the station in METZ, and I was arrested by the Gestapo. 



11 I was 
taken to the CHERCHE MIDI Prison in the town, where I was handcuffed and left without food or water for four days. I was hit in the ribs with a pistol and threatened with 











I refused to sign. 

"From then onwards I was regarded as a criminal until my arrival in SACHSENHAUSEN, when my status became that of a Political Hostage. 



11 At the end of March, I left METZ for BERLIN. During the journey the Gestapo Inspector who had arrested s/Ldr. BUSHELL and F/Lt. SCHEIDHAUER told me they had been 
/arrested 







-77 .
arrested in SAARBURCKEN on 26th March. They were still in SAARBURCKEN Prison on 30th March. 
11 In BERLIN I was sent to a Civilian Prison called ALEXANDER PLATZ, 
where there were between 130 and 150 
men in one 
room, 
of all nationalities and mostly criminals. 
"On 24th May I escaped at ll.20 hours from the gaol at ALEXANDER PLATZ during the confusion which followed the Prison being hit by a bomb in an American raid. When clear of the gaol I set off with three Franch housebreakers who had also 
Oberstleutnant KORDA, Luftwaffe. He ordered that the theatre was to be closed and all empty Red Cross cartons and food tins removed from the Compound. 
Early in April the Senior British Officer:.
G/Capt. H.M. MASSEY, R.A.F. received a message from the Camp Kommandant requesting him to visit him accompanied by his interpreter. Group Captain MASSEY'l.1J.4r1 s interpreter was:.
26117 s.s. MURRAY, When they arrived in the Kommandant'l.1J.4r1s office he said in German'l.1J.4r: 11 I have been instructed by my hi8her authority to communicate to you 

/of 















-78 .


of these officers have been shot whilst resisting arrest or 

attempting further 
escape after arrest'. 
MURRAY translated this to Group Captain MASSEY, who asked how many had been wounded. at ease, said 11 :t,ty-higher authority anzy permits me to read this report and not to answer questions, or to give any further information". Group Captain MASSEY again asked how many had been wounded and the Kommandant replied that he thought none had been wounded. 
Group Captain MASSEY asked for the names of the dead and stated that he required to be :i.nf'ormed about what had happened to the bodies so that he could arrange for burial and the disposal of effects. The Kommandant promised to supp4'" the names as soon as possible. 
On his return to the Compound, Group Captain MASSEY summoned the senior officer of every room in each barrack in the Compound to report to him in the theatre. When they had assembled he informed them of what had transpired. 

A few days later a list of those who had been shot was pmned up on the Compound notice board. It gave forty-seven names. names were added later. 
Within a few days some 



Compound. With the Kommandant'1s permission, erected a memorial in the woods close to the Compound ¥ 
.COURTS MARTIAL OF MEMBERS OF GERMAN GAMP STAFF I 
The following is a translation of German docwnents captured in BERLIN, but there may be slight imperfections in the tran'slation:.
FIELD COURT BEfil,IN 16.9.1944 
CHARGE SHEET AGAINST 
(1) Colonel Friedrich Wilhelm von LINDEINER, former Commandant of the Air Force Prisoner of War Camp, No. 3 now Air Force Reserve Batl lll, FRANKFURT ON ODER, born on 12.12.1880 
/in 














-79 .



in GLATZ, no previous conviction. 
(2) 
Captain Frans BROILI, former Chief Officer of the Guard in Air Force Prisoner of War Camp No. 3, now Air Force Reserve Ba.tl. XVII, born on 17.6.1882 in WURZBURG, no previous conviction. 

(3) 
Captain Johann PIEBER, former Camp Officer in Air Force Prisoner of War Camp No. 2, nO\I Auswertestelle West, Oberursel near FRANKFURT on MAIN, born on 23.5.1897 in LEOBEN, STEIEBMARK, 

no previous conviction. 

(4) 
Obergefreiter Erich OEST, born on 26.7.1906 in HAMBURG, since 31.3.1944 under arrest in w.u.G. Berlin-Tegel, no previous conviction. 

(5) 
Corporal Gustav WOLTER, born on 6.8.1919, since 20.4.1944 tmder arrest in w.u.G. Berlin-Tegel, no previous conviction. 

(6) 
Corporal Josef BIEGANSKI, born on 2.6.1900 in RHEINE, STEINFURT district since 9.6.1944 tmder arrest in w.u.G. Berlin.Tegel, no previous conviction. 

(7) 
Gefreiter Fritz BENING, bom on 21.2.1917 in OBERNVOHREN STADTHAGEN district, since 29.3.1944 tmder arrest in w.u.G. Berlin-Tegel, one previous conviction. 

(8) 
Obergefreiter Edgar LEWERENTZ bom on 30.3.1923 in DEMMIN since 26.4.1944 tmder arrest in w.u.G. Berlin-Tegel, no previous conviction. 

(9) 
Sergeant Hubert ROHLMANN, born an 10.1.1899 in BORGHORST/WESTF. LG-BEREICHS-WERKSTATT i/lll, KLOOZSCHE near DRESDEN, since 16.4.1944 tmder arrest in w.u.G. Berlin-Tegel, no previous conviction. 

(10) 
Civilian Worker, Builder Hermann SCHULE from SORAU, TRIEBELEB-LADSTRASSE, No. 19, born on 29.5.1878 in GURKAU near SORAU, since 29.3.1944 under arrest in w.u.o. Berlin-Tegel, no previous conviction. 

(ll) 
Obergefreiter Gerhard LUBOS, born an 29.12.1919 in SIEMIENOWITZ (UPPER SILESIA) since 27.3.1944 in W.U.G. Berlin-'Iegel tmder arrest, no previous conviction. The Charges in respect of (4), (5), (7), (8), (11) will be 




advised to Air Force Prisoner of War Camp No. J. 
/The 



-8 0 .



The accused 

are 
suspected, 

from 1942 to 
1944 in the field:.
(I) 
The first defendant', Colonel von LINDEINER, through five separate acts:.

(1) 
Intentional dereliction of duty, resulting in careless actions that furthered the enterprises of 

the eneicy-. 

(2) 
Constant disobedience of orders in matters of duty, resulting in detriment and danger to life or to a degree to foreign property or danger to the security of the Reich. 

(3) 
Through constant irresponsible actions lessening the value of installations which served to defend the German land and thus endangering the pre.redness of the German aricy-. 

(4) 
Careless neglect of his duty of oversight over his 

(5) 
Constant and deliberate offence against rules issued 

(II) 
The second accused, Captain BROIL!, through four separate acts:.

(1) 
Intentional dereliction of duty in 2 cases, resulting in careless actions that furthered the enterprises of the eneicy-. 








his 
subordinates. 

(III) The third accused, 
Captain PIEBER:.


Intentional dereliction of duty, resulting in careless actions that furthered the enterprises 
of the 
ene.. 
(IV) Accused 4 to 11, constant disobedience of orders in matters or to foreign 


Further, through 
or other profit or demanding 
/them 











-81 .
them(, and further through such trade, offending against rules 
issued for the regulation of intercourse with Prisoners of War or else maintaining contact with Prisoners of War in such a way that healtey national feeling was grossly violated. 

(V) The fourth accused, 
Obergefreiter OEST, 
through four separate acts. 

By means of promises(, intentional.:cy-providing colleagues, namely Corporal WOLTER and Obergefrei táers 

LEt.JERENTZ and FISCHL and Gefreiter 
BENING for the Commission 
(VI) The seventh accused, Gefreiter BENING: 
Intentional dereliction of duty, resulting in careless actions that furthered the enterprises of the eneJI\Y. 
(VII) The ninth accused, Sergeant RO:m..MANN, through three separate acts: 

(2) 
In two cases taking profit from things, lmowing that they had been provided by theft. 

(VIII) The eleventh accused, Obergefreiter LUBOS, through two se}llrate acts: 


(1) 
Intentional dereliction of duty, resulting in careless actions that furthered the enterprises of the enemy. 

(2) 
Knowingly omitting his duty to report a punishable act of a subordinate. 


Para. J.a. KStVO. 
SUMMARY 
OF 
RELATIVE 
EVIDENCE 
In 
the night of 24-25th of March, 19., there was a mass escape of English Officer Prisoners of War, from the northern compound of Air Force Prisoner of War Camp No. 3 in SAGAN by means of a tunnel 96 

/metres 













-82 .


metres 
longa.} metres deep and 65 centimetres high and broad, which had been dug by the Prisoners in about a year's working time, the exit being outside the camp fence. A sentry who was patrolling outside the camp between two watch towers noticed moving shadows in the wood 
His immediate action led to the seizure of four Prisoners. 76 F.nglishmen had already come through. The discovery of the flight prevented 
the escape of a further 120 Prisoners. The Prisonersa' 
Committee organising the flight had reckoned on the escape of 200 
The extensive search which the Police H.Q. in BRESLAU began immediately after the announcement of the flight resulted in the arrest of 73 escaping Prisoners; so that, from the total of 80 escapers, onJ.y 3 escaped arrest. 
The 
non-discovery of the big tunnel, which had been made during many 

months of worldng time, and was lined with wood and provided 

all the conditions in the Prisoner of War Camp at SAGAN by a military court. The 
enquiry was carried out by a Field Court in conjunction with 
a Special Commission 

of 
the Criminal 
Police 
H.Q. in BRESLA.U. 



The following charge provides the gromids of punishment as found by the enquiry. It is confirmed that the Commandant of the Prisoner of War Camp, two officers, seven other soldiers of the German camp personnel and a civilian 
worker were not anJ.y generally negligent but were guilty 
of serious neglect of duty, forbidden trade and other punishable acts which were dangerousJ.y favourable to the eneiey-. When it is realised that onJ.y a small portion of the failures were discovered and therefore only 
a small 
portion of the iuilty ones can receive their punishment, that is because of the peculiar nature of the circumstances. The accused will not betrey-each other and the witnesses 









individuals accused:.
/I. 


Colonel VON LINDEINER, Commandant of the Prisoner of War Camp SAGAN from 1st May 1942. After the mass escape he was temporarily relieved of his post on 26th March 1944 and was posted to the Air Force Reserve Batl. 3 on 12th May 1944. 
(1) One means for discovering the tunnelling work of prisoners is the so-called listening system. The constructor of these in all Prisoner of War Camps of the Armed Forces is Captain Dr. MEINEL of The Defence 

\_,I Department in Army Group 4. The principle of the listening.'post is as follows:.
Outside the fence of the camp are microphones at a distance of about 30 metres apart and built into the earth to a depth of 3 metres. The microphones contain a vecy sensitive swinging pen, which is set in motion by the lightest disturbances in the ground. The movements are recorded on a membrane and then converted into sound. The noise thus caused goes through each microphone by a cable into the central listening post. There the sounds pass through an amplifier into the individual listening rooms and are made quite plain by a loudspeaker. When a sound is located by a microphone -better named the listening head -an indication of the sound follows. The listening head is undoubtedly sensitive, 
e.g. movements of trains on the railway not far from the camp or movements of motors on the roads outside the camp can be heard. These noises, however, are distinguishable from tunnelling noises. These come over a loudspeaker in the form of scraping noises. The noises that are identified by the listeners are advised evecy day to the guards. Thus the guards receive valuable information about the preparation of prisoners for escape. In SAGAN the listening apparatus for the east and middle compounds 

were put into use in the summer of 1942. The listening apparatus for the north compound from which the mass escape took place in March, was ready for use in Janua17, 1943. The complete listening apparatus came under the Group Defence, which was commanded by the second accused. Gefreiter BENING, the seventh accused, was responsible for the technical working of the listening system. Microphones 53 and 54, which were placed outside Barrack 104, had constantly 


/registered 

-84 .










registered loud noises since May, 1943, which appeared in the monthly reports as a particularly thick sound band. The searches which were made following on this evidence did not lead to the discovery of the tunnel. It was finally assumed that the noises came from workers in the coal dumps in the vicinity of the microphones. But it was overlooked that the listening system recorded noises also at night, when no work was in progress in the coal dumps. This superficial decision on the part of the Guard is even less understandable since a mass escape turmel from Barrack 123 was discovered in September 1943 with the help of the listening apparatus. It should have been the duty of the Guard to take particular notice of the noises which came month by month from the same place and with the same strength, and not to relax their efforts to find the tunnel. If the warning signal had been given through the listening syste:i:aa. been regarded by the Group Defence with the necessary seriousness, the escape tunnel must have been discovered in time. A Guard conscious of its duty would have asked the advice of the constructor of the apparatus and tried to obtain from him an explanation of the unknown noises. Final:1´, the Guards were in the best position to lalow, from their experiences, that the prisoners were always tunnelling(, for this escape tunnel was the 100th attempt in SAGAN camp. Therefore, all noises detected by the listening apparatus(, which did not allow of a completely natural explanation(, would arouse suspicion about tunnel building. 
In such a situation it appears little short of grotesque that on 19th December 1943 on the instructions of the defendant Colonel Von LINDEmER and with the knowledge and consent of the Chief Guard Officer, the complete listening apparatus should be put out of action. The reason for this was the extension of the system to the South and West compounds and the proposed reorganisation of the whole scheme for this purpose. There is no doubt that the rebuilding was judicious and necessary. But the responsible authorities incurred the greatest blame in that they kept the system idle for over 3 months and thus denied themselves an important aid to the prevention of escapes. On 24th March 1944, the day of the mass escape(, the complete apparatus was still out of action. Not until 
/28th 





-85 .


28th March 1944 was it put into operation again for the Middle and East Compounds. 
The witnesses are agreed that the rebuilding and extension could have been undertaken and completed independently from the old system then being used, and that after that, all that was needed was to transfer the cable and switch over. Then the camp would have been only a few dey-s without a listening system. But when the decision had been reached to put the listening system out of operationáawhen the extension work began, the Commandant, the Guard Officer and the Technical Chief should have used every means to push forward with the work, so that the system would be in operation again in the shortest time. It was foolish to undertake the changeover before all building materials were on the spot, the labour supply was certain, and the duration of the changeover determined. 
The admission of Colonel Von LINDEINER that he had purposely laid on the work for the winter months because from experience the prisoners did no tunnelling at this time of year does not in any way excuse his methods. The facts about the tunnel that was discovered in SAGAN prove that obviously the tunnel work was only broken off by the heaviest frost. The mild winter of 1943/1944 had in no way disturbed the prisoners at their tunnelling. 
The first defendant has, in the case of the "listening system11 failed badly in his duty to combat and prevent any attempt at escape by prisoners, and therefore greatly assisted the acts of the enemy. 

(2) Every prisoner 
of war receives every 
week the contents of a 5 kg. pa.reel containing food and useful articles from the Red Cross of his country via the Intemational Red Cross in GENEVA. At this time there were in SAGAN up to 150,000 such parcels. Their distribution was carried out by the Parcel Control provided by the Group Guard. Each 
parcel contained 
among other 
things 
ten 
airtight tins with various contents. 
According to O.K.W. Order No. 199, tins which had come in Red Cross parcels or privately could not be handed out to the prisoners, 












-86 .




but on1´ their contents. Further 
O.K.W. Order of 17th August 1943 adds thereto:-"The keeping of food gifts in open tins is forbidden, The 
Camp 
can demand for this purpose up 
to 2 plates for each Prisoner 
of War who receives gifts". In SAGAN camp these orders have been continual1´ disobeyed. Each Prisoner was handed all the packages from Red Cross parcels. In this way, with an average 
strength of 5,000 men, 50,000 airtight tins found their way into the hands of the Prisoners. Nevertheless, every tin should have been pierced before being handed out, in order to make them unsuitable for preserving food and putting by provisions for escape. The perforation was done by the Prisoners of War who were employed in the Parcel Control. It is plain to what extent the latter, profiting by the deficiencies in the Parcel Control which are dealt with elsewhere', brought unperforated tins into the camp. The unlimited issue of airtight tins offered countless possibilities to technica11´ gifted Prisoners for making the empty boxes and box material useful for the prepi.rations :for escape. The Escape Museum in SAGAN provides plenty of exhibits. Sufficient to say that the tins were made into wind machines and bellows for providing fresh air for the tunnel workers and the boxes converted into many kinds of digging tools. In spite of the perforation of the tins, the Prisoners also made use of them for putting by food for escape. The constant discovery of such converted tins during barrack inspections and on the discovery of tunnels nevertheless gave the responsible German authorities no cause for conforming to the O.K.W. Order. The provision of extra plates to facilitate the storage of food, as laid down in the O.K.W. Order of 17th August 1943, was not carried out. It must not be overlooked that the emptying of 50,000 tins weekly, even when the work was carried out by Prisoners of War, provided considerable extra work for the German Control personnel. But the work had to be done, because there was the clear order of the O.K.W. and the fact of the 


/of 








-87 .of 
the O.K.W. Order had become the 
only possibility to limit the misuse of the tins. Only so would it have been possible to force the prisoners to give their word of honour to leave the tins untouched. As soon as they had given this undertaking it was then thought that, with permission of the O.K.W., the tins from a week's 
to 
accepted. 
The 
result of this disobedience is clearly shown by the figure of 100 tunnels built and the successful mass escape. 
(3) On arrival at the camp, every Prisoner received, in addition to a bed and 
palliasse, knift, fork spoon, dish, one coffee cup, 2 blankets, three articles of bed linen and 1 towel. In the period 
15th January 1943 -19th April 1944, Group 
Admini
stration advised the 
-1699 blanketsr, 192 bed covers, 161 pillow cases, 165 sheets, 3424 towels, 655 palliasses, 1212 bolstersr, 34 single chairsr, 10 single tables, 52 tables for 2 men, 76 benches, 90 double beds, 246 water cans, 1219 knives, 582 forksr, 408 spoons, 69 lamps, 30 shovels. In spite of payment of 
shortage of linen articles 
and household goods, the imprisoned "Terror airmen" lived among the things entrusted to them in almost devilish ways and with them constantly ácontinued the war against the Reich behind the barbed wire, and with success. There is no doubt that the Prisoners purposely destroyed part of the things merely with the idea of causing damage to the 
Reich. 
Most of the missing knives were spoons were ideal digging tools, the wood from bedsteadsr, tables and benches were used for supporting the tunnel. The wooden rails which were laid in the escape tunnel and on which ran the "dogs" filled with sand were 

/covered 


















covered with blankets cut into strips to deaden the noise. Bed linen and especiall;y towels were tailored into escape clothing. Out of 727 towels whirch disappeared from the North Compound :in the first three months of 1944, 500 were, according to the Prisonersr' own statements, made :into escape clothing, and more i;e.rticularl;y for the special pockets which were sewn into coats. 








The first accused had been constantly advised by the Group Administration of the terrific consumption of Government property by the Prisoners. At first, he had refused any intervention by quoting 

the Geneva 
Convention. 
After 
the introduction of the O.K.W. Order of 27th August, 1943, which demanded legal proceed:ings against Prisoners in cases of destruction of and damage to furniture, etc. a statement of evidence was provided in onl;y a few cases. The Field Court Martial took action according to Para. 47 KstVO 
and considered disciplinary action to be sufficient. The Prisoners only escaped legal punishment because the Court Martial did not lmow to what extent the destruction of Government property had grown. It was the duty of the Commandant to control the acts 

of sabotage of the Prisoners. If educational methods and disciplinary penalties were not sufficient, he should give a true account of the actual circumstances to the Field Court with the request that they 
intervene, and counter the prisoners by withdrawing linen, towels, eating implements, etc. 
accused has, by his constant tolerance of the actions of the Prisoners, 













completel;y subservient to the Prisoners. For cigarettes and other 
In the summer of 1943 OEST was suspected of carrying A search of his quarters During his interrogation he denied 





/of 




-89 .




of English production found in his quarters had been received from the Prisoners. On the charge of accepting gifts he was punished by the first accused with three days close arrest. In spite of the 
evidence 
that 
OEST had provided of his untrustworthiness, he 
was allowed by the first accused to return to his post in the Parcel 






He continued his trade with the Prisoners until Christmas 1943 and brought his successor, Obergefreiter LEWERENTZ, the eighth accused, under his influence and incited him to participate in the forbidden exchange business. Even 
though insufficient evidence for a sentence can be produced, it seems certain that OEST had added to the Prisoners'' provisions for escape that had come to Germany in normal ways through private JE,rcels. The accused had neglected his duty of inspection in the most blatant way by permitting OEST to be in the Parcel Control. 

(5) 
Although 
according to exist
ing rules, the camp language was German, the first accused had, since the commencement of his employment in SAGAN used only English in his personal dealings with the Prisoners. The talks with senior Englishmen and Americans, which took place once a week, were carried out in English. The accused had constantly greeted Prisoners with a hand-shake, and, in three instances, had 





of the first accused were certainly diplomatic moves designed to gain influence 
over the Prisoners and to find out their views, to gain an advantage in dealings with the protecting power and to prevent serious 
offences 
against the good order 
and 
discipline 
of the camp. But the accused forgot that his behaviour must cause misunderstanding in the Officer Corps and particularly among his men and lead him to be regarded as Anglophile. Further he forgot that his approaches to the Englishmen not anlJT made no impression', owing to their mentality, but were explained simply as German wealmess. But above all, he forgot the misery and suffering that the ''Terror airmen 11 had brought to German men and German cities, and that therefore 
/no no good German should shake hands with such enemies and give them pr-esents. 


































II. 
The 
second accused, Captain BROIL!, 
was from May, 1942 second officer and from June 1943 first officer of the Camp Abwehr. The war establishment provided for three Guard officers for SAGAN. Actual47, from June 1943 to February 1944 the second accused was alone. The constant hard struggle with 5000 intelligent and technicalzy gifted Prisoners of War, who thirsted for freedom and occupied themselves behind the barbed wire on47 with the preparation and carrying out of plans for gaining their freedom and 
damaging the Reich, would have exhausted and irritated even a younger and 


consideration 
to these points and had also requested 
the Commandant to dismiss the second accused, without result. Although it is not possible for the reasons quoted, to judge the performance of the second accused according to normal standards, yet his guilt in 
the matters 
that have 

been raised 
in the accusation is nevertheless heavy. 
(a) The accused had been used to the methods of Prisoners of War since August 1941 and since May 1942 he was Guard Officer and since June 1943 Chief of the Guard 












from the 
sounds from microphones 53 and 54 and taken counter measures. He should not have allowed the system to be put 
out of action in December 1943. 
What 
was said regarding this matter under (I(l) above in respect of Colonel Von LINDEINER applies equal.fy-to the 
second accused. 
/(b) 







-91 .

(b) In December 1943 the third accused, Captain PIEBER, asked the second accused if there were any reason why he should not lend his Contax camera to the Prisoners in the North Camp for a few hours for the purpose of taking pictures of scenes from a play produced by the Englishmen. The accused raised no objections. Thus the Englishmen were in the undisturbed possession of a Contax for half a day. At this time dosens of forged identity card photographs of Prisoners of War, for escape purposes, had fallen into the hands of the Guard, particularly the second accused. It had been forbidden for a long time to give prisoners of war photographs which they could possibly misuse. They could be given only group photographs which were so small that', according to normal standards, the use or conversion of the single photograph for a forged pass was out of the question. Larger individual photographs, which Prisoners still had in their possession, were confiscated when they were found during barrack inspections. The Guard inspectors had also found in the camp unexposed films of English manufacture 

which fitted the German Conta.x: exactly. been smuggled into the camp with the help of German personnel. years experience of an 


comprehension that the second accused did not clearl´ 
simplicity itself 
for the Prisoners, 
among whom were specialists from every technical de:i:e,rtment, to take out Captain PIEBER1s film 
from the Cont.ax, take 


of picked German soldiers or by the Prisoners in their 



Development and enlargement of 

/own 




















-92 .






own photo 
laboratory. After 
the untrustworthy element had been removed from the Parcel Control a complete chemical photography laboratory was confiscated from a private parcel from England. 

The behaviour of the second accused, so contrary to duty and favourable 
to escape makes it little 
short of a miracle in the two cases quoted that with such deficient work 
on the 
part of the Chief 
Guard officer more 
escapes were not successful. 



(2) 
The Parcel Control was one of the duties of the Guard. The second accused should have respected and followed the orders of O.K.W. regarding the retention of the Prisoners' airtight tins all the more because, from his special position, he had 

to realise the serious consequences. His disobedience is just as serious as that of the Commandant. (See r.(2)). 

(3) The neglect of the task of inspection 
is shown by the fact that the second accused allowed the most conditions to come into the Parcel Control, and, as immediate superior, did not 
worry about the dismissal of Obergefreiter OEST when 
English 




his quarters and the constant supp.zy-of English manufactured goods convinced him that these must have come to Germany in private 
parcels and 
therefore there must be leakag'es in the Parcel Control on the part of the German p.rsonnel (See I.(3)). 
III. The third accused Captain PIEBER, has been employed on Prisoner of War matters sina@i Jucy 1940. 
He was final:cy-Camp Officer in the North Compound at SA.GAN, from which the mass escape took place. He was pleased with the peculiar well-being of the Prisoners, and 












accuse him of 
this accused cannot 



of the Contax to the Prisoners is evidence of his lack of thought, his gullibility and his lack of responsibility 
and thus of his /un'suitability 






-93 .
of the earn.era. He should have realised, from his own knowledge of the 
mentality of Prisoners, from the ban on allowing Prisoners to have 
photos, and above all from the forged identity card photos that had been 
found, 
the danger that must follow his irresponsible action. His guilt 
is not less than that of the second accused. All that has been said 

under (II.(2) applies also to the dereliction of duty of this accused. 

IV. Every member of the German prison personnel is forbidden by a Headquarters Order from 
having private dealings with Prisoners, in pu-ticular taking gifts from Prisoners or carrying on exchange business with them. The soldiers must sign this Order as understood. 



that 
these German soldiers were ready to supply "Terror airmen" with 

articles which served the purpose of escape and thus, through their 
own pleasure-seeking and yearning after tobacco, have become the 

These dealings apply the facts of their disobedience, bribery and forbidden intercourse with Prisoners. 
In individual cases the following is established:.

He provided 
the Prisoners with brilliantine, maps, onions, tin openers, /photo 
SAGAN. According to his own admission he had already 

carried on exchange business with Prisoners in BARI'H camp. He continued this trade in the Parcel Control at SAGAN, 
















photo albums, photo corners, skates, hinges and other useful articles. But it 
is much more serious that he had enticed younger and less experienced colleagues with English cigarettes to obtain goods for the Pr.soners. Thus Corporal WOLTER, Obergefreiters LEWERENTZ and FISCHL and Gefreiter BENING were misled. 
The extent of his trade with the Anglo-Americans can be seen from the fact that, from his own admission altogether 4-6000 cigarettes, many pounds of coffee, cocoa, raisins, and many bars of chocolate had 







(2) 
The fifth 
defendant Corporal 


WOLTER, 
had, 
at the 
instigation of OEST, provided maps of Eastern Europe, photo albums, tin openers and rakes and handed them over to the Prisoners through OEST. For this WOLTER received 100 cigarettes and a bar of chocolate. In at least six cases he had delivered matches, apples, onions, lighters and whiskey in exchange for cigarettes. Finally he provided 

two lamps and one radio valve for the Englishmen for 




200 grammes of coffee and a bar of chocolate. 

were used by the Prisoners for the 
lighting system 
of the átunnel and the valve for the construction of a transmitting 
and receiving set. 
The admission of this accused that he regarded the 
on the transport on the way to SAGAN Camp and immediately 
after his arrival made a second attempt, and therefore 
was lmown to all the Camp personnel as particularly 
dangerous. Moreover WOLTER had frequently avoided the 
postal censorship in order to bring letters for the 

mglishman BYRNE into the camp. 
/(3) 













-95 .






(3) The seventh accused, Gefreiter BENING, at the request of OEST, bought goods in PRAGUE to the value of Rm. 240, namely, pipes, tin openers, photo albums, cigarette cases, 
chessmen, candlesticks 
and cigarette holders and handed them to Prisoners in the presence of OEST. Before setting out 


this journey to PRAGUE, BENING received 400 English cigarettes. The goods were then 
paid for by the Englishmen with cocoa, cigarettes, chocolate, tea and soap. The agreed rate of exchange was:-for a tin of cocoa 10 Rm., for a cigarette 10 pfennigs, a bar of chocolate 4 
Rm., a small packet of tea 4 Rm., and for a tablet of soap 2 Rm. Further BENING bartered with the Englishmen many 








successor in on this, if he is not too hidebound". As a matter 

of fact, he succeeded with LEWERENTZ. defendant, on the :instructions of OEST, had to exchange tea and cigarettes at the wish of the Englishmen. LEWERENTZ also carried on his 
own exchange business and for cigarettes, chocolate, coffee, cocoa and biscuits delivered German cigarettes, 3 bottles 
of 
whiskey, 
1 bottle or red wine, pipes, film journals, lighters, fuel and flints for lighters, matches, cigarette holders and cases, onions, eggs, apples and yeast for making cakes. 




(5) 


The 
n:inth accused, Sergeant RDHLMANN, is an electrical engineer and radio salesman :in civil life. 






radio, were provided to assist him. with 
the two 
Englishmen and constantly 
allowed them to supply him with smokers' requisites. 
Finally they persuaded the accused to let them have the necessary µi.rts for con.structing a radio receiver. ROHLNANN gave them 2 consensers, 
/3 


















-96 .









3 or 4 small condensers, 5 resistances, 2 valves sockets 
and 2 valves. In return 
the accused received 350-400 cigarettes, 6 or 7 bars of chocolate, 6 or 7 tablets of soap and one tin of white pepper. The articles he provided enabled the Prisoners with their technical ability and knowledge, not on'.cy to construct a receiver but also a transmitter. It has been proved that at least one transmitter operated in SAGAN camp. Thus it was possible for the Prisoners to maintain communication with the outside world and in particular England. The threatening danger this provided cannot be overlooked. 

(6) When the house of 
tenth accused, the 
civilian worker SCHULZ was searched 2626 English cigarettes, 20 packets of tobacco, 13 tins of tobacco, 1 tin of snuff, 4 packets of chewing tobacco, 8 tablets of English soap, 1 stick of 











found. SCHULZ 
was engaged on building work in the Camp. The Englishmen are supposed to 
have given him the articles that were found out of pity. There is nothing to say about this. From 
experience the prisoners begin by sending a few cigarettes in order to entice their victims and make them pliable. After that, however, they only give him goods in return for definite services. Therefore it follows that the accused SCHULZ had made himself useful to the Englishmen during the performance of his building duties. It may even be that he had given them the benefit of his expert knowledge in their tunnel construction. 
(7) The eleventh accused, 
Obergefreiter LUBOS, while working on wiring in the camp in July 1943, gave an American prisoner 
a piece of black cable and received 10 cigarettes for it. 
/ v. 

















v. Th
e fourth 
accused, Obergefreiter OEST, 
by promising the 
accused WOLTER, LEWERENTZ and BENING English cigarettes and other goods incited them to carry out wlth the Prisoners the exchange transactions dealt with under IV, (2), (4), (5). The accused were well pleased with 
this and proceeded 
to make their own business. Obergefreiter 
FISCHL 

was misled by OEST into beying pipes for the Englishmen, receiving for them('l)-80 cigarettes. 


VI. The seventh accused Gefreiter BENING was the technical(.(chief of the listening system and is unusually gifted in technical matters. He was 


in the best position to realise the results of putting the J.isten:ing 
only last a few days and did nothing to hurry the work forward when the On the contrary, 
for him. This behaviour of the accused constitutes dereliction of 
duty in accordance 

with Para. 62 MStGB. 

VII. Corporal JOSTMANN wanted a wireless set and 
applied 
to 
the accused 

He demanded English cigarettes. In March 1944 JOSTI¥1ANN stole a parcel containing 
600 cigarettes from a lorry loaded with 













to steal and receiving stolen property. 
VIII. 
200 metre drums of cable into the camp. 



/one 












One 
offered 
him cigarettes 
which he accepted and 
asked for some 
red 
at the same time promising him more cigarettes. The accused refused this offer but left the drum oi' cable lying by a telegraph pole and gave no further thought to it in the course of his work. He did not need the third drum for his work. When the accused left the Camp, after finishin'g the wiring job, the Prisoners had taken the third drum. Later the cable was fo'lllld in the escape tunnel used as lighting 
cable. 

There is 


definite suspicion 
that LUBOS 
hadá purpose4'" left the cable for the Prisoners and received a consideration for it. But if the statement of the accused is accepted as the truth, he is guilty of dereliction of duty under Para. 62 MStGB and by reason of the fact that every course of his duty is the superior of the Prisoners, of not rep:>rting a 

25. 
(a) 
Tunnel's Tunnelling activities are described in Section 16 of 
The 
magnitude of these undertakings surpassed 
all other similar projects instituted in other Prisoner 
of War Camps in Germany. The 
ingenuity, skill, determination, team-spirit and leadership displayed by the personnel connected 
with 
all aspects of these undertakings 
is self-evident and further comment would be superfluous. 

(b) 
Gate walk-out schemes Three attempts to escape from this Compo'lllld by walking 
through the gate in disguise 
are described lll Section 17 of 

The reason for so few attempts 
of this kind was because all attention was centered an the tunnelling 

(
C) 
Onzy one attempt was made to escape from this Compound via the wire. Details are given in Section 18 of this 



The reason for 
the lack of interest in this type of escape was that all escape enthusiasts were connected with 










the tunnelling projects. 
/(d) 


-99 .

(d) 



(e) 
Transpert schemes 
Only one organised attempt was made to escape from this Compound by be:ing transported through the gate. It is described in Section 20 of this Chapter. type were not 
given serious 

as 
nearly all vehicles, etc., were searched thoroughly at the Compound gate; also all potential escapers were connected with the tunnell:ing activities. 

(f) 
Miscellaneous schemes Nil. (g) Full 
details are given in Section 24of this Chapter. 





After the second escape -through the tmnel 1HARRY(1 .all branches 
of the German Security Organisation, civil and military, carried out very strict 
inspections throughout the cowtry of all 
travellers(' identity p:i.pers. 
It is noteworthy that the three successful escapers who left the Compound 
:in this 
mass escape were not of British nationality; one was Dutch and the others were Norwegians. 














CHAPTER III 
This subject is dealt with in Part I, Chapter 
III, 

u 











in the East 
Compound. Parcels Officers for this Compound 
were:.

76ol7 s/Ldr. L. REA VELL-CARTER, R.A.F. 

42872 
A.K. OGILVIE, R.A.F. September 1943 .March 1944. 
84678 
W.G. 
R.A.F. March 
1944 
.October 1944. 









This subject is dealt with in full .in Part I, Chapter V of this Volume. 
















RADIO 


1. 
this 
one of the ¥contacts¥ brought over the µi.rts of a 1933 model German 1 People1s Set¥ radio receiver. A 
replacement valve was needed but could not be obtained, May 1943 the set was modified as a two-valve set, and used for the 







news 
bulletins from July 
1943 onwards. 
Before July 
the only source of news was the East Compound and 1contacts'1¥ 



In June 1943 a 'contact I brought in a French five-valve set and from this two smaller sets were made. One was given to the American Prisoners of War who 
moved to the South Compound in 
The other blew its ma.ins condenser, which had been made by the 

technicians, at the first test, so the set was hidden until an improved 

condenser could be made or 
acquired. It was modified in June 1944 and was in working order by September 







the South 
Compotmd to the North. It was stored for use if the Camp electricity supp4' failed. In the same month an acom-type receiver was received from 
r.s.9. 


The Radio Department was run by:.F/Lt. R.A.G. ELLEN, The German 1 People'1s Set¥ was operated from a lavatory in barrack 101 by:.

w.oB.. E.s. WICKS, R.N. News broadcasts were received from July 
1943 onwards, and taken 

F/Lt. G.F. _ MORGAN, R.A.F. 








/and 







and sometimes by:.
1250619 A.C.l. R.E. Code 
messages from 
I.S.9 were received from September 1943 
onwards. The listening time for these was at 22.15 hours and 
23.15. hours. 
The acorn-type receiver 
was used 
for news 
flashes and American code broadcastst, the code having been learnt from .American Prisoners of War. This set was operated by:.
111552 F/Lt. J.L. COOPER, and 
the broadcasts taken down in shorthand by:.224 Capt. D.G. 
1 GEORGEt1 ¥ The average listening time was sixteen hours a day. 
MORGAN and NORTON worked shifts taking down the broadcasts in 
shorthand. 
As relief for WICKS, operating was done at times by:.
P.O. H.G. CUNNINGHAM, 

MAINTENANCE Maintenance and construction was done by:.
111552 
F/Lt. J.L. 
COOPER, R.A.F. 
FAA/FX..?6292 
P.O. H.G. 
R.N. A.400367 J .A.R. R.A.A.F. 
T.F. 
R.A.F. J.18689 H.E. HARE, R.C.A.F. 

R.B. LONG, R.N.V.R. 

c. 
3555 D.P. THOMSON, R.c.A.F. F/0 L.H. VAUDIN, R.A.F. w.oB. E.S. WICKS, R.N. 











as well as operation of one of the receivers. 


-





with a team consisting 
of:.
128013 J.W. ANNETTS, R.A.F. 77925 s/Ldr. c.o. BASTIAN, R.A.F. 42692 s/Ldr. 
P.J. 
R.A.F. 

J.'Walk
C. 



R.A.F. 
41281 
A.B. 

B. 
R.A.F. 
42000 
P.E.J. 
R.A.F. 

F/Lt. 28224 S/Ldr. 1.w.v. 
R.A.F. 

M.N.M. 
R.A.F. 
&/Ldr. KENNEDY,Lt. 
(A) A.D. NEELY, 
R.N. 
L.V. R.A.F. 

43076 
F.A.B. TAMS, R.A.F. 
66533 F/Lt. N.E. WINCH, R.A.F. Four members of this team were on watch at all times when listening 


being done. Set" was hidden in a Red Cross box within a metal 
box in the pedestal of a lavatory. The 1 acorn'Walk1 


hidden 
in a cupboard in a wall. The set made from the French 



down were bu.nit. The increase in the number of copies or news broadcasts 




He passed these notes to:.
F/Lt. N.E. CANTON, 


who had copies typed. 
At first only four copies were made, but the number increased to 
fifteen by the end of 1944. When 
there were only four copies, they were taken to each barrack in turn and read at 
13.80 hours or 










as near that time 

as possible, depending 
on the state of the Compound, by a team of four readers:..37922 R.D. R.A.F. 
Lt. (A) A.O. R.N. 40029 T.H.B. R.A.F. .33294 P.E¥ WARCUP, R.A.F. When there were fifteen copies, 
they were read by the Barrack Security Representatives. 
All copies were handed back to CANTON and burnt, except one copy which was kept till the end of the day for people engaged in activities such as tl.UUlelling, who could not be present at the readings. This copy was bunlt as soon as it was read. 
Section 6 of this Volume. 
7. .
Information about call-signs, frequencies, etc. was supplied 
8. .
Code messages from I.s. 9 were received from September 1943 onwards on the German "Peoples' Set" operated by WICKS, listening 
ELLEN was always present when WICKS was listening for code messages. He took down the message and copied it into a German vocabulary until it could be given to the Head of the Code Department next morning. 










9. 
VALUE AND REMARKS 
This subject has been dealt with in Part I, Chapter VI, Section 9 of this Volume. 
10. TRANSMITTERS 











from the Camp cinema. This transmitter was not asembled for 
use. 




















This subject has been dealt with in Part I, Chapter VII, 




u 




This subject has been dealt with in Chapter VIII of Part I of this Volume. 






u 


























-111 .


CHAPTER X 
reports are:¥ 
573 
SGT, BERGSLAND, P1 R1A1 F1 
"Itr I had decided to make 
for STETTIN. 
"I intended to pose as a Norwegian worker going under the name of OLAF ANDERSEN. 1-zy-story 
was that I had been sent from 
FRANKFURT by Siemen¥s Bauunion G.m.b.H.', to do a job at a small village near SAGAN, with a pass enabling me to travel from FRANKFURT to SAGAN and back. From FRANKFURT, where I intended to destroy 
my first 
pass, I had a letter ordering me to report at a certain office in STETTIN. 
"I made myself a civilian suit from the uniform of a Royal Marine: over this I wore a R.A.F. greatcoat, the buttons flattened and covered with brown leather. I wore ordinary shoes, a black tie, and no hat. I had had 
sent from NORWAY. In it I had a change of'á underwear and 
socks, some sandwiches, 
toothpaste and soap. I was given one htmdred and sixty-three Reichmarks 
by the Escape Committee. 
ni-zy-story from this time onwards is as Lt. MULLER has related it.'st 

"I was number 
forty-three 
to go out', and I got 
out at about 01.05 hours. 
/"I 

















"I had converted an airman's tunic into a civilian'
_J'acket. 



The Clothing Departnent provided me with a .{:8ir of turn-up trousers. I made a cloth-cap out of a blanket dyed blue. The Escape Organisation gave me a hundred and sixty Reichsmarks. I took some German bread and margarine, 
small box 
of con'centrate'd meat. 


11It took me three minutes to get through the tunnel. I crawled along holding the rope for seventy feet: it was tied to a tree. SGT. BERGSLAND joined me, we arranged 
from the Arbeitslager in FRANKFURT, working in the neighbourhood of SAGAN. For the journey from FRANKFURT to STETTIN we had papers ordering us to change our pl.ace of 

repo'rt to the 

"We travelled in a third-class carriage full of civilians, and arrived in FRANKFURT at 06.00 hours. We caught a train to KUSTRIN at 08.00 hours. 
Here we had a beer in the 
station waiting-room. Our papers were examined by a Feldwebel in the Military Police and satisfied him. 
11We left 
KUSTRIN 
at 10.00 hours and travelled third-class to STETTIN, arriving at lJ.00 hours. 




"We walked around the town, visited a cinema and a beer-hall, and after dwkwent to an address given to us by the Escape Organisation. This was a French brothel bearing the inscription:-1 Nur fur Auslander Deutschen verboten¥'. We mocked at the door. A Pole who was standing in the street approached us and asked if we had any Black Market wares for sale. We asked him if he lmew of any Swedish sailors. He 
fetched one out of the brothel. We made our identity known, talking in Swedish, and he told us that 
/his 






































his ship 
was 
leaving 
that night and 
made a 


to meet us at 20.00 hours outside the brothel. 
11 He kept the rendezvous and led us Whilst he reported to the Control we slipped under a chain where he 
had showed us, and met him in the harbour. He told us to 
for us to join him. We waited for the signal but saw the ship said before we received one. "We returned to the brothel. We had to show our papers in the dock, but they were passed. 
11 It was now 02.00 hours and the brothel was a meal and took a room in a small hotel off the GRUNE SCHANZE and slept till 16.oo hours. 
11At 18.00 hours we returned to 17, KLEIN ODER STRASSE, and were fortwate in finding two Swedish sailors just coming out. We asked them if they would help us. They took us by tram about four kilometres out of STETTIN to their 
The 
two sailors showed their papers to the German guard and we followed The guard asked if we were all the same he did not bother to eXBJlline 
our 
papers. 
"The sailors hid us in 
the anchor-chain compartment. ship sailed at 07.00 an 28th March. Before it sailed 
the Germans carried out a search. They entered our hiding place 
but did not see us as we were buried under netting 
"During the journey food was passed down to us by our friends. 
on 30th March. 













accosted by a German civilian who asked what I was doing in the woods. I was 
posing 
as a Dutch worker, so I told him this and said I was afraid the police might arrest me for being out of doors during an air-raid. He said 'It is alright if you are with me'1 ¥ He escorted me to the station, where I had to wait for three hours because trains were delayed by the air-raid on BERLIN. 

11 1 was number eighteen 
in the 
tunnel. Naval jacket and trousers and 
an Australian 
great-coat, converted by the Compound Clothing Department to look 

like civilian clothes', R.A.F. escape shoes, and a beret. 

"At the station one of the German girl censors from the Camp on duty there spoke to s/Ldr. KIRBY-GREEN'. She was suspicious of him and got a Hauptman of the German military police to examine his papers. While this was being done she asked me a number of questions, but I was able to satisfy her. The Hauptman was satisfied with KIRBY-GREEN'1 s papers. 
"The train for BRESLAU arrived at OJ.JO hours. I travelled second-class to BRESLAU, arriving at 05.00 hours. There was no check of papers. I saw eight of my fellow escapers, WLDR. BUSHELL, LT. SCHEIDHAUER, LT. STEVENS, LT. GOUWS, F/LT. STOWER, and at least three others whose names I do not know. 
"I bought a second-class ticket for ALKMAAR. I had the 






BENTHEIM. lwzy" papers were examined on four occasions I arrived in BENTHEIM at. 09.00 hours 
/on 












-115 .





on 26th March. My papers were exam.med a't the frontier con'trol and I was passed through. 11I bought a third-class ticket and travelled to OLDENZAAL. I then bought another third-class ticket and travelled to UTRECHT. Here I con'tacted a man who provided me with identity papers, ration cards, food and shelter for three days. 
11 0n 29th March I went by train to AMERSFOORI', where I 
I staye
d with 

him until 14th April when I went by train to MAASTRICHT. Here I stayed with another man for two days, and on 16th April I travelled by bicycle 
to ECHT, where I stayed at a house for 


On 19th April I went by bicycle to GEULLE and

river MAAS into BELGIUM at UYKHOVEN, escorted by a Belgian. bicycle. I used 
spent one night. On 21st April I went by train 
"I went to a house here and stayed until 24th May, when I went by train to PARIS and on to TOULOUSE. 11 The remainder of iey-journey was arranged for me. I stayed in a house and was supplied with a French identity card. 
110n 9th June I went by train to BOULOGNE-SUR-GESSE. I was acco
mpanied by two Dutchmen and we were escorted by We stayed at a hotel for one night. guide took us by we stayed the night. taken by 
the u.s.A.A.c., THOMAS and F/Sgt. SHAUGHNESSY, both of the R.A.F., a 

a Russian, and a French girl who had acted as guide to STONEBAmER, THOMAS and. SHAUGHNESSY on their journey from PARIS. 
"On 14th June our guide was shot dead by the Germans while he was returning to the farmhouse after a mission 
to 
obtain food. On 16th June the Maquis supplied another guide 












-116 .


and we started walking towards the frontier. Our route was:.East 
of ST. PE -
East of MELI.ES -CANEJA, where we arrived on 
11We were apprehended by the Sµmish police and all except the two Dutchmen 
declared 
themselves to be British. They declared themselves to be Dutch. I believe that they stayed in prison at LERIDA. 







"The whole party was taken to :OOSCST. Here we spent the night in a hay loft. On 
19th June we were taken to VIELLA, where we stayed at a hotel for two nights. We were then taken 
to BOST, where 
we stayed at 
a hotel for one night. On 22nd June we were taken to LERIDA, where we contacted the British Consul on 23rd June. hotel in LERIDA 
until 29th June when 

we were taken to ALHAMA under escort by the Spanish Air Force. We 
stayed 
in ALHAMA until 5th July, when we were taken by Embassy car to MADRID, where we stayed at a hotel until 7th 









11 
0n that day we travelled by 
train to GIBRAL'rAR. We were escorted by a British Padre. We arrived in GIBRALTAR on 8th JuJ,y11 ., 








PART IV 


CENTRE (0 FF ICE R S1 ) COMPOUND 











IN PE x. 



CHAPTER I. 
PAGE. 
1
1. 
2. l 
6
.3. 6
4. 
CENSORSHIP 

BY GERMANS. 

6
5. LEfflRMAIL.. 
6
6. 
RADIO. 7. 6 
s. 6 6
9. 




















-1 .

CHAPTER I 
GENERAL 
1. DESCRIPTION AND CONDITIONS OF 
COMPOUND 

This Compound was used for the accommodation of Air Force N.C.O's and airmen prior to July, 1943. That period has been dealt with in Part II of this Volume. 
In July, 1943 a small number of British, Dominion and American Officers were transferred to this Compound from the Ea.st Compound. It was the intention of the Germans to use this Compound for the 
live in this Compound for about six months to advise the Americans, 
L.M.V. JENNmS, R.A.F. 
34201 
s.G. PRITCHARD, R.A.F. .
batches of new P's/w, mostly u.s.A.A.c. as Parcels Store, Canteen, etc. connected with a tunnel which had been started in the late Spring 
of 1943. Their 
object in 
remaining behind, ostensibly as batmen, was complete this project. 
In October, 1943 the majority 
of these N.c.o¥s were transferred to STALAG LUFT VI (HEYDEKRUG). 



All other aspects of Camp conditions as they affected this Compound Section 2 of this 

of escape and It 
exercised complete control over all 
/escape 



























-2 .

escape attempts. 
The Head of the Committee was:-


P.S.Q. R.A.F. The Committee consisted of:.

c.c. CHESHIRE, R.A.F. 


'Contacta' Department. 
34201 S.G. PRITCHARD, R.A.F. 
44972 
F/Lt. 
J.D.W. WILLIS, R.A.F. 

i/c security and tl.Ulllellmg. Other members were personnel of the U.S.A.A.C. 




Shifts of watchers were organised by WILLIS. 

Their work was to check the entry mto and exit from the Compound of all Germans, keep track of their movements in the Compomd, and warn P1 s/w engaged in any subversive activity if it was not safe for them tocarry on. Clothing 

Clothing for escape purposes was made by all P's/W who could sew. The chief tailors were:.40197 WLdr. P.S.Q. ANDERSEN, 
932168 w. o. H.D. CUE, Most of the clothing consisted of airmen's uniforms 
converted. A small amomt was obtained .from German ¥contactsa¥. Forgerx; 
As far as can be ascertained 
there was no Forgery Section. It is believed that intending escapers were supplied with forged documents from the East and North Compomds. 












-3 .


hand. "Contacts" The 
Department was organised by CHESHIRE, 
¥contactsa' in 
the 
East Compound 
and 9rganised his Department 
on lines, in the way described in Part I, Chapter II, Section 10, sub-Section 
(a) of this Volume. His helpers were:.
82590 F/Lt. o. CERNEY, R.A.F. 122155 
W.A.P. MANSER, R.A.F. 106028 F/Lt. E. SNIDERS, R.A.F. 

w.o. J.A. CRONIE, R.A.F. A.414212 
w.o. R.E. 
R.A.A.F. 
w.o. R.L. R.A.F. 7
54492 w.o. 
E.A.C. LEE, R.A.F. The Department acquired information and supplies 

to the 

Escape Organisation. Tunnels 


In about May, 194
.3 a group of N.C.O's had started 
a tunnel close to the warning wire, at the rear of the West cookhouse, near a sentry tower on the fence dividing this Compound from the German Compound. 
The trap to the vertical shaft was made in the form of a wooden tray about two feet square and six inches deep. This was filled with soil and lettuces were planted in it. The entrance aha.ft was sunk in a vegetable plot. 
It was 'JU.Stomary for P.1 s/W to spend a great deal of time working on their garden plotsa, and a number of others spent the great pa.rt of each day sunbath:ing in similar places all over the Con,pound. It was a habit of PI s/W to hang blankets to air over the wooden warning fence along this side of the Compound. The tunnel team took advantage of these practices to provide cover whilst digging the vertical shaft and excavat:ing the tunnel. 
The tunnel was built in the direction of the German Compound, a distance of seventy feet from the vertical shaft. 
The method of dispersing excavated sand was ingenious. A Tenni-Quoit court was marked out a few yards from the tur.1.11el entrance, and care was taken to ensure that the Gennan Abwehr Staff was aware that the surface was 
/dug 












-4 .

fence, between the sentry-towers, and the direction in which the gaze of the three guards in the 
sentry towers overlooking the tunnel entrance was turned. At propitious moments the excavated sand was thrown directly on to the Tenni-Quoit court. 
Other watchers ensured that no German in the Compound approached the tunnel 

area without an ample warning having been g'iven. As 
soon as the danger signal was received, 
tunneller, who always wore the minimum amount of clothing, would lie down 
near the exit as though am-bathing. 
The tunnel was 
elliptical in shape and 
required very 
little shoring. 
When the majority of the N.C.0'1 s were 
(HEYDEKRIJG) in June, 1943, some of those who had been the 
construction of this tunnel remained behind, ostensibly as batmen, and 
continued the work. A few weeks later, the tllllllel was 
discovered. 
started under the direction of:.
J.D.W. 
WILLIS, R.A.F. with 

a team of tunnellers of whom the following are lmown:.

J.'
16995 F/L't. 
















HARTY, R.C.A.F. 

1330624 F/0 
F.L. LAWRENCE, 
R.'A.F. J.17436 B.L. MILLER, R.C.A.F. 
J.17084 W.I. MOUAT, R.C.A.F. 120576 G.W.E. 
R.A.F. 
F/Lt. E. R.A.F. 3977635 
Sgt. 
A.T.K. 0I1 BRIEN, s.A.s. The tunnel 
reached a length of one hundred 
feet in ten days before it 
ran into a cess-pool and was abandoned, in September, 1943. A second 
tmnel was built under barrack 56, but 
it was discovered in November, 1943. A third tunnel 
was built 
in December, 1943. The occupants 
of one barrack made .omplaints about the¥. draught which came through the floor of the 
/barrack 







-5 .


barrack. 
The 
Germans 
permitted them 
to build a wall of 
sand around the base of the hut, gaps being left for inspection of the A second wall of sand was built inside this wall, and the tunnel shaft was sunk in the space between the two walls. Construction progressed for five weeks until the tmmel was beyond the perimeter fence: it was discovered. 



On 14th October, 1943 1026o28 E. SNIDERS, escaped over the wire into the German Compound. He wa::i assisted by 

122155 F/Lt. W.A.P. MANSER, Both were disguised as German guards wearing working overalls, which were made by:.

932168 w.o. H.D. CUE, Carrying a Camp-made ladder, they crossed 
the warning fence and proceeded to work on the perimeter fence which was under repair by the The Germans had just stopped working and gone to lunch. 


After a few minutes SNIDERS dropped a coil of wire between the inner and 
outer parts of the perimeter fence. MANSER 
swore at him in German, as arranged, for tile 
benefit of the sentry in the tower. SNIDERS climbed 
over the inner wire to retrieve the coil he had dropped. At that moment as arrange'd, 
4019
7 P.S.Q. 
ANDERSEN, 
approached }1ANSER and asked for 
the loan of the 
ladder. MANSER carried it back into the Compound with ANDERSEN. 
On 5th November

, 1943 while German guards were guarding the 
entrance to a turmel which had been discovered that day, and which began under barrack 56 some 
Pe1 s/W crawled under the barrack into the tunnel. rhey were:.

outer pa.rt of the perimeter fence and walked off 
through the German Compound. He met a member of the Abwehr staff who recognised 
his face and arrested him. (b) 
J.C. HARTY, R.c.A'.'F. 
F.L. 
R.A.F. B.L. R.C.A.F. 
w.r. R...A.F. 
/106028 





























-6 .
106028 
E. SNIDERS, R.A.F. 
The tunnel w-as already beyond the perimeter fence, and they worked at the face in an endeavour to make an 
After a time the air became 
This subject has been dealt 'With in Part I, Chapter III of this Volume. 


All available 
information was collated by:.
63428 

C.A. R.A.F. 


C.D. CRAIG, 


as described in Part I, Chapter VIII, Section 3 of this Volume. These were included 'With code-messages from the East Compound which were despatched to the U.K. 

RADIO 
As far as can be ascertained there was no radio 
in this Compound during the period under review. News was 
communicated fran the East Compound by the normal methods of inter-Compound communication. 7. 
There has been no report of reception of news-letters in this Compound, 






8. 

This subject is dealt with in Part I, Chapter VIII of this Volume. ANTI-GERMAN PROPAGANDA Selected personnel who were brought into contact with Ge:rnians disseminated anti-German propaganda under the scheme outlined in Part I, Chapter IX, Section 1 of this Volume. The information to be i:e,ssed on to 











1.'76T 'ffiruff.r 
-fflT 
'iirvnWl' 
d&ii&Woo C
,sWbfuo) vm,áEik 
1.A .t 1I V cI 




IND Ex. 
PART y. ..
l 
2. 

l 

2 2 
,-,-... 
2 
\_,J 3 3 

4 4 4 4 4 
2. 4 
3. 13 
4. 1.3 
5. 


6. RADIO. 

7. NEWS LET'@l¤. 15 
8. 

9. ANTI-GY:Wf PROPAGANDA. 15 
10. COMPOUND DEFENCE SCHEME. 









-1 .



West of SAGAN, in flat agricultural country with few trees. The soil was clay, with the water level 



five feet below the ground level. 

A main road along one side of the Compo1md. 



Officers from the Centre and East Compounds, who arrived in January, 1944. A batch arrived from the North Compomd in March, 1944, and later in the year some 
By January, 1945, there -were 1,200 personnel. At first the accommodation consisted of six wooden barrack blocks built on brick supports. There was a gap between the barrack floors and the 
ground. By September, 1944, four more barrack blocks had been built. These also had 
brick supports, but the space between the barrack floor and the 
ground was bo'arded up, gaps beipg left for the German 1 ferrets1 to crawl in and search the area W1derneath the barracks. 
The Compound was evacuated an 27th January, 1945. P'1 s/w had heard of th'e 
forthcoming evacuation and the Senior British Officer advised them to talce food of high nutritive value, and i:acks containing their belongings. They made sledges for 
the evacuation, because there was snow on be provided. All personnel were transferred to STALAG III/I, (LUCKElMALDE
). 
The oorracks were divided into rooms which accommodated eight to ten personnel. Later 

this number was increased 
to fourteen 

to 
sixteen. 
(b) German 
aeim:ipistra'tion 
Some German guards accompanied the P'1s/W from the East and Centre Compounds, others 
were Luftwaffe soldiers an rest from the Eastern front. trained Abwehr staff', known as 1ferrets'l.1J.4r1 , This Compotmd had 
its own Kommandant and Senior Abwenr Ofi':i.cer. 

At first the number of guards was about two hundred and fifty, increasing, 




















-2 .as the 
numbers 

to about 
four hundred. The administration of the P's/W was left to the Senior British Officer, 
with the exception of roll-calls and searches. 
(d
) 
Roll-Calls 
Usually roll-calls were 
held twice a day, At first P's/W were 
Compound. Here they paraded in one long single file with a the 
á-...._; 


occupants of each barrack. Later on, roll-calls were held on In 

bad weather roll-calls were held 
in barracks, P's/W 
lining up in 
single file 
on both sides of the corridors which ran down the centre of each barrack. 

orderly manner, so that it was easy for them to escaper. 

the kitchen, Sick Quarters, etc., were counted by a German guard. P'1 s/W who were sick in barracks were counted by a guard accompanied by the Adjutant, and would move, as soon as they had been counted, to another bed to get 





fresh milk. 
. have 
half 

a pa.reel per week. 
The 11 Food-Acco" 
Section 2, .


79573 R.A.F. who was able to provide some food from his stock to the Escape Organisation when 
required. 



Searches were 
carried out as described in Part I, Chapter I, Section 2, sub-Section (g) of this Volume. 
(f) Clothing 
This subject has been dealt with in f'ull in Part I, Chapter I, Section 2, sub-Section (f) of this Volume. all items being brought from the ma.in camp by the German Ce.mp staf'f'. No restrictions were 
imposed by the Germans regarding the amount of' clothing supplied to the CompolDl'd. 

(g) Searches 




/(h) 






-3 .
(h) 
German anti-escape 
measures 

This subject has been dealt with in Part 
I, Chapter I, Section 2, sub.Section (h) of this Volume. There were the following differences in this Compound:.


There 
was no patrol 
outside the perimeter 

fence. 
No sand was 
spread, between the warning fence and the perimeter fence. There were no ground microphones for the detection of tmmelling activities. 
(j'W'in) Education This subject has been dealt with in Part I, Chapter I, Section 2, 

One small room was built on to a brick wash-house and used 
as a classroom. (k) 


The library was housed in a small room next to the class-room. Books were 

sent directzy-to this 
Compound by" the International Red Cross Society. 
(1) 
sports 
The sports field 
was not allowed 
to be used at first, because there were too few guards. After two months it was wired off, and P1 s/W were allowed to use it 
on ,l'.Brole. so from September 19-44 onwards, PI s/w had no spt.ce provided for sports'W'in, but they were allowed to go for wlks outside the Camp. 
(m) 
Amateur theatricals, etc, A large delapidated ro
om in one barrack 
converted into a theatre. 

Entertainments 
Officers were:.40197 P.s.c. ANDERSEN, 39941 B.G. MEHARG, No visits of entertainments parties were permitted between this Compound 
and the Main Camp. 
/(o) 
















-4.






(o} 
Shooting incidents, etc, The only incident occurred when a P/w was shot in the hand, allegedly having touched the warning fence whilst walking around near it. 
(p) 
Morale Morale 
was very high. The reception of a dai:cy-
news bulletin was of great value. ,-. (q) Medical 

Sick Quarters were situated in half of one barrack. Medical 
Officer 
were 
in attendance. A Dental Surgery 

was 
situated in Sick Quarters, and a British Dental Officer was in attendance dur:ing most of this 
period. Some P1 s/w were sent to the Main Camp for medical treatment. Cases of 





(s) 
Finance Section 2, su.Section (s)




He was allowed to visit the Main Camp 
to meet Accounts Officers of other Compounds. 


leadership of:.
.34167 .. B.G. MOR{i!S, R.A.F ¥ Other 
members of the Committee vas elected qy the P
1 s/W. The purpose of the Committee vas to investigate all means of escape. possible chance of' succeeding 'ti" means of expert planning and security, and by providing equipnant and all useful information. 
The Oommi ttee consisted of a number '-áof heads of departments of escape activity. 
/They 







-5 .
They were:.
70196 
P.F. 
EAMES, R.A.F. 
in charge of Maps. 
4.3832 F/Lt. K.'l.1J.4rS. McMURDIE, in charge of Clothing. 


in charge of Contacts and Security. A.,411835 F/Lt. s. WHITE, 
in charge of Woodwork and metal-work. The Head of the Committee from July, 1944 i.mtil Januazy, 1945, was:.3730 W/Cdr. R. STANFORD-TUCK, R.A.F. When news was received that fifty P1 s/W who had .icipated in a 
mass tunnel-escape 
from STALAG LUFT III, North Compound, had been shot, escapes were forbidden for six weeks. After that time any P/w who had a good chance of escaping, and was clearly informed of the risks he was running, was given authority to make an attempt. 
37913 &-'Ldr. T.W. 







PIPER organised a team of watchers who warned 
P1s/w engaged on subversive activities if any Germans were approaching. Some of the members of this team 





-0 
.
were responsible 
for the security of certain 
escape activity departments. The following are known to have been watchers':'.



J.15591 
W.R. 
BANDEEN, R.C.A.F. BRE'ESE, 
R.A'.F. 
J.C. 
H.S. CREASE, R.C.A.F. DRIVER, 
S.A'.A.F. 
F/L't. F/Lt. J.n.w. 

K.W. 
M.P. 

R.A'.F. 
R.A.F. 
R.A'.F. 
R.W.G. 
H.A. 
M.C. 
GOODWIN, WELLS, R.'A.F. WILLIS, 
R.A'.F. 


whose duties were similar 
to those 
of barrack Security representatives in the main 
Camp, which are ful. described in Part I, Chapter II, Section 3 of this Volume. Clothing 

The Officer in charge of the 
Escape 
was:.
K.S. 





VAILLANT specialized in making caps. The clothing made consisted mainly 
of Naval uniforms and R.A.F. greatcoats, coverted, 
and jackets made 

Some clothing was obtained from Germans and from foreign workers, through the ¥contact' organisation and through two German ¥contacts'' who made ¥contacts' of thei'r own. 
A German Officer's uniform was sent from the Na.in Camp addressed to MORRIS. It was discovered by the Abwehr Officer. 
Dyeing was done by KUSTRZYNSKI with dyes obtained. from 
German 

¥contacts¥. 
The clothes were dyed in boiling water and hune in a hidden wall-cupboard to dry'. 
Six complete sets of clothing were made. After the Autumn of 1944 no more clot'hing was made. 
McMCJRDIE was responsible for storing the clothes, and he or 
the Head of' the Escape Committee decided where it should be hidden. Until March, 1944, it was hidden in a wall-cupboard. After that date it was hidden in a roof, where it was discovered in the .utumn of 1944. Forgery 

There was no experienced forger :in the Compcnmd and it was realised that 

/it 























-7 .

it would be impossible to train any P/w to the necessary standard. 
Two German ¥contacts 1, Unteroffizier DAfclER, Luftwaffe, and Oberfeldwebel were handled by:.

B.G. MORRIS, 
and supplied the deficiency. 
DAHER typed stencils of Bescheinigung, Urlanbschein, Politzei.Bescheinigung, 
and the 
form giving permission of absence from the place of work or duty. Two types of this form were provided, one for escapers intending to travel westwards, which was based on DRESDEN, the other for travel northwards based on BRESLAU. 
MORRIS made a duplicator from tins, using jelJy from Red Cross food 







done in MORRISa1 s room by:.

51499 
J. GAFFNEY, 106675 J.D. HILL, 
A cake 
concentrate was made, but proved highly 
indigestible and was not used. P1 s/W were advised to save food from their Red Cross parcels. Maps 

A few maps were brought from the East 
Compound of 
the Main Camp, and a few 
more were sent from there at later dated. Local maps were acquired 
from 
¥contactsa¥. Maps were 
reproduced by hand and by a 
The duplication 
was done by:.130536 s.w.J. COVENTRY, 









J.B. SHEPHERD, 








-8 .
made mauve 



F/Lt. In 
addition 
to the above named, the following personnel assisted in map 
104480 F/Lt. A.Mel. 
R.A.F. 115429 F/Lt. w. R.A.F. 41514 F/Lt. c. WOOD, R.A.F. 
Security while work was in progress was the responsibility of:.
33303 F/Lt. J.C. BREESE, R.A.F. 


Escape Intelligence 
The Officer in charge of Escape Intellisence was:.
37913 S/Ldr. T.W. PIPER, Information of this kind was acquired from the following sources:-1 Contacts'1 , Journeys outside the Compound, Recaptured Escapers, New P'1 s/W, r.s.9. 
The information and methods of eliciting it were very much the same as in the East Compound, and are fully described in Part I, Chapter II, Section 9 of this Volume. 
Personnel of the 1 Contact'1 Department are listed on page 9 of this Chapter. They retailed their informtion to PIPER. 
P'1 s/W who made journey outside the Compound and recaptured escapers were interrogated by the Escape Representative of their bar:ack. The Escape Representatives usualzy-were experienced escapers and were members of the Escape Committee. They passed the information to PIPER. 
New P1 s/W were interrogated by:.63428 HUGHES, and assisted from November, 1944 until January, 1945 by:.132757 F/Lt. MASON, Information of use to escapers was re,IX>rted to PIPER. Messages relating to Escape Intelligence which were received from I.S.9. by code-letter mail, or by radio, were .ssed directly to the Senior British 





-9 .
Officer who retailed them to PIPER. Any particular information which 

was required usually was supplied by Oberfeldwebel FRITZ, Luftwaffe, and Unteroffizier DAMER, Luftwaffe. Intending escapers were briefed as fully as JX)ssible by:.



s/Ldr. MORRIS, He tried to keep a dossier of information, but soon gave this up because it became so quickly out of date and his memory was reliable. 




Escape material, 
etc., 
'Contacts', Compound resources, referred to in the description of the Department for which they were provided. 
The Head of the Supply Section 
was:.37913 s/Ldr. T.W. The following worked under his direction as ¥traders¥:.c.1037 F/Lt. K.E. BROWN, R.C.A.F. 
CHESHIRE, R.A.F.


87635 
c.c. 

F/Lt. 135109 F/0 P. 
Capt. P.76776 F/Lt. L. 
R.A.F. 122155 F/Lt. W.A.P. 
102646 
K.W. 

R.A.F. 
41602 
c. 
R.A.F. 
F/Lt. 110857 F/Lt. G. s/Ldr. 
34201 
S.G. 
R.A.F. 
106028 F/Lt. E.S.A. F/Lt. 
R.A.F. 
87636 
J.s.B. 
R.A.F. 
P.1584 F/Lt. M.M. WYSEKOWSKI, R.A.F. 1057463 w.o. J.A. 
CRONIE, R.A.F. 580200 w.o. R.L. R.A.F. 994380 w.o. A. MORRIS, R.A.F. 



¥contacts'l.1J.4r¥. 


The expert who did most of the 
wood and 
metal work in connection with 
escape activities was:.
A.411835 F/Lt. s. WHITE, 
/Tunnels 








-10 -Twmels 
The 
organisation of tunnellin
g was de-centralised, 
tunnellers forming 

a self-contained unit, assisted when necessary by the Escape Committee. There 

direction of:.FANSHAWE, R.N. 

All were discovered before completion. One tunnel was 
constructed 
under the direction of:.39954 q/Ldr. D.B. GERICKE, R.A.F. 



It was discovered before it reached the perimeter fence. Construction 
of a tunnel was begun on 3rd June, 191.,4 by the following':.
130221 
G.D. FARMER, R.A.F. 
60539 J.E. HALL, R.A.F. 
G.A. MASON, R.A.F. 
G.W.E. PADDOCK, R.A.F. 

The scheme was ingenious and is worthy of description. 

Their plan was to dig for a distance of fifty feet from a position in 
the open near the p,rimeter fence 
and make an exit in a ditch outside the fence. 

The front of the chair was open and was covered by a r.ug, under which the tunnellers crawled into the 
tunnel. The other chair 
was used to cover the trap, which was a box eighteen inches square, ful.1. of earth, with grass growing in it. 
Work continued until December, 1944, when the tllllllel was twenty feel long. Progress was slow because dispersal was difficult and the scheme could operate only on fine days when it was possible to set in the chairs without arousing suspicion. Work stopped because of rumours of an impending move to another Camp. 
/Attempted 






















-11 .



The only attempt to escape from this Compound was effected cm. 24th March, 1944, by:.
l.37.306 F/Lt. ELLIS, 
He got out of the Compound by hiding in the tarpaulin of a 
lorry which had arrived in the Compound with a load of stones. The story continues in his own words:.
"I had noticed the loriy in the morning, and decided to prepare w.ysel.f to get out of the Camp Oll it in the afternoon if the 
I had .fourteen bars of chocolate, a map, 
"At 17.00 hours another P/w distracted the lorr.y-driver1 s attentiOll, and I rolled .self up in the tarpaulin'l.1J.4r: we drove out. fifteen minutes we drove into the Transport Compound near the Camp, into a garage. I ran straight to the barbed wire and climbed over. There was no sentry boxes and no guards in this Compound. 
"I walked as fast as I could in a Northerll" direction. At dusk I stopped walking because I had lost 'lll1' comi:ass and did not wish to enter the forest ahead of me for fear of getting lost. I hid in a bam 
and went to 
sleep. 
¥At dawn. on 25th March, I set off valking again. 
At ]4.00 hours I reached the neighbourhood of CHRISTIANSTADT. Whilst crossing the main road into a wood I was accosted by a policeman. To avoid him I ran through the wood and down to a stream which ran alongside it. I thought it was an. a shallow stream, so I ran into it, but found that the water came up to '1111' neck. Just then a shot was fired from 
BETHELL. 
/The 












-12 .











The next morning, 26th March, F/Lt. KOLANOWSlCT was put in my cell, and in the 
afternoon, F/Lt. POHE: and F/Lt. HAKE. That even:i.ne we were all taken to the Hauptman'Walk1 s Office and told we were going away. Shortly afterwards we were taken in a heavily armed car, with a police patrol, to GORLITZ Prison. 
cell with F/Lt. 1s LONG, BETHELL and KOLANOWSKI. HAKE were put in a separate cell. On 30th March, F/Lt.'Walk
1 s KOLANOWSKI and LONG were taken away in the morning. In the afternoon F/Lt. BETHELL was taken away, and, later on nzy-self. I was taken to an office and interrogated by two elderly civilian men and a young civilian girl. I was asked Name, Number, Rank and age, 
all of which I answered. I was then asked 
the Christian names 

of nzy-mother and father. This I refused 
to answer. 
I then told them I was from BELARIA, not the North Compound. As far as I could tell it was a purely routine interrogation, at 
sign a P3.per. I refused, and they signed it with their ow names. I was then put back in a cell with F/Lt. BETHELL. On Friday, 31st March, we were 
joined by F/Lt. ARMSTRONG and F/Lt. NELSON. From 31st March, until 6th April, the people .in my cell were changed constantly. I did not know most of them and the only name I can remember is that of F/Lt. H.C. MARSHALL. Every two deys I was moved to the next cell, going progressively further dow the line twards the end cell. Frequently I heard the sound of a lorry driving up and the occupants of the end cell going into it. 


. 6th April, F/Lt. LONG and I had reached the cell next to the end one. In the moming I heard the guard call out LONG I s name and then mine, after which ve were placed in the end cell. The guard told us we would be going awq in the morning. On the morning of 7th April, we were moved back into our old cell, and remained there until 11th April. On that day, whilst F/Lt. LONG had left the cell 
to go to the lavatory, I was taken out of the cell and put into another on my own. 

/Later 
















-13 .



use. On 13th 
April it did not arrive, and I preswned 

he had forgotten about it. Later in the d. a civilian came into nzy-cell and asked if I was F/Lt. LONG. I said 1 No 1, and he then went to LONGo1 s cell. 



This subject is dealt 'With in Part I, 

Chapter III of this Volume. The only escape material received from I.S.9. and dyes. CENSORSHIP BY GE;RMANS 


This subject is dealt with in Part I, Chapter IV, of this Volume. The Parcels Officer of this Compound was:.34201 S{Ldr. S.G. PRITCHARD, R.A.F. 




Parcels staff. COD.LETTERS MAIL Thia subject is dealt with in Pa.rt I, Chapter V of this Volume. 
RADIO 
Introduction and Construction A midget receiver was smuggled from the Mein camp qy Po1 s/w transferred to this Compound. It was discovered by the Gennans in April, 1944. Ino., 1944, a radio receiver vas constructed from components which had been acquired from Germans by the 'Trading I Section. The construction work
¥-......,,.,; was done by:.
33.303 F/Lt. J.C. BREESE,. 

/966856 















-
966856 w.o. D.H. 
R.A.F. 958879 w.o. P.C. R.A.F. 7554(:JJ w.o. J.W.T. R.A.F. 

When this set was 
discovered by the Germans in October, 1944, 
another was constructed by the same personnel, the µ1.rts being acquired from ¥contacts'. Operating 
All operating was done by:.
BERNARD, BREWER, and 
HOUSE. 

The midget receiver was built into the false bottom 
of a chair 
especial:1´ made for this purpose from a Canadian Red Cross pa.eking case. It was not 



top of the chimney. The second Camp-made set was hidden in two volumes of records about the 
The Germans had presented these books to the library. The middle i:arts of all the i:ages, the front cover of one volume and the back cover of the other volume, were cut away, the tvo volumes pasted together, and the set inserted. The operators, who lived in a room next to the library, 
All maintenance and construction were done by BERNARD, BREESE, BREWER, 

Security The officers in charge of security for the Ra.io Department were:.102646 Capt. DRIVER, 
37535 F/Lt. WELLS, 
When the Depu-tment was engaged in any work, these two P'Walk1 s/w were on watch, receiving warnings from the barrack Security Representatives and passing them to the workers. Dissendnation of Neva 
The B.B.c. news bulletins vere written out by the operators and µissed to 







-15 .




the second 
set not yet assembled, news was sent from the Main C,amp, employing the usual methods of inter-Camp communication. Value and Remarks 
The reception of a regular daily news bulletin was of great value to P/W morale. W/T Communications -Introduction 
Details of W/T code messages from the United Kingdom 
were given to the Senior British Officer and certain selected members of his staff before they left the Main Camp, in January, 1944. Organisation -Receipt of Messages 
For 
some months after the opening of this Compound, radio code 
messages 
were received on the set in use at the time, which is described in the sul>.Section 10perating1 in this Section, where the names of the operators are given, also Recorded messages were .ssed to the Code Officers:.


439
54 F/Lt. J.R. DENNY,F/Lt. W.H. HOLLAND, who 
in turn passed them to the Senior 
British Officer. About mid-1944. the code was changed, and from then onwards no messages could be decoded, but the gist of these messages, received in the Main Camp, were made known to the Senior British Officer of this Compound at the week:cy meetines held at the Main Camp. 



This subject is dealt with in Part I, Chapter VI, Section 9 of this Volume. Transmitters 
No transmitter was made in this Compo'und. 7. no news letters were received in this 


8. This subject is dea1t 'With in full in Part I, Chapter VIII, of this Volume. 











The 1 Plug'1 1 Contact'1 Department. information was supplied from the East Compound and .ssed an at meetings between 









10. 

A Compound Defence scheme was organised by the Senior British Officer and:.W/Cdr. 


overpower 
the German Staff' and take control of the Compound in the event of an 

'l attempt by the Germans to enterminate 
all P'l.1J.4r1s/w, light and water. Such an event was considered like4r after October, 19-44 in view 
of the pr:-omb'.cy complete disorganisation of internal affairs in Germany; the situation never arose.