***
Still confined in the Netherlands, Win was well aware that he was certainly a father by then. If the child had been born on or near the due date, he or she would be somewhere near seven months of age. The wish to see his offspring was overwhelming. His injured foot had healed, but due to the lack of appropriate medical care, he had been left with constant pain and a permanent limp. Still, better that than the alternative—for a time, he’d feared the appendage might need to be amputated…
Now that he was as healthy as he ever would be, under the circumstances, he felt as though he had hit a wall. Nobody had the slightest notion of how long the wretched war would continue, and there didn’t appear to be any end in sight. He would rather be dead than spend years and years not seeing the woman he adored or even knowing whether he was a father and if the child were a boy or a girl.
He would do whatever he had to do to be free again. Anything at all.
The chances were great that he would be shot or hanged if he attempted escape, but he and his fellow prisoner Will had spent months putting together a plan. The local woman Will had befriended their first week at the camp still came by nearly every other day to stand outside the fence and chat. With her help the men figured they had a better chance at making a clean getaway than most.
Although the prisoners were allowed to purchase cigarettes from the barrow men, there was nothing available to burn them. In order to light a cigarette, a prisoner would have to approach one of the guards and ask him to light it. The guards didn’t want the prisoners setting something ablaze and causing an evacuation. However, with assistance from their Dutch girlfriend, Win and Will came up with a feasible scheme.
Win approached her one morning when she appeared outside the fence. She spoke some English, which facilitated matters. He was able to make it clear to her that he and William would be terribly happy if they could have their own source of heat to light cigarettes, instead of constantly needing to ask one of the guards. Later that same day, she reappeared and slipped an entire small box of wooden matches through the fence in a surreptitious manner. Win took them and quickly reached down, putting them into a shoe, since the prisoner uniforms had no pockets.
From that time forward, Win and William continued to put together their scheme, which wasn’t really terribly difficult. Their primary need was waiting for the proper time to put their plan into action. The opportunity finally came on Christmas Eve, 1915. Win had not known that the camp authorities allowed prisoners to attend a concert of carols at the Dutch Reformed Church. Of course, several guards would accompany the prisoners, but because the camp was in an isolated area, the guards had taken advantage of their freedom from discipline and had enjoyed several bottles of alcoholic drinks in celebration of the holiday. Thus, the entire environment had a somewhat more relaxed feeling. Small Christmas packages had been allowed for the prisoners, and the prisoners were absolutely ecstatic about being able to attend the church service. The packages were opened shortly before the guard began to queue up the men for a march to the church.
Thus, when the time came to unlock the gates and escort prisoners to the church, there was a substantial heap of what had been wrapping paper stacked in a corner of the outdoor area. There was a queue of perhaps one hundred men in the line, and some twenty-five guards working escort. The majority of them were far from sober and were joking with one another while singing Christmas songs. Win was one of the first prisoners to leave his hut and join the group. When the locks were released, four guards began to lead the men toward the church, which was within sight of the camp. Will lagged behind and was one of the last in the queue.
“Fire!” he suddenly shouted.
There was a significant amount of commotion and turmoil. Smoke and flames rose from the place where the package paper had been piled. It had been a dry autumn, and it was also a quite windy day. The flames spread quickly. Before long, there was not one fire, but several. Stacks of debris scattered about caught fire, and then the guards’ wooden barracks were ablaze. The far-from-sober guards were unorganised. Win thought several prisoners would use the opportunity to escape, but apparently, they were frightened of being shot or hanged, because most either stood stock still or tried to pitch in to put out the scattered fires Win and William acted in accordance with the plans they had made well in advance. They didn’t run, which would no doubt call attention to them, but they walked rapidly through the gates. All the guards had turned their attention on the fire. Outside the camp, there was a one-lane road bordered by dense forests. Naturally, Win and William headed for that wooded area. There was shouting going on behind them in the camp, as the guards called for water.
Win and William reached the forest and then broke into a sprint, Win doing a kind of combination hop-run. His newly healed foot hurt like hell, but he kept moving. Apparently, the other prisoners chose to say nothing, for some of them surely had to have seen what took place, but no alarm was sounded.
As soon as Win and William felt they were far enough into the woods, they ripped off their uniforms, hiding them in the underbrush near some thick bushes. They had been issued long, winter underwear a few weeks earlier since the weather had turned cold. So, while not fully dressed, neither were they naked. As long as they stayed in the wooded area, they knew they would be safe, and their lack of outer clothing would not present a problem. According to the Dutch girl, small cabins were scattered throughout the woods, as this was a popular area for those who were nature-lovers or who hunted in the autumn. Their aim was to find one of these structures and pray there would be clothing inside.
Twenty minutes or so later, they came across a tiny, one-room building—more of a shack than a cabin—but their luck held out, and they found several sets of men’s winter clothing in a dusty, cob-web covered cabinet. Whomever had left the clothes must have been very large, because Win and Will had to roll up the sleeves and pantlegs and use lengths of twine as belts to keep the trousers from falling down, but neither man complained. God must have been with them, because they each found a heavy, winter coat—over-sized but warm—as well as several sets of gloves, hats, and scarves.
Although they could no longer see or hear the prison camp, they dared not dally. Sooner or later, the guards would discover they’d escaped, and a search party would be organized. Before that happened, Win wanted to be far, far away.
They dressed quickly and headed back out into the forest, now better equipped to deal with their environment.
The Dutch girl had smuggled them in a map of the Netherlands, and they’d studied it very carefully. The nearest town looked to be Assen, some twenty miles west. Although they kept hidden in the trees, they made certain they followed the road and were surprised when they spotted a sign for Assen a short while later. Adrenaline must have been pouring through their bodies, since it didn’t seem they’d made so much progress. They were starving but too terrified to stop at a café. If word of their escape had spread, the townsfolk might be watching for them. So they kept to the road. The next village on their route would be Zwolle, a very long way from their present locale. Yet, they had no choice but to keep moving. It wasn’t late in the day. Neither man had a wristwatch, but they did know how to read the hours from the position of the sun. Win guessed it was nearly two o’clock. So, on they travelled toward Zwolle. Amazingly, they never saw another person on the roadway, nor did a vehicle drive by. After several more hours, the sun began to set lower in the western sky. Zwolle remained a considerable distance away. They’d seen signs with its name and the number of kilometers. The bottoms of their feet were covered with blisters from all the walking they’d done, even though they’d purposely worn two pairs of socks. Finally, they decided to go deeper into the woodland beside the road. There, they would bed down and get some rest.
From that day, forward, their plan was to travel at night, rather than during daylight hours. Both of their stomachs were past growling and were actually cramping with pain. They hadn’t travelled far into th
e forest, when, surprisingly, they came upon another small cabin. This one was newer than the last, and at first, they were frightened, thinking it was surely inhabited. Still, it seemed to be a rather odd place for a home, since there was nothing of any consequence nearby—no place to buy foodstuffs or petrol, no close postal facility or physician’s office. They sank down upon the ground and slowly crept nearer the unpretentious cabin. It was built from logs, probably cut from the surrounding forest. There was no automobile in sight and no lights in the structure. While it wasn’t pitch dark outside, it was still quite dim. Nighttime was fast approaching. William reached one of the few windows. Silently, he rose and peeked inside. He was delighted to see that the place surely belonged to someone who undoubtedly used it for hunting purposes or perhaps as a summer get-away. There were deer antlers on the walls. It was clear that it was a sportsman’s hideaway. It was a Sunday, but it looked as though the owner, if he’d been there at all, had left.
Win gathered his nerve and knocked on the door. Nobody answered. He and Will then walked around the cabin, looking into each window. It was not at all large, and the interior could easily be seen in its entirety. There was nobody inside. Will rammed his shoulder against the door, and it easily opened. Win and Will scurried inside, shutting and bolting the door, which amazingly hadn’t shattered when Will had busted it open.
The cabin provided them with a cosy set-up. On one wall was a stone fireplace, with logs piled by its side. However, they were leery of starting a fire, for fear someone might see smoke rising from the chimney piece. A wooden sink and old-fashioned water pump sat next to the hearth, along with an icebox and a wooden cook stove. A sofa and some chairs were scattered about, and the ladder led to a loft, where they discovered two beds.
“You don’t suppose there’s food anywhere in here?” Win asked.
“Or more clothes?” added William.
“Only one way to find out,” answered Win, as he came back down the ladder and quickly walked to the kitchen area, where cabinets hung on the walls.
Opening the doors, they discovered shelves filled with dozens and dozens of cans—carrots, beans, peas, spinach, sardines, tuna fish, and more… The men were so hungry, they were ready to rip them open with their bare hands, if such a thing had been remotely possible. Obviously, it wasn’t, so they began to rummage through drawer after drawer.
Win shouted, “Yes!” There lay a can opener.
Next, thy began to rummage through the closets. One of them had children’s clothing—hardly useful for them. But, in another, they discovered men’s pants and shirts, and more heavy jackets. There were also gloves and socks, as well as more underclothing. Again, the clothes were larger than either one of them wore, but they would definitely suffice. They could change out of their dirty, wet clothing, so they’d look less conspicuous when the time came to start moving again.
After Win and William had eaten everything they could find that sounded the least bit palatable, they both lay down, one in each of the two beds, and slept for an entire day. After a good rest, they filled their haversacks with a great many of the remaining cans of food, including vegetables, fruits, sardines, crackers, and soup. They also took two bowls and some utensils for eating. Win had found some medical supplies in a cabinet. He used one of the thick bandages to wrap his foot and ankle, hoping to add more support and perhaps ease some of the pain. They still had miles to travel, and he hurt more with each step he took.
He and Will waited for nightfall and then once again entered the dark, forested countryside. They had studied their map and were quite certain they knew their locale. It appeared they were near the train station that would take them to Rotterdam. If they could make it to Rotterdam, they could change to another train and would eventually end up in England. There was also the hope that they would be able to find their regiment.
Sure enough, after tramping through the woods for several hours, Win heard the sound of a train whistle. It was the sign they’d been waiting for. Obviously, they were very near the tracks. They stayed in the woods, but soon they were able to actually see the railway line. They continued to follow it for a few more miles. Several trains roared by, as Win and Will struggled along. Finally, they spotted the station. They were in a very small village, and no one seemed to pay any particular attention to the two rather down-market chaps. Win had learned a bit of the Dutch language while incarcerated. He walked bravely to the ticket window.
“Twee kartyes naar Rotterdam,” he said, exactly as he had practiced.
He and Will bought newspapers, pretending to read them after they boarded the train. Will told Win he was going to close his eyes and pretend to be asleep. They were supposed to change trains at Utrecht, but they spotted Dutch policemen on the platform, so the dared not disembark. Eventually, they arrived…not in Rotterdam, but in Amsterdam. Their original idea had been to board a ship in Rotterdam. Having arrived in Amsterdam, they hadn’t the faintest idea what to do next.
They began to walk around the town, and after a spell, Win spotted a shop with an English name—Bell's Asbestos Company.
“I don’t think I can stay on my feet much longer,” Win told Will. “I think we should take our chances and go in here. Someone might be able to help us.”
Will nodded his agreement, and they went inside, assuming as casual an air as possible, considering their appearance and Win’s physical condition.
A man came forward to assist them.
Win smiled. "Is Mr. Bell in?"
The man laughed. “This shop is part of a chain in Europe, and there is no ‘Mr. Bell’.” He looked them up and down. “What can I do for you…gentlemen?”
Win took a deep breath and spilled the beans, explaining who he and Shore were.
The gentleman was extremely nice. Not only that, but he was an Englishman. Because Holland was a neutral country, there were any number of English people living and working there, but the man told them that if he were caught helping escapees, he would be expelled from the country. However, after he phoned the British consul and the consul said that on no account were Win and William to go near that office, and they had no wish to know or hear anything about them, the kind shopkeeper decided to help them himself. Needless to say, Will and Win were immensely relieved.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Win and Will reached Rotterdam without any other mishap, but they encountered another next problem when they tried to get onto the docks. There were police at the entrance, so Win and Will hung about until they saw a man pushing an overloaded barrow towards the docks. Win and William whipped off their straw hats and bent down, helping him push the barrow through the entrance. The man was very pleased to have had their help, and Win and Will were delighted. Nobody challenged them, and the police took no notice.
Their shopkeeper friend in Amsterdam had learned that the SS Cromer was sailing that night and had told them to make for it. They waited until no one was about then ran up the gang-plank to the ship, where they were met by the cook, who was lounging about the deck. Win greased the man’s palm quite considerably, but the man seemed quite congenial, and Win felt certain the cook would have helped them anyway. The cook was the only man on board, and he hid them below until the captain and the crew came back from shore.
Win would have loved to think their troubles were over, and certainly, they were much safer than they had been. But they still had to reach Winthrop-on-Hart. When the cook introduced Win and Will to the captain, the man agreed to assist them, as well. He dressed them in greasy overalls and told them to look busy when the police came 'round to inspect the boat before she sailed. When the police came into the engine room, the captain followed, telling the officers to hurry up because he didn't want to miss the tide. What a night it was, for the cook had used the money Win gave him to send ashore for a lot of beer. The next morning, they were up on deck, feasting their eyes on dear old England as they approached Harwich.
When the ship docked at the Harwich Naval Port, Will and Win we
re two of the first to step onto the pier. The knowledge that they were once again standing on English soil nearly caused Win to become giddy. They were both totally prepared to tell the authorities of their miserable escape from the German POW camp in Holland. However, nobody asked them to show papers, and nothing was said to them. Their plan was to notify the military authorities, and then, as quickly as possible, return to their respective homes. William was from a small village in Southwest England. He and Win promised to stay in touch with each other. They boarded the train together at Harwich.
While travelling by train from Harwich to Liverpool Station in London, an elderly lady approached them. After taking note of their untidy civilian clothes, she glared at them.
“Why in the hell aren’t you two young, healthy men out there with your British brothers, fighting those disgusting Huns?” she demanded in a loud voice.
Win and Will looked at each other and busted out laughing—this being the first time either of them had found any humor in their situation. The old woman, obviously angry at their response, huffed and strode away down the aisle, where she took up a seat in the rear of the train.
Win and Will arrived in London on a Wednesday. Win said his good-byes to Will and then immediately visited a men’s clothing emporium, purchasing a new suit of clothing and everything he needed to accompany it. He was not about to meet his beloved Josephine looking like a pathetic vagrant. When he’d left Winthrop-on-Hart, Josephine did not have a telephone in their cottage. So he decided not to make an attempt to get word to her about his safe return. His primary goal was to travel to Winthrop-on-Hart by the fastest method possible and to hold his precious wife in his arms. Thoughts of their child occupied his mind incessantly. He had no idea if he had a son or daughter, and it didn’t truly matter. As long as everything had gone well, Win would be a happy man.
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