by Neal Bascomb
B
Bad Colberg prison camp, 166, 183–85
Ball, Albert, 35
barbwire disease, 89–90, 119–20
BE2c biplane, 35–36, 42
Beetz, Captain, 183, 184, 199
Belgium
Antwerp, Siege of, 72
German advance, 23
prison escapes, 97
Zeebrugge, xxiv, 71, 73, 74
Bennett, Elsie (wife), xxi
Bennett, Graham (son), 267
Bennett, Harriet (mother)
Bennett’s letters to, 74, 92, 144, 145, 189–90
family life, 72
supplies sent to Bennett, 92, 181, 197
Bennett, James
Antwerp, Siege of, 72
appearance, 72
background, 72–73
death, 267
emergency landing and capture, xxiv, 73–74
Holzminden prison camp, 115, 125, 143–46, 159–60
Holzminden tunnel escape
arrival in Holland, 250–51, 256, 268
border run, 189–90, 221, 226–27, 234–35, 241–43, 245–48, 248–51
breakout, 216–17
chosen for team, 168
escape order, 200
orderlies as accomplices, 287 n139
preparation for, 197
supplies, 159, 181, 189–90
tunnel construction, 180, 187, 193
twentieth anniversary, 264–65
zero hour, 208
import-export business, xxi–xxii
letters to his mother, 74, 92, 144, 145, 189–90
MI9 work, xxii–xxv, 266–67
Mons Star, 72
Royal Naval Air Service, 71, 72–73
Ströhen prison camp, 74–75, 90, 92–94, 115
supplies from his family, 159, 181, 189–90, 197
U-boats, search for, 71, 73
Bennett, John (half brother), 145
Bennett, Laurie (daughter), 267
Bennett, Robert (brother), 160
Bennett, William (father), 72
Birch, Douglas, 268
Blain, Cecil
appearance, 3–4, 244
background, 10
Clausthal prison camp
as escape fiend, 79, 81, 82–83, 106
escape with Leggatt, 106–9
escape with Parker, 120–25
solitary confinement, 63, 78, 82, 120, 146
transfer from, 146
transfer to, 61–62
death, 264
emergency landing and capture, 7–8, 12–15
first solo flight, 11, 12
Holzminden tunnel escape
arrival in Holland, 254–56, 268
border run, 219–21, 227–30, 236–37, 243–44, 248, 251–56
border-run plans, 176–80, 188–89, 192–93, 196–97, 208
breakout, 212–15
escape order, 200
as key escape artist, 169
map of escape route, xvii
personal note from the king, 258
tunnel construction, 172–75, 187
zero hour, 209
language abilities, 14, 40, 52, 177
Maubeuge, Germany, reconnaissance of, 4–7
Neunkirchen prison camp, 146, 169, 173
Osnabrück prison camp
Allouche and, 60–63
arrival at, 40–41, 50
attempts to befriend Kennard, 51
escape plans, 52–55, 59–60
return to active duty, 258
RFC training, 10–12
Somme offensive (1916), 12
Sopwith 1½ Strutter biplane, 3–8
Ströhen prison camp, 146
Blain, Harry (brother), 10
Blain, Mary (mother), 10, 52–53, 54
Blankenstein, Commandant
escape prevention, 55, 60
Kennard and, 44, 50
prison conditions, 53
rumors and information, 41, 50
transfer of British prisoners to Clausthal, 60, 61
Böelcke, Oswald, 31, 36–37
Boulogne, France, 24
Bousfield, John, Holzminden tunnel escape
arrival in Holland, 256, 268
border run, 221, 226–27, 242, 246–47
escape order, 200
escape team, 179, 287 n137
Brean, Timothy, 191
Breklenkamp, Germany, 67
Breklenkamp, Holland, 66–67
Bremen, Germany, xxi–xxii
Bridges, Robert, 18
British Indian Army, 33–34
British Red Cross, 51
Brooke, Rupert, 23, 25
Bruges, Belgium, 74
Burrill, Thomas, 268
Butler, Walter “Basil,” Holzminden tunnel escape
breakout, 210–12
escape order, 200
escape team, 167
recapture, 240, 268
tunnel construction, 193–94
twentieth anniversary, 264–65
C
Cambrai prison camp, 14–15, 38–39
Campbell-Martin, Peter, Holzminden tunnel escape
arrival in Holland, 250–51, 256, 268
border run, 221, 226–27, 234–35, 241–43, 245–48, 248–51
breakout, 216–17
escape order, 200
escape team, 168
preparation for, 189
Capon, Robert, 152–53
Cartwright, Henry, 199–200, 257
Cash, Cissy (wife), 141
Cash, John “Dick”
Armistice, 262
assisting escape attempts, 163, 164, 178–79, 190
assisting tunnel construction, 140, 143, 201, 212
background, 140–41
correspondence with family, 141
photography and mapmaking, 178–79, 190–91, 196
postwar life, 265
Cash, Myrtle (daughter), 141
Caudry (German-occupied France), 13–14
Cavell, Edith, 97
Christmas celebrations, 56, 154–55
Churchill, Winston, xxiii
class system, in military, 47, 140, 142–43, 201
Clausthal prison camp
escapes and attempts, 79–81, 106–9, 120–25
Hänisch as commander of, 75
prison conditions, 78–79, 82
solitary confinement, 78, 81–82, 120
transfer of British prisoners to, 61–62
Clouston, Andrew, 152–53, 168, 200, 210–11, 268
Coevorden, Holland, 256
Collinson, Ernest, 139, 211–12
Cologne, Germany, 238
Colquhoun, William “Shorty”
Clausthal prison camp, 79–80
Holzminden, transfer from, 166–67
Holzminden escapees, assistance for, 112–13
Holzminden tunnel escape
as originator, 286 n137
site selection, 135–39, 155, 186
tool acquisition, 138
tunnel construction, 139, 149, 150–51, 154
Military Cross, 79
release from prison, 259–60
compasses, homemade, 77, 282 n77
Continental Times newspaper, 106–7, 170–71, 202
Courth, Commandant, 64, 65, 67–68, 69
Crefeld prison camp
escapes and attempts, 63–67, 68, 281 n63
lack of camaraderie in, 68–69
prison conditions, 63–64
transfer of prisoners from, 67–70
transfer of prisoners to, 59
Crockatt, Norman, xxii–xxiii
Crystal Palace, London, 73
D
Daily Express, xxi–xxii
Daily Sketch, 258
depression, 89–90, 119–20
Dietz, Commandant, 75–76, 77–78
Digby, Ben, 42–44
Douai prison camp, 26–27
Douglas, J. C., 43
Downes, Lieutenant, 91–92
Dunkirk sea
base, 71, 73
Durnford, Hugh, Holzminden tunnel escape
Gray and, 192, 287 n137
on Niemeyer’s reaction, 225
overseeing escape, 201, 207–9, 217
tunnel collapse, rescue efforts, 223
Düsseldorf, Germany, 122, 123
Dykes, J., 287 n142
E
East India Company, 32
Eberstein, Otto von, 96
Edward VII, King (England), 21
Ellis, Samuel, 283 n96
Ellis, William Baxter, 136–37, 139, 149, 166, 286 n137
Enschede, Holland, 256
escapes. See specific prisoners and camps
Evans, A. J., vii
Evening Express, 258
F
Farman Experimental FE2b, 35–38
Fienvillers (RAF base, August 1916), 3–4, 6–7
5th Gloucester Gazette (regimental journal), 26
The First of the Few (Winter), 276 n11
Fitzgerald, Roy, 93, 115, 145–46, 181
Flying Circus (Jagdstaffel), 31, 36–37, 39
Foreign Office (British), 148–49
Franco-Prussian War, xxiii
Frankfurt, Germany, 237–38
Franz Ferdinand, Archduke, 22
Freiburg, Germany, 97
G
Gambetta, Léon, xxiii
Garland, Edgar, 221–23
Gaskell, Reginald, 111–13
Gellersen, Germany, 228–30
George II, King (England), 33
George V, King (England), 57, 257–58, 264
Gerard, James W., 49
Germany
border security, 248–49
economic conditions, 130
prison camps, 47–49 (See also specific camps)
prison camps, map of, xi
Schlieffen Plan, 23
“War Book,” 81–82
World War I onset, 22–23
Giessen, Germany, 122
gliders, escapes in, 65
A Gloucestershire Lad (Harvey), 26
Gloucestershire Regiment, 26
Goslar, Germany, 121–22
Göttingen, Germany, 233
Grant, Douglas Lyall
background, 63
Crefeld prison camp, 63, 67, 70
diary, 281 n63
Holzminden prison camp, 143, 154–55, 287 n137
Grau, Kurt, 178, 189
Gray, David
appearance, 29, 94, 150
army career, 33–34
background, 32–35
British Indian Army, 33–34
Cambrai prison camp, 38–39
character, 35, 38, 54
crash-landing and capture, 37–38
Crefeld prison camp, 63–70, 281 n63
death, 266
escape plans, resolve concerning, 95, 115, 131
flight experience, 32
Gütersloh prison camp, 40, 55
Holzminden prison camp
confrontation with parcel room attendant, 192
determination to escape, 131
documentation of abuse of prisoners, 131
Niemeyer’s harassment of prisoners, 127–28
solitary confinement, 192–93
theater productions, 197
transfer from, 143
transfer to, 115, 125
Holzminden tunnel escape
arrival in Holland, 254–56, 268
arrival in London, 257
border run, 219–21, 227–30, 236–37, 243–44, 248, 251–56
border-run plans, 176–80, 188–89, 192–93, 196–97, 208
breakout, 211–15
escape order, 200
map of escape route, xvii
tool acquisition, 138, 289 n158
tunnel construction, 149–51, 156, 167–69, 174–75, 195
tunnel team, 137, 167–68
twentieth anniversary, 264–65
zero hour, 200–201, 202, 207–8, 209
language abilities, 33–34, 39, 51–52, 177
Le Hameau aerodrome, 29–32, 35–36
Marcoing bombing mission, 32, 35–39, 54
Mesopotamian campaign, 34
Osnabrück prison camp, 40–41, 50–55, 60
return to active duty, 258
Royal Flying Corps flight school, 35
Royal Military Academy, 33
Schwarmstedt prison camp, 75–78, 94–95
Ströhen prison camp, 95, 146
World War II service, 265–66
Gray, Edward (father), 32
Gray, Helen (mother), 32
Gray, Violet (wife), 266
Grieve, Louis “Swaggy,” 201, 208, 212, 217–18, 223
Griffiths, Charles, 3–8, 12–15
Grinnell-Milne, Duncan, 114–15
Gröben, Commandant, 58, 59
Gröner (Holzminden guard), 110
Grotius, Hugo, xxiii, 45
Gurney, Ivor, 17–18, 21, 26, 260
“Gütersloh” (Harvey), 57
Gütersloh prison camp
Christmas, 56
daily life, 58
escapes and attempts, 56, 58–59
Harvey’s songs, poems, and lectures, 57–58
transfer of prisoners from, 59
transfer of prisoners to, 28, 40, 44
H
Habrecht, Colonel, 100, 104, 109, 112, 116–18
Hademstorf, Germany, 69, 95
Hague Conventions
establishment of, 46–47
lack of protection for escapees, 81–82
member nations, 46–47
prison camp inspections, 88, 143–44, 147–48
prohibition on collective punishment, 184
violations of, 48–49
Haig, Douglas, 8
Hänisch, Karl von
assassination of, 262
British efforts to remove, 148–49, 171
Clausthal prison camp, 75
combat failures, 76
contempt for British, 76–77, 116–18
cruelty, 75, 148
Holzminden prison camp, 95, 116–18, 129, 167, 181, 182
Holzminden tunnel escape, 224, 240–41
officers under, 91
punishment for escape attempts, 82
Römer and, 148
Schwarmstedt prison camp, 75, 76–77
Ströhen prison camp, 75
thorough checks of packages, 78
Harrison, E. G., 140
Hartigan, Marcus, 222, 223–24
Harvey, Eric (brother), 23
Harvey, Frederick William “the Poet”
Aachen prison camp, 198–200, 257, 259
appearance, 16–17, 20
background, 20–23
Bad Colberg, 166, 183–85, 198–99
Boulogne, France, service in, 24
capture, 19–20, 26–28
Crefeld prison camp, 68–69
Distinguished Conduct Medal, 25
front line trenches, 16–17
German trenches, reconnaissance of, 17–20
Gütersloh prison camp, 28, 56, 57–58
heroism, 17, 24–25
Holzminden prison camp
arrival at, 104, 105
mental state, 151–54, 161, 163
musical compositions and lectures, 162
solitary confinement, 105, 118–20
transfer from, 166
tunnel, 151, 286 n137
writings, 286 n128
legal career, 21, 22, 184, 199
love for Anne, 22, 25, 58, 260
love for poetry, music, and books, 18, 20, 27, 56, 162
mental state, 58, 59, 89–90, 119–20, 151–54, 161, 163, 258