Colditz

  However, an escape-minded other-ranker would have little difficulty in obtaining civilian clothing, legitimate currency, a local plan, a map, a railway timetable—all without assistance from the home front. With men like Regimental Sergeant Major Sherriff at Lamsdorf, encouraging skillful assistance was always available.

  The last point is that of leadership, or the absence of it. Other ranks, time and again, have stated how they missed it and needed it. With or without the Geneva Convention, any enemy taking prisoners will segregate officers from the men, for the very purpose of removing leadership. The only solution here is to use deception. The officer, the leader, should rip off his officer’s insignia if he can do so, and become another ranker. Then he must organize his men for escape, while probably himself remaining the last to leave. This solution for an officer is to be commended, provided it is taken for commendable reasons. Some Russian officers in the Second World War were known to have gone into battle dressed as their men. But then German troops were known to shoot Russian officers at once—no quarter. The world knows what the Russians did with Polish officers at Katyn.

  There is a lesson to be learned from an excellent treatise on the conduct of prisoners of war of many different nationalities in captivity during the Korean War from 1950–1953 entitled Why They Collaborated by Eugene Kinkead (published by Longman). In that war, officers, taken prisoner, were at once separated from their men. It transpired that both amongst officers and amongst men there were equally regrettable lapses from loyal or manly behavior under duress. But the redeeming feature that shines out, which transcended entirely the status—whether officer or other rank—of the prisoner, was discipline. Where there was discipline men and officers survived with honor. None exemplified this better than the 229 Turkish POWs. Amongst them, without officers, there was exemplary discipline, which started from a simple human concept: if there was no senior in rank amongst a group, then the oldest automatically became the senior. Obedience to the senior and total commitment to each other within the group, as well as total solidarity of the group vis-à-vis external forces, was their recipe for a successful outcome; and, in the event, so it proved to be.

  It was generally believed that the Chinese feared the Turks to some degree, because they stuck together as a group and resisted as a group. Their discipline and military organisation saw them through as prisoners, with no fatalities and no indoctrination.

  Therefore, let an officer who is contemplating the solution that is to be commended ask himself whether he will ultimately contribute to the escape proclivities of his men or to their self-preservation through discipline or to both.

  Bibliography

  Barker, A. J., Prisoners of War (UK edition: Behind Barbed Wire) (Universe Books, New York, 1975)

  Brickhill, P. C. J., Reach for the Sky (William Collins, 1954)

  Le Brigant, General, Les Indomptables (Editions Berger-Levrault, 1948)

  Borrie, J., Despite Captivity (William Kimber, 1975)

  Brown, J., In Durance Vile (Robert Hale, 1981)

  Bruce, G. L., The Warsaw Uprising: 1 August–2 October, 1944 (Rupert Hart- Davis, 1972)

  Burn, M., Yes Farewell (Jonathan Cape, 1946) and The Flying Castle (Rupert Hart-Davis, 1954)

  Burt, K., and Leasor, J., The One That Got Away (Collins/Michael Joseph, 1956)

  Burton, G., Escape from the Swastika (Marshall Cavendish, 1975)

  Campbell, A., Colditz Cameo (Ditchling Press, 1954)

  Carre, M., I was the Cat (Souvenir Press Ltd., 1960)

  Champ, J., and Burgess, C., Diggers in Colditz (Allen & Unwin, Australia, 1985)

  Chrisp, J., The Tunnellers of Sandbostel (Robert Hale, 1959)

  Congar, Y., Leur Résistance: Témoignage d’Yves Congar (M. Albert Renault, Paris, 1947)

  Cowburn, B., No Cloak, No Dagger (Jarrolds, 1960)

  Datner, S., Tragedia w Dössel (Ksiazka i Wiedza, Warsaw, 1970) and Ucieczki z Niewoli Niemieckiej 1939–45 (Ksiazka i Wiedza, Warsaw, 1966)

  Davies, Brigadier, Illyrian Adventure (The Bodley Head, 1952)

  Duggan, M. (ed.), Padré in Colditz (Hodder & Stoughton, 1978)

  Duke, F., Mission Sparrow (Meredith Press, New York)

  Eggers, R., Colditz: The German Story (New English Library, 1972)

  Eggers, R., Colditz Recaptured (Robert Hale, 1973)

  Evans, A. J., Escape and Liberation 1940/45 (Hodder & Stoughton, 1945) and The Escaping Club (John Lane/The Bodley Head, 2nd edition)

  Ferguson, I., Doctor at War (Christopher Johnson, 1955)

  Foot, M. R. D., Resistance (Eyre Methuen, 1976) and S. O. E. in France (Miscellaneous Official Publications, 1966)

  Foot, M. R. D., and Langley, J. M., MI9—Escape and Evasion 1939/45 (The Bodley Head, 1979)

  Giertych, J., Europe w Niemoli (Biblioteka Polska, London, 1958) and Wrzesniowcy (Biblioteka Polska, London, 1957)

  Green, J. M., From Colditz in Code (Robert Hale, 1971)

  Guénet, M., Le Secret de Colditz (Editions France Empire, Paris)

  Guigues, F., Colditz 1941–1943 (private publication)

  Harewood, Lorn, The Tongs and the Bones (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1981)

  De Hartog, L., Officieren Achter Prikkeldraad 1940–1945 (Hollandia B. V., Baarn, Holland, 1983)

  De Jong, L., Het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden in de Tweede Wereldoorlog Gravenhage (Martinus Nijhoff, the Hague, 1969)

  Hutton, C., Official Secret (Max Parrish, 1960)

  Kawalec, W., Pięcdziesięciu z Dössel (Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej, Warsaw, 1963)

  Kinkead, E., Why They Collaborated (Longman, 1960)

  Komorowski, T. B., The Secret Army (Victor Gollancz, 1951)

  Van der Krap, C. D., Against the Swastika (Van Holkema en Warendorf, Bussum, Holland, 1981)

  Larive, E. H., The Man who came in from Colditz (Robert Hale, 1975)

  Le Brun, M., Deux Fois Evadé de la Fortresse de Colditz (private publication)

  Le Ray, A., Première à Colditz (Editions Arthoud, 1980)

  Lovell, I. and Baybutt, R., Camera in Colditz (Hodder & Stoughton, 1982)

  Maloire, A., Colditz—le Grand Refus (Le Condor, Vincennes, 1982)

  Naumann, H. (ed.), 700 Jahre Stadt Colditz (Umschlaggestaltung Ehnert, Dresden)

  Neave, A., They Have Their Exits (Hodder & Stoughton, 1953) and Saturday at MI9 (Hodder & Stoughton, 1959)

  Perrin, A., Evadé de Guerre via Colditz (La Pensée Universelle, Paris)

  Philps, C. G., Stratosphere and Rocket Flight (Astronautics) (Pitman, 1935)

  Reid, M., Into Colditz (Michael Russell, 1983)

  Reid, P. R., The Colditz Story (Hodder & Stoughton, 1952) and The Latter Days (Hodder & Stoughton, 1953)

  Romilly, G., and Alexander, M., The Privileged Nightmare (Hostages at Colditz) (George Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1954)

  Sandford, K., The Mark of the Lion (Popular Library, 1964)

  Schofield, S., Musketoon (Jonathan Cape, 1964)

  Seth, R., Jackals of the Reich: The Story of the British Free Corps (New English Library, 1972)

  Slawiński, K., Jeniecki Oboz Specjalny Colditz (Biblioteka Pamieci Pokolen)

  Thibaut de Maisières, G., Tourisme Clandestin (L’Office de Publicité, Brussels, 1961)

  Warren, C. E. T., and Benson, J., Will Not We Fear (Harrap, 1961)

  West, R., The Meaning of Treason (Macmillan & Co. Ltd., 1949)

  Williams, E., Arbeitskommando (Victor Gollancz, 1975)

  Wood, J. E. R. (ed.), Detour (Falcon Press)

  De Vomécourt, P., Who Lived to See the Day (Hutchinson, 1963)

  Zimiński, W., Colditz—Dössel ou le Refus de la Captivité (Incepa Faivre, Pontarlien, 1978)

  Index

  Abbott, Lieut. George, 201

  Alexander, Field Marshal, 170

  Alexander, Lieut. Michael 170, 205, 244

  Allan, 2nd Lieut. “Peter,” 22, 46, 50, 52–54, 154, 247

  Altuhov, Oberstleutnant Serg M., 77

  Amery, John, 219

  Amthor,
Major, 189

  Anderson, Major W. F. “Andy,” 82, 191

  Armstrong, Brigadier, 224

  Arundell, John (Lord Arundell), 230–231

  Aurich, Rittmeister, 88

  Bader, Wing Commander Douglas, 126, 146–148, 156, 159, 164, 207, 213, 217–218, 234, 270

  Barnes, Bob, 201, 210, 221

  Barnett, Lieut. “Skipper,” 216, 222

  Barras, Edgar, 109

  Barry, Captain Rupert, 22, 39, 50, 145, 153–154, 161, 165

  Bartlett, Lieut. D. E., 209–210

  Barton, Lieut. Teddy, 29, 49, 96, 191–192, 212

  Bartoszewicz, 2nd Lieut. Stanisław, 25

  Bauer, Herr, 198

  Baxter, Rex, 221

  BBC, 86, 156, 168, 170, 272

  Beck, Generaloberst von, 88

  Bednarski, Lieut. Ryszard, 46, 77, 138–140, 143–144

  Beet, Lieut. Trevor, 213

  Beets, Ted, 152

  Beninghausen, Colonel Baron von, 250

  Berger, General S. S., 263–266

  Beschwitz, Freiherr von, 250

  Besson-Guyard, Lieut., 46

  Best, Flight-Lieut. Jack, 174, 200, 209–210, 246

  Bissell, Lieut. Monty, 131, 192–193

  Black, Captain Graeme, 154

  Block, General von, 170

  Blum, Léon, 130

  Blum, Captain Robert, 129–130

  Boisse, General de, 237

  Bór Komorowski, General, 229, 244, 256, 277

  Boucheron, André, 42, 44

  Bouillez, Lieut. Raymond, 133

  Boulé, Lieut., 56

  Boustead, “Bertie,” 66, 83

  Boutard, Pierre, 166

  Bréjoux, Jean, 109

  Breyer, Colonel, 161

  British Free Corps, 219

  British Museum, 156, 326, 328

  British Red Cross, 129, 195

  Brodowski, General von, 237

  Brooks, Private, 176

  Broomhall, Lieut.-Colonel W. M. “Tubby,” 187, 192, 198–199

  Bruce, Flying Officer Dominic, 123, 137–138, 149–150, 154, 158, 160, 221, 229

  Bruce, Hugh, 236

  Bryks, Flight-Lieut. Josef, 278

  Buisson, General, 237

  Bullard, Private, 233

  Burdeyron, Lieut. Noël, 201

  Burn, Micky, 102, 272

  Burrows, Private Walter V., 273

  Bykowitz, Lieut. 109

  Caillaud, Jean, 171–173

  Caldwell, Corporal Tom Ray, 250

  Campbell, Lieut. Alan “Black,” 164, 170, 175, 232–236

  Carré, Mathilde, 201

  Catlow, Tommy, 270

  Cazaumayou, Lieut. Bernard, 109

  Chaloupka, Flight-Lieut. Cenek, 223, 232, 235, 239–242, 278

  Champ, 209

  Charvet, Jacques, 42, 44, 92–93

  Cheetham, Lieut. Alan, 46, 192, 212

  Chesshire, Major J. H. C., 224

  Chisholm, 205

  Chmiel, Lieut. Mietek, 47–49, 197

  Christiansen, General, 67

  Christie, Hector, 212

  Chrusciel, General, 257

  Churchill, Sir Winston, 93, 233, 251–252

  Cleeve, Major, 77

  Cockatrix, Albert, 253

  Cocksedge, Alan, 221

  Congar, Padre, 168

  Connell, Rev. Dick, 30

  Coombe-Tennant, Henry, 251

  Coward, Noël, 212–213

  Crisp, Bos’n, 191, 221

  Cronin, A. J., 212

  Dabek, Colonel, 27

  Daine, General, 237, 253, 268

  Dames, Lieut. G., 72, 121

  Damidaux, Colonel, 46

  Damowski, Roman, 15

  Darthenay, Lieut. Elisée-Alban, 187

  Davies, Brigadier Edmund, 224, 258, 269

  Davies, Lieut. John, 46

  Davies-Scourfield, Lieut. Grismond, 123, 198, 210, 224, 225, 227

  Dębowski, Pilot Officer Zdzisław, 25

  de Gaulle, General, 183, 201, 209, 276

  de Hamel, Lieut. F. Max de, 233

  de Maisières, Thibaut, 165, 234

  Delarue, Lieut., 146

  Desmarchelier, Yves, 157

  Desbats, Edouard, 171–173

  Desjobert, Lieut., 91, 120

  Desmet, Colonel, 165–166

  Deuxième Bureau, 201

  Dickie, Hugh, 226

  Dickinson, Flight-Lieut. “Bag,” 146, 170, 174–175, 180

  Dobson, Lieut. Kenny, 273

  Doherty, Private, 53, 176

  Donaldson, Flying Officer Don, 46, 101, 180

  Donkers, 2nd Lieut. H. G., 105–107, 151–152

  Douw van der Krap, Lieut., 71, 97, 205, 231

  Dreyfus, 129

  Drijber, 2nd Lieut. O., 83–86

  Dufour, Captain A. L. C., 70–71, 75, 84, 174

  Duggan, Margaret, 36, 101

  Duke, Colonel Florimund, 222–224, 258–259, 268–269, 279

  Dulles, Allen W., 222

  du Puy, Lieut. Antoine, 201

  Duquet, Lieut., 46

  Durand-Hornus, Lieut. Jacques, 98

  Durant, Paul, 90

  Eggers, Hauptmann Reinhold, 20, 29–30, 36, 39, 50, 52–53, 63, 66, 81, 83, 86–89, 92, 94, 96–98, 100, 103–105, 109, 113–119, 121–124, 126, 133–134, 137–139, 141–145, 153–154, 160–161, 164–170, 177–179, 183, 189–190, 194–195, 198–199, 202, 204–210, 216, 218, 220–221, 223, 231, 233–237, 239, 243, 247, 249, 257–258, 268–270, 273–274, 279

  Eichstatt, 95, 165, 186–187, 190, 192, 199

  Eisenhower, General 262

  Elliot, Lieut. Tommy, 29

  Elliott, Captain Harry, 22, 44, 64, 154, 186, 214, 217, 222, 251

  Elphinstone, Captain John, 233, 244, 259–260, 263, 266

  Engles, Major, 69, 86, 99, 124

  Eras, Lieut. J. S. M., 68

  Erlach, Doctor von, 215

  Estève, Louis, 222

  Fahy, Lieut. Maurice, 138, 187

  Falke, Doctor, 16–17

  Feurheerd, Oberleutnant, 49

  Ficek, Zdzisław, 19

  Flavigny, General, 237, 250–251

  Flébus, Major, 49

  Fleet, Private, 198

  Fleury, Lieut., 189

  Flynn, Flying Officer “Erroll,” 46, 127, 136, 157, 216–217

  Forbes, Flying Officer “Bricky,” 49, 107, 146, 191, 193

  Foreign Office, 250, 258, 263, 277

  Fowler, Flight-Lieut. Bill, 150–152, 162, 164, 168, 211

  “Franz Josef,” 191–195, 225

  Frondeville, Lieut. Guy de, 98–99

  Gallais, Alfred, 190

  Gambero, Lieut. Jean, 110

  Gandhi, Mahatma, 169

  Gassowski, Lieut. Wacław, 25, 37

  Gauthier, General, 237

  Gee, Howard, 28, 50, 116, 148–149

  Geerligs, Cadet F. V., 120

  George VI, King of England, 219

  Gephard, Oberstabsfeldwebel, 39–40, 109, 112, 150–152, 189, 198, 204

  Gérard, Lieut., 46

  German, Lieut.-Colonel Guy, 29, 34–35, 38–41, 44, 51, 53, 87, 96, 117, 123, 143, 236, 252

  German Medical Service, 127

  German Red Cross, 34

  German YMCA, 213

  Gestapo, 5, 43, 63, 75, 135–136, 139, 147, 154, 179, 187, 197, 198, 201, 206, 211, 216, 222, 224, 232, 239–242, 279

  Giebel, Major C., 83–86

  Giertych, Lieut. Jędrzej, 1–5, 14–15, 42, 197, 229, 278

  Gill, Lieut. Derek, 151

  Giraud, General, 133, 237, 259

  Girot, Lieut. Michael, 96, 135

  Glaesche, Oberst Edgar, 141–142, 167, 169

  Glauchau, 257, 268

  Godfrin, Lieut. Léonce, 110

  Goebbels, Joseph, 261

  Goerdeler, Carl, 243

  Goldfinch, Flight-Lieut. L. J. E. “Bill,” 246

  Goldman, Solly, 39, 52, 117, 279

  Gorecki, Lieut. Wacław, 26, 37

  Green, Captain J
ulius, 208, 217

  Green, Corporal, 198

  Griegnas, Francis A., 273

  Groquet, Lieut., 46

  Grünert, Feldwebel, 174

  Guigues, Lieut. “Fredo,” 110, 113, 156–157, 166, 187–188

  Guillerme, Sous-Lieut. R., 234

  Hageman, Jacques, 120–121

  Haig, Captain Earl, 233, 259, 266

  Hallen, L/C, 176

  Hallifax, Dan, 216, 218–219

  Hamilton, Patrick, 212

  Hammond, ERA Wally, 147, 158, 162

  Harrison, “Rex,” 191, 202

  Hartog, Leo de, 202

  Harvey, Lieut. Michael, 174, 191, 193, 209–211

  Hawksworth, Captain H., 224

  Heard, Padre, 29, 81, 226

  Heinze, Rittmeister, 20, 220–21

  Heliot, Lieut. N., 234

  Henderson, Doc, 220

  Himmler, Heinrich, 43, 94, 202, 237, 257–258, 260–261, 263, 266

  Hirsch, Captain Count André, 129

  Hitler, Adolf, 1, 3, 10–12, 19, 21, 35, 66–67, 80, 94, 138, 141, 153–154, 170, 177, 186, 189–190, 201, 206, 217, 221–222, 235–237, 243, 245, 249, 251, 257, 259, 261, 263, 266, 279, 329

  Hobling, Padre, 29, 81, 101, 117

  Hodge, General, 254

  Hoffman, Miss, 64

  Hogerland, Captain N., 68

  Holroyd, Lieut. Ralph, 206, 269, 271–272

  Hopetoun, Captain the Earl of, 190, 205, 212, 259, 266

  Horn, Major Dr. Hans, 196, 201, 204

  Horthy, Admiral, 222

  Hotchkiss, Captain, 273

  Howe, Captain Dick, 22, 32, 39–41, 65, 96, 101, 113, 145, 150, 152, 154, 156–158, 188, 191, 197, 212, 214, 246, 254–255, 272

  Howe, Major (German), 268

  Huart, Lieut. Jacques, 201

  Hubal, Major, 4

  Hunter, Lieut. David, 195

  Hutt, Charles, 222

  Hyde-Thompson, 46, 50, 104–107, 192–194

  “Les Innocents,” 128

  International Red Cross, see Red Cross

  Ironside, Hugo, 213

  Jasiński, Lieut. Paweł, 18

  Jean-Jean, Abbé, 111–112, 123, 157, 187

  Jodl, General, 154

  Johnson, ERA, 147

  Jones, Lieut. Dick, 239–240, 242

  Jones, Professor R. V., 327

  Joyce, William (Lord Haw Haw), 56, 206, 208

  Jung, Lieut. André, 38, 46

  Just, Lieut., 45–46, 50, 77, 134–135, 139, 147

  Kępa, Lieut. Zdzisław, 139

  King’s College, London, 132

  Kiraly, Major, 222, 279

  Kirchbach, Obserstleutnant von, 98