MontyB
All-Blacks Supporter
Well maybe just the big escape.
I was watching a documentary on this even and it contained a lot of intrigue not the least of which was an allied soldier hung for a murder initially blamed on the escapees and an SS officer peeed on by a drunk Welshman...
The Big Escape
"The big escape of prisoners from Island Farm occurred on the night of Saturday 10th March 1945…"
Less than four months after the first officer-prisoners had started arriving at Island Farm and two months after Darling had discovered the first of the paired tunnels, 70 prisoners escaped. (see Darling's theory of two tunnels - Anti Escape plans)
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]The escape began around ten o'clock at night, after the final roll call and under the cover of noisy singing. A strict timetable was in place to ensure that each person turned up at the escape hut at the right time. A system of electric lights, tapped off the main supply, proved extremely useful, not only as lighting for the tunnel but also a means of warning when a guard was nearing the hut.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Hans Harzheim ( Anti Tank Officer), Werner Zielasko (Unknown), Oswald Prior (U-Boat Commander) & Steffi Ehlert (Luftwaffe Pilot)
[/FONT]It was shortly after ten o'clock when the third escape group, Hans Harzheim and his three comrades, crept through the tunnel into the field beyond the wire. Once outside the camp they made straight for Merthyr Mawr Road (Approximately 1 mile from the camp), where the car was parked as usual (Make: Austin 10. Licence Plate: DTG 688).
Because day light was breaking they decided to hide in a thicket in the middle of a field until nightfall. However a herd of inquisitive cows insisted on following them. They crept out of their hiding place but were spotted by some farm workers. Later that day they were caught near Castle Bromwich, approximately 110 miles from Island Farm.
The four POWs said that they had made the last part of their journey via a goods train. They had not damaged the car and one of the German prisoners even apologised when he heard that it belonged to a doctor and offered to pay for the petrol !
I was watching a documentary on this even and it contained a lot of intrigue not the least of which was an allied soldier hung for a murder initially blamed on the escapees and an SS officer peeed on by a drunk Welshman...
The Big Escape
"The big escape of prisoners from Island Farm occurred on the night of Saturday 10th March 1945…"
Less than four months after the first officer-prisoners had started arriving at Island Farm and two months after Darling had discovered the first of the paired tunnels, 70 prisoners escaped. (see Darling's theory of two tunnels - Anti Escape plans)
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]The escape began around ten o'clock at night, after the final roll call and under the cover of noisy singing. A strict timetable was in place to ensure that each person turned up at the escape hut at the right time. A system of electric lights, tapped off the main supply, proved extremely useful, not only as lighting for the tunnel but also a means of warning when a guard was nearing the hut.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Hans Harzheim ( Anti Tank Officer), Werner Zielasko (Unknown), Oswald Prior (U-Boat Commander) & Steffi Ehlert (Luftwaffe Pilot)
[/FONT]It was shortly after ten o'clock when the third escape group, Hans Harzheim and his three comrades, crept through the tunnel into the field beyond the wire. Once outside the camp they made straight for Merthyr Mawr Road (Approximately 1 mile from the camp), where the car was parked as usual (Make: Austin 10. Licence Plate: DTG 688).
An example of an Austin 10
They didn't know it at the time, but it belonged to a doctor, Dr R. Baird Milne. Harzheim and Oswald Prior broke into the the vehicle whilst Zielasko and Steffi Ehlert, hurried to the nearby farm to syphon some petrol from the lorries.
When Harzheim tried to start the car the car failed to start and the escape party were concious of making too much noise directly outside the vehicle owner's house. It was at this time that four guards from Island Farm were walking towards the camp. When Harzheim boldly asked them to give a hand they willing gave the vehicle a push start and waved the POWs on their way !
With the car started, they drove along the A48 towards Cardiff (Cardiff is the capital of Wales and is about 20 miles from Island Farm). The four men had decide to make for Croydon, where they knew there was a large airport. It was shortly after midnight when they drove down Tumble Hill, with its hazardous bend at the bottom, and past the council houses of Ely at the Western approaches to Cardiff. Hopelessly lost, they decided to take a chance, and using the guise of being Norwegians they decided to ask a man walking along the pavement for directions. (This man was a tram driver going home after a late-night shift)
The tram driver was fooled by their guise of being Norwegians and decided that the best way to direct them was to accept a lift to the outskirts of Cardiff where upon, as he got out of the vehicle, he pointed them in the direction of Newport and then the Gloucester road.
Unfortunately, the POWs ran out of petrol somewhere between Chepstow and Gloucester, near the Forest-of-Dean and they had to abandon the car.
Special note from Brett Exton:
Whilst investigating this story, I found 2 conflicting locations for the place where the car was abandoned:
With the car started, they drove along the A48 towards Cardiff (Cardiff is the capital of Wales and is about 20 miles from Island Farm). The four men had decide to make for Croydon, where they knew there was a large airport. It was shortly after midnight when they drove down Tumble Hill, with its hazardous bend at the bottom, and past the council houses of Ely at the Western approaches to Cardiff. Hopelessly lost, they decided to take a chance, and using the guise of being Norwegians they decided to ask a man walking along the pavement for directions. (This man was a tram driver going home after a late-night shift)
The tram driver was fooled by their guise of being Norwegians and decided that the best way to direct them was to accept a lift to the outskirts of Cardiff where upon, as he got out of the vehicle, he pointed them in the direction of Newport and then the Gloucester road.
Unfortunately, the POWs ran out of petrol somewhere between Chepstow and Gloucester, near the Forest-of-Dean and they had to abandon the car.
Special note from Brett Exton:
Whilst investigating this story, I found 2 conflicting locations for the place where the car was abandoned:
- In a field near Two Bridges, just outside Blakeney, after trying unsuccessfully to break in to a garage. (Jackson, Robert. A Taste Of Freedom, 1964)
- Newnham-on-Severn (Daily Worker - Dated Monday March 12th 1945, & Daily Express -Dated Monday 12th March 1945)
Because day light was breaking they decided to hide in a thicket in the middle of a field until nightfall. However a herd of inquisitive cows insisted on following them. They crept out of their hiding place but were spotted by some farm workers. Later that day they were caught near Castle Bromwich, approximately 110 miles from Island Farm.
The four POWs said that they had made the last part of their journey via a goods train. They had not damaged the car and one of the German prisoners even apologised when he heard that it belonged to a doctor and offered to pay for the petrol !
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]1 = Island Farm, 2 = Blakeney, 3 = Newnham-On-Severn approximate distance covered using stolen car until it ran out of petrol and was abandoned
4 = Castle Bromwich final location where the four POWs were apprehended. Distance covered by hiding away on a goods train[/FONT]
4 = Castle Bromwich final location where the four POWs were apprehended. Distance covered by hiding away on a goods train[/FONT]