Skip to main content

a summary of escapes from Stalag XXA and the attached working camps - part 2





1942-1944

Date
name
Method of exit
Equipment preparation
Travel
Where arrived
March 1942
Cpl. T. McGraph
From main camp
Well equipped. Civilian clothes, razor, food, money
Sheltered 3 months in Toruń, given papers and new identity and escorted by organization to Spain passing all controls
Spain via Belgium and France
June 1942
S/Ldr B. Paddon RAF
From main camp slipped away from a local working party
An officer to Toruń for Martial court. Within few hours got away completely equipped: clothes, maps,  money, foreign worker’s papers
By slow trains to Gdynia, found no ships, came back to Gdańsk (Danzig)
Sweden
June 1943
B.S.M. A. Paton
Pte. L. Green
Through window and wire of working party in Graudenz
Well prepared with clothes, papers and contracts prepared
Train to Gdynia
Sweden
September 1943
Cpl. R. Doubleday
Cpl. J. Curry
Walk out from Stalag headquarter where both worked in Post Office
Fully equipped: clothes, papers and contracts
Picked up by lorry, sheltered in Bromberg. Taken to Gdynia
Sweden
October 1943
Sgt. J. Glancey
Pte. J. Hutson
Capt. R. MacPherson
Capt. C. Armstrong
Back gate of Stalag headquarter
Fully equipped: contact with a lorry driver arranged
Picked up by lorry, sheltered in Bromberg. Taken to Gdynia
Sweden
January 1944
R.S.M. A.E. Hawtin
Walked out of a main camp- past sentry by clever timing
Fully equipped
Helped by a fellow escaper- a Pole to Gdynia
Sweden
February 1944
F/Lt. T.H. Cullen RAF
From main camp- over a frozen moat, scaling ladder over wire in a blind spot- passed a guard room
Fully equipped: clothes, papers and contracts
Picked up by lorry, sheltered, taken to Gdynia
Sweden
May 1944
L/Cpl. W.R. Lloyd
Pte. E.V. Burfield
From back window of surveillance lager. Sentry distracted by a ‘fight’
Civilian clothes stolen from German confiscation store.
Sheltered in Torun, alone in a train to Gdynia
Sweden

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thanks this trip we've discovered new facts about POW from Stalag XXA in 1945

That was wonderful trip. During three days we saw couple of places connected with POW path of Jack Stansfield. Moreover thanks his son Michael we saw notes with memories of last days in Stalag XXA in Torun. In opposit to all facts which says that prisoners left camp in late december 1945 Jack wrote that they started to march on 21 january! That means that lasts groups of POW left camp in 10 days before Torun was liberated. Fortunatley Jack survived afeter he escaped from march. He met russians army and polish partizants. Below we presents you short memories about Jack and trip to Poland... My father was called Jack Stansfield, he was born in August 1918. He was brought up in the market town of Malton in North Yorkshire where his parents were publicans. He joined the Territorial Army in March 1939 and was mobilised on the declaration of war. Jack enlisted in his local regiment joining the 5th Battalion of the Green Howards. After a short time at the Regimental HQ in Richmond, North
Post a Comment
Read more

Living conditions in Stalag XXA

Monthly bath in Stalag XXA Living conditions Lawrence Travers Dorins a former POW describes „fort XI was surrounded by a high bank and the fence around it with gates across the entrance road, on one side there was also a dry moat with a bridge on it. The bridge led to a tunnel” The fortress was covered with trees, bushes and earth so that the fortress could not be visible from the bird's eye. Prisoners slept in caponiers where initially were supposed to sleep Prussian soldiers. Yet PoW describes the rooms as if there were designed as rooms in the concentration camps. Rooms looked as semi tunnels. “The perpendicular walls were about 3m high and the height of the arched roof was about 5 m, wooden bunks provided sleeping spaces. Each room had only two small windows which obviously allowed no ventilation. Due to the end of the night the air was solid and everyone would have a headache due to oxygen starvation” .In those rooms kept approximately 32 men. There were three shelves whe
2 comments
Read more

Poem

Not many people are aware of the fact that even in Forced Work Camps, Pows wrote  poetry. Below there is a moving poem written by Mr Harry Tapley. Written by Harry Tapley, 4th Btn Gordon Highlanders PoW No. 5532 Kriegsgfangener Lager Stalag XXB, XVIIIB, XXA I find it hard just to explain As I travel back down memory lane Of the strength of mind, and stale black bread And cattle trucks, and frozen dead The companionship, when might was right The petty thieving in the night, The lice, the rags, the hunger pains The barbed wire fence, the stink of drains The sudden blackouts when you stand A raging torrent of commands, Sleeping in snow in open spaces Guards death frozen in their places Sharing out each little mite Eating potatoes black with blight Clogs and foot cloths hurting feet While topping miles of sugar beet Dreaming of bellies being filled While just another prisoner's killed, The eager listening to all news The lies, the rumours, the different vi
Post a Comment
Read more