The Germans do not get very worried over the loss of a few private soldiers in that way, but they are very careful to prevent our officers from having too many chances of escape.
The men are taken out to work in the fields and woods, and as the Germans have by no means too many men to spare, they cannot send a very large escort with them. Consequently it not unfrequently happens that men are able to slip away into thick cover without the Boches seeing them or [88]knowing of their absence until they count up their charges, maybe some hours later.
The officers on the other hand never leave the barbed-wire enclosure of the camps, unless on parole for walks, an arrangement countenanced1 by our War Office, so they have naturally greater difficulties to get over before commencing any dash for the frontier.
Many officers have tried and have had appallingly3 bad luck in numerous instances. Early in the spring of 1917 the Germans warned all officers and men that they would be liable to five months and three months solitary4 confinement5 in a cell respectively, if caught attempting to escape. This was as a reprisal6 for excessive sentences inflicted7 on their prisoners who attempted to escape in England, under the Defence of the Realm Regulations.
As the solitary confinement was automatic, and was given without trial, we were also warned that after undergoing it, a transgressor8 of this kind might be tried by [89]court-martial for such offences as being in possession of civilian9 clothes, a compass, German money, or wire-cutters, etc. The charge was simple.... Disobedience of orders! For this another three or four months could be imposed. I was very glad to read in the papers that all this sort of thing had been done away with by that excellent Commission which went to the Hague to meet the German delegates in July, 1917. There were other great things done by that same Commission, and the prisoners who benefit thereby10 will be most grateful.
Of course it was natural that with this heavy sentence hanging over the heads of would-be escapers some thought twice before trying, but it is worth noting that since this German order was issued there have been more successful escapes and more attempts to escape by officers than in the whole previous period.
I spoke11 to some of our men when out on [90]a parole walk. They were working on a wild piece of heath-land with very few Germans to guard them. I asked one whether any of them had tried to escape from there. He told me that very few had done so, as there was such a long way to go, and that when caught the men were put in the cells and were not allowed their parcels.
This meant three-quarters starvation, as the German food provided was bad and scanty12.
Our camp, known as Schwarmstedt, although situated13 seven or eight miles from the small town of that name, was on the Lüneburg Heide, an expanse of marshy14, waste ground, intersected by small streams and dotted with little woods and stunted15 pine trees.
There were other camps on the same stretch of country. The notorious Soltau lay some miles to the north of our camp. This district is some hundred and seventy [91]miles from the Dutch frontier as the crow flies.
In preparing my escape, I had to calculate the quantity of food required to carry me through the journey. This would naturally be considerable as I could not reckon on doing more than an average of eight to twelve miles every twenty-four hours, as it was only safe to march by night and the hours of darkness at that time of the year were only about five and a half. Although the actual distance was a hundred and forty-five miles, allowances to be made for detours16 and an indirect line, as well as for delays occasioned by such large obstacles as broad rivers and smaller, but more formidable ones in the shape of German guards, would necessitate17 preparations for a greater distance.
The food required would have to be carried, so a bag was necessary.
I will not say how I got the bag or what kind it was, nor how I got my civilian [92]clothes, for this is certain to be read by members of the thorough race whose prisoner I was, and naturally any hints I drop may be used against other prisoners.
What I say outright18 is all known to the Germans, or obvious to the veriest fool of a prison-camp commandant.
My costume consisted of a long white cotton coat and a pair of white cotton pants, both dyed a dirty light grey-brown with coffee. I had a cap also, but that too must remain a mystery.
As the cotton coat had no pockets and was very thin, I wore an old khaki coat underneath19, which stood me in good stead when I had nearly got to the end of my journey. A pair of rubber-soled shoes, white once but made khaki-colour by my servant some time before, completed my kit20.
Although I had naturally discussed matters with others in the camp in an indefinite way I had not arranged any collaboration21 in the scheme, by which I succeeded. I told [93]only one friend ten minutes before I took the first steps in the carrying out of the plan.
When first we reached Schwarmstedt after our journey from Crefeld, there were several weak spots in the "ring" of precautions against escape which surrounded it. Within forty-eight hours of our arrival three officers got out of the camp.
They had very bad luck, being caught after eleven days' travel, about three-quarters of the way to the Dutch frontier. This loophole was of course closed to further attempts by the measures now adopted by the Boches.
However, two more got away from the camp not long afterwards and had the same atrocious luck after going about the same distance. Another individual attempt resulted in an officer getting out for some days before the same Nemesis22 overtook him, and he too was brought back.
About ten days before my escape, yet two [94]more got away, and were still unaccounted for when I left the camp. They must have had the same hard fate, as I heard nothing of them in Holland or England when I arrived. After each of these attempts the Germans discovered fresh weak spots, and the camp was rapidly becoming a stronger prison. One effect they had was to make the Germans employ more guards for the camp. Extra sentries23 were put on at several places, and every extra sentry24 means reliefs, and it takes six men at least to permanently25 provide one extra sentry.
These men might have been helping26 on the farms instead, so it is some small comfort to think that even a failure to escape can do some service to our country.
Of course when I left most of these unfortunates were back in the cells, beginning their five months' stretch of solitary confinement.
Anyone looking at the map of Germany will see immediately that from the Lüneburg [95]Heide, north of Hanover, one has to cross the following rivers before one can reach the Dutch frontier—the Aller, Leine, Weser, Hunte and Ems.
These are all fairly large. The Aller runs along the western limits of the Lüneburg Heide (Heath) and acts as a natural barrier around prison-camps situated to the east of it. When we first arrived at this camp, Schwarmstedt, the commandant had practically told us in so many words that we might get away from the camp, but that we should never cross the frontier. This meant that there was something which he knew of to be passed besides the camp guards and those at the frontier. Many of us promptly27 understood by his remarks that he had himself made arrangements for the guarding of the bridges over the rivers.
Another fact generally well-known to every one is this. All bridges over large important rivers are guarded in Germany, and even the railway bridges over many of the smaller [96]ones are provided with their ancient Landsturm men.
On our arrival the commandant of our camp had spoken at once to us in English, of which he knew a certain amount. We soon got to see how proud of this knowledge he was, as he would address all the English officers on some trifling29 subject every second day. Besides which he would summon the senior English officer before him and all those officers who had any particular department of the camp to look after, such as kitchens, parcels, games, practically every day. The language spoken was always English.
He was a fine-looking old man, covered with medals and iron crosses, a veteran of the 1866 and 1870 wars. He loved being saluted30, and complained that the British did not salute31 him enough. He was told that our officers do not salute when they are not wearing hats, and that many had got no military caps since theirs had been taken [97]from them by the Germans at the time of their capture.
Section of a German Camp
SECTION OF A GERMAN CAMP (page 97).ToList
He promptly ordered the canteen to get caps and sell them to us. When they arrived they were very comic to look at, dark blue with a stiff peak.
Before describing my actual exit from the camp it is necessary that the general plan of the enclosure and its adjacent buildings be understood.
The camp was oblong in shape, and was surrounded on all sides by a barbed-wire fence some eleven feet high. At every fifty yards there was posted a sentry, whose orders included the shooting of any hapless wretch32 found cutting his way through the fence, or climbing over it. Opposite one of the corners of the camp, and outside of it, was situated the parcel office. Here the prisoners' parcels were censored33 by the Germans in front of them.
There was also a tin office here, where all tinned food not immediately required by [98]the prisoners was kept until it was needed, when it could be taken away after being opened by a German. We often used to try and make the German soldier jump by saying "Bomben" or "Handgranaten" just at the moment when he punctured34 the tin with his opener.
These two offices were open until 6 o'clock in the evening, and the Germans had put up a barbed-wire passage from a gate in the wire wall of the camp enclosure to the door of this office, thus enabling them to permit the prisoners free access to these two rooms until this hour. At 6 o'clock the offices were cleared of prisoners by the numerous Germans employed there and cut off from the prisoners' part of the camp by closing the iron gate in the main wire wall of the camp.
It occurred to me that if I could hide in the parcel office or tin room before 6 o'clock, and be locked in when the work of the day ceased, I should naturally find myself [99]outside the wire enclosure, which was the first and principal difficulty to be overcome by a would-be escaper.
It would then remain to be seen whether it was feasible to get out of these offices by way of the skylights or other windows at a late hour.
The risk was worth taking, but another difficulty presented itself. How was I to get my pack, full of food, boots, civilian clothes, etc., and all the rest of my paraphernalia35, weighing fully36 fifty pounds, into the parcel office without making the numerous Germans I should have to pass suspicious. The solution to this question came two days after I was ready.
At about 5.30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 19th, a tremendous wind came down on the camp, and the sandy dust rose in a huge cloud filling everybody's eyes, noses, and mouths with fine particles.
This seemed to me a good opportunity, and I quickly put my pack into a large [100]wooden box, nailed down the lid, and carried it to the parcel office.
The Germans were far too busy thinking about the dust in their eyes to wonder why a box was being carried into the parcel-office, whereas boxes were always carried "away" from there. I passed several Germans without any trouble and got into the tin room, where I deposited the box on the floor. I now had twenty minutes in which to hide. While pretending to be extremely interested in what I was going to have for my meal that evening, I looked round, and saw at once that the best hiding-place without doubt was on the top of the pigeon holes in which everybody kept their tins. These pigeon-holes, about two feet square and two and a half feet deep, were made of wood and were ranged along each wall, tier above tier for about twelve to fourteen feet. There was a ledge28 at the top about two feet below the level of the roof. I decided37 to get up onto that ledge, knowing [101]full well that nobody looks round a room at a much higher level than his own eyes, and that a hungry German gaze would never wander farther than the level of the nearest food.
This was a good start, but unfortunately there was a Boche painting numbers on the lockers38 within six feet of the spot from which I should have to climb up to my hiding-place. However, he did not look intelligent, wore spectacles, and was very engrossed39 in his work, so I thought I could risk his not seeing me. I had rubber shoes on, my boots being in the bag, so I was not afraid on the score of noise.
I was lucky in choosing the right moment, and succeeded in climbing slowly and quietly up and then putting myself into a lying position along the ledge without either the Boche or three other English officers getting out tins near by, being aware that anything strange had happened.
I lay there hardly daring to breathe, with four slats of wood fixed40 cross-ways in a [102]vertical position, so that the sharp edges were uppermost, catching41 me at various unprotected and tender points of my body and legs. However, it did not last for ever. The officers left, and no more came in; and then the German soldier packed up his tools.
He left, and very shortly afterwards in came the under-officer in charge. He looked at the windows, walked round the office and then, quickly slipping a tin from a handy pigeon-hole into his pocket, left the room, locking the door after him.
I was locked in and was able to breathe again.
After giving my pilfering42 friend another twenty minutes in case he should have under-estimated his appetite and should return for more, I got down and rubbed my cramped43 legs. This done I had a meal and then settled myself down to wait till 11 o'clock, which I deemed the earliest hour for commencing operations with safety.
The skylights appeared to be the best [103]exit from the room, and under one of them there was a convenient beam. The other skylight proved to be out of reach of anything.
Since the building was of wood, I had to exercise great caution in moving about, so creaky were the boards. At 11 o'clock I climbed up to the beam and then crawled along it till I was exactly under my skylight. Then getting my shoulders well under it I heaved. Horror of horrors; it gave an awful crack and would not budge44 a hair's-breadth. This was a nuisance, only I called it something stronger than that! I got down, afraid that the loud crack must have alarmed the sentries, two of whose beats joined exactly opposite this tin room. However I was able to thank my good luck again as they had heard nothing. I had now to find another way out. I tried unpicking the lock with a bent45 nail, but had no success. I then tried to take the screws out of the lock with a table knife. One came loose [104]but the others refused to shift at all. Foiled here I tried the wooden partition between the tin room and the passage beyond; but again I could make no progress, as the carpenters had done their work too well. I sat down on my box and sweated. The atmosphere of this closed room was simply appalling2 and my clothes were wringing46 wet by reason of it. It looked now as if I should be found next morning in this office, and get five months' solitary confinement in the cells for trying to escape, and not even have a run for my money. There still remained one chance, the most dangerous and therefore left until desperation should drive me to it. The side windows of the tin-office, some three and a half feet from the floor, opened onto the sentry's beat, exactly opposite the point where the other sentry, whose beat ran at right angles to the office, joined in. In addition there was a large arc lamp within thirty feet of these windows. My idea now was to watch until [105]both sentries should be walking down their beats away from me, and therefore naturally with their backs turned, and then open my window, jump out, and run for it.
The windows were made in two halves hinging at the sides and opening outwards47.
I could always get the sentry opposite the window walking in the right direction as a beginning. I had then to open the right-half of the window three or four inches in order to see where the other sentry was, as he walked up and down parallel to the windows and close up against the building. Of course I was in mortal dread48 each time I opened my window to find out his position, of discovering myself looking straight into his face. I never got such a bad shock as that, but neither did I ever get the two of them walking with their backs turned at the same time.
Wednesday, 20th June. I had to shut the window every time I saw that he was approaching, as he was certain to see it [106]when he came close if I left it open. Nine times I tried this experiment and had no luck. I then sat down to think for a bit. Fortunately I remembered now that the sentries were changed at 2.30 a.m., so I thought that I would try to turn this fact to my advantage. Sentry changing consisted of twelve Germans in file marching round the camp, clock-wise, picking up the old sentry and dropping the new one.
I hoped that the noise caused by their heavy boots would drown all noise made by me, and that this crowd of men rounding the corner and marching towards my most difficult sentry would hide me from him. It happened just as I hoped. They relieved the sentry opposite my window well down his beat and he stood still, as they always do for a minute or two after being newly posted.
Then on came the twelve Landsturm-men, rounded the corner, making a fine noise and dust with their heavy boots. When the [107]last of them was about fifteen yards from my window, and all twelve were strung out between it and the difficult sentry, I pushed open both halves of the window, pitched out my heavy pack, which fell with a thud, and jumped out after it. To pick it up, jump into the ditch, run along the path, and round the corner away from the dazzling rays of the arc lamp did not take many seconds. I was out. I listened for the excitement which would tell of the discovery of my flight, but all was quiet, so I was able to steal off in a westerly direction.
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1
countenanced
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| v.支持，赞同，批准( countenance的过去式 ) | |
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appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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appallingly
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| 毛骨悚然地 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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5
confinement
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| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
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reprisal
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| n.报复，报仇，报复性劫掠 | |
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inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8
transgressor
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| n.违背者 | |
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civilian
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| adj.平民的，民用的，民众的 | |
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10
thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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12
scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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marshy
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| adj.沼泽的 | |
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stunted
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| adj.矮小的；发育迟缓的 | |
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detours
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| 绕行的路( detour的名词复数 )； 绕道，兜圈子 | |
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necessitate
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| v.使成为必要，需要 | |
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outright
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| adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的 | |
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underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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kit
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| n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物 | |
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collaboration
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| n.合作，协作；勾结 | |
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nemesis
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| n.给以报应者，复仇者，难以对付的敌手 | |
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sentries
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| 哨兵，步兵( sentry的名词复数 ) | |
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sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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permanently
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| adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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29
trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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32
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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censored
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| 受审查的，被删剪的 | |
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punctured
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| v.在（某物）上穿孔( puncture的过去式和过去分词 )；刺穿（某物）；削弱（某人的傲气、信心等）；泄某人的气 | |
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paraphernalia
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| n.装备；随身用品 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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lockers
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| n.寄物柜( locker的名词复数 ) | |
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engrossed
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| adj.全神贯注的 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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41
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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42
pilfering
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| v.偷窃（小东西），小偷( pilfer的现在分词 )；偷窃（一般指小偷小摸） | |
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cramped
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| a.狭窄的 | |
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budge
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| v.移动一点儿；改变立场 | |
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45
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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46
wringing
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| 淋湿的，湿透的 | |
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47
outwards
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| adj.外面的，公开的，向外的；adv.向外；n.外形 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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