POW diaries - Captain Percival Lowe, item 63

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                                                          33.

the sentry approach I shut the window. Next day prospecting

I found the sentry asleep in his box. This window was guarded

by big iron bars, one of which was rather wide apart.

From experiment  I concluded that I could just get through.

Further experience showed that the ground to be [insert] traversed [/insert]covered was

right under the electric light, but the sentry in front

seemed to have a long beat & was absent for quite a

little time on his rounds. It was difficult to conclude how

much the man on the top could see. My investigations must

have somehow roused suspicion for we had an order that

the window was not to be opened & a German staff officer

came in one night & walked straight up to the window &

examined it  X I further found out that from the cellar it

was possible to get to the top of the parapet there being a

door which the Germans had neglected to lock. The drop

to liberty must have been at least 40 feet. The Canteen

however used to do their washing on the top & this seemed

to solve the rope  difficulty if the sentry could be obliterated

It seemed essential however to wait till the spring. At

present it was frosty & cold. Further a compass was necessary

In those days I had not learnt how to make one using

the electric current as a magnetizer. The scheme seemed

to be to make love to one of the girls in the canteen

There were two. One was quite pretty & a Belgian officer

was very epris with her. O The other was pla [insert] in [/insert]ne    However

the scheme came to nothing. For one morning it was

given out on appel that that afternoon ti was a Sunday

I & 3 other officers would be moved to Cavalier  ... 

Bribery was very rife at this camp. It was the Belgians

who had the monopoly being first comers. There was a

Transcription saved

                                                          33.

the sentry approach I shut the window. Next day prospecting

I found the sentry asleep in his box. This window was guarded

by big iron bars, one of which was rather wide apart.

From experiment  I concluded that I could just get through.

Further experience showed that the ground to be [insert] traversed [/insert]covered was

right under the electric light, but the sentry in front

seemed to have a long beat & was absent for quite a

little time on his rounds. It was difficult to conclude how

much the man on the top could see. My investigations must

have somehow roused suspicion for we had an order that

the window was not to be opened & a German staff officer

came in one night & walked straight up to the window &

examined it  X I further found out that from the cellar it

was possible to get to the top of the parapet there being a

door which the Germans had neglected to lock. The drop

to liberty must have been at least 40 feet. The Canteen

however used to do their washing on the top & this seemed

to solve the rope  difficulty if the sentry could be obliterated

It seemed essential however to wait till the spring. At

present it was frosty & cold. Further a compass was necessary

In those days I had not learnt how to make one using

the electric current as a magnetizer. The scheme seemed

to be to make love to one of the girls in the canteen

There were two. One was quite pretty & a Belgian officer

was very epris with her. O The other was pla [insert] in [/insert]ne    However

the scheme came to nothing. For one morning it was

given out on appel that that afternoon ti was a Sunday

I & 3 other officers would be moved to Cavalier  ... 

Bribery was very rife at this camp. It was the Belgians

who had the monopoly being first comers. There was a


Transcription history
  • June 21, 2017 01:37:50 Annick Rodriguez

                                                              33.

    the sentry approach I shut the window. Next day prospecting

    I found the sentry asleep in his box. This window was guarded

    by big iron bars, one of which was rather wide apart.

    From experiment  I concluded that I could just get through.

    Further experience showed that the ground to be [insert] traversed [/insert]covered was

    right under the electric light, but the sentry in front

    seemed to have a long beat & was absent for quite a

    little time on his rounds. It was difficult to conclude how

    much the man on the top could see. My investigations must

    have somehow roused suspicion for we had an order that

    the window was not to be opened & a German staff officer

    came in one night & walked straight up to the window &

    examined it  X I further found out that from the cellar it

    was possible to get to the top of the parapet there being a

    door which the Germans had neglected to lock. The drop

    to liberty must have been at least 40 feet. The Canteen

    however used to do their washing on the top & this seemed

    to solve the rope  difficulty if the sentry could be obliterated

    It seemed essential however to wait till the spring. At

    present it was frosty & cold. Further a compass was necessary

    In those days I had not learnt how to make one using

    the electric current as a magnetizer. The scheme seemed

    to be to make love to one of the girls in the canteen

    There were two. One was quite pretty & a Belgian officer

    was very epris with her. O The other was pla [insert] in [/insert]ne    However

    the scheme came to nothing. For one morning it was

    given out on appel that that afternoon ti was a Sunday

    I & 3 other officers would be moved to Cavalier  ... 

    Bribery was very rife at this camp. It was the Belgians

    who had the monopoly being first comers. There was a

  • June 21, 2017 01:33:28 Annick Rodriguez

                                                              33.

    the sentry approach I shut the window. Next day prospecting

    I found the sentry asleep in his box. This window was guarded

    by big iron bars, one of which was rather wide apart.

    From experiment  I concluded that I could just get through.

    Further experience showed that the ground to be [insert] traversed [/insert]covered was

    right under the electric light, but the sentry in front

    seemed to have a long beat & was absent for quite a

    little time on his rounds. It was difficult to conclude how

    much the man on the top could see. My investigations must

    have somehow roused suspicion for we had an order that

    the window was not to be opened & a German staff officer

    came in one night & walked straight up to the window &

    examined it  X I further found out that from the cellar it

    was possible to get to the top of the parapet there being a

    door which the Germans had neglected to lock. The drop

    to liberty must have been at least 40 feet. The Canteen

    however used to do their washing on the top & this seemed

    to solve the rope  difficulty if the sentry could be obliterated

    It seemed essential however to wait till the spring. At

    present it was frosty & cold. Further a compass was necessary

    In those days I had not learnt how to make one using

    the electric current as a magnetizer. The scheme seemed

    to be to make love to one of the girls in the canteen

    There were two. One was quite pretty & a Belgian officer

    was very 


  • June 21, 2017 01:30:32 Annick Rodriguez

                                                              33.

    the sentry approach I shut the window. Next day prospecting

    I found the sentry asleep in his box. This window was guarded

    by big iron bars, one of which was rather wide apart.

    From experiment  I concluded that I could just get through.

    Further experience showed that the ground to be [insert] traversed [/insert]covered was

    right under the electric light, but the sentry in front

    seemed to have a long beat & was absent for quite a

    little time on his rounds. It was difficult to conclude how

    much the man on the top could see. My investigations must

    have somehow roused suspicion for we had an order that

    the window was not to be opened & a German staff officer

    came in one night & walked straight up to the window &

    examined it  X I further found out that from the cellar it

    was possible to get to the top of the parapet there being a

    door which the Germans had neglected to lock. The drop

    to liberty must have been at least 40 feet. The Canteen

    however used to do their washing on the top & this seemed

    to solve the rope  difficulty if the sentry could be obliterated



  • June 21, 2017 01:28:13 Annick Rodriguez

                                                              33.

    the sentry approach I shut the window. Next day prospecting

    I found the sentry asleep in his box. This window was guarded

    by big iron bars, one of which was rather wide apart.

    From experiment  I concluded that I could just get through.

    Further experience showed that the ground to be [insert] traversed [/insert]covered was

    right under the electric light, but the sentry in front

    seemed to have a long beat & was absent for quite a

    little time on his rounds. It was difficult to conclude how

    much the man on the top could see. My investigations must

    have somehow roused suspicion for we had an order that

    the window was not to be opened & a German staff officer


  • June 21, 2017 01:28:08 Annick Rodriguez

                                                              33.

    the sentry approach I shut the window. Next day prospecting

    I found the sentry asleep in his box. This window was guarded

    by big iron bars, one of which was rather wide apart.

    From experiment  I concluded that I could just get through.

    Further experience showed that the ground to be [insert] traversed [/insert]covered was

    right under the electric light, but the sentry in front

    seemed to have a long beat & was absent for quite a

    little time on his rounds. It was difficult to conclude how

    much the man on the top could see. My investigations must

    have somehow roused suspicion for we had an order tha

    the window was not to be opened & a German staff officer


  • June 21, 2017 01:25:41 Annick Rodriguez

                                                              33.

    the sentry approach I shut the window. Next day prospecting

    I found the sentry asleep in his box. This window was guarded

    by big iron bars, one of which was rather wide apart.

    From experiment  I concluded that I could just get through.

    Further experience showed that the ground to be covered was


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    ID
    3963 / 243372
    Source
    http://europeana1914-1918.eu/...
    Contributor
    Toby Backhouse
    License
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/


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