POW diaries - Captain Percival Lowe, item 63
Transcription
Transcription history
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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]
coveredwasright 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]
neHoweverthe 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
-
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]
coveredwasright 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
-
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]
coveredwasright 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
-
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]
coveredwasright 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
-
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]
coveredwasright 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
-
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
coveredwas
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- ID
- 3963 / 243372
- Contributor
- Toby Backhouse
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