Description
Object description
British officer served aboard HMS Malvernian in North Atlantic, 1940-1941 including sinking 1/7/1941; prisoner of war in Marlag X-B Compound, Stalag X-B, Sandbostel, Stalag VIII-B, Lamsdorf and Oflag IV-C, Colditz Castle, Germany, 1941-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of operations as officer aboard HMS Malvernian in North Atlantic, 1940-1941: background to joining Royal Navy, 1934; role of armed boarding vessel on contraband patrol; role and duties; attack on ship by German Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor aircraft, 1/7/1941. Recollections of abandoning ship and period in lifeboat in North Atlantic, 7/1941: effects of attack on ship; abandoning ship into lifeboats, 1/7/1941; attempt to secure assistance; problems of being off ship routes; rescue of severely wounded; decision to leave listing ship; conviction that boat was off Irish coast; belief that boat was caught in Devil's Whirlpool; problems with location and lack of water.
REEL 2 Continues: encounter with French trawler; suffering from lack of water; weather conditions; death of two seamen in boat; signalling to aircraft; rescue by German ship; initial treatment by Germans and recuperation in France. Aspect of interrogation at Dulag Nord Interrogation Centre, Wilhelmshaven, Germany, 1941: train journey from France to Wilhelmshaven; rations; craving for tobacco; interrogation. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Marlag X-B Compound, Stalag X-B, Sandbostel, Germany, 1941-1942: character of camp; reception on arrival; sense of adventure; inducement by John 'Bosun' Crisp to join his keep fit class.
REEL 3 Continues: plans for escape with Hugh Bruce; tunnelling techniques; reasons why most prisoners of war didn't have an interest in escaping; size of escape team; character of Kommandant Priem; method of disposing of tunnel soil; plans to escape via Dutch coast with John Crisp; talk from British senior officer; escape from tunnel; living in open; hiding up in German secret site; unwarranted distrust of Dutch population; recapture by German patrol; return to camp and punishment cells; recapture of Tommy Catler; German behaviour after escape.
REEL 4 Continues: attempt to evade move to new Marlag camp; confiscation of escape material; escape preparations in new Marlag camp at Westertimke; move to Berlin and contact with German troops going to Eastern Front. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Stalag VIII-B, Lamsdorf, Germany, 1942: arrival at specially secure hut; German attitude about tying of hands of their prisoners of war; role of Regimental Sergeant-Major Sidney Sherriff; escape preparations; thwarting of escape attempt; status of Douglas Bader with Germans; Douglas Bader's escape from camp.
REEL 5 Continues: Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Oflag IV-C, Colditz Castle, Germany, 9/1942-4/1945: removal to camp from Stalag VIII-B, Lamsdorf; arrival at Oflag IV-C, Colditz Castle, 2/9/1942; practical joke played by Howard Gee disguised as German doctor; water bombing whilst Germans processed newly arrived prisoners of war; psychologically disturbed prisoner of war, Flight Lieutenant Don Thom; repatriation and death of Dan Halifax; second hand story of role of Michael 'Mickey' Wynn during Operation Chariot, raid on Saint-Nazaire, France; post-war encounter with Michael 'Mickey' Wynn; memories of Michael Alexander.
REEL 6 Continues: lack of space; remoteness of guards; prisoners of war placed on escape watch; separation of senior officers; living quarters; description of inner courtyard; nicknaming of guards; role of Flight Lieutenant Cenek 'Checko' Chaloupka in corrupting guards; prior recollection of fraternisation with guards at Marlag X-B Compound, Stalag X-B, Sandbostel; preparations for Lieutenant Mike Sinclair's 'Franz Josef' escape attempt; failure of 'Franz Josef' escape attempt.
REEL 7 Continues: wounding of Lieutenant Mike Sinclair; Lieutenant Mike Sinclair's obsession for escaping; reduction in rations, 1944; sauerkraut liquor; withdrawal of privileges; death of Lieutenant Mike Sinclair during escape attempt from Colditz park, 25/9/1944; Lieutenant Mike Sinclair's escaping history; construction of escape glider; liberties given to Douglas Bader; plans to launch glider; work as records officer.
REEL 8 Continues: suspicion of Italian inmate Moglia; importance of keeping records; work as finance officer and prisoner of war financial entitlements; character of some escape attempts; prior recollections of atmosphere in Marlag X-B Compound, Stalaag X-B, Sandbostel and German attempts to obtain prisoner of war collaboration; discovery of suspected stool-pigeon Roy Purdy and his removal from camp; Roy Purdy's post-war trial; securing illicit radio.
REEL 9 Continues: liberation by United States Army; German resistance in Colditz town; reception to arrival of American troops in camp; behaviour of American troops in Colditz town; last days in camp; arrival and reception in GB; effects of imprisonment.