Description
Object description
Dutch NCO served with 2nd Canadian Field Security Section, 2nd Canadian Infantry Div in GB and during Operation Jubilee, the raid on Dieppe, France, 1940-1942; prisoner of war in Stalag VIII-B, Lamsdorf, Germany, 1942-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Netherlands and Canada, 1902-1939: family; employment in Netherlands and Canada pre-1939. Aspects of period as NCO with 2nd Canadian Field Security Section, 2nd Canadian Infantry Div in GB, 1940-1942: initial duties as cook with Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry at Aldershot, 1939-1940; background to becoming field security officer; work as field security officer and case of loose talk in public house. Aspects of operations as officer with 2nd Canadian Field Security Section, 2nd Canadian Infantry Div during Operation Jubilee, the raid on Dieppe, France, 19/8/1942: recruitment to go on raid; preparations for raid; breach of security; his role during raid; capture and initial treatment at Dieppe; march away from Dieppe.
REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Stalag VIII-B, Lamsdorf, Germany, 1942-1943: description of conditions during train journey to camp; arrival in camp; German treatment of Soviet prisoners of war; food; accommodation; German punishment of hand tying prisoners of war in reprisal for incident during Operation Jubilee at Dieppe, France, 19/8/1942; cold weather conditions; chaining of hands, 12/1942; arrival of Red Cross parcels; how he contacted escape organisation; how he took charge of court of enquiry; organisation of tunnel escapes.
REEL 3 Continues: forging of documents; description of tunnel; description of tunnel; how specific escapes were organised via tunnel; escape of Colonel Bailey via Budapest, Hungary; selection of those to escape from tunnel; how photographs were produced; how roll call was dealt with after an escape; different characteristics of various guards; escapes through holes in wire and how that helped conceal tunnel escapes.
REEL 4 Continues: reasons for Switzerland being ruled out as escape destination; discovery of cell due to informer; organisation of escape of Captain Ian Thompson; how he own escape was thwarted. Recollections of escape from Stalag VIII-B, Lamsdorf, Germany, 1943: his escape from second tunnel with Captain Ian Thompson; journey across Germany.
REEL 5 Continues: continuing train journey westward; arrival in Metz; unwillingness of his contact to help the escapers; reasons why he decided to give himself up and how he managed to do it; his interrogation on re-capture and his treatment; story of being attacked by German civilians after bombing of school.
REEL 6 Continues: treatment of Soviet prisoners of war; treatment during interrogation; how sick Soviet prisoners of war forced to work; hearing of D-Day landings, 6/6/1944; contact with Sikh prisoner of war imprisoned for offence against German child. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Stalag VIII-B, Lamsdorf, Germany, 1944-1945: arrival back in camp; solitary confinement punishment; sabotage during working parties; forced march westwards from camp as Soviet Army approached, 1945; train journey to Ulm; need to defend sick prisoners of war. Aspects of liberation by United States Army in Germany, 1945: his release from captivity by Americans; behaviour of former Soviet prisoners of war in Nüremberg; period in reception camp at Rheims, France; transfer to GB.
REEL 7 Continues: debriefing in GB. Aspects of period as officer with 2nd Canadian Field Security, 2nd Canadian Infantry Div in GB and Germany, 1945-1946: attending court martial of prisoners of war who had joined German League of St George; security work in Germany; work with Canadian War Graves Commission; question of effects of captivity.
