Fergusson, John Patrick 'Pat (Oral history)

British officer POW in Oflag IV C, Colditz in Germany, 1943 1945

REEL 1 Recollections of period as POW in Oflag IV C, Colditz, 1943- 1945: details of capture; initial impressions of Colditz; tunnelling activities prior to detention in camp; question of impregnability of castle; clichés amongst POWs; importance of escape committee; introduction to glider building team; reaction to plan to use glider to escape; opinion of workshop; daily routine in glider workshop; origin and use of tools in construction of Colditz Glider; POW bribers; method of brewing illicit alcohol; parties and Christmas celebrations, 1944; character of illicit alcohol brewed. REEL 2 Continues: quantities of illicit alcohol available; effects of long-term imprisonment on some POWs; faking madness to escape through repatriation; importance of keeping fit including boxing with Douglas Bader; problems faced by POW introverts; showering and exercising; arrival of Special Operations Executive personnel; amusing story of reception at camp; atmosphere in camp; POW clubs; preference to taking an individual approach to escape; attitude towards being a POW; threats to escapers; opinion of glider project and Mike Sinclair's Franz Josef escape. REEL 3 Continues: minor role during Franz Josef escape; concealment of escape clothing; memories of Mike Sinclair.