91热爆

"This story was submitted to the People's War site by CSV/91热爆 Radio Nottingham on behalf of Sydney Barthorpe with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions"

We had been free for a week when they came round once more with Red Cross parcels. Horace Jarvis said 鈥渨e could have walked home by now鈥�. So we decided to do something about it. Ralph Batteson and myself went to Landshuts aerodrome, where we were supposed to be flying from. It was about 20 miles from Moosberb, so we went to a garage with the hope of borrowing a car. There was one there but it had blocks under the axles to keep the tyres off the ground. We thought if we went to the trouble to put it one the ground it might not be in working order, so we decided to leave it. Looking inside the car I saw on the back seat a large Swastika flag (I took the flag for a souvenir and still have it today).
We decided to hitch a lift to Landshuts. On arriving there we went to see the American officer in charge and asked him when the planes were due to arrive to take us home. He said 鈥淟ads I haven鈥檛 a clue I don鈥檛 know anymore than you, could be today could be tomorrow, even a month鈥�. After exchanging souvenirs we went for a walk around the town. We saw an American sentry guarding a gate and asked him who was inside, he said 鈥淗un prisoners鈥�. We asked him if we could look inside, so he unlocked the gate and let us in. The first man we saw was one of our exguards who had broken a lads arm in Czechoslovakia. We went after him but there was a few hundred prisoners and he was able to keep out of the way. After an hour we gave up and asked the guard to let us out. He said 鈥渄id you see anyone?鈥� we said 鈥測es there鈥檚 one swine in there鈥�. He said if we came back the next day they would organise an identification parade then we could sort out the 鈥榮o and so鈥�.
From the prison to the town centre was only a few minutes. Outside the bank in the main square were two show cases that had been broken into. We noticed a few medals still hanging so we helped ourselves. We would probably have had more but we heard tow bullets wine close to us, and two Americans fell to the ground. Some German sniper was firing from an attic using a silencer.
It was late afternoon so we decided it was time we were getting back to camp. We broke our journey on the way back for a rest. We went to a German farmhouse and they gave us coffee and were quite friendly. They wanted us to stay longer but we wanted to get back with our news.
When we got back Horace said 鈥渨hen are the planes coming鈥�. We told him like us they haven鈥檛 a clue. So we decided we had time to walk it, so we set off, four of us that very night. There was Horace, Ralph, a friend of Ralph鈥檚 and myself. Some of the lads said we must be mad and that they would be writing letters to us from England. (It so happened we had had nice days leave before the first plane touched down in Hampshire)
We set off across the fields walking for the first six miles, then we came to a farm. We knocked on the door intending to ask for a nights sleep. When the door opened to our surprise we were confronted by six Americans who were also staying the night. They were doing their own thing like us. All the beds were taken up so we had to sleep on chairs. When morning came we each went our own way.
We had walked about ten miles before we managed to get a lift, the drivers had been told not to pick us up to discourage us. They didn鈥檛 want exprisoners wandering all over the country. An American army lorry eventually picked us up. We travelled through Augsburg and Ingolstadt to reach Nuremburg. In Nuremburg we went to a traffic control and asked was there a lorry going in our direction. We were then asked where we wanted to be. The coastline we said we didn鈥檛 care whether it was France, Holland or Belgium. The controller said 鈥済o and stand out of the way, we are supposed to apprehend you if we see you wandering around鈥�. He stopped a lorry and gave us a whistle, the lorry took us through Wurzburg, Aschaffenburg and Darmstadt to Mainz.
The lorry stopped at Aschaffenburg to off load stores. At this place there was an aerodrome littered with damaged planes.
In Mainz we were hosted by an American armoured column who were taking a rest prior to going on mopping up operations. We had out best meeting here in five years. We were sent to the kitchen and given a small chicken and a white loaf each and anything we wanted to go with it.
That night we celebrated because they were moving out midday the following day. Before the celebrations I went with the American quartermaster for a walk round Mainz. When we got into town the streets were deserted, he said 鈥淚鈥檓 a damn fool there鈥檚 a nine o鈥檆lock curfew, anyway we require some wine for tonight鈥� so he took me to Gunter鈥檚 wine cellars. We were getting a few samples when a big German came from behind one of the large vats. He said 鈥測ou can鈥檛 do this鈥�. So the quartermaster took out his revolver and said 鈥渟hut up and everything will be alright鈥�.
We had a great party lasting until 3am. After a short sleep we got up and had breakfast. Our friends were leaving 12.30. they asked if we wanted to go with them as they were only mopping up. I was very tempted to join them, later I wished I had just for the experience.
When they left the Americans gave us 150 cigarettes each and food to take with us. From here Ralph thought if we split up it might be easier to get a lift. He and his friend paired up and Horace and I. We decided to have a race and see who could get to Paris first.
Horace and I soon got another lift, again on the back of an American truck. This took us through part of the Siegfried line. On the way we were fired at twice by fanatics, but fortunately the bullets went straight through the body work and no one was hurt.
We went through Trier, passing Roman Porta Nigra. Our destination was Luxemburg city. It was now the 7th of May, the day peace was signed. We arrived in what looked like a sea of flags. Everyone was waving them and going wild with excitement. We asked why the fuss and they said 鈥渄on鈥檛 you know peace has just been signed鈥�. The driver took us for a drink, the people asked who we were and we told them POW鈥檚 after that it was a free night. Dancing, drinking and everyone wanted to know us.
When it was time to go a young lad of about 12 years said in English 鈥渂oys the ladies want to kiss you鈥�. After about half an hour we managed to get through the door.
We spent the night again with American officers in a large house. When morning came we had breakfast then they gave us a train pass for Paris. I would have liked to have broken the journey as I wanted to see Rheims Cathederal, but it was a through train, taking 9 hours non stop. The train was so packed we stood in the corridor the whole way hardly able to move.
On arriving in Paris we asked some Americans if they knew where we could get a meal. They invited us back to their depot. On our arrival they said 鈥淚 bet you would like to get out of that gear鈥�. My boots were worn though and our clothing was not too presentable after sleeping rough for a thousand miles.
We went for a shower and when we came out we were fitted with a brand new American uniform each, plus underwear, boots and socks. After we dressed they took us for a meal.
We travelled on the Paris Metro, after passing half a dozen stations we stopped at St Dennis. We then went to the Caf茅 Marguerite, which had been commandeered by the Americans. We could have eaten ourselves silly but after 5 years as POW鈥檚 we knew this could be fatal.
We used this same caf茅 and the free rides on the Metro during our stay in Paris.
We asked our friends if there were any British officers about and they said they only knew of one and took us to him. The officer wanted to interrogate us, have any of the guards been ill treating you, do you know where they live etc. we said 鈥渨e are free what鈥檚 behind us does not matter any more, we just want to go out and enjoy ourselves. We asked if he could advance us any credits. He said 鈥渢he most I can allow you is five pounds鈥�. It sounded reasonable as it was about a weeks wage at that time. He said 鈥渋f you come back in the morning I will give you a train pass for Dieppe鈥�.
From then on we joined the madhouse on the streets until 5 o鈥檆lock in the morning. That night must have cost the yanks a fortune. I had five cognacs and they cost me my 5 pounds, it must have been the American uniform. I could not speak French so I did not try to explain my true identity.
Midnight on the 10th we boarded the train for Dieppe. We could now reflect on what we had left behind. Friends killed by the bombings, others in more sinister circumstances. It was not all bad I had some pleasant memories too, and foreign friends I may never see again, we arrived in Dieppe at 6.30am. On making enquiries we found out there was a ship leaving in half an hour so went to see the captain and got permission to board.
Four hours later we were entering Newhaven harbour. We reported at the customs and they rang Haywards Heath. An army truck came to pick us up.
When we got there they said if we wanted to carry on during the night they could have us on leave the following morning, before the big influx of prisoners came in.
We had medicals, interrogations, were re-kitted and as promised were taken the following morning to Kings Cross. We were on our way home. The long journey gave me time to look back. What was happening to the poor Polish people who were always ready to help us whenever possible.
I had made friends with other Russians, Belgians, Czechs. I had some very good German friends also. Most of all the friends I made in various camps I occupied. Would I ever see any of them again? One thing was certain, I would never forget them and what we had been through together! That is my reason for writing this while I still have some memories.
It is entirely from memory that I write this and that is the reason I am not able to give any dates to various happenings. I am not at home in Newark the town where this all started back in 1939.

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