M.I.9/19(G)/1250.

To: 4342541. Sgt. Furness, T,

20 Lynn Park Crescent,

Cornforth Lane,

Coxhoe,

Ferryhill,

Co. Durham.    M.I.9./Gen/88432.

The questionnaire completed by you on 6 May 45 has proved inadequate for our purpose and it would be appreciated if the additional information indicated could be provided.

(a). Full description and dates of each attempted scape showing how you left the camp and from which camp each attempt was made. If an escape was made from a train, the approximate speed and how it was guarded at the time of your escape should be indicated.

(b). Regimental particulars of anyone who accompanied you.

(c). Experiences during periods of freedom, including how you were recaptured, and approximate date.

(d). Names and addresses of any helpers, including a note of what assistance they rendered, and on what dates.

An envelope is enclosed for your reply.

1. Sparkes, J/Comd, A.T.S.

For Lt. Col. G.S.

M.I.9/19,

War Office,

Room 327, Hotel Victoria,

Northumberland Avenue,

LONDON, W.C.2.

Tel: Whitehall 9400,

Ext. 1295/7.

16/1/46.

4342541. Sjt. FURNESS. T.

2^nd Bn, The Para Regt,

Carter Barracks,

Bulford,

Wilts.

9 Feb 46.

Ref your letter M 19/GEN/88432 dated 16 Jan 46.

Herewith additional information, as requested.

I was captured in the invasion of Sicily on the 21^st July 1943, by the Herman Goering Regiment. We were placed in a type of pen whilst sufficient prisoners were collected for transportation, and were later marched to the Straits of Messina, where we crossed by ferry boat, continuing to march for a further period of two days on Italian soil. On completion of the march we were transported in cattle trucks by rail. There were two German guards to each truck. A little south of Rome the train was attacked by British aircraft, causing grave damage and casualties, including several German guards. At this moment escape was prominent, but so many needed medical attention that I remained and attended to them. (I am in possession of a First Aid Certificate). What remained of the train got under way again in about two hours, the wounded and injured being left behind.

The group of prisoners was well mixed, mainly British and American Paratroops, the remainder being R.A.F. crews. The reason for this was that the German authorities would not leave men of the above Arms of the Service in Italy. Quick transportation to Germany resulted.

The train was well under way and was approaching Florence, when I managed to force open the door of the cattle wagon in which I was travelling. I got out on to the buffers and from there I jumped off the train, which was travelling at approximately 20 to 25 miles per hour. I was fortunate and successful in my landing. The German guards were spread down the train in alternate wagons, due to the fact that several of them had been lost in the attack by the British aircraft. I had very narrow escapes from fire from the guards and the train passed the spot where I lay. I had actually jumped from about the sixth or seventh wagon from the front.

My intention was, if possible, to make for Lake Constance, but due to the fact that I had little food and no real knowledge of the country or language, my freedom lasted only a week, travelling by night and resting by day. I was recaptured by German armed guards in a railway marshalling yard on or about the 7^th or 8^th of September. I was placed in a Military Prison for two days and then transported to Germany Stalag VIII B at Lamsdorph, where I was tried by the German commandant and awarded ten days solitary confinement, on completion of which sentence I was placed in chains. This action furthered my intention to escape and due to the fact that Paratroops were not allowed to leave camp under any circumstances – i.e. working parties, etc, - I changed identity with a New Zealand Private soldier named Thomas. This enabled me to get out with a working party to Olhendorph near Gretcau in October. The billet in which we were housed had three of its four sides surrounded by thick barbed wire, and the fourth was the end of a large barn, on to which the billet had been built. This meant that the sentry who was constantly on duty had a blind side, so, during the night, with a  sharpened piece of steel, I managed to tunnel through the wall from the billet to the barn. This tunnel was completed in three nights. The only name I remember in connection with this incident is that of a German – Steller.

On the night of October 24^th I went out through [the tunnel] into the barn, having a little Red Cross food and a string hammock made from the string taken from Red Cross parcels. On breaking from the barn, I was fired at three times by the guard on duty. Luckily I had only a matter of thirty yards to run across the open country and was then presented with a good line of cover in the nature of a thick wood. Making my way to Groteau, about 15 miles away, I found a stationary train bound for Vienna. Knowledge of this I had gained previously. There was only one difficulty and that was the change onto the main line at Neisse. Luck held and I got my connection at Neisse, keeping to the blind side of the platform, slinging my hammock under the train. Within two days I was in Vienna marshalling yard and on attempting to change my position onto a train bound for Switzerland I was recaptured by an armed railway official. Almost immediately, under guard, I was transported back to Ober Silesia and was awarded a further 14 days solitary confinement in a German R.A.F. detention barracks. On completion of this sentence I was sent back, under escort, to Stalag 344 Lamsdorph. On return to the main laager I decided that to attempt escape again without real knowledge of the route, etc, was rather futile. Furthermore I needed a rest and building up slightly.

In the main camp I organised physical training and rehabilitation exercises, having served in the A.P.T.C. as a C.S.M.I. before joining the Paratroops. During P.T. I came in contact with a Sjt. Thompson, No. 4342257, east Yorks Regt. We bunked together and three times daily underwent strenuous exercises in P.T. to strengthen our bodies and increase our endurance with the object of escaping in the winter of 1944. We saved what portions of Red Cross food we could spare, chiefly chocolate and raisins. Whilst in camp we were assisted by a C.S.M. Evans, R.A.O.C. and F/Sjt. Lawrence, R.A.F. who prepared a passport as foreign worker, complete with photograph, the latter being taken in camp. In late December 1944 and early January 1945 the Russians began advancing south of Warsaw and Crackow bringing the main camps in our area in direct line. The Germans started intensive evacuation of prisoners south towards Bavaria and Austria. This was done by road, marching on foot. The Germans forced prisoners from the camp under heavy guard. My comrade Sjt. Thompson, and I dug a dugout under the barrack hut where we hid for a period of five weeks. By this time only those personnel who had done similarly remained about the camp area. During the same five weeks we had tunnelled out of the camp and gained the barbed wire encirclement giving us an emergency exit. The Germans brought in S.S. troops and dogs and rounded up the last remains of the Stalag on, or about, the 7^th or 8^th of February with the object of removing us down to Austria or Bavaria. The route had to be altered owing to the Russian advances and the small cattle train in which we were travelling was diverted into and through Czechoslovakia. Whilst travelling south of Prague, my comrades and I pulled up the floor board of the truck and opened up the side door on the port side of the truck. The train was well guarded, every alternate truck being full of armed guards, two of whom were constantly on guard on each side of the truck at the doorways. The train was travelling between 25 to 30 miles an hour, and at this point a double track lay on our port side, which made the jump considerably more difficult. One point in our favour was that there was a good covering of snow. We took our chance, throwing out our packs and jumping out right after them. Our landings were hard but good and we came under fire from each truck of guards as it passed the spot where we lay. No injuries were sustained. This would be about the 17^th February. The country was difficult, very hilly and ice-bound.

On checking by rough map it was found that we lay about 60 km S.W. of Prague. We travelled during the night and rested during the day, making north to Prague. After the fourth night of travel we arrived at an outlying farm and contacted a farm worker who informed us that special orders of the day by German High Command were to destroy all families holding or assisting any suspicious persons. He gave information as to a connection at a small village named Tzman, approximately 35 to 40 km S.W. We made this after a further three nights travel, and found the connection who was the Burgomaster of Tzman. Here we stayed in a house, built in the hillside, for a further few days whilst information was received stating connections for movement out towards any front were impossible.

By this time we were experiencing severe cold weather - 20 degrees below zero. On the morning of the fifth day we were informed that the safest and surest way towards Allied lines was to make north of Prague, where columns of British prisoners were being marched to areas further south. We decided to retrace our steps to Prague and join one of the columns, but on the third morning, whilst resting at a farm outhouse we were arrested by German armed police and then taken to Beraun. The German intention was to transport us back to Silesia. Out on our journey we proceeded, and, dodging from the guard, whose attention was directed to chatting with some railway officials, we made our getaway to join a marching column the following day.

The party we joined were British prisoners who had been marching for a period up to 8 or 9 weeks and were in very low health and physique. Acting as N.C.O’s in charge of the party, we continued south and south-west to Austria via Czechoslovakia and Bavaria. At this stage of the march the German guards were administering severe punishment, no medical aid, and, as a comrade collapsed or took ill, we saw him no more as he was left behind. The physical and mental state of my comrades was well below par. The majority were Private soldiers all of different Arms of the Service, having been forced to work in the mines and other different establishments.

The party numbered 227 in all, and my decision was to remain with them to attempt to improve conditions and at least to ensure that the Geneva Convention was not violated. The Germans on finding out the new arrivals (my comrades and I), were N.C.O’s and intended fighting for all to which we were entitled, responded a little better. One guard in particular, Stabs Gerfreiter Zimmer, went so far as to let me out at night to steal potatoes and wood from neighbouring farmers fields. A days forced marching was anything from 40 to 60 km, the Germans attempting obviously to outpace the advancing Allies. We continued so for a further period of about seven weeks, being forced to utter exhaustion.

On arrival at a village called Neudeck in Bavaria we were marshalled in a large barn on a farm and placed under lock and key. The last days march approaching Neudeck was during the night of the 19^th April and the early morning of the 20^th April, and preceding us, marching roughly in the same direction, was another column of prisoners, twenty of whom had been shot as they collapsed with exhaustion at intervals of 20 to 30 yards on the side of the road.

Whilst at the farm a considerable amount of assistance was given by a Polish girl named Liska Anna, a native of Warsaw, whose photograph is enclosed. Although under the constant threat of being shot she stole and smuggled to me at the barn, bread, fresh milk and eggs and flour for several of my comrades who were, by this time, almost in a state of collapse. This girl brought reports of cruelty to Polish labour conscripts administered by the German Burgomaster of Neudeck. Weekly he gathered all Polish personnel to his Bawer and whipped them with a horse whip.

On the morning of the 21^st April Anna Liska brought news that forward elements of Allied troops were in the vicinity of Rodin, 25 km away. The German guards, who must also have had some idea of the nearness of Allied troops, rushed to the barn armed with fixed bayonets, ordering everyone to proceed to march. Sjt. Thompson, a Seaman Watson, and myself refused to do so and ordered all our comrades to remain in the barn, paying no heed to the threat of being shot.

Seaman William Watson, a sailor from Sunderland, who acted as interpreter on account of his having been a prisoner for 4 ½ years, and myself decided to make for Rodin. This we accomplished and contacted American troops. An American senior officer ordered two General Grant tanks and a jeep to proceed back to Neudeck with us. This they dd, disarming the 36 German guards and freeing the remaining 227 of our comrades. This would be on the morning of the 22^nd April.

Excitement reigned high for a couple of hours, and on permission being granted from the American Officer, I organised a British guard for the farm, placing the Germans under lock and key in the farm stable. I also organised the cooking, and the feeding of my comrades, as well as detailing Standing Orders. I forbade any British subject to leave the camp without consent, arranged regular meals and place Sjt. Thompson in charge of the administration of the farm.

Watson and I returned to Redin M.G., H.Q. and obtained a car, arms, food and clothing, as much as could be spared. We also obtained authority to use the car for the requisitioning of food from the farms and villages in the vicinity. On promising good behaviour and co-operation, we were permitted to hold out at the farm and attend to our comrades in such matters as good and regular meals, personal cleanliness and general welfare. Subject to these promise being fulfilled by us, we were promised air transport home to U.K. This air transport we obtained, leaving on the 4^th May for Rheims in France, the full total of 227 arriving there safely.

Behaviour at the farm was excellent, and full co-operation was given by the farmer, his wife and two daughters, whose photographs are enclosed. The German guards were disposed of on the morning of the 24^th April to American M.G.

At Rheims I became separated from the remainder and arrived in England on the 6^th May 1945.

The last known address of Sjt. Thompson is 16, Drake Street, Keighley, Yorkshire.

I am Sir,

Yours obediently,

4342541. T. Furness. CQMS.