Lieutenant Perodeau (left) standing beside the camp electrician, Willi Pöhnert. Little Willi, as he was known, visited Colditz so often that he was rarely required to produce a pass, and this fact was observed by the hawk-eyed prisoners. On the 28th December 1942 the French deliberately fused the lights in the courtyard, and as they had anticipated Little Willi was summonded. While he was still about his work, Lieutenant Perodeau, dressed almost identically to Pöhnert and carrying a tool box, attempted to merely stroll out of the main gate. He passed the first guard without incident, but the guard on the main gate asked for his papers, and with no hope of bluffing his way out of this Perodeau surrendered.