Private Arthur Garlaneau
National Archives catalogue reference - WO 208/3328
Name: D.61453 Pte. Garlaneau, Arthur
Unit: Fusiliers Mont Royal, 2nd Canadian Division.
Captured: Dieppe, 19th August 1942.
Liberated: 29tht January 1945.
Left: Odessa, 7th March 1945.
Arrived: U.K., 29th March 1945.
Date of Birth: 1st December 1920.
Date of Enlistment: 19th September 1939.
Peacetime Profession: Waiter.
Private Address: 907 Banbiens East, Montreal, P.Q., Can.
1. CAPTURE.
I was captured on 19 Aug 42 in DIEPPE, during an operation on which I was badly wounded in my right arm.
2. CAMPS IN WHICH IMPRISONED.
STALAG VIII B (LAMSDORF) - 3 Sep 42 - 26 Jan 43.
STALAG II D (STARGARD ) - 26 Jan 43 - 29 Jan 45.
Work Commandos.
606 (YAGARDORF) - Aug 43 (1 month).
(?) (DOMSTAL) - Sep - Oct 43.
2244 (MARIENHOF) - 6 Feb 44 (15 Days)
438 (SALIMOV) - Mar 44 (1 month)
979 (FREIENWALDE) - Jun 44 (15 Days)
2383 (SCHOHRADE) - Jul - Jan 45.
3. ATTEMPTED ESCAPES.
Whilst working in the Working Commando 438 in SALIMOV (GERMANY, 1:250,000, Sheet O.54, R 08), attached to STALAG II D, I attempted to escape. I had been preparing for some considerable time and had collected food from Red Cross parcels. I bartered a German map from a German guard in exchange for cigarettes. With me were Ptes. [POLSIROY?] and MAURIDER, both from Fusiliers Mont Royale.
On 6 Apr 44 the three of us cut a hole through the roof of our sleeping quarters and at about 0200 hrs we made our way out of the camp. The guard on patrol in the compound was asleep. There was a hole in the barbed wire fence over which straw was put. We went through it and jumped about 25 feet into a straw pile.
Our intention was to reach DANZIG and from there SWEDEN by boat.
During the night of 6 or 7 Apr we walked all night and reached a place approximately 20 kms. from the camp.
As we heard later on it was discovered shortly after our escape that we were missing, as regular checks were made nearly every hour during the night. Dogs were sent out but fortunately we were not discovered.
We hid during the whole day of 7 Apr between [REDENWALDE?] and LABES (Sheet O.54, R 28) in a wood. On the night of 9 and 10 Apr we reached WAHGERIN (R 17), travelling always by night and passing through LAVES.
From there we made our way East towards DRAMBURG (R 37). It took us five nights as we had to travel most of the way through swamps and we arrived on about 15 Apr.
Here we made contact with a French P/W in a street who gave us food and shelter for one night. He also gave us an address to go if we should reach DANZIG. He told us that he would see to it that the people at the address in DANZIG would be informed of our coming and that we should look out for a man wearing a white flower on 29 Apr, the date on which we were supposed to reach DANZIG. We destroyed the address before we were recaptured and I cannot remember it any more.
We left DRAMBURG on about 16 Apr and made our way towards MARIENBURG (Sheet O.55, D 79). It took us approximately 10 days to cover this distance. At that time we decided to walk by day and rest at night. We were never stopped and arrived in MARIENBURG on 26 Apr.
Whilst walking along the road at about 2200 hrs one mile North of MARIENBURG we were stopped by a civilian on a bicycle who turned out to be a member of the Gestapo.
He questioned us and we told him that we were French workman from a farm nearby. When asked for identity papers we naturally could not produce them.
We were taken back to the civilian prison in MARIENBURG where we remained for one day, and were questioned by the Gestapo as they thought we may be Paratroopers, but when they found our P/W identity disc we were handed over to the Military Authorities.
We were returned at once to STALAG IID where we received 28 days solitary confinement.