Flight Lieutenant Glendon Joseph Lynes
National Archives catalogue reference - WO 208/3328
Name: 46631 F/Lt. Glendon Joseph Lynes.
Unit: 232 Squadron, Fighter Command, R.A.F.
Captured: Tunis, 11th April 1943.
Left: Wetzlar, 27th March 1945,
Left: Liege, 30th March 1945.
Arrived: U.K., 30th March 1945.
Date of Birth: 21st June 1919.
R.A.F. Service: Since April 1939.
Post in crew: Pilot.
Peacetime Profession: Regular R.A.F..
Private Address: 455 Roslyn Avenue, Westmount, Quebec, Canada.
1. CAPTURE:
I took off from VICTORIA Aerodrome, SUK-EL-KEMIS (TUNISIA) at approximately 1100 hours on 11 Apr 43. My formation was escorting American bombers. I was attacked by an enemy fighter and I was wounded.
I baled out and landed on the outskirts of TUNIS about 1200 hours. Immediately on landing I was captured by Italian troops. They gave me first aid and a few minutes later German military police arrived and I was handed over to them. I was taken to a hospital where I received further medical treatment, and about half an hour later I was taken to a P/W camp where I was mixed with Arabs etc. I remained there one night.
2. CAMPS IN WHICH IMPRISONED:
Arab P/W Camp near TUNIS, 11 to 12 Apr 43.
Luftwaffe Interrogation Camp, 13 to 17 Apr 43,
Dulag Luft (FRANKFORT ON MAIN), 21 to 25 Apr 43,
Stalag Luft III (SAGAN), 28 Apr 43 to 3 Feb 45
Stalag XIIID (LANGWASSER), 8 to 20 Feb 45,
Luftwaffe Interrogation Camp, (FRANKFORT ON MAIN) 1 to 9 Mar 45,
Dulag Luft (WETZLAR), 12 to 27 Mar 45.
3. ATTEMPTED ESCAPES:
(a) While I was being escorted by a German guard from the Arab P/W Camp on the outskirts of TUNIS on 12 Apr 43 to an American P/W Camp in the neighbourhood, I slipped away from my escort under the pretence that I wanted to relieve nature. I ran through a wheat field and the guard followed me. He drew his pistol and shouted, but he did not fire. I then hid in a cactus hedge. The guard searched for me in the wheat. He fired his pistol aimlessly a few times and then went away.
I remained in the hedge until dark, when I made an attempted to steal a car
which was parked nearby. I was unable to start it as the ignition key was
missing. I then walked to DJEDEIDA, about 25 kms. West of TUNIS, and arrived
there about 0300 hours on 13 Apr. I was challenged by an Italian guard near a
bridge and re-captured. Later that day I was taken by lorry to the Luftwaffe
Interrogation Camp in TUNIS.
I was not punished for this escape, probably because I was severely wounded in the left shoulder. Some time later I learned that my escort had been sentenced to six months imprisonment for allowing me to escape.
(b) On 26 Jan 45 Stalag Luft III (SAGAN) was evacuated at an hour's notice and we were forced to march South. We were in batches of about 200. We began marching at 0300 hours and arrived at STEINKIRCHEN (GERMANY, 1:250,000, Sheet O 52, B 1940) about 1100 hours.
While we were having a rest there a Polish officer (name unknown), who was a friend of mine at Stalag Luft III, made contact with two Polish civilians. These two men took me into a house and gave me a civilian overcoat. They then escorted me to a former P/W camp (now empty) on the outskirts of STEINKIRCHEN. I remained there, hidden in a barrack until about 1900 hours, when the two Poles returned, accompanied by a Polish girl. They brought me food and a rough sketch-map indicating the whereabouts of the nearest Russian spear-head. After I had eaten the food the Poles escorted me a short distance from the camp.
I then walked N.W. across country for a short time, but because of deep snow I was compelled to get back to a road. I walked North to SAGAN (B 2462) and then East.
About 0400 hours on 27 Jan I was stopped on the road (exact location unknown) by a German officer. I attempted to run away, but he followed me on a bicycle and fired his pistol several times. I was unable to leave the road owing to the deep snow and the German was very close to me. His final shot passed through my trousers, so I allowed myself to be recaptured. I was not wounded.
The officer took me to SAGAN and handed me over to the military. Later that day I was taken to Stalag Luft III and put into cells. I remained there for five days, when I was moved with the rear party of sick, wounded, etc., by train to Stalag XIIID (LANGWASSER), near NUREMBERG, (Sheet M 50, T 4199), where we arrived about 8 Feb.
(c) On the morning of 20 Feb 45 2nd/Lt. Steve (surname unknown), U.S.A.A.F., and I climbed over the wire fence at Stalag XIIID (LANGWASSER). There was a thick fog at the time. I was wearing an American army greatcoat and an American forage cap. The American Lieutenant and I parted just after we had climbed over the compound fence and while we were in a roadway within the main camp. I did not see him again.
I made my way to a latrine in the German part of the camp and remained there until dark. I then climbed over a single barbed wire fence and made my way to the uncompleted Autobahn South of the camp. I walked to near SCHWABACH (T 3987) and spent the remainder of the night in a wood.
On 21 Feb I began walking South, following a footpath close to the railway track. I hid in woods at night. I arrived at WEISSENBURG (T 3652) about 24 Feb and met a Frenchman in British battle-dress. This man took me to some Belgian civilian workers who gave me a meal. I was then taken to the home of another Frenchman, where I remained until the following evening (25 Feb). This man also gave me a French army greatcoat and forage cap.
On the evening of 25 Feb I resumed walking South along the main road and arrived at DONAUWORTH (Sheet M 49 T 2319) about 1000 hours on 26 Feb. While I was crossing a bridge over the DANUBE there I was stopped by a sentry who had been concealed from me. He asked for my Ausweis and I tried to bluff him that I was a French worker and had lost my papers, but this was unsuccessful. I then stated that I was a member of the R.A.F. and that I had just been shot down. I was taken to the police station, where I remained for a few hours. An N.C.O. of the Luftwaffe arrived and took me by train to the Luftwaffe Interrogation Camp in FRANKFORT-ON-MAIN.
On arrival there about 1 Mar I gave my correct name and number, but stated that I had recently been shot down. My reason for doing this was that I wanted to be sent to Dulag Luft (WETZLAR) (Sheet L 51, G 5419) instead of being returned to Stalag XIII D (LANGWESSER), where conditions were very bad.
After eight days in the cells at the Interrogation Camp I decided to tell the true story of my escape from Stalag XIII D and my reason for my false story. This statement was accepted and I was sent to Dulag Luft (WETZLAR) the following day (9 Mar).
4. LEFT DULAG LUFT (WETZLAR) AFTER CAPITULATION OF GERMAN GUARDS.
On arrival at Dulag Luft (WETZLAR) about 12 Mar I told my story to Col. STARK, U.S.A.A.F., the Senior Officer. He agreed to arrange to have me remain there as a member of the permanent staff.
At 2300 hours on 26 Mar 45 we learned from German sources that the Allies were about six kms. West of the camp. The Camp Commandant (name unknown) and many of the Nazis left the camp at 0800 hours on 27 Mar with an unknown number of Ps/W.
A Leutnant (name unknown), a German doctor (name unknown), a Lieutenant-Commander of the German Navy (name unknown) and about 30 guards and N.C.Os. remained behind. The Leutnant then asked Col. STARK to take control of the camp and he did so. The German guards remained in the camp area, but they did not do guard duties and they did not carry arms during that day.
During that day American N.C.Os and officers kept watch from the sentry towers. By evening there was no sign of the Allies and flak batteries situated near the camp were still active. At dusk an American accompanied an armed German guard in each of the sentry towers. The purpose of this was to defend the camp against S.S. or German civilians.
After dark Col. STARK sent for me and asked me if I would be prepared to leave
the camp, accompanied by a German and a British Sergeant, in order to try to
make contact with the Allies. I agreed to do so.
About 2100 hours on 27 Mar the Sergeant (name unknown), the German and I walked out of the camp gate and went West across country. It was bright moonlight. About two kms. West of the camp we were stopped by a patrol of three Hungarians. The German said that he was taking the Sergeant and me to Dulag Luft, and we were allowed to pass. A few minutes later we spotted a patrol of four Germans, but we hid in the woods and were not seen. Just as we were about to move on, another patrol (nationality unknown) passed close to us.
I then decided that the safest way to proceed would be to have the German march the Sergeant and me with our hands above our heads as though we were his prisoners. The German carried a pistol in his hand and we proceeded in this fashion. We did not meet any further patrols.
About 45 minutes later I heard American voices and the engines of vehicles being started up. I shouted that I was a Canadian with two others with me, and we were allowed to proceed.
I told my story to a Tank Commander who informed me that he had been unaware of the existence of a P/W camp in that area. He refused to send a patrol until morning as WETZLAR had not yet been taken. He doubted my identity, but he arranged that the location of the camp was made known to the Artillery. It had been intended to shell the WETZLAR area that night.
About 0930 hours on 28 Mar the German and the British Sergeant were sent back to Dulag Luft with an armed patrol.
I was sent to 1st Army H.Q. and interviewed by Col. WRIGHT. I was briefly interrogated re my identity and sent to LIEGE, from where I was sent by air to the U.K. on 30 Mar.
The German, who was on the staff at Stalag Luft III (SAGAN), informed me on 13 Mar 45 that W/Cdr. DAY, R.A.F., was last heard of in a Gestapo concentration camp on the outskirts of BERLIN two months earlier. W/Cdr. DAY had previously escaped from this Gestapo camp but had been recaptured. I know no further details.
The German also told me that Major DODGE, formerly at Stalag Luft III (SAGAN), was also at this Gestapo camp. I know no further details. [Note: both men survived the war]
On receipt of this information I passed it on to Col. STARK and the Protecting Power representative was informed during his visit to Dulag Luft (WETZLAR) about 20 Mar.