Fusilier Joseph Purvis
National Archives catalogue reference - WO 208/3324/126
Name: 4270748 Fus. Purvis, Joseph.
Unit: 7th Battalion The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.
Captured: St. Valery ex Caux, 12th June 1940.
Escaped: Merkers, 29th April 1943.
Left: Marseilles, 5th October 1944.
Arrived: U.K., 4th November 1944.
Date of Birth: 22nd September 1912.
Army Service: Territorial Army since July 1934.
Peacetime Profession: Miner.
Private Address: 51 Maple Street, Ashington, Northumberland.
1. CAPTURE.
I was captured with the whole of my section at ST VALERY-EN-CAUX on 12 Jun 40.
2. CAMPS IN WHICH IMPRISONED.
Fort XVII (Stalag XX A) Jul - Sep 40.
STALAG IX C (BAD SULZA) One night.
CAMPS ATTACHED TO STALAG IX C.
VOLKERODE (GERMANY, 1:100,000, Sheet 85, 7581) Sep 40 - Aug 42.
MOLSDORF (Sheet 98, 2741) Aug 42.
ROMHILD (Sheet 111, 9685) Sep - Dec 42.
MERKERS (Sheet 97, 7832) Dec 42 - Apr 43.
3. ATTEMPTED ESCAPES.
(a) FROM WORKING CAMP AT VOLKERODE.
I made my first attempt to escape in Sep 41 from VOLKERODE where I was working in a salt mine together with a private from a London Regiment (name not remembered).
We left the mine at 2100 hours and went straight to the baths where we had hidden the food which we had been collecting for some weeks. We climbed through the window and over a fence without any difficulty and walked for about two miles to some woods close by where we removed the blue working overalls we had been wearing. We stayed in the woods till 0400 hours the next morning. We then took our bearings with the compass we had brought with us which had been made in the camp and travelled South with the intention of making for SWITZERLAND. We continued walking South for three days keeping to the woods and fields. At the end of the third day my companion fell ill and was forced to go to the nearest farm and give himself up.
I continued my journey alone for ten days avoiding all towns and sleeping in the woods. On the tenth day I was discovered, while I was sleeping in a wood, by a stag hunt party. I was put into the military prison of the small town nearby (name not remembered) for three days. After that I was sent to Stalag IX C where I was interrogated and remained here for eight days. I was then sent back to the camp at MOLSDORF (Sheet 98, 2741). I was interrogated again here and after three weeks I was sent to the Camp at ROMHILD (Sheet 111, 9685).
(b) SECOND ATTEMPT.
In Dec 42 I was sent to the Working Camp at MERKERS (Sheet 97, 7832). The conditions here were appalling, and the mattresses and bed clothing were full of bugs and lice. We complained to the authorities but nothing was done. There were 47 men in the camp and at the end of two days we all decided to escape. We had discovered a part of the wiring which was weak and worked at it with pick axes whenever we had a chance. On the night of the third day after I had arrived at the camp all but 12 men got out. I went with Pte. DUKES (Regiment unknown) and two other men. We were making our way to FULDA (Sheet 110, 4902) but were captured two days later in a snowstorm. We had reached a railway siding and climbed up into an empty goods waggon which shortly afterwards was moved into a nearby station where we were caught. Four guards and an officer came for us and marched us three kilometres to the town (name unknown) with our arms above our heads. If we lowered our arms we were hit on our finger ends with rifle butts while the two guards behind kept prodding us with their bayonets. When we arrived at our destination we were made to stand with our faces to the wall for another hour with our hands still above our heads. Then we were marched to a house where we were made to strip while our clothing was examined. We were put into a civilian prison for three days and then sent back to MERKERS.
The 12 men who had been unable to get out of the camp at the time of our escape were severely beaten up. All the escapers were eventually rounded up.
As a punishment for escaping we were made to work an extra two hours a day digging trenches. This was in addition to the eight hours we were already doing in the mine. Our food was very bad during this time. We received two meals a day consisting of dry bread and coffee for breakfast and sauerkraut or potatoes for our evening meal.
4. ESCAPE.
About Feb 43 Gnr. MARTIN, R.A., and I planned to escape again. We collected food for the next six weeks by taking a sandwich to work with us each day. I hid mine in the salt factory in which I worked.
MARTIN was working on the railway a quarter of a mile away from the salt mine. We decided to wait for a misty morning when we could escape and hide independently in the woods close by for the day. We intended meeting at midnight that night at the power station. We were then to hide ourselves in a salt waggon bound for SWITZERLAND.
On 29 Apr we decided to put our plan into effect. That morning I went to the latrines with two other men while the guard waited outside. My companions covered me while I eluded the guard by going round the back of the latrines. I had intended to hide under the salt tanks but seeing several German civilians there I changed my mind and ran straight for the 12 foot wire fence. I seized the top of the fence and heaved myself over. As I reached the top I was seen by an engine driver who shouted at me. I dropped down on the other side and ran hard for the woods where I remained in hiding for the rest of the day in spite of search parties with dogs.
At midnight I returned to the power station and waited till 0130 hours for MARTIN but he did not turn up. I returned to the factory unobserved, collected my food, stole a bottle of coffee from the civilians canteen which was unlocked and returned to the woods. I stayed in the woods for the whole of the next day (30 Apr) and once again returned to the power station at midnight. I waited till 0200 hours and then went back to the woods for the whole of the next day (1 May). That night I came back past the power station in case MARTIN should show up. I climbed over the fence into the salt factory which was not guarded and hid under a weighing machine. I remained under the weighing machine until 0930 hours the next morning (2 May) when the Germans went to the canteen for breakfast. I then left my hiding place and made my way towards the salt waggons. I chose one marked 'Ausland, Italien' and got into it, covering myself with salt. Half an hour later the guard came along and sealed the waggon.
Shortly afterwards the waggon was hitched up to an engine and we started to move. We reached FULDA where we remained till nightfall. For the next few days we travelled between 2000 and 2300 hours, and 0200 and 0630 hours. We went through VACHA (sheet 97, 7233), MEININGEN (Sheet 111, 0004), MANNHEIM (Sheet 131, 6183), RASTATT (Sheet 137, 4113) and FREIBERG (Sheet 151A, 1417). We arrived at BASLE (GERMANY, 1:250,000, Sheet K 4, B 8985) on 6 May. Here the trucks were inspected and resealed. Six hours later we crossed into SWITZERLAND though I did not know this at the time. I was desperately thirsty by this time and had almost decided to risk getting out of the waggon when we started to move again. After two hours we stopped again. I listened to the people talking and heard only German spoken, so I remained where I was. We continued our journey for another hour and stopped once more. This time I heard both German and French being spoken and left the waggon through a small window. I approached a railway worker and asked first in English and then in German for something to drink. He took me to a hut where he gave me some wine. While I was drinking the wine the Swiss Military Police entered.
I was given some food and then taken to BARASONE (not marked on map) where I spent the night in the local prison. The next day I was sent to BERNE where I contacted the British Legation.
I remained in SWITZERLAND till Jul 44. I worked at the press department of the British Legation for a few months and then went to stay at LE BASSET on Lake GENEVA till Jul 44.
5. LEFT SWITZERLAND.
On 24 Jul 44 I left SWITZERLAND accompanied by two Belgians. We arrived in TOULOUSE on 29 Jul (details of the journey are given in Appendix 'C'). Here we stayed in a boarding house for two days. A woman then called for me and took me back for the night to her house. The next day a man came and took me to a house two miles outside TOULOUSE where I remained for two days. I was then told that it was impossible to send me back to the U.K. and that the only alternative was to join the Maquis. I was taken to the station where I met an officer of the Maquis who took me to a small town which was at that time held by the Maquis. From here I was taken to a small town which I think was LA BASTIDE DU SALAT (Sheet 40, Z 98) south west of TOULOUSE. I remained fighting with the Maquis till 30 Sep and took part in four battles with them.
On 30 Sep I contacted a British officer at DECIZE (Sheet 22, M 80). On 1 Oct I left the Maquis and made my way to MARSEILLES by American transport. Here I met up with the first contingent of repatriates from SWITZERLAND and reported to a British officer.
I left MARSEILLES about 5 Oct for the U.K. via NAPLES.