Private Kenneth Edward Taylor
National Archives catalogue reference - WO 208/3328
Name: D.81943 Pte. Taylor, Kenneth Edward.
Unit: 1st Battalion The Black Watch, 2nd Canadian Division.
Captured: Dieppe, 19th August 1942.
Liberated: Muhlhausen, 3rd April 1943.
Left: Kassel, 12th April 1945.
Arrived: U.K., 12th April 1945.
Date of Birth: 15th March 1920.
Date of Enlistment: 20th March 1940.
Peacetime Profession: Mechanic.
Private Address: 879 Rielle Avenue, Verdun, P.Q., Canada.
1. CAPTURE.
I was captured at DIEPPE on 19 Aug 42. I was wounded in the left arm and right leg and was suffering from concussion.
2. CAMPS IN WHICH IMPRISONED.
Hospital, ROUEN. - Aug - Sep 42.
Hospital IXAH close to KLOSTERHEINA. - Sep 42 - Feb 43.
Stalag IXC, MOLSDORF. - Feb - May 43.
Working Commando 137, UNTERBREITZBACH. - May - 2 Jun 43.
Stalag IXC, MOLSDORF. - 9 Jun 42 - 12 Jun 43.
Working Commando 137, UNTERBREITZBACH. - 12 - 15 Jun 43.
Working Commando 1049, NIEDERORSCHEL. - 25 Jun - 3 Jul 42.
Hospital 1249, OBER MASSFELD. - 9 - 12 Jul 43.
Working Commando 1049, NIEDERORSCHEL. - 12 - 29 Jul 43.
Working Commando 119, MERKERS. - 29 Jul - 12 Aug 43.
Zweiglager, MASSBACH. - 12 Aug - 12 Sep 43.
Zweiglager, MUHLHAUSEN. - 12 Sep - 12 Oct 43.
Working Commando 143B, DORNDORF. - 12 Oct 43 - Jan 44.
Hospital 1249, OBER MASSFELD. - Jan - Feb 44.
Hospital MIENINGEN. - Feb - Mar 44.
Zweiglager, MUHLHAUSEN. - Mar 44 - Apr 45.
3. ATTEMPTED ESCAPES.
(a) In Jun 43 I was working in the blacksmith shop in the salt mine at the Working Commando 137 at UNTERBREITZBACH (GERMANY, 1:100,000, Sheet 97, 6931). I had volunteered to do night work in order that I could attempt an escape. I had been issued with a pair of overalls which I had patched up to make them look less conspicuous.
I had saved some Red Cross food and also stolen a pair of pliers from the factory with which I intended to cut the barbed wire fence around the camp. My companion was Pte. TAYLOR (British), who had made a compass and was in possession of a map which he had obtained from another Canadian soldier.
On the night of 2 Jun 43 we walked during the night from our place of work. The salt mine was very poorly guarded as very few attempts to escape had been made.
We proceeded towards FRANKFURT a'M.
We walked by night and slept by day for four days. On the fifth day, my companion decided against sleeping during day time. We attempted to cross a bridge South of HERSFELD (GERMANY, 1:250,000, Sheet L.51, N 35) and were stopped by civilians who were looking for political prisoners who had escaped. We were taken into the cells of the Military barracks in HERSFELD.
While in the cells I refused to stand at attention for a German corporal and, as a result, was struck in the face with a rifle butt which broken one tooth and split my lips.
At the end of three days we were returned to Stalag IX C in MOLSDORF (J 26) where we received 21 days extra work as punishment.
(b) After my first escape I was returned to Working Commando 137 in UNTERBREITZBACH. I arrived at the Working Commando on 12 Jun 43 and made my second escape on 15 Jun 43. My companions were Cpl. STACEY, Essex Scottish Regt. and Gnr. George WILLIAMS, R.C.A.
We had very little food with us and we had acquired a continental railway map, but no compass.
On the night of 15 Jun 43 we placed cardboard cartons in our beds and covered them with blankets to make it look as though we were actually occupying the beds. Before roll call we hid in between the roof and the ceiling of the washroom. We entered the stove pipe hole by cutting it with our pocket knives, climbed out on the roof and down on the ground. There was no wire fence surrounding this building.
We set forth for the DORNDORF marshalling yards which we reached about four days later. However, we could not find any trains going West so we proceeded to MERKERS (GERMANY, 1:100,000, Sheet 97, 783).
We reached MERKERS four days later and boarded a goods truck containing bulk salt. We were shunted around to differing sidings and as the heat was unbearable and our water supply was exhausted after five days, we had to leave this goods truck and proceed on foot. We were at that time just outside of KASSEL (GERMANY, 1:250,000, Sheet 52, C 20).
We were walking towards KASSEL at approximately 2200 hrs when we ran into an A/A car. A civilian shone his light on us and we were recognised as escaped P/W. We were taken into KASSEL where we were placed in a civilian gaol. The next day we were returned to UNTERBREITZBACH where we received a further 21 days extra work.
(c) In Jul 43 I was working at Working Commando 1049 at NIEDERORSCHEL (Sheet M.52, C 81). On the night of 3 Jul I attempted another escape. I was alone at that time. I was in possession of a railway map of GERMANY which I had stolen from a woman when travelling by train previously from MUHLHAUSEN (H 89) to NIEDERORSCHEL.
I left the Camp at about 2130 hrs on 23 Jul and intended to walk to the outskirts of MUHLHAUSEN and catch a train going West.
However, when arriving at MUHLHAUSEN none of the trains going West stopped in the town, so I decided to walk to WEIMAR (Sheet M.51, J 57).
I arrived in the outskirts of WEIMAR four or five days later. As the goods yard
is in the middle of the town, it was necessary for me to walk through the
streets. Whilst I was walking through the town between midnight and 0400 hrs., I
was stopped by a civilian who asked me for my papers. As I could not produce
them I was taken to the Gestapo H.Q.
The following day a policeman got on his bicycle and made me walk beside him to NEIDERORSCHEL where I was returned to Working Commando 1049. I received 42 hours extra work.
(d) In Jul 43 I attempted another escape while working in the wood factory at NEIDERORSCHEL. I was not in possession of a map and compass and was alone.
At about 1500 hrs 13 Jul I walked out of the factory towards the station to a place where a number of P/W were unloading goods cars. I simply walked along the far side of the track where I was hidden by the embankment of the railway. I planned to walk to GERSTRUNGEN (GERMANY, 1:100,000. Sheet 97, 7548).
I reached EISENBACH (GERMANY, 1:250,000, Sheet L.51, H 76) about ten days later and boarded the tender of a civilian train going to FRANCE. On the outskirts of METZ (NORTH WEST EUROPE, 1:250,000, Sheet 9, U 85) I was discovered by Gestapo agent on about 23 Jul, who arrested me and took me into the civilian prison of a small town.
Three days later I was returned to NIEDERORSCHEL where I was sentenced to 42 days hard labour.