Private Leonard Ernest Mann
National Archives catalogue reference - WO 208/3325/42
Name: 6092772 Pte. Mann, Leonard Ernest.
Unit: Queen's Royal Regiment, 12th Division, British Expeditionary Force.
Captured: Forges, 8th June 1940.
Escaped: Working party, Posen, 23rd November 1940.
Left: Murmansk, 10th December 1944.
Arrived: U.K., 18th December 1944.
Date of Birth: 4th November 1918.
Army Service: Since 20th October 1939.
Peacetime Profession: Agriculture.
Private Address: 1 Schoolfields, Shiplake Cross, Henley-on-Thames, Berks.
1. CAMPS IN WHICH IMPRISONED.
STALAG XXI D (SCHUBIN) 14 Jul 40 (In Transit).
Working Party (GNIEZENO) attd to STALAG XXI D. 14 Jul 0 7 Sep 40.
STALAG XXI D. 7 Sep - 25 Sep 40.
Working Party (ZNIN). 25 Sep - 15 Oct 40.
STALAG XXI D. 15 Oct - 1 Nov 40.
Working Party attd STALAG XXI D (POSEN). 1 Nov - 23 Nov 40.
2. CAPTURE.
I went to FRANCE with my regiment on 20 Apr 40. On 19 May we were sent to the front at ABBEVILLE (N.W. EUROPE, 1:250,000, Sheet 4, M 78). During the retreat I lost my battalion and eventually joined a unit of lines of communication - Vic Forces, Northern Area, and moved to FORGES (Sheet 7, R 81). On 8 Jun I was captured there by the Germans.
We were marched through FRANCE and BELGIUM into HOLLAND, and taken over the RHINE to COLOGNE by barge. We stayed at a reception camp there for some days and then moved on to ESSEN. After several days we were taken to DORTMUND, where we stayed for one day. Then we were taken to STALAG XXI D (SCHUBIN) (GERMANY, 1:100,000, Sheet 56, 8374) on 17 Jul. I was sent immediately to a working party at GNIEZENO (Sheet 68, 7327) attached to SCHUBIN. I worked on a canal until 7 Sep, when I was sent back to the main camp.
3. ATTEMPTED ESCAPES.
(a) From ZNIN.
On 25 Sep 40 I joined a working party at ZNIN (Sheet 56, 8057) (attached to STALAG XXI D) to do farm work. I met Cpl. WOOTON, William, Royal Tank Regiment, and we decided to escape. On 3 Oct we managed to get through the wire at dusk. This was comparatively easy, as the guards were very slack. We were hiding behind a shed when one of the British N.C.O.s came after us, and ordered us to return, threatening to tell the Germans if we disobeyed. We returned to camp, and I am sure that our attempt was unknown to the Germans. Next morning at roll-call WOOTON and I were called out of line. The Germans opened the gates, took out their revolvers, and told us we could go if we wanted to. As a punishment we were made to clean out the latrines for four days, and on 15 Oct we were sent back to STALAG XXI D.
(b) Tunnel Scheme at SCHUBIN.
On our return to SCHUBIN we were put into "X" Company, composed of "bad boys". There were about 40 of us in a special part of the compound which was wired off and closely guarded. We were given rough work to do whilst awaiting trial for attempting to escape. On 23 Oct we were tried, pleaded "Not guilty", and were let off, but sent back to "X" Company. We then started to dig a tunnel inside our tent. We tipped the loose earth at night into the garden outside our quarters. Several of the men were working in the garden, and this was an easy way of disposal of the soil. We concealed the tunnel opening with the straw on which we slept. The job was never completed, as we were sent to STALAG XXI B (POSEN) (Sheet 68, 2710) on 1 Nov 40.
4. ESCAPE.
In Nov I was sent to a working party in the suburbs of POSEN where I met Bdr. WILLIAMS, Royal Artillery, and Pte. WALL, Frederick, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, and we decided to escape. At dusk on 23 Nov we cut the wire with a pair of wire-cutters which we had managed to get from a Polish prisoner. Another P/W had been instructed to distract the guard by talking to him and offering him cigarettes. We got out on to the road and made for the railway, where we hoped to be able to jump a train for WARSAW. A goods train stopped under the signal, and we climbed into the end truck. At 2100 hours the train stopped at JAROTSCHIN (Sheet 81, 6660), and the Germans searched the train. We made a dash for it, but I lost the other two and made for the open country. I slept that night in a barn, and the next morning I knocked at the window of a farmhouse. The owner took me in and gave me civilian clothing. As it was Sunday and the clothes were very old, I had to stay there all day to avoid making myself conspicuous.
On 25 Nov the farmer took me in his cart and put me on the rail track to WARSAW. I walked along the track all day and spent that night in a barn about 30 kms from JAROTSCHIN. After I had slept for about two hours a Pole came in. At first I protected to be deaf and dumb, but eventually told him that I was English, and it transpired that he was a member of the Polish underground movement. He kept me in his house for a few days, and, after giving me more clothing, sent me various guides to KALISZ (Sheet 81, 0536) on 28 Nov. I was taken to see a Polish officer who said he would get me over the frontier into the territory of the General Government of POLAND. While I was waiting for the necessary papers I lived with a family in the town.
On 6 Jan 41 I was given a passport making me out to be a deaf and dumb Ukrainian. The Polish officer accompanied me to within 20 kms of CZESTOCHOWA (Sheet 106, 7731) which was in General Government territory. A German guard searched us, but let us go on. The Polish officer left me, and another Pole took me into CZESTOCHOWA on 9 Jan. There I was put into a monastery.
After several days I was interviewed by an English-speaking Pole who told me that plans were being made for me to go to the American Embassy in WARSAW. Later I was taken by a guide to WARSAW, and there housed with a member of the organisation. A representative from the American Embassy came to see me, but said that he could do nothing for me.
On 14 Jan the organisation sent me to a house in JAROSLAV (POLAND, 1:300,000, Sheet 76, 5002N 2242E). Here I fell ill with stomach trouble, and was sent to hospital where I stayed until 15 Feb. I had meant to get across the River SAN, but by the time I had recovered the ice had formed. I moved about to various small villages near JAROSLAV, the names of which I cannot remember.
On 23 Mar I was taken by train, with a guide, to TARNOBRZEG (Sheet 75, 5034N 2140E) where I stayed for about a fortnight, and I returned to WARSAW on 10 Nov. I lived with a family there until Aug 43. These people had a restaurant in WARSAW where I worked; they also had a house in the suburbs where I was sent when things became dangerous. During this time I contacted an organisation which helped Englishmen. They paid me regularly and looked after my welfare.
While I was hiding in the house outside WARSAW a secret radio station (under either English or Russian control), which was hidden in a house close to the one I was in, was raided by the Germans. They spotted one of the men from the radio-station running across the garden of our house so they came and searched it.
My host was in WARSAW and the servant and I were alone in the house. I went upstairs and lay on the bed, pretending to be ill. They burst into my room and dragged me off the bed. I pretended to be deaf and dumb, but they whipped me down the stairs. They were taking me away under escort when the servant explained to a Polish policeman that I was a deaf and dumb Ukrainian who was very ill. After some hesitation the Germans let me go.
After this the Mayor of the town became suspicious and sent his wife to make further enquiries at the house where I was living. My host bribed them with whisky and cigarettes, and after that there were no more incidents.
On 1 Aug 43 I was obliged to move. My host's sister had been arrested in CRACOW by the Gestapo, and it was suspected that the Germans would question the family. I moved to another house in the suburbs, and stayed there until 3 Oct, helping in the house and garden. On 3 Oct the family moved into WARSAW and I went to work in a small private factory. Shortly after this my host was arrested by the Germans, and I took up my quarters in a workshop of the factory. On 20 Dec I moved to RADOSC (Sheet 55, 5211N 2112E). Here I slept where I could, moving about the district as things were rather dangerous there.
On 18 Jan 44 I went back to WARSAW and helped in a general distribution store of the partisans. On 19 Feb I had to leave, as the partisans were split up and sent to different places. I went to an estate in WYSOKE MAZOWWIECH (Sheet 56, 5255N 2232E) which was a general hideout for Poles who had been in trouble with the Germans. On 25 Mar I went back to RASOSC and worked for the partisans, smuggling ammunition and stores between RADOSC, WARSAW and MASOWIECH. About the end of May we had to stop this, as the Germans were becoming suspicious. I continued to live in RADOSC, sleeping in the open fields.
On 1 Aug 44 the Russians advanced to WAWER (Sheet 55, 5212N 2110E) so I decided to contact them. I was in WARSAW at this time, and on my way back I met some Poles on the German side of the line. We got to the Russian lines by going along the banks of the VISTULA. When I got to the Russian Headquarters the officer who interviewed me said that he could do nothing for me then, and told me to stay at RADOSC until the Commission could take me to MOSCOW.
On 16 Aug I was stopped by a Russian soldier in the streets of RADOSC. He thought I was a sympathiser with the Polish Government in ENGLAND, as I was wearing red white and blue stripes on my arm for identification purposes. He made me go with him to the Russian Headquarters, where they threatened to hand me over to the LUBLIN Committee. I escaped that night while I was being marched by the Russians with some Poles through a wood.
On 17 Aug I went to a friend's house in RADOSC. I was again taken by the Russians, and interrogated by the N.K.W.D. On 20 Aug I was sent to WORSA, 26 kms. from RADZYN (Sheet 66, 5146N 2238E) where I met Pte. EASTERBROOK (S/P.G.(P) 2824).
We were put in a closely guarded house, and after a few days a civilian called FIRTH joined us. A Russian officer told us that negotiations were being made with the British Embassy in MOSCOW for our return to ENGLAND. We were tired of waiting, and on being told that the Red Cross in LUBLIN would help us, I decided to escape and contact them. The Russians became suspicious, and doubled the guard, so it was impossible to get away.
On 12 Sep we were moved to KRZWESLIN, a small place about 8 kms. from SIEDLCE (Sheet 55, 2217E 5211N). We were paid for working in the fields, and saved our money towards our escape. On 23 Oct EASTERBROOK and I managed to slip our guards during a break for lunch. We had an address of a possible helper in SIEDLCE, but on arrival there we were unable to contact the people because the Russians were in control of the house. We decided to go back to RADOSC and got off the train at MILOSONA, a small village near PRAGA (5216N 2107E), meaning to cross country to RADOSC. It was getting dark so we called at the nearest house and slept in a barn. During the night some Russian soldiers came, and, thinking we were Germans they threatened to shoot us. We convinced them that we were English, and they marched us to the nearest Russian Headquarters. Here we were cross-examined and then imprisoned.
On 25 Oct we were taken to a Russian Headquarters at DEBE-WLK. On 27 Oct we were taken in a lorry, closely guarded and with our heads covered by canvas, to an unknown destination. When we arrived we were put in a pigsty and handcuffed together.
On 28 Oct we were taken in exactly the same way to another unknown place, the reason for these moves was not explained to us. At about 0200 hrs a Russian officer came and took us by car back to KRZWESLIN, and we were put in a small room at the Headquarters, which was completely wired-up and closely guarded. That evening FIRTH was brought in. We stayed here until 23 Nov without knowing what was going to happen to us. On that date the Russian officer came to see us, and gave us some extra clothing, telling us that we were to be sent to MOSCOW immediately. We were flown from a nearby aerodrome to MINSK (5354N 2734E), but, owing to bad weather, we had to continue by train. We arrived in MOSCOW on 30 Nov and were taken to a propaganda camp.
The three of us were taken with Cpl. HILLEBRAND (S/P.G.(G) 2825) and Sgt. ROFE, R.A.F. (S/P.G.(G) 2832) (whom we met at the camp) to the British Embassy on 2 Dec. We were taken by train to MURMANSK and left there on 10 Dec by boat, arriving in the U.K. on 18 Dec.