OFLAG 79
QUERUM, Nr. BRUNSWICK.
1. DESCRIPTION AND CONDITIONS.
79 was the number given to Oflag VIII F when it moved at the beginning of May 44 from MARISCH-TRUBAU in Czechoslovakia to QUERUM near Brunswick, Germany.
It was situated on the edge of a wood 3½ miles North East of the centre of Brunswick, immediately South of the Hanover-Berlin Autobahn. The camp was formerly an Air Training Barracks, and directly North of the Autobahn was the Brunswick/Waggon air field. The Wesser/Elbe Canal was S.W. to N.E. about 2½ miles West of the Camp passing under the Autobahn.
The surrounding country was flat interspersed with small streams and patches of woodland, the Camp itself was not readily visible from the air and the wood surrounding it also concealed the aeroengine plant of NIE DERSACHSISCHEN MOTOREN WERKE.
The Camp itself consisted of several modern well built brick buildings two storeys high. All of these were in use as barracks for the PsW. In August 44 the perimeter of the camp was enlarged covering an area of about 266 yds by ¼ mile. There were ten, possibly 12, watch towers at various points around the wire which was probably the usual double fence type with concertina wire between, the towers housed searchlights and machine guns.
2. CONDITIONS.
When the Camp moved to Brunswick there were 1,893 PsW including 246 Indians, the numbers, however, steadily increased throughout 44 and by December there were 2,408. The four barracks used for PsW were not large enough and although washing facilities were modern they were inadequate in number. The kitchens were satisfactory and the food throughout the Camp's existence was above average. This fact was mainly due to the effects of Major TEMPLE and Capt. STORMANT, officer in charge of messing and the cook-house, in the words of Col. BROWN, S.B.O. "Two more difficult jobs in a camp of two and a half thousand officers prone to grumbling it is impossible to imagine. They both carried out their jobs magnificently, Capt. STORMANT in particular achieved the impossible i.e. continued to produce edible dishes out of an almost inedible basis German ration". In May 44 the Camp had two months supply of Red X parcels.
The infirmary was satisfactory with 53 beds, the S.M.O. Lt. Col. THOMPSON's efforts managed to keep the camp free from epidemics in spite of the appalling conditions in which wounded PsW arrived, who should have been sent to proper hospitals. On the whole the health of the PsW was excellent.
The clothing situation was bad, all types of garments being urgently required. Recreation facilities were inadequate due to the overcrowding and outdoor exercise was extremely limited. There were no rest rooms, study rooms, theatre, or library. In May 44 the mail from the U.K, was not arriving at all well and though it improved for British troops later in the year, the Indian PsW throughout the Camp's existence hardly received any letters from home at all, and were not allowed by the Germans to write to India in their own languages, their cooking facilities were far from satisfactory and they suffered acutely from the cold. On the whole, however, they did not let these obvious hardships effect them and their morale and discipline and endurance were notably good. Relations between the German Staff and the PWs were very strained at first but Lieut. CORNISH, Col BROWN's chief interpreter, dealt with the problems of PWs with the German Staff and managed, with tact, to improve the atmosphere, and maintained fairly congenial relations between the PWs and the prison staff.
By August conditions had, on the whole improved. Three new barracks had been opened and the compound was enlarged which enabled more active outdoor sports to be played.
The bathing and washing facilities were enlarged and were quite adequate. The clothing situation had improved, three chapels were installed and all religions were allowed to practice freely.
Lt. Col. EVERETT organised the entertainments side of the camp life, and as a theatre had been opened, also study rooms and a library in the basements and attics, and shows of a very high standard were produced regularly, a cinema also was another feature of the recreational facilities.
The A.R.P. in the camp was almost non-existent, and in August the barracks were heavily bombed, the buildings were nearly all damaged and some destroyed, the playing field (compound) was pitted with bomb craters, and the newly opened theatre was destroyed. In spite of the lack of A.R.P. very few prisoners lost their lives, and precautions were immediately introduced and were of a high standard.
By December some of the buildings were still under repair. The cookhouse was burned down during the raid and was not in use again till four or five months later, cooking was communally done in the Indians' cookhouse.
The Prisoners' laundry in Brunswick was also bombed which considerably upset the Camp laundry organisation and men had to make their own arrangements.
The fuel ration allotted to the Camp was quite insufficient, and the central heating was only turned on Saturdays and Sundays until January 45., after that it petered out entirely. But the morale of the Camp was generally good, and the discipline, except for a certain unpleasant element (See Appendix C) excellent.
The following officers during Lt. Col. BROWN's duty as S.B.O. helped to make this possible:-
Lt. K.S. BUTLER
Responsible for all educational examinations in the camp, this called for a lot of hard work and organisation. Five hundred papers were written by officers in December and January 44-45 alone, and the steady work helped to keep morale high.
Capt. SHERWOOD
was Adjutant for 18 months. He dealt most successfully with the string of petty complaints and problems which confronted him at all times and was largely responsible for the smooth running of the administration of the Camp.
4. ESCAPE ORGANISATION.
The Escape Committee in Oflag 79 controlled completely all attempts by PsW to escape. The Committee consisted of various watertight compartments dealing with the following separate subjects:-
Intelligence.
Mapping.
Wireless (News and Special Messages).
Supplies.
Enterprises.
Camp Police (Security)
Codes.
Equipment (Escape Materials).
Briefing (routing of escapers).
The Committee originated in Oflag VIIIF under the direction of Lieut. Col. STIRLING with Major PRINGLE as second i/c., it was extremely well organised and most attempts were foiled not because of a mistake in plans but, because of adverse circumstances.
The members of the Committee are shown on a separate list.
The Committee was approached by would be escapers with plans to suggest, and would either approve the idea or turn it down as impracticable. The plans were submitted first to Lieut. Col. STIRLING and were then passed on to the S.B.O. for final approval. If it was given the Committee then helped to bring the plans to perfection and supplied the applicant with all aids at their disposal, maps, clothing, compasses, money, foreign passes, and briefed him with the latest knowledge referring to foreign helpers, frontier guards and best routes.
Every day the officers in charge of each section of the Committee held a Meeting and pooled information.
In January 45 Col. BROWN, S.B.O. changed some of the members of the Committee, for their own safety. The main reason being that the Germans, thanks to the activities of certain "Stool pigeons" De Wit (or Seth) and Bernville-Clay and others, were becoming aware of the work being done by certain members and for their own safety BROWN thought it better to relieve them from office and keep them ignorant of all future developments. The two who left their jobs were Capt. SINKINS, Officer i/c of 'inside' Intelligence, checking up on new arrivals and reporting on the activities and conversations of all suspicious officers in the Camp, and Capt. WHITE ABBOT i/c of 'outside' Camp Intelligence, collecting and sifting Intelligence from German and foreign 'contacts' and compiling daily summaries from which the coded messages sent to the W.O. were extracted.
The mass escape, which unfortunately was planned but never put into action, was originated at VIIIF by Lt. Col. STIRLING and Major PRINGLE. A hundred were to be involved, and the escape was planned for early May 44. 6 Officers were to go ahead as an advance party to get into touch with partisans, some reliable addresses having been obtained. Unfortunately all six officers were recaptured and two, Major WADESON and Lt. McKENZIE, were killed by the Germans, the explanation being that they had been shot whilst attempting to escape after recapture. The Germans presumably became 'wise' to the mass planned escape and moved the Camp just before the attempt could be carried out. Generally the attempted escapes from VIIIF, and the general initiative of the British leaders in the camp, persuaded the Germans into deciding that such tries in a Camp surrounded by friendly Czech Sudetans was in no way sensible or wise. However, when the Camp moved Lt. CRAM and Major GAZE hid themselves in a false roof of one of the buildings and stayed there for two days. At about 2200 hrs they cut their way through the three wire fences surrounding the Camp and travelled together for a few days into MORAVIA, but Major GAZE became ill and they parted company arranging to meet in SOLICOV and contact the Czech partisans.
Lt. CRAM was recaptured after reaching Prague where the addresses of the partisans he possessed proved either false or non-existent. He was eventually sent to 79 at Brunswick. Major GAZE made contact with Czech partisans and remained with them until the end of the war.
Only on P/W managed to get outside the wire at 79 - Major PERRIN-BROWN. He was at liberty in March 45 for about ten days but was then recaptured at PADERBURN. The equipment supplied to him by the Escape Committee, especially his foreign passes, were excellent and it was not because of insufficient escape aids that he was recaptured.
While at VIII F the main route for escapers was to make for Czechoslovakia or Switzerland... [Page missing]
ESCAPE MATERIAL.
I.S.9 parcels started to arrive at 79 in May 44, readdressed from Italian Camp, later parcels addressed to VIII F began to arrive and during the autumn a steady flow of 'specials' addressed to 79 were received up to the beginning of 45 then the mail organisation was so bad that very few were received.
The parcels were brought straight to the Camp from the Brunswick post office, the British Staff in the parcels office inside 79, Capt. DUNNE and Capt. ROACH, worked with 1 German N.C.O., 2 or 3 privates with an officer supervising.
The system of stealing parcels before inspection was very successful. ROACH and DUNNE by 'collaborating' with the German Staff completely gained their confidence. When warning had been received prior to the arrival of all I.S.9 parcels they, ROACH and DUNNE, were notified and when it appeared it was sorted normally with the other parcels an then at the earliest suitable opportunity one distracted the attention of the German staff whilst the other would leave the store with the parcel concealed. In the case of a not entirely 100% phoney parcel it would be opened in the usual manner and when the Germans were not looking the contraband was extracted and the rest of the contents handed over for inspection.
Parcels arriving without notification were always detected by Capt's ROACH and DUNNE, and throughout the entire time they worked in the Office not one I.S.9 parcel was ever discovered. Both short wave W/T sets sent out arrived with no marking packed in 'Gem' tobacco tins rather larger in size than normally. The sets were extracted, but the tin very pointedly shown to the Germans as they had remarked on its abnormal size.
The system of so-called 'collaboration' earned them considerable odium among the majority of the PsW who were naturally ignorant of their activities, but it worked splendidly as far as escape material was concerned.
W/T sets, maps, concentrated food, clothing of all descriptions, forging materials, and copies of foreign passes were some of the materials most appreciated by Oflag 79. Two gadgets which were not considered to be much use were small compasses, which were not accurate enough, and magnifying glass for forgery, Major CLAYTON found the focus too sharp to work under. He also suggested that small screwdown wirecutters and a fuller range of pro-formae for identity documents, such as types of Ausweiss for normal citizens, and voluntary foreign workers would have been of immense value. When Major PERRIN-BROWN escaped in March 45, posing as a Frenchman released for work, he showed his papers, forged in the camp, three times to police who passed them.
Some of the parcels escaped detection by nothing short of a miracle, a civilian suit, maps and special papers arrived wrapped in a single sheet of brown paper, 'Leisure Hour' labels were suspected and also covers of books, gadgets concealed in games were always passed apparently by Germans had little idea of what to look for and where. The remarkable feature in 79 being that the German Staff seemed to have no liaison between similar staff in other camps, and experience gained in other Camps, repacking of phoney and semi phoney parcels, never appeared to be circulated.
CODE LETTER MAIL.
The communication organisation, was, since Jan 44 both at Oflag VIIIF and 79, under the control of Lt. David CRANE.
The first code letter to be received by the W.O. was written from VIIIF on December 5th 43, arriving on Jan 18 44, and from then until April 45, a steady flow of letters numbering in all 262 were received. The mail deteriorated badly at the beginning of 45, and the last letter to be received was written in Jan 45 though it did not arrive until April.
There were 26 writers at different times throughout the Camp's existence, some writing continuously others for shorter times. All registered writers did valuable work, the following were recommended by Lt. CRANE as outstanding:
Lt. BARKER
Lt. BRECKNELL
Capt. COLBECK
Lt. HILL
Lt. LANDALE
Lt. TAYLOR
Lt. TULL
Lt. WILLIAMS
Most of the original members of the camp came from Italian camps and though many of them knew the existence of code letters their attitude was rather scornful, owing to the fact that in Italian camps code writing as an organised method of communication did not exist, but was left almost completely to private initiative. Lt. CRANE could have changed their outlook but, for security reasons, the organisation in VIIIF and 79 was not revealed and very few people knew of its existence. He also stated that in his opinion the choice of officers who had been taught the code before capture seemed to have been undesirably haphazard, many of them having a negligible sense of security and only a very vague idea of the system and key words. Some officers, however, proved valuable members of the letter writing organisation namely:
BARKER
COLBECK
CLAYTON
DUGGIN
BURELL
LANDALE
OGILVIE-GRANT
SOMERVELL
TAYLOR
TULL
WILLIAMS
The organisation of outgoing messages was classified into two groups
(a) Intelligence
(b) Communications - (code writers, routine parcels, and W/T Sets)
The Intelligence messages were collected by the officer i/c 'I' (since December 44 Lt. Col. TILLEY, previously Lt. Col. STIRLING). This information was brought to the 'I' Officer by various methods of the Escape Committee. Lt. CRAM then discussed what information would be of value to the W.O., having to take into account the delay in mail - wrote it in message form, obtained the approval of the S.B.O., and handed it to one of his staff for despatch. Message coming under (b) group were compiled by CRAM and despatched in the same way.
Incoming messages were decoded by the recipient and handed to Lt. CRAM who showed them to the officer i/c and the S.B.O.
The Germans were aware that some form of communication with the W.O. was in operation and suspected the mail but the only counter measures taken were hold up and delay occasional testing for invisible ink, and the constant presence of 'stool pigeons' especially one R de WITT (or SETH) who showed a persistent interest in code writing but never found out anything. The Security was excellent.
W/T COMMUNICATIONS.
W/T played a very important part in the escape and organisation in Oflag 79. Three home made sets were used at different times, and two midget short wave sets were received from W.O. These could not receive the long wave transmissions which could be received quite easily on the home made sets. An emergency transmitter was built but never used.
Capt. TONGE was in charge of wireless receiving and transmitting equipment constructed for the most part out of empty food tins and sundry fittings. The home made sets could get the B.B.C. and War Office instructions.
The Germans made determined and intensive efforts to locate the equipment and also employed 'stool pigeons', but not one single radio component was ever discovered. Having failed to find out what they were certain existed the Germans cut off the electrical power, undeterred, however, Capt. TONGE and his associates built an emergency generator which worked every bit as well as the German electric power.
Help in the construction of the set was received from one Heer Rossu, a civilian roof mender employed in the camp, he brought in the equivalent of three wireless sets in spare parts and was very willing to help the PsW who repaid him in cigarettes and chocolates.
Secrecy attached to the service was excellent, very few people knew it existed, although wide spread knowledge would have bolstered up morale. For obvious reasons it was not disclosed, and maintained throughout 44 & 45 a constant source of communication to the Camp from the W.O.
OFLAG 79
PERSONNEL.
S.B.O's
Col. WADDILOVE ......................... May 44 - Aug 44
Capt. MICKLETHWAITE, R.N. ..... Aug 44 - Oct 44
A/Col. BROWN .............................. Oct 44 - Apr 45
ADJUTANT.
Capt. SHERWOOD
ESCAPE COMMITTEE.
Lt. Col. STIRLING i/c
Lt. Col TILLEY i/c FROM JAN 45.
Capt. WHITE-ABBOTT INTELLIGENCE OFFICER (OUTSIDE CAMP) REMOVED FROM OFFICE JAN 45.
Maj. R. BERRY o/c Maps
Lt. CRANE i/c CODE AND INFORMATION
Maj. PRINGLE 2nd i/c to Col. STIRLING
Maj. RYAN 2nd i/c to Col. TILLEY (As from Jan 45)
Capt. CUMMINGS )
Maj. NEWMAN ) ESCAPE.
Capt. SINKINS i/c INTELLIGENCE (INSIDE CAMP) REMOVED FROM OFFICE JAN 45.
Maj. CLAYTON i/c FORGING (PAPERS & PASSES)
Maj. LEE )
Lt. NEAVE ) WIRELESS
Capt. TONGE )
Lt. WILEZEOSKI )
Capt. SIMPSON ) SUPPLY & BLACK MARKET
Lieut. GIMLETT )
Lieut. TOLL ) INTERROGATIONS
Lieut. HURT-BROWN )
Maj. RATCLIFFE SECURITY OF EQUIPMENT
Lt. SPEARS RADIO NEWS RECORDER
ENTERTAINMENT.
Lt. Col, EVERETT
MESSING AND COOKHOUSE.
Major TEMPLE
Capt. STORMANT
S.M.O.
Lt. Col. THOMPSON
REPORT OF THE S.B.O. COLONEL W.D.E. BROWN R.A.
I have the honour to beg leave to submit sundry points with regard to general activities in Oflag 79, Germany. I joined this Camp as a Prisoner of War in March 1944, and in October of that year took over the duties of Senior British Officer, in which position I continued until our release by Allied Forces in April 1945.
The most unsatisfactory activities in this Camp have been those of gambling and trading. Gambling was officially forbidden and, on taking on the duties of Senior British Officer, I made it clear to all ranks that this was the case, and that His Majesty's Government took a grave view of excessive gambling in camps. It will be appreciated, I hope, that under conditions of prison life, it has been quite impossible entirely to prevent "underground" gambling; there is no doubt that this has taken place, and I have strong reasons for believing that certain officers have either won or lost considerably larger sums of money than they could afford to play for. I also have reason to believe that certain officers have covered their losses by writing "provisional" cheques on notepaper, which they are going to be unable to honour. I am unable to provide any names in connection with this, even if it were deemed advisable that I should do so, and I imagine that any subsequent difficulties will be sported out by the culprits themselves and not aired as "dirty linen" in public. With regard to trading, this unpleasant practice was equally impossible to suppress. Certain officers would hoard such luxury articles as cigarettes and wait until supplies became exhausted, when they would set up underground markets and sell them for exorbitant sums of money (in sterling). It seems that forty pounds for one hundred cigarettes was a common deal during the really difficult days at the end (I believe the highest ever was one pound per cigarette). Unfortunately, the Indian V.C.O.s became involved in this, particularly the Sikhs who, being non smokers, had hoarded considerable numbers of cigarettes for this very purpose. I have every reason to believe that the Sihks hold "cheques" from British officers for considerable sums of money, and here again, I am doubtful as to whether some of those "cheques" will ever be honoured and this may well have unfortunate repercussions. I endeavoured to obtain a return of all "cheques" on British Banks held by Indian V.C.O.s explaining that I wished to assist in covering their interests in the likely event of banks not accepting "cheques" written on odd pieces of paper; all Indians except the Sihks submitted a nil return, the Sihks, however, pleaded that what cheques they held was their own private and personal affair, and that they did not wish to disclose them, even if it meant that they would get no assistance in obtaining payment if the cheques were not accepted. I could, if required to do so, name four British officers whom I interviewed and who admitted to either buying or selling certain goods for fantastic sums of money, though I regret there must be many more that I am unable to trace. One of the reasons I raise this subject of gambling and trading is that certain officers, on return home, will present their camp pay cards for payment and will show considerable credit balances, i.e. far in excess of what their prison rates of pay could ever have amounted to. Some of these officers are officially holding authorised camp funds and charities which they are responsible to me for disposing of correctly. I have forwarded to the Army Pay Office a list of all such funds and charities, together with the names of the officers who hold them. Officers who are not shown on this list, but who hold excessive balances, have acquired such balances by other means, very probably gambling or trading.
