Evening star., 1919-03-16
OutWitting the Guards of a Hun Prison Camp

picket fence. topped with barbed wire
which slOped upward and inward for
about five or six feet. Another fence Of
barbed wire. similarly topped, cut Off
the prisoners ground from the rest Of
the camp.
Between this barbed wire fence and
the prisoners ground was q neutral
zone, also fenced. which completely en-
circled the prisoners part Of the camp,
thus preventing them from approaching
within twelve feet Of the outside fence.
Here the prisoners of war amused
themselves as best they might. eating
war rations. suppleme nted by what
they could get from home, and drink.
ing coffee made from acorns. The
arrangements were not luxurious and
puntshments in the cells were prompt
and heavy. even for light offenses.
But the greatest sport Of all in
Holzminden camp was the sport OF
trying to get away: springing from
that deathless optimism which stirs
hood.
Lengthy discussion evolved 4 plan,
the basement of the barra cks, reach!
ing. under the neutral zone and the
permanent fence, and emerging out
in the cornfield beyond the camp.
Apart from the fact that It would
require ,, a seyenty-fve; foot tunnel,
the dirt must be disposed Of where
1t would not be seen, and that the
whole thing must be done so the
German guards would not discover
H-apart from these trifiing handi.
said
There happened to be, not far from
the prisoners barracks, q pile of dirt,
Here. 1t was decided. the fresh dirt
from the tunnel should be distributed,
Tools were made from tin camp uteni
sils: the stones were loosened in the
work started.
About three feet high-big enough
for a man to crouch and crawl in---
they dug out this tunnel, the simple
operation occupying them nine full
months. Only one man could dig 81
time, and as the tunnel deepened q
string Of helpers stretched from be.
hind him to the mouth Of the tunnel.
passing the handfuls Of dirt from one
to another. The last man. slipping II
into the pockets of his coat. saunter.
ing casually away to tho dirt pile,
Nine months to dig seventy-hve
feet Of tunnel! Every cup Of dirt
surreptitiously carried away in pack
cts! A long, desperate job, asking
for stout enthusiasm, abundant faith
and large courage!
Long before the tunnel was COM
pleted-and each day the mouth was
carefully obscured by putting the
stones back in place-plans for the
"break" were made.
@ lf
X X
Obviously. the whole camp could
not go. for immediate pursuit and
capture Of many, If not all. would
be certain. They decided on a group,
who should first make the dash, and
these were picked by chance. Rem
devious were selected where groups
could wait and collect their numbers.
outside, to complete the trip.
Capt. Booth--the creation OF the
royal air service during his captivity
had made him captain-was not one
of the lucky ones. However, the Ger
man papers and the carefully CEN
sored allied communic..es served to
whet his appetite for action, and he
decided to make one attempt on his
own responsibility.
He cropped his hair short, got pos.
session Of a round German cap and
long coat; he obtained. by dark ana
devious ways, forged camp pass.
and tried to run the gantlet Of the
guards.
what did the punishment in cells
for that attempt matter?" he remark
ed. II had been in before and vas
bound to get in again any time. The
chance was worth 1t even II the
watchfulness Of the guards spoiled
it."
brought a new doubt. The guards
never came near: not sign OF sus-
picion anywhere. This. decided the
tunnelers. was In itself Suspicious.
Obviously there was chance the
Germans knew Of the operation all
along and were letting them 60
ahead. and merely waiting for them
to show up on the outside, when they
would be recaptured and get the
capped prisoners. gs
obviously, also. the courage and
persistence that had spent nine
months building tunnel. In inmts
nent danger Of being discovered. was
not going to balk at any new danger.
They rigged up the dummy on the
theory that dead prisoner would
have even less chance than a live one.
AS the frst Of the fugitives reached
the mouth of the tunnel in the corn.
field he crouched down. and while the
waiting line behind him cooked their
ears for shot slowly pushed the
dummy out Of the hole.
No shots greeted this appearance,
and in the next minute the first OF
the prisoners was on his perilous way
to freedom. Twenty eight used the
tunnel; then II collapsed.
The armistice brought freedom In