Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 17, 2024 21:36:19 GMT 12
Former War Prisoners Meet To See Escape Film
Fourteen New Zealand prisoners of World War II who escaped from prison camps, slave camps, and working parties during the war and who now live in Christchurch, met last night for the first time. They attended a screening of the film, "The One That Got Away,” which tells the story of a young German airman, Franz von Werra, who was shot down during the Battle of Britain and escaped three times — the last time from Canada to the United States, which had not entered the war at that time.
Most of the men escaped only for a short time. Some were recaptured within six months, others within days. Mr J. C. Stone, who jumped from a train at Treviso, Northern Italy, in September, 1942, was at large for seven months.
A Christchurch man who made three escapes is Mr G. C. Loader. He was captured by the Germans in July, 1942, held at Benghazi for three months, and then taken to Germany and Italy. He escaped in August, 1943, and was free until December. After another short term of imprisonment he escaped again for a short time. When Italy capitulated he escaped and made his way to Switzerland.
Mr R. Black, who was captured in the Western Desert in 1942, escaped from a working party in Poland, but was recaptured after about three weeks. When the Russians entered Polish territory they were unsure of Mr Black’s nationality and would not believe he was a New Zealander. He was taken to a gaol in Odessa. After several months there a tramp ship arrived at a nearby port. The first mate, who came from Christchurch, was asked to question Mr Black. After several hours of questions about New Zealand he said he was satisfied that Mr Black was a “dinkum Kiwi.” When the ship left port Mr Black was allowed on it.
A former sergeant pilot in the Royal Air Force, Mr A. L. Littlejohn, was shot down in a Spitfire over Abbeville, France, in March, 1942, captured, and imprisoned in Germany. He escaped in November, 1942, with a friend who was recaptured three days later. Mr Littlejohn finally escaped to Belgium.
Mr J. M. Dalmau is not a New Zealander, but a Spanish-born naturalised British subject. He was a prisoner of the Germans for most of the war. In 1939 he joined the French Army and served until May, 1940, when he was captured. In November, 1943, at a camp in St. Malo, Mr Dalmau and five other prisoners escaped. Four were killed, and Mr Dalmau and a fellow were recaptured. Seventeen days later they were sent to a camp in the Channel Islands.
Other escapers invited to see the film were Messrs A. G. Dunbar, W. F. Daley, R. M. Wood, J. S. Cusack, A. Stace, W. J. Woods, J. C. Maher, and R. W. Dunbier, and Corporal Hansen, of Burnham Military Camp.
THE PRESS, 25 OCTOBER 1958
Fourteen New Zealand prisoners of World War II who escaped from prison camps, slave camps, and working parties during the war and who now live in Christchurch, met last night for the first time. They attended a screening of the film, "The One That Got Away,” which tells the story of a young German airman, Franz von Werra, who was shot down during the Battle of Britain and escaped three times — the last time from Canada to the United States, which had not entered the war at that time.
Most of the men escaped only for a short time. Some were recaptured within six months, others within days. Mr J. C. Stone, who jumped from a train at Treviso, Northern Italy, in September, 1942, was at large for seven months.
A Christchurch man who made three escapes is Mr G. C. Loader. He was captured by the Germans in July, 1942, held at Benghazi for three months, and then taken to Germany and Italy. He escaped in August, 1943, and was free until December. After another short term of imprisonment he escaped again for a short time. When Italy capitulated he escaped and made his way to Switzerland.
Mr R. Black, who was captured in the Western Desert in 1942, escaped from a working party in Poland, but was recaptured after about three weeks. When the Russians entered Polish territory they were unsure of Mr Black’s nationality and would not believe he was a New Zealander. He was taken to a gaol in Odessa. After several months there a tramp ship arrived at a nearby port. The first mate, who came from Christchurch, was asked to question Mr Black. After several hours of questions about New Zealand he said he was satisfied that Mr Black was a “dinkum Kiwi.” When the ship left port Mr Black was allowed on it.
A former sergeant pilot in the Royal Air Force, Mr A. L. Littlejohn, was shot down in a Spitfire over Abbeville, France, in March, 1942, captured, and imprisoned in Germany. He escaped in November, 1942, with a friend who was recaptured three days later. Mr Littlejohn finally escaped to Belgium.
Mr J. M. Dalmau is not a New Zealander, but a Spanish-born naturalised British subject. He was a prisoner of the Germans for most of the war. In 1939 he joined the French Army and served until May, 1940, when he was captured. In November, 1943, at a camp in St. Malo, Mr Dalmau and five other prisoners escaped. Four were killed, and Mr Dalmau and a fellow were recaptured. Seventeen days later they were sent to a camp in the Channel Islands.
Other escapers invited to see the film were Messrs A. G. Dunbar, W. F. Daley, R. M. Wood, J. S. Cusack, A. Stace, W. J. Woods, J. C. Maher, and R. W. Dunbier, and Corporal Hansen, of Burnham Military Camp.
THE PRESS, 25 OCTOBER 1958
