(11) On the run

I thought about what had happened, but not for long. I was going to die in this place unless I made a move. At the first opportunity I sneaked out, cut the wires, went through the water, and ran like hell for the railway line, followed it to the station and jumped on the first train I saw.

I sat in the carriage trying not to look too scared. I don’t scare easily so I soon relaxed and waited for the ticket collector. It was a girl and I thought , “Great, I can turn on the charm here, I’ve got a chance."

The girl came up to me, looked me in the eye and said straight out, "You are an escaper"

I was stunned, but stayed calm and said, “In a way, I suppose I am”.

"What do you mean?" she said

“Well there are so many lives in that factory over there, so I could be.”

“What, you mean Rieche? I'll have to report you to the SA you know. In half an hour the train will stop near headquarters, and I'll turn you in.”

Well the charm was not working and I was shaking in my trousers by now. I'd got this far to be stopped by a ticket collector. I began to wish my father had stuck it in a wall and left it for people to hang their hats on instead of producing me.

The ticket collector continued punching tickets, then came back to me and and asked

"What nationality are you?”

“Polish, born and bred, my father and my grandfathers before me!”

“You speak good German, what other languages do you speak”

“Russian, French, Czech,” I was swinging from panic to arrogance now.

“I still have to hand you in to the authorities”, but she then told me that in a few minutes, the train would slow down as it went up hill.

She seemed interested in me and came back again , so I decided to have one last go at the charm.

"What are you running away from? Tell me about yourself.” she said.

“All I can I say is, I'm a POW, I've worked in factories and on farms.”

“Well once Germany win the war you'll have to stay here for good.”

“I've heard that all us foreign men will be castrated!”

“Yes, that's what I've heard, she said, We don't want people breeding with foreign blood, as Hitler says we all become pure Aryan, pure blonde.”

She returned again later and said, soon the train will go very slowly up hill.”

I said, “look Frauline, when the war finishes, we might meet again, and we can celebrate the fact that you helped me, and saved my life.”

"What do you mean?" she said.

“Well you're helping me by telling me that the train will go slowly, that there's a forest, and so forth.”

“Oh well I suppose so, she said.

“I said that I'd like to meet her after the war, so that we can celebrate.

“Oh, yes? Well are you single or married?”

“Well I'm single at the moment, I'm a POW.”

The charm was working as she said, “now look, when the train goes slowly, I can look the other way while you jump off, otherwise I'll have to report you to the SA. The next town has an SA headquarters”


I now realised that there was only one thing for it, I would have to put my trust in God and jump off the train. So I waited my chance, sure enough, the train slowed down and I opened the door and leapt from the train.

Now, unbeknownst to me, running along side the track was a signal cable, and as I leaped, I landed astride the cable and with such a force, I nearly did Hitler's job of castrating me for him!

To this day, I still get pain from that fall, even at 90.

I lay, dazed, in the ditch between the track and the road, I don't know for how long, as I just could not move as the pain was so excruciating. Some hours passed, but in the end, I stood up, half-conscious with the pain, and decided I had to get away and get some cover. So, I crept over the road and headed in to the forest. I walked for hours, passing close to villages, I believe I was somewhere in the region of Aachen. I was hungry, thirsty and half-dead with the pain in my bollocks from where I hit the signal cable. Again, I found myself wishing that my dear old dad had stuck it in a wall for people to hang their coats on, instead of producing me! I wondered what I'd done for God to punish me so!

I continued to walk through the forest, until I came across what I assumed to be a deserted German bunker. Inside it was dark, and infested with rats and mice. Just inside, I saw the half-eaten remains of a sandwich that the rats were eating. I was so hungry that I chased the rats away and eat that sandwich! The rats looked at me and I stared straight back they were not going to get my gourmet meal!

My meal gave me some more encouragement, so I kept walking, walking, walking.


Early in the morning, before dawn I heard voices in the distance and the persistent yapping of a dog, so I found a large tree, climbed up in to its branches and fell asleep. When I woke again, it was daylight, so I shook myself fully awake, climbed down from the tree and started walking again. I vaguely knew that the forest led me towards the area of Aachen where I might be able to find somewhere to stay and work. I walked for maybe three days. I eventually reached what I assumed to be the Maginot line, the old French defences against Germany.