Alistair Panton (Part 2)
3. ATTEMPTED ESCAPE.
About the end of August 40, I crawled out of the hut in which I had been placed for the night with French POWs near AACHEN. I walked Southwest for about 12 hours, when I was stopped by a policeman. I was handed over to German Army personnel and placed in a cell until the following day, when I was taken to HAEMER via DORTMUND.
4. ESCAPE ACTIVITIES.
At STALAG LUFT I (BARTH) from Dec.40 until March 42, I assisted in digging about fifteen tunnels, one of which was successful. During Aug. 41 this tunnel was used and S/Ldr. McCOLM, S/Ldr. LOCKETT and F/Lt. NEWMAN escaped. I was to have escaped from this tunnel, but the third man was seen getting out and the rest of us had to give up.
At STALAG LUFT III (SAGAN), from March to September 42 I was engaged on tunnels all the time, but none were successful.
I assisted in the escape of F/Lt. LAMOND, F/Lt. BEST and F/Lt. GOLDFINCH, during July 42, when they dug themselves out of a "molehill". We had dug a small tunnel first for them to put the earth in, when they dug their way out.
During August 1942 I tried to get out of the camp in a laundry basket but was caught at the gate. I was wearing a white coat, R.A.F. trousers and jackboots, and had maps, compasses, identity papers, money and food with me. I served 21 days in cells for this attempt.
At OFLAG XXIB (SCHUBIN) I worked on four tunnels between Setember 42 and March 43, but none of these were successful. When the big tunnel break was made about 10 March 43, I hid with S/Ldr. GERICKE, Lt. RUFFEL S.A.A.F., F/Lt. LUSH R.C.A.F., F/Lt. LUMSDEN, F/Lt. R EDGE, F/Lt. MacKAY and F/Lt. D.W. FOSTER, in order to escape when the Camp was emptied, as we knew a move was pending. We were caught the day before the move was to take place and served about 10 days in the cells.
At STALAG LUFT III (SAGAN) I assisted in digging two or three more tunnels all of which were discovered before completion. W/Cdr. KAYLL was in charge of these.
During December 43, Lt. RUFFELL, F/Lt. CRAWLEY, Lt. LUBBOCK R.N., and I had a plan to cause diversion in one of the blocks and we were to hide down by the gate, so that when the Germans came in to see what was the matter, we would march out in the confusion, two dressed as guards and two intended to be POWs caught in a tunnel. This failed as the Germans only sent in three or four soldiers instead of a truckload, as expected.
5. LIBERATION
I was liberated at LUCKENWALDE on 22 April 1945 by the Russian Army. I remained there for about five weeks and was then sent by truck to HALLE. I was flown from there to BRUSSELS and from BRUSSELS to the U.K. 0n 26th May.