Oct 1958

ZENDA REGURGENS "Good evening. Have you seen my friend, Marcel."

"Yes. He has gone to collect some eggs; do you want to buy some?"

"Yes. I would like 451."

Thus did the dusty 451 group of P.o.W.s from the notorious Castlemartin Camp identify themselves at the end of the first leg of their escape.

We had set out at 2000 hrs. during a diversion at the other end of the camp, and had run through hedges, streams, and fields, making a successful breakout. It was dusk when we reached Marcel and, tired though we were, we were directed to proceed a considerable distance further to meet Pierre. Our route took us by night along the dangerous coastline and it was with much relief that, after five hours of cautious travel, we made contact with Pierre and spent two hours in blissful unconsciousness, rolled up in the latest Army sleeping bags. A boot awakened us at 0400 hrs., and it was 18 very weary escapees who set out on the next 8-mile leg.

We had been told that Heinrich would pick us up in his boat at 0730 hrs. At 0900 hrs there was still no sign of our contact or his craft. What had happened? Were we betrayed? . . . . At 1000 hrs. our anxiety changed to joy as, out of the pouring rain, Heinrich stepped out of his craft.

After a morning spent in recuperation from a somewhat stormy crossing, we continued our journey in the heat of the sun, by now beset with such devilments as horseflies, dysentery and blisters.

The disused aerodrome at Talbenny was our objective. It was only then that we found exactly how many disused aerodromes there were in the area. It was only after much reference to our maps that Luigi was finally pinpointed in the control tower at Talbenny.

Before we crawled into our sleeping bags in our windowless retreat, we attempted to clean up our feet on the glass-covered floor.

It was 0200 hrs. when we were rudely thrust forth into the darkness with orders to cover 12 miles of difficult country by a forced march in three hours.

Footsore and weary we arrived at R.N.A.S. Brawdy. "Who the blank is Hernando and what the blank are you doing here?" was the comment of an irate Duty Officer specially aroused from his bed.

And so our Army Adventure Course was completed.

D.J.C. and F.C.B. 60