| It was
the end of January 1945, the 1500 Kreigies (POWs) from StalagLuft
7, Bankau, Upper Silesia, had been on the march for 8 days.
We were very cold, hungry, tired and a little despondent.
The guards who were mostly older men and Volkstrum were also
tired and getting increasingly irritable. As we entered the
small town, the guards informed the local population who were
lining the street, that we were "RAF Terror Flyers."
This brought about a torrent of abuse from the local onlookers,
and to heighten the tension a Column of Panzers had stopped
close by. The crews sitting on top of their tanks decided
to join in the crowds' derision, fired off a few rounds in
our direction while giving the thumbs down sign.
Someone at the head of our column started singing a Vera
Lynn song "You are my sunshine." The effect was
dramatic and stimulating. The singing became louder as it
swept down the column. The Kreigies shook off their lethargy,
formed themselves into threes, and with heads held high
marched through that town singing loudly in defiance of
our reception. -
It was a very proud moment !
|
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