大象传媒

An incident happened, while our P.O.W. column rested in a field. A group of houses were visible. A German sentry patrolled a rampart between the houses. My friend and I were keen to contact at least one of the houses, and barter some of our Red Cross food. We observed the movements of the sentry. He marched the whole length of the rampart. We calculated that we could be over the rampart, and in the shelter of the houses by the time he turned.

When the appropriate moment arrived, we raced over the rampart and reached the houses. We approached the back door of one - and knocked. Someone had been alerted - we hoped it was a woman. The door was opened wide - we were struck dumb. Filling the space in front of us was a German Corporal - the one we knew as "Trigger Happy Fritz", who often waved his revolver about, when shouting at prisoners to get up.

Together, we raced down the garden path, as we saw his hand grasping for his revolver. Running side by side made us an easier target, so we split into different angles. Our fear was that even if the Corporal only fired in the air, it would alert the sentry. Perhaps he would think we were trying to escape, and that would increase the danger we were in. With a final effort, we crossed the rampart, and were soon absorbed into the anonymous mass of the other prisoners.

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