"The next day, Friday 18-5-45, I managed to borrow a cycle and so went to Teplitz along with a fellow from the camp. The distance was not great, only 9 miles, and we soon found the place we wanted, Stalag IVC.
On the way into Teplitz, we saw several posters written in English. These advised all PoWs to remain where they were if they were getting food. The notices informed us that the large towns were already congested and the food situation was acute.
We could get little information at Stalag IVC: the place was almost deserted. We cycled back feeling our journey had been in vain.
Later the same day, 3 American ex-PoWs came along in a 15cwt truck. They had found the vehicle and after several efforts, had succeeded in making the engine go. They were going to Pilsen the next day and wanted somewhere to park their truck.
We gladly offered to look after the precious vehicle when they said we might go with them!
We got to work with paint and one side of the truck we coloured red with ‘America’ across it in blue while the other was blue with ‘England’ in red. We hastily made a Union Jack and a Stars and Stripes flag and fixed them on the front of our truck.
The vehicle looked quite gay by nightfall and we packed up food for our journey and the Americans secured some petrol from somewhere.
We went to bed very excited about our next day’s journey knowing we were starting on our long-awaited trek home.
from the PoW diaries of my dad, Bert Martin (signaller in 67th Med. Regt, Royal Artillery)
n.b. I've always wondered where the material for those flags was obtained but I have to trust in the truth of this as my dad was the last person given to flights of fancy. Too late to ask anyway.....
A small and belated September update for 2024, where I am still, after many years' membership, on 365 Project, also now posting elsewhere but wanting...
I am limited on 365 time at the moment because I am so busy at home, but had to check out your photo to see if the next instalment of your Dad's diaries were here. So glad I checked it. Nice shot too. I am off to bed now as I am buggered tonight.
Hope you had sweet dreams, Babs! One more week until he gets home. I might do some one-off posts in the future as I obviously have new 365 friends now who have not seen what I have posted before.
Loving hearing of your dads experience after the surrender of Germany, quite hard for them still but very enterprising with the American truck. Lovely DOF & the lovely white flowers & buds are very pretty!
Hope you had sweet dreams, Babs! One more week until he gets home. I might do some one-off posts in the future as I obviously have new 365 friends now who have not seen what I have posted before.