I did three of these stories originally but this is the only one I can find at the moment! Apologies if you've read it before!
Episode 2 - 'Blame it on Evans!'
In the introduction to the 'Escape from Colditz' booklet that accompanies the Action Man set, Major PM Reid writes about the enjoyment he got as a schoolboy, reading great escape books of WW1. How ironic (and inspirational) were the words of one of those writers, AJ Evans, years later when he wrote:
'The whole story of Colditz... will make an enthralling story; but it must be written by one of the men who was there.'
The irony being of course that Major Reid was now one of those men and like his hero became a celebrated author of books. His were about his time in Colditz.
My story is drawn from a combination of two real-life escape attempts...
12. December 1941For their manhole escapes, the Dutch had tricked the guards into thinking they were all present at the prisoner count conducted in the park before the return to the castle. Two weeks before Christmas, the Germans discovered how. Suspicious that something was up during the count, the officer in charge asked all prisoners standing to the right of him to step to the right, and all those to the left of him to step to the left.
One man remained in the middle. He turns out to be a dummy, all dressed up along with another equally gussied-up mannequin standing in for two Dutch officers, who were soon found hiding under a pile of leaves!!!
And the other true tale...
7 September 1942Deciding that the prisoners, particularly the British, had too many personal belongings, the Germans ordered them to box the possessions up in three-cubic-foot Red Cross wooden crates, then carry them up to a third-floor storeroom at the castle's south end.
The next day, a guard noticed a rope of bed sheets tied together hanging out the storeroom window.
In the room, guards found one of the crates opened, with a note scribbled on top: "I don't like the air in Colditz. Auf wiedersehen. Ex-PW Flying Officer Bruce."
The diminutive Englishman Dominic Bruce was caught a week later.
Here we go then Chaps. Checking out from Hotel Colditz - 'Blame it on, Evans!'
For many long months, our Lads burrowed away up in the rafters of the British quarters, constructing false walls, and a maize of hidden passage ways....
Plaster and board was transferred to kit bags, and hidden in another section containing the Brits' personal affects and luggage
As they toiled the team started to realise that it would take much longer than first imagined....
...... but they were desperate for news of a green light from the Escape Officer...
Finally, the months of hard work, bribery, and patience paid off....
Along with even better news!!!
In the early hours, Reidy gently moved a piece of false ceiling in the attic roof aside, and took his first steps outside towards freedom...
The blast of cold air at that height was thrilling....
Two of his comrades passed the endless sheets that they had knotted together out to him, as he balanced in the freezing night air.
Suddenly, the search lights began to randomly sweep the rooftops...
In a desperate attempt to instinctively hide the sheets, he almost dropped them over the side.
What Major Reid couldn't have known was that the sound of his boots scrabbling to keep hold on the roof, had alerted a guard...
Half dressed, the trooper peered out into the black trying to pin point where the suspicious noise was coming from...
Keeping his Eagle-eyes peeled, the German gave a final sweep of the roof before deciding to raise the alarm, and a full roll call was decided upon.
With adrenalin pumping through his veins, and believing he was only minutes away from being discovered, he threw the sheets over the wall, and practically fell down the hundred feet of the perimeter wall....
Meanwhile, the rest of the Brits ever so slowly began to muster and gathered in the courtyard, yawning, grumbling, and most importantly stalling for time....
The prisoners were counted. As if by magic - Reidy was there... all present and correct!
To the relief of all the Brits welcome words were barked out across the court yard...
'Ja! Häftlinge, die alle vorhanden und konform, Kommandante!'
The Kommandant decided that a full cohort of prisoners must mean a false alarm. These things happen from time to time...
Meanwhile, Reidy was wincing and preparing to ignore his sprained ankle...
in anticipation of a home run!
And back in the British courtyard, the Team were preparing to welcome a new member!
**********************
POST SCRIPT!
Merry Xmas AMMO!!!
Merry Xmas Everyone!!!!
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Subject: Christmas Colditz story! 
Sun Dec 15, 2013 9:33 pm
I'm a big fan of the BBC's Colditz tv-series of 1972, and this tale reminds me of it 
