FORMER PRISONER’S EXPERIENCES

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24571, 21 May 1945, Page 3

FORMER PRISONER’S EXPERIENCES

NEW ZEALANDER ESCAPES FROM GERMANS (Official War Correspondent 2nd NZ-E.Ft * KLAGENFURT. May 18. To finish up the war as lord of a castle in Bussian-occupied Austria was the experience of Neville R. Fountain, of Clyde, v ho has arrived here en route for Italy by plane. • Fountain, who was with the 26th Battalion when captured in Greece, was one of the many New Zealanders who did not take kindly, to German discipline as practised in prison camps. He served 10 days in the .“bunkers” for hitting a guard and had several other terms for other offences. On his chest is ■ a scar made when a Gutman jabbed him with a bayonet for being slow in complying with a Command to put out a light. Four times he got away. Once he .Was recaptured near Villach, when snaking for Italy, and another time he ptoost made the Russian lines. Nevertheless, he could not evade the march. Which so many prisoners were forced into from Graz to Market Pongau, Bear Salzburg. Four days before the war ended he escaped from this camp. The reasons for; heading back toward Graz were twofold: he knew the Russians were Sear there, and he wanted to locate a lend, a Canadian who had been captiffed at Dieppe, He did not succeed in this, but five Allied soldiers found tte magnificent castle of Laranach. This they proceeded. to take over, making arrangements with the Russians who were in control of the surftounding countryside. The staff was retained; and in this atmosphere of feudal splendour they lived for severaldays. During that time the castle was also used as an Allied infewhation centre for a score of Allied prisoners of war who had been in tiding in the neighbourhood. At, last they learned the whereabouts of the British forces and this morning made their way to Klagenfurt.

SOME UNITS OF N.Z.E.F. REINFORCEMENTS