SENT TO CASTLE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 96, 24 April 1945, Page 9

SENT TO CASTLE

CAPTAIN UPHAM, V.C.

INCORRIGIBLE GERMAN HATER (Special P.A. Correspondent.) LONDON, April 23. "Incorrigible German hater" they called him, and for that reason, and because he was always attempting to escape, the Germans sent Captain Charles Upham, V.C., of Christchurch, to a mediaeval castle at Colditz, south of Leipzig. In this ancient pile with its thick stone walls and dungeons, which had been used for prisoners during the last war, were housed highranking and highborn prisoners, men who were classified as "German haters," and prisoners who had tried persistently to escape. Captain Upham therefore had the distinction of qualifying for the last two classifications. It was there that the King's nephew, Mr. Churchill's nephew, Mr. J. G. Winant's son, and other persons were kept until the approach of the Americans, when they were moved in the middle of the night to be held as hostages. With them were also taken two Maoris, Privates V. McLean and R. Mitai, both of North Auckland, probably to act as batmen. It is thought that this party may have been taken to Salzburg to be held against the lives of Hitler and his high-ranking Nazis. Men of all nationalities were kept in this castle and they included, in addition to British, American, and Polish generals, De Gaullist and Vichy French officers, and also Dutch and Germans who had witnessed atrocities and "knew too much." TAKEN WHEN WOUNDED. Captain Upham, who was the second New Zealand V.C. to be liberated, was taken prisoner at Ruweisat Ridge, El Alamein, when he was wounded in a leg and an arm with machine-gun and rifle bullets. The position was taken by the 21st Panzer Division, who behaved correctly and did their best for the wounded, though they suffered many casualties themselves. Later Captain Upham and others were handed over to the Italians, who treated them abominably, allowing them to go without food and water. Eventually they were moved to Mersa Matruh, on the Mediterranean seashore, where a British doctor did the best he could with his limited supplies. Three weeks later, after continued ill treatment by the Italians, Captain Upham was put aboard a hospital ship, sharing a cabin with wounded Germans, and eventually arrived at Caserta hospital, near Naples, where the

conditions were also very bad. Many prisoners, in addition to their wounds, were also suffering from dysentery and malnutrition, but the British doctors did an excellent job in spite of the limitations. SENT TO BETTER CAMP. At Bologna, Captain Upham found conditions much better, and he recovered there, being sent to the Modena Camp on January 7, 1943, where the senior British officer was the New Zealander, Colonel Shuttleworth. Conditions at Modena were good, and the newcomers received a great welcome. It was a source of deep annoyance among the New Zealanders, however, that they did not receive any of their parcels from home, though they had letters saying they had been sent. They were stolen by the Italians, who were past-masters at petty thieving, and had even taken everything possible from the wounded, including their boots, watches, and pens. When Italy signed the armistice, Captain Upham, with others, was moved by the Germans. He attempted to escape while crossing the Po River, but could only get a few hundred yards away, since, he could find no cover. The men who recaptured him were later reprimanded for not having shot him. Many more attempts to escape were made from the railway trucks. Some were successful. Captain Upham was in a wooden truck in which a goodsized hole had been made, but which was seen by the Germans. As a result, all the occupants were removed to a steel truck. Their destination was Lamsdorf, where they received a warm welcome from other New Zealanders, who were very generous in providing the newcomers with what food they could spare. NEW EFFORT FAILS. After ten days the men from Italy had to move on, but during the interval Captain Upham tried to exchange identities with a private, so that he could go out on working parties and have a chance to escape, while the private went on to the officers' camp with Captain Upham's identity. This "double" was detected and Captain Upham had to go on to Offenburg in the Black Forest. It was another fourday trip in cattle trucks. The next move was to Oflag VA at Weinsburg. where there were approximately 1000 British, South African, Australian, and New Zealand prisoners. It was here that many attempts at escape were made, but though some men got away, nobody ever got out of the country. Captain Upham took part in so many attempts and assisted with so many tunnels that the Germans eventually decided to move him to the castle at Colditz. Even there some very ingenious attempts at escape were made and succeeded, in spite of the rigid control, but Captain Upham was unsuccessful and spent much of his time studying agriculture and reading history, political and military. In spite of the strict discipline, the prisoners managed to hide a wireless set. It was bricked right into the wall, and though the Germans had suspicions and made several searches, they never found it. Thus everyone was able to follow the news, and when the Americans were approaching on April 15 and the Germans tried to get the prisoners to march, they refused, and later were able to watch the Americans of the 69th Division in the battle for the town. NOT ALLOWED TO FIGHT. Captain Upham and others asked if they could continue fighting with the Americans, but as a special order by General Eisenhower does not allow this to be done, they had to go to Weimar by motor transport and then were flown to England from Kollada air"We were all ■ very impressed by and grateful to, the Americans, who simply could not do enough for us, :> said Captain Upham. Commenting on the Germans, he said the Wehrmacht were very different types from the Gestapo and SS. The latter, he said, had perpetrated every .kind of torture on Russians, Poles, and Jews, and on their own Communists. One German doctor, who was later shot, told Captain Upham that he had indisputable evidence that 5,000,000 Russians had died in German camps. In most cases they had simply starved to death. Captain Upham also said that there was much evidence in Germany of the nigh respect in which the New Zealand Division was held. The newspapers always reported when they were in action, and the fact that Lieu-tenant-General Freyberg and Majorgeneral Kippenberger were wounded was also reported and commented upon. Whereas the Italians—for whom Captain Upham has a great contempt— wf re lav^ ht to fear and re £ard the. iNew Zealanders as wild men and

fiends in Germany they were respected as first-rate soldiers. On the whole, British and American prisoners received the best treatment of any nationality, although the Americans were more severely dealt with than the British. But. said Captain Upham. the German food rations would never have kept body and soul together, and it it had not been for the Red Cross parcels, no prisoners would ever have returned to England. While in Germ«?yv' only one in ten Parcels arrived. We had a wonderful welcome in Britain, and everyone was very appreciative. There is only one fly' in the ointment," he added, "and that is to see Italian prisoners walking round freely and tn know th^t th*"' and th° Germans are treated so well."