GIRAUD'S ESCAPE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3253, 16 April 1943, Page 3

GIRAUD'S ESCAPE

|I>OWN 150 FEET PRECIPICE (NEARLY CAUGHT ON TRAIN I' ! ’ I SHADOWED BY THE GESTAPO A thrilling story of how the High Commissioner in North Africa, General Giraud, escaped from the medieval castle of Koenigstein (Germany) down a precipice 150 feet high, although • he was then 60, has been told by General Giraud in Algiers. Interviewed by Mr Ward (Price, of the Daily Mail in Algiers, General Giraud said that for eight months after falling into German hands his old wounds crippled him. He then plotted his escape, which was made-in January, 1941. He found a corner of the garden out of sight of the watch-tower, and chose this point to get over the parapet. For months he secretly collected bits of cord and string to make pieces of rope each two yards long, which he hid in the garden, but he could not make a rope strong enough to bear his 13st. 71b. ■ Wire In Jam An old friend in France, after receiving code messages, sent General Giraud lengths of insulated copper wire, which were hidden in jam. These were wrapped round the His wife sent large quantities of chocolate, which he sold for 600' marks and bought an old pah’ of civilian trousers and a raincoat. General Giraud obtained a German identity card, on which he described himself as a commercial traveller, and saved up enough food to last three days.

On the day of the escape he waited until a 'German N.C.0., who patrolled

the parapet every 15 minutes, was out of sight at 8.30' a.m., and then slid down the precipice.

General Giraud said he took four minutes to descend the 150 ft. In bushes at the foot he shaved off his moustache, put on dark glasses, and put on |he civilian clothes he had.

Met French Agent

He then walked openly to a rendezvous with a French agent, who gave him a full civilian outfit. He thenxtook a train to Breslau (southeast Germany) as he thought the Germans would expect him to make foi' Frafice.

His knowledge of German was sufficient to overcome several examinations of his identity card and a number of train journeys. He say placards offering a reward of 100,000 marks for his arrest.

General Giraud was nearly caught in a train in which there was a strict examination of identity papers, but he engaged in close conversation with a high officer of the Afrika Korps and the Gestapo inspector did not venture to disturb them.

When General Giraud reached the Swiss frontier he lay in bushes all one night and heard a sentry express the hope that the escape would come his way.

He reached Vichy France, where he was shadowed by the Gestapo for six

months.

On November 2 he received secret information that the Allied landing in North Africa would take place six

days later. He was asked to travel

there by submarine to co-operate with the Allies, and this he did.