100 YARDS FROM FREEDOM.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 71, 23 March 1916, Page 6

100 YARDS FROM FREEDOM.

DARING ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE. • A young British soldier, now a prisoner in Germany, says the "Central News," recently made a determined but unsuccessful attempt to escape. He has told the story in a letter to his father, which the German military censor had allowed to come through. The narrative runs as follows: "Dear Father.—lt is only by the worst of luck and some of the best of German organisation that I am not at home with all by now. ... It is now many long months since I first conceived the idea of trying to escape from here to Holland and from there home. . • Well, after a lot of trouble and very difficult preparations I put my idea into action last November 25th at midday, whilst at work. I was away from this prison from Thursday, midday, November 25th, to Sunday night, eleven o'clock, on November 28th after creeping through forest over rough country woods, copses and all kinds of difficult places, travelling by night only, and in the day lying hidden in forests. I was captured Saturday night at 8 or 8.30 by German sentinels—where do you think' One hundred yards from my goal-the German and Holland frontier—loo yards more and I should have been a free man, free to return to you all, and hold Christmas with you. I think this is about the worst stroke of luck that I have ever had. "After swimming through the Lippe in a snowstorm, picking my way through snow-covered ground, forests, woods, copses, and streams, ditchesbarbed wire fences and lying from 6,30 each morning till dark at six o'clock in th e evening dead still, without covering, in deep snow, practically frozen through and through, with enly what food I could carry in my pocket, and only a small compass to (guide me--after all this, because my legs were frozen from my knees downward, I was captured. One hundred yards! A paltry 30 to 60 seconds' walk from the frontier, over which had I been able to take one step I should have been a free men. That's what I call hard luck, don't you? At the time being I felt like crying, so weak and disappointed was I to have lost by so narrow a margin; but now I am inclined to laugh just a little, because thore is a humorous side to every question.

"If my legs had not been frozen I should have been either dead or with you now, for I certainly would have run and risked rifle bullets, had not my legs refused their duty. By the way, I have just recovered the use of my legs, over a week after. But I am limping. I am afraid it will be a long time, if ever, before I shall be able to walk properly again. Of course my populartiy star among the prison officials is in the descendant. I am kept locked up night and day alone, being let. out of my cell each day for exercise. At present I am allowed to receive my parcels, but I might be tried and condemned any day and this privilege stopped. It does seem hard. The weather here is very bad, real wintry weather, but I am warm and dry in my cell. I have had very bad luck, and I want cheering up."