ESCAPE TO EGYPT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 October 1942, Page 4

ESCAPE TO EGYPT

AFTER ADVENTUROUS LIFE IN CRETE EX-MASTERTON RESIDENT'S STORY. HEROISM OF ISLANDERS. Escape from prison in Crete . . . out in the hills for 11 months living in caves, sheep houses high in the mountains, country churches, a morgue, houses shaded with olive trees or grape vines at last away in a small boat . . . Egypt!

Not all his story of hardship and privation has been told by Private Gilbert Orr, formerly of Masterton, where he resided for 20 years, but the veil of military secrecy has been lifted sufficiently for him to give glimpses of adventures infinitely more exciting than fiction. “I have a great story to tell when the censorship is lifted,” he writes. Private Orr enlisted in Taranaki and left New Zealand with the First Echelon.

After two months in a German prison Private Orr and other New Zealanders decided it was better to risk hunger in the hills than know hunger in captivity. So they escaped and roamed from village to village for 11 months asking for something to eat and drink. “And never once did the Greeks refuse us,” he says. “Their hospitality was marvellous, for at all times they received us with open arms. Many a woman cried ovei’ us during our first few months at large, and the men kissed us.”

Posing as a Greek civilian, Private Orr wore a coloured serviette on his head. A few weeks’ growth of beard, a trained moustache, long hair and a stick completed the disguise. The stick was useful because they did much travelling at night. Daytime movements were dangerous because of fifth columnists —a few Greeks who, really starving, offered to tell the Nazis where the English were, received in return a little enemy bread and bully beef.

When the Germans discovered the whereabouts of the escapees they would make raids late at night or early in the morning, often catching a few of the men. For the Greeks who harboured them the punishment was destroyed home and shootings. “But in spite of it all the Greeks saw us through until we escaped from the island in a 20-footer,” Private Orr says.

Eight of the New Zealanders collected money, food and water and went to the coast. The money was to pay for the boat. “When everything was completed,” the letter continues, “we lay low for a day. That night, after the German patrol boat had gone, we set off on our voyage. W.e left our boots on the rocks, giving them to the Greeks who brought us food and water for 15 days. One New Zealander had a compass and previous sea experience, and as our guide we had every confidence in him.”

After two hours the sea became rough, and for two days Private Orr was seasick. For 12 days after that the going was fairly good, however, and when there was’ not enough wind for a sail they worked in shifts at the oars, taking a wink of sleep when they could.

On the 12th day, in the middle of the ocean, a plane flew over and four hours later an Allied destroyer was sighted. “At first we were nervous lest it should be an enemy ship,” Private Orr says, “but when we were taken aboard it was a happy relief to be able to speak English again.” Cretan self-sacrifice will never be forgotten by New Zealanders. "The day we left the Greeks were in tears, fearing we might be picked up by the Nazis or machine-gunned from the air." the letter states. “The army is arranging after the war for many of us to return to Crete and have a reunion with our old friends. We are to stay there about a week, and what a celebration it will be! “They are the most loveable people you could meet, with hearts of gold, the type that share their last loaf of bread. I know many who have not eaten bread for 10 months and cannot buy it. The Germans have taken everything from their stores.” Private Orr is a brother of Lieut. S. Orr. Sanson, also formerly of Masterton.