A Glider Pilot's Story - continued (8b)

We asked them how they had come over to Schouwen and where they had landed. They said that they had come on their own in a small boat and landed near Vianen. According to them, they had no wish to report to their German superiors and were in fact deserters; they hoped to make their way back into Germany. The strange thing about this yarn was that it could have been true. Their pay books also disclosed that for both of them, their civilian occupation was "Stuurman" which I took to mean "Helmsman" - they also told us that they had worked the Rhine barges.

Our next enquiry concerned their arrival in Nieuwerkerk and their method of transport. They said that they had come in a boat and one of them offered to show us where it was. I decided to accept this offer and just as we were about to go, Phil quietly reminded me of the probable whereabouts of their rifles, saying, "Keep your eyes skinned for their bondooks." This precautionary use of slang was just in case our prisoners understood English.

We had said very little to each other in their presence and in the matter of the rifles we had not let on that we knew of their existence. Leaving one of the Germans in Phil's custody, I set off with the other. Turning the corner of the street, I waved my revolver indicating that he was to walk on the right-hand side. Sure enough, halfway down on the left-hand side stood the two rifles against the wall of the shop. As we passed by, I scooped them up, slung them over my shoulder and continued along the street with hardly a break in my stride. Near the south-western edge of the village at the water's edge, lay a small flat-bottomed boat. After a brief inspection we returned.

In low voices, Phil and I held a quiet discussion as to our predicament. By now, our captives had completely recovered their composure having long realised that we were not going to shoot them out of hand. They had probably realised that the present circumstances presented more difficulties for us than for them.

Two of the choices open to us were: either we could kill them, or we could encourage them to think that we had swallowed their story and were prepared to make use of them in leaving Schouwen by boat. In any case we could hardly hang around with two unwanted prisoners and we had to decide on a course of action. For obvious reasons we ruled out the first of these choices and elected to develop the second with due caution and aware of the need for some improvisation.

We knew that there was a German post at Vianen but were prepared to accept the possibility of a suitable boat being obtained there. Our needs were for something stout and seaworthy. Such boats were under guard in the harbours along the coast; any other suitable craft might be on the inland side of the dikes but were too heavy for the two of us to haul up the dike and over the sea wall. With the two Germans under close supervision it might prove possible to find a boat or to use their extra strength to haul one up and over.

They professed willingness to help us to get to North Beveland. Since they claimed to be deserters there was some indication that they might be more inclined to become prisoners of war than we were. Aware of the risks and the need for vigilance, we made our decision and awaited the onset of darkness.

Soon our preparations were complete and we started out, Phil and I on the flanks and the two Germans a couple of paces ahead of us. We arrived at the boat. It was perhaps eight feet long, home made, flat bottomed and with a beam of about four feet. There was a seat across the beam amidships and another thwart seat in the stern. We opted for the Germans to row while we sat in the stern facing them and able to see where we were going. Leaving the shelter of the village we headed in a direction which would take us to the west of Ouwerkerk.

The wind was now blowing from the west and in the open water the ripples were becoming small waves. The boat was not easy to control but for about a hundred yards our progress was quite satisfactory. Then disaster struck - the boat foundered on a gatepost concealed just below the surface. With the wind blowing across, it pivoted round and capsized sending all four occupants floundering into the water. After much splashing and commotion we reached a spot where the water was not so deep and we were able to wade in the direction of an isolated cottage which was set back some distance from the road between Nieuwerkerk and Ouwerkerk.

After a little while we reached the cottage. Our rucsacs had gone down with the boat but Phil still had his rifle and I still had my revolver. Breaking into the house was no problem. A search downstairs produced some candles and matches and we went upstairs. The top of the stairs opened into one large attic room in which there were two double beds, one at each end. We assigned to the Germans the one which was farthest from the stairs and kept the nearest one for ourselves.

We also discovered some jars of plums and under the bed was a biscuit tin containing about four pounds of sugar. With this unexpected treasure we shared a rather unusual meal by candlelight with our captives. We then held another long conversation and scrutinised the map. They were much taken with my prismatic compass which was more substantial than the light weight affair carried by one of them.

The evening ended with them in the bed at the far end and the two of us in the one at the top of the stairs. Phil and I took turns to clean and dry our weapons and when we retired the bolt of Phil's rifle was under his pillow. My revolver attached to a lanyard around my neck was under my pillow, very close to hand. We had taken these elementary precautions since we had no wish to have the tables turned on us. The behaviour of the Germans was somewhat puzzling. From the outset, they had been co-operative and complied with our every command. At no time did they show any sign of wanting to make their escape. In fact they were quite friendly and we reciprocated this whilst remaining alert and determined to maintain the upper hand. We discussed the fact that we still had a problem to solve - namely what to do with our unwanted prisoners. Perhaps this was the explanation for their behaviour; they probably realised that the problem was ours and not theirs. We decided that we would have to be rid of them but as yet didn't know how to do it. "Ah well, we would see what the morning would bring." We relaxed; they slept; we slept.

The next morning found us refreshed but hungry and thirsty. We indulged ourselves with more plums and sugar. In yet more conversations they tended to emphasise that if we could get to Vianen we would be able to find a boat. Though we tried to give the impression that their information was just what we wanted, we were nevertheless quite suspicious. We formed our own plan that we would appear to relax our grip on them but remain vigilant and when the opportunity arose we would quietly disappear.

Outdoors everything was quiet and still. The strong wind of the night before had completely died down. We took stock of our surroundings. The cottage and a small patch of land was fairly dry, and was marooned like a tiny island in a sea of flood water. In one direction lay a few houses which skirted the flooded road to Ouwerkerk and some distance away we could see the centre of Nieuwerkerk. From the upstairs window I examined the lie of the land and tried to estimate where the water was shallowest. The most likely route seemed to be back into Nieuwerkerk by way of the cemetery since the gravestones gave a guide to the depth of water. Once through this we could disappear in the streets and houses and then make our way to Jan in similar fashion. We agreed that this was our best course of action - the only problem was opportunity and timing so that we could slip away unnoticed.

Meanwhile we had all been outside a couple of times and towards the middle of the afternoon we had made no attempt to stop the two Germans as they wandered towards one of the nearest houses. They then returned after a while, cavorting about in high spirits and wearing trilby hats which they had discovered. We made ready to do our disappearing act and a little while later, when they were once again out of sight, we made off exactly as planned. As we came into the streets of Nieuwerkerk we broke into one of the houses, found enough dry clothing for our needs and then returned to the house in the Molenstraat. We were free of them and it now remained for us to make for Jan's farm as soon as it was dark enough.

Suddenly we were startled by loud knocking on the front door. Going down and opening the door we were amazed to find Jan and a smartly dressed man with him. Smilingly, he introduced the doctor who had brought some charcoal biscuits and a small medicine bottle containing jenever. Hurriedly cutting him short, I said, "Get to hell out of here, there are two German soldiers at the other side of the village. We'll come and see you tonight." We waited anxiously for darkness and then we set off. Reaching the water's edge by the hotel we waded as usual along the road towards Ouwerkerk.

Seeing a light we paused. There, set back some distance from the houses at the side of the road was the cottage where we had spent the previous night and most of that day. Candlelight flickered in the window - our ex-prisoners were still there. Perhaps they wondered where we were. Maybe they were deserters. More probably they were taking advantage of the fact that we had held them captive and would return to their unit when it suited them. The explanations for their absence would give them a neat little tale to tell. We continued on our way and reached Jan's farm without further incident.

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