The Escape of a Princess Pat: Being the full account of the capture and fifteen months' imprisonment of Corporal Edwards, of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, and his final escape from Germany into HollandPearson, George
History
The Escape of a Princess Pat: Being the full account of the capture and fifteen months' imprisonment of Corporal Edwards, of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, and his final escape from Germany into Holland
Pearson, George
Prisoner-of-war escapes; World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives, Canadian; World War, 1914-1918 -- Prisoners and prisons, German
The German lowered his rifle in amazement: "What, you schwein, you
speak the good German? Where did you learn it?"
"In your schools. For Christ's sake--give me water--and kill me."
"What! You live with us and then do this? Schwein!"
"All right, I will give you water and I will not kill you; just to
show you how well we can treat a prisoner."
Todeschi was then taken to the field dressing station where according
to his own account his mangled leg was amputated without the use of
any anesthetic. But that may have been because in such a time of
stress they had none. Later he was exchanged.
I met Scott in the prison camp a few days later and he told his tale.
It appears that in the confusion of the earlier fighting he had become
separated from the regiment, became lost and eventually floundered
into an English battalion. He reported to the officer commanding the
trench and told his story. The officer had no idea where the Patricias
lay and so ordered Scott to remain with them until such time as an
inquiry might establish the whereabouts of his regiment.
They were captured, but under less exciting circumstances than
occurred in our own case. And the Germans had word that there was a
Canadian amongst these English troops. It was one of the first things
mentioned. They did not say how they had acquired their information,
but shouted out a request for the man to stand forth. When no one
complied, they questioned each man separately, asking him if he was a
Canadian or knew aught of one in that trench.
They all lied: "No." The Germans were so certain that they again went
over each man in turn, examining him.
Scott was at the end of the line. He began to cut the Canadian buttons
off his coat and to remove his badges. Several men near by assisted
and replaced them with such of their own as they could spare; each man
perhaps contributing a button. They had no thread nor time to use it
if they had, so tacked the buttons into place by all manner of
makeshifts, such as broken ends of matches thrust through holes
punched in the cloth; anything to hold the buttons in place and tide
the hunted Scott over the inspection. He passed. The Germans were
quite furious.
Scott and his companions could only guess at the cause of this strange
conduct, but presumed that the Canadian was wanted for special
treatment of an unfavorable, if not of a final nature.
To return to our own case:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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