1958-05-31 — Page 6

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, MAY 31, 1958.

He escaped from a prison camp at the end of the earth... now he tells of his nightmare march that took three years

From Cape Fait (Deschneu), at the furthermost tip of Siberia, to Mánich, in Germany. Clemens Forell shows the route of his three-year escape march. It was one of the most daring lone adven tures of all time.

I WALKED 8.000 MILES TO FREEDOM

three years and across 8,000 miles 1 FOR

pitted my body and my brain against. thousands of men in a gigantic man-hunt.

I won.

I not only exuped from a Russian prison camp in the remotest corner of frozen Siberia. I got home, too, in spite of my pursuers.

Scarred mentally and physically. A wreck of a man, But happy to have completed a nightmare march that neither my body nor my mind will ever be able to forget,

His was a story no one believed. But the China Mail has checked on the man and his astounding claims. And

of Clemens now the story Forell's 8,000-mile march can be was 60 yards away. I sprinted forward, like a fox through a

It was nine o'clock on the night of Sunday, October presented as the real-life epic it is. pack of hounds.

30, 1949, that I set out from the desolate, ice-bound wilderness known as Cape

East.

Monday,

It was on

the morning

December

All

reached J

Southern

town.

22, 1952, Munich, 12 Germany, my home

1

Yes, t was happy. Bot knew I should never agam be the man had been when

!

11

more

a lieutenant itu served as German parachute unit.

My

four Height 13 six feel

weigh mches. Ahuld than 15 stone. That day of my return to Munich I was a gaunt Akeleton of less than 10 stone. HAUNTING FEAR

By Clemens Forell

It was almost a relief to get back to the notorious Lubyanka Kool-until they told me I was to be put on trial.

They charged me with subo toge and with interfering with the third 've-year plan. They found me guilty and sentenced me lo 25 years' hard labour.

On Gelber 24, 1945, about 1 cannot 3,000 of us were loaded on to a Happy? Yes, but

Over 89 men Were overcome one haunting fear train.

that the men who parsed me bundled into each truck-mount

In Russia will try to reach out for me even in my sanctuary.

They will not forgive me for lating them. They will try to Euler their reverige.

the

Munich is not far fron Czech border, where the iron have Curtain begins. People disappeared across that harder before, silently, in the night. 11 can happen again-to me.

to hold about 40-and we were given a couple of half-cooked potatoes every day,

Only when we were taken to al night, I'm going to push

spells off the surface for brief

for the problem would be a guards. But, even then, blink- Ing in the binding daylight, we

in no condition would be escape.

Escape Was

الم

to

1

Yet dreamed of, Ever since my capture I had told myself that I must, I would, get home. I

burning had a myself.

DOUBTS

belief i

the first

But now, looking at those grey, weeping walls. terrible doubts wormed into my mind.

แ

We were off on the first lap of our terrible, twelve-month Journey to the farthest corner of Nilberia. And death

A Russian officer told us we followed us every mile of the would not have to work for

month, so that we could recover Journey. But long from our

was up before the month collapsed with dysentery. And that illness brought a flicker of

way.

Imprisonment and beatings had left us all weak. Now we were starving. too. Sub-zero temperatures tortured us, crush

That in why I refuse to allow myself to be photographed full ing our will to survive. face, why I use the false name

of Clemens Forelt, why 1 grow FLUNG OPEN

and suspicions when

people question me.

hope.

They brought me to the sur- face, 10 the hospital, a two- It bullding. Wooden

storey,

At every stop the doors were had rent beds, with straw mat- I mast remain in the shadows.. dung open and we laid out a But there is no reason why 1 few more budies in the

should keep silent, too.

tessti. snow. By the time the

The food was quite good. 1 train had reached Chila, half the journey was allowed water, not only for About the way

Russia has had been completed and tile drinking, but for washing, too.

still This was luxury. deal and may still be dealing more than half of us were with its prisoners. About the alive. German ex-soldiers

who-12 years after the war-may still be enduring the living death of the Cape East Irad mines.

And it was in the hospital They transferred us to sledges that I met the man who made

travelled slowly on my escape possible. and we

under the guns and whips of the soldiers.

al From that night he lay

la the tent, his the entrance tommy gun between his knees, But he had to sleep. And on the Afth night I stepped gently over his exhausted body, grab bed some food from the sledge, and ran,

I thought I might stay free for four or five days. I didn't eate much where I went, be- cause all wanted was to forget a while that I was a slave.

I

The blows crashed down. lurched and stumbled. They pushed me up and, lashed my back and my neck and my head, kicking me, screaming at me.

n haze of On, on through blood and pain. The iron crunched on my skull....and all was black.

A PAIN

I was lying on some canvas back in the mine when I woke 21p. I tried to move, but an agonising pain lanced my side. Gently I felt my body and my head and found I was swathed in paper bandages.

Dark shapes swirled around me. 1 focussed on them and saw they were the prisoners, going to work. I called to one, a thin, lank fellow.

Slowly, reluctantly, khambled over,

Next day, when 1 went made the most meticulous pre- to his room, he removed parutions for my own escape-

a panel from the wall and then I realised there was no and took out a rucksack, point, because I'd never got

"It weighs about: 38 home. pounds," he said. "You'll

"Tell her I died in the winter find a good deal of bread of 1949, Describo to her that For months I worked in the in there and a small quantity of piece of ground behind the bar. mine, coming up in the open air fat. There la methylolod spirit racks where they usually bury

"My wife is a Christian, "Don't lose this tinder box, Furetl, so remember to say they

in tablet form of fires and to- bacco to trade.

บะ.

for an hour overy day, then but- rowing back again to sleep.

Blowly, Inevitably, fead poisoning began to corrode my because you'll be sunk without put a cross on my grave....”

body. My teeth became loose. it. And here's money 000 I lost my appetite even for the fout food. I sank into pits at black depression.

The scars of lead, indeed, nra still with me. My face is grey. I am colour blind. I shall never get the lead of Cape East out of my system.

One by one the men collapsed, to the hospital, were carried patched up and sent back to the

We were like so many mine. rotten leaves being raked over occasionally by Dr Stauffer.

CARRIED OUT

After three summers. it was ono my turn. They found me

Dr

you

roubles."

THE KNIFE

n

He paused forum ment, Then he went on: **I think

you'd better say I died in March, 1050. That will make it round It will be

He prattled on, exelted, jovial, a little less forlorn, dishing out life-saving gifts like getting m for spring and you while-coated Santa Claus, can say the snows had almost And all the time i was glaring melted."

wondering at hith, speechters. what had happened to the grim, blting lille man who had sneered at me, for so long.

How had he accumulated this fortastle store of escape equip

Why hadn't be used 7 ment? Why hadn't he told me about it before?

He flung some underclothes at ma.

"Put these on now," ho

call

DYING

"Dr Stauffer," I said, "why, did you decide not to go?”

Inted myself for asking the question, but I had to know the answer. He looked up sharply and studied me for a while,

"Forell," he wald, "I'm dyfog of cancer. But you will not tell my wife that.”

He jerked away from the he morning with a naming tem- said. "You'll need every stitch From him I perature, unable to stand. They at night, so you'll just have lo

put up with sweating by day." subjeci. "You know that big stone about 100 yards away from In fact, I was 11 days before learned of the Russians' devilish carried me out.

A long, thin, double-edged the hospital?" he said quickly. I was picked up. 1 was climbing cunning.

I did not know it at the time,

knife the Sibertens a light hull when A sledge,

When I did not return they but I learned later that

it take your luggage out to kandra" team of huskies, cul the rations in the mine to a

appeared. Then it myself tomorrow. Leave the "Forell, Stauffer stid: drawn by

boots, size 12, bellding at nine punctually. poir of cavolty swept over the top and slid, to daily issue of thin barley gruel,

and made in America.

"I keep the guards in come Russian soldiers,

Slowly the pile grew in front versalion by the front entrance of me--a compass, a small boltle, while you go out the back, Good of vodka for emergencies and luck...."

A stop near me. It carried twa Twice a day a sceurly officer must get away from lead."

"Dr Stauffer,"

I

said, "Im be getting out. I mean to get

heme."

lectured them and told them they were being punished cause of me.

DIRTY WORK

"Really?" He seemed mildly surprised, then a platol with 10 rounds of "Out through the door of the armunition. When the Russians heard I end of the corridor, I suppose, "Carry #trapped between amazement, the had been recaptured, they let then turn west and to your legs," said the doctor. "You the men gossip and talk about until someone speaks to you in know what will happen if they

And it on you. me, let their anger bubble to German. bolling point,

Four days later an armed escori delivered me back to Cape East. I had savoured my breath of freedom ved was prepared to take any palsh- ment they could give. But, to my

officer Just political caldly at . Someone took off my travelling clothes and twy soldiers marched me off to the mine head.

INCREDIBLE

side the mine.

A MAP

I never saw him again.

Al nine o'clock on the night

of Sunday, Detaber 30, 1019, I opened the back door of the bospital and shipped out.

skly.

His sarcasm made me furlous even more determined,

The rucksack was by Then they left a ration of and

the wooden cudgels, strands of cable Now I know he was deliberately

stane, And in the shoulder and iron bars lying round the gooding me, sharpening my wit-

"And don't forget to keep traps was Dr Stouffer's part- mino

me-inio entrance.

ing gf pair of.light Siberian The weapotis ing wits, galvanising

tolking to yourself out there or action, appeared overnight.

you may lose your volee." The cunning of it made me

For two days after that ne I could hardly believe it. It

He gave me a map that was I put them on and allthered feel Flek, My slave-drivers scemed I wasn't going to be hadn't even bothered

punish avoided me. When I could stand stuck together in sections with through the snow until the hos punished after all.

It coveted the pital lights disappeared behind And then me themselves. They had let it a longer. I sought bhn out surgical tape.

Asia

and me. I was free. But all Siberia greater pari saw my fellow prisoners out my own fellow-countrymen do in lilk room.

to the Urols in the ny ahead of me. I pleader stretched I runted at him. their dirty work for them. Some Each man was armed, I had been there a couple of

After five days they put me with hin, I accused him of try- West and ainst to Japon in the weelts whom he arrived-a Ger- had strips of wood. Some had to work with the others, though ing to stop me from escaping. East.

I begged for his help, trouser belts. Some had lengths I was still weak and sore. from 1 man doctor, transferred Their job was drive us on

the tirade was And, when One bad a Most of us hocked away at and on with threats and prison camp at Tomsk, ale of wire cable.

curved killing grey-faced mun in his tiles.

piece of iron front It was to this outpost of the lathes without_acigaliy

the walls, gouging out chunks of over, he said quielly: "All righ damned that, three years after us, for the Russions wanted

cert wheel: They were staring rubble with its vein of lead and, When Bo. you want to go?"

"Tomorrow!" As acular officer in the ward, at me. And there was hate in incidentally, bullding new caves I stood to attention and re their eyes."

for future prisoners, ported the number of sick. 210

"Paschot" said the guard to. Four men loaded the rubble asked me my name. When 1 me, "Quick march!"

Into baskels. And 10 men A frowned for ho

the I gazed at those faces, twitch- drugged told him

to the baskets ing with fury. The mine shaft surface.

THE DAMNED

I was taken prisoner in 1942, I work out of us. But only 1,230 wos sent as i captive.

I have called it the remotest point in Siberia. It was more.

I was truly the end earth.

ni

of the 3,000, who had left Moscow reached Cope East.

When we arrived at last, the the first snow of the winter WAR moment.

latling. The cold gouged into our bones as we marched from

For Cape East is the most ex- the sledges. I saw a cluster of

"A strange naine," fie atd. "I studied at Tubingen Univer-

reme north-eastern point of the nuts huddled on a narrow, grey sity with a Forell."

แตk Sovict torrlinry, just 50 plateau.

miles across the Bering Stroit from Alaska. From this God-

forsaken Innd I escaped.

Dirty, ugly,

"That might have been my I said. "He huts, brother, Ernst," barren

there. ratudled medicine

perchea on the mean edge

the earth. But to me they were was killed during the war."

meant

man beautiful. To me they

Tha

shelter and warmth and light.

the only must be ever to have done so. rest of the lead mine. slaves will, I fear, stay there unili

And then the guards marched

they die-unless the hearts, na sight poat them

of the Iussian rulers mell.,

They took us to the side of a

He

The doctor united. course, Dr Erani Forell! By the way, may saime la Biauler ....Dr Heinze Stheffer;"

Bt

to

Dr Suffer brought me luck And I know how hard they hill that was pock-marked with almost at once.. That day the 'can be. From the moment of my funnols. A Bövlet soldier lod interpreter asked him to name eupture 1 knew there was little about 180 of us

chbugh into one of two prisoners nierey to expect from them. them, down low corrow make a tough, six weeks' gledro journey to collect blankets and I had been parachuted with

medical supplies for the hospital. my company behind the Russlan He talked loudly to himself I was one of the inen ho lines. My jub

sabotage. so we could follow him in the home. They filed us out with Wo carried out a number of de- pilch darkness. He it a lamp warm clothes, gave us a good molitions, withdrawing gradual and we saw we were in a large fheal and Introduced us to the ly towards our own fines.

eave, fumished with one table guned who wis to go with us.

BULLET

passageway.

and one stool.

FLIGHT!

then the terriblo

His name was Vasally. Ho was a huge, friendly fellow who This dank, dark cavern was treated us well while we were to be my home. probably

on the journey, but lapsed into until I died.

brutality when we reached the

+

MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN

LET'S GET DOWN TO LOTHAR

AT THE BEACH-/

THE ISLANDS SHAKING BO MUCH--WG

· CAN'T WALK-

JOHNNY HAZARD

WHEN WILL THIS CABLE ARSIVE IN CALCUTTAT

other

Ho

I gazed around, fascinated at, We were almost across them, first. And Indeed, when a Cossack uni thath dawned.

in the attacked. I was hit mouth. A bullet lodged in my head. It is still there, I was taken

prisoner end

It was all, so simple. If we supply depot and met sent 10

were housed above the surface, Rutrians two weeks later. Moscow.

the Russlang would have needed dared not show any mercy in After many months 1 re- dozens of guards and all

the public. covered from my wound sufi- paraphernalia of barbed-wite clently to be able to walk. And fonges; searchlights, watch- Once we were out of sight of my first outing was O march towers, tracker dogs.

the depot, he bigburth áminhlo through the streets of Moscow, But bunch us together in the aguín. "Thit by that time I had With 20,000 ather German bowels, of the earth; where we made up my mind. I was going prisonera I was paraded Urbugh were both to live and to work, to diepe, even if it mêänt only the streets of the capital" for end one man with a fommy gun a few days' treadben. two days and two nights, while could sit at the top of the I told Vasally this. As we sat the people acreamed and spal narrow passageway nitd easily in our tent one night, I said; and hurled Alth at us.

guard the lot of usef

It over I catch you napping

THIS ISLANDS RISEN--A HUNDRED- FEET-IN MINUTES

TOMORROW MORNING, SIR! IT SHOULD.BE PHONED IN TO THE RECEIVING PARTY BEFORE NOON!

ISLAND-7

+

•

Then he became strangely scrious. "There is one more Forell," he sold slowly. point.

I have scratched my wife's address in Magdeburg on the

"I think we'd better make it bottom of your mess in. That the day after-Sunday, The is probably the last thing you'll guards are more careless on lese. Sunday because they've got more vodka in them,"

WHAT KIND•• OF AN--ISLAND-

IS THAT T

NEXT MORNING, AT THE SEOUL AIRPORT 1000

I thought we wERT GETTING OUR OWN PLARE, JOHNNY. WHY. | THE, FLIGHT "NIČKETS 7"

WE'LL MAKE THE LONG-

| RUN COMMERCIAL, GINGER |

2. THAT WAY WE CAN PSÈ

A SMALL PLANE FOR THE.

· FINAL LES INTO NEPISTAHÍ

NEXT WEEK:

The reindeer men find me. I'm attacked by wolves. I

join up with three bandit

of thom two "itno, when-you get home and see I want

you to tell her I hari murdored

By Lee Falk and Phil Davis

THAT FIGURES! WHY WASH OUT A BI EXPENSIVE JON FOR A ONE-WAY

FLIGHT, EN, JOHNNY

SHEAFFER'S

"SNORKEL

-PENS

IT'S-JAMI! CONTINUED

Skrip

Skrip

WRITING FLIES

By Frank Robbins

CHECK, SNAP! SO I'VE WREP. A WARTIME BUDDY OF WINE WHO RUNS A SMALL FREIGHT SERVICE IN CALCUTTA .... "HELL: HAVE A BEAT-UP OLD PLANE

READY FOR US WHEN WE

ARRIVE

TO PROVE VERY COSTLY/1E

AUSTIN!

THE CAR

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