Little left of N. Ont. PoW camps

[bigduke6]

I believe only one Luftwaffe POW escaped in Canada and ultimately made his way back to Germany. His name was Von Werra. He was shot down over England early in the war and shipped to Canada. En route from the port to the camp by train he managed to open a sealed window and jumped out. He made his way across the US Canada border at Buffalo if i recall and hooked up with the German Consulate (The germans had not yet declared war against the US). The Consulate smuggled him thru the US to Mexico where he was passed from one office to another until hwe was able to board a ship from South America to Africa. Once he got to a German controlled part of Africa he made his way to Germany and rejooined the Luftwaffe. He was subsequently shot down a second time but was KIA.

The story was documented in a Book entitled "The One That Got Away". I think it was also made into a movie.

Regards,
Jim

It is an Excellent book and film, on a holiday in the Lakes when I was a kid after the first time I,d seen the film my Dad took me out to one of the tracks on the Cumbrian fells Franz Von Werra had navigated on one his escape attempts from Grizedale hall, he was later captured and charged in Ulverston Police station.

Another Excellent read is a book by another Luftwaffe Pilot "Ten minutes to Buffalo" by Ulrich Steinhilper see link below

Ten Minutes to Buffalo: The Story of Germanys Great Escaper: Amazon.co.uk: Ulrich Steinhilper, Peter Osborne, L.F.E. Coombs, Carol Osborne: Books