ESCAPE FROM ARNHEM: A Glider Pilot's Story by Godfrey Freeman

Author:Godfrey Freeman [Freeman, Godfrey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Aviation / World War 2
ISBN: 9781848841475
Amazon: 1848841477
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Published: 2010-06-15T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 7

The First Attempt

The tonsillitis grew worse as the day wore on and I dallied with the idea of using it as an excuse to ‘duck out’ of the escape. What better reason could I give, other than a broken arm or leg? It would relieve me of the necessity of risking life and limb, exonerate me completely and I should be left behind with regrets. ‘Poor old Freeman,’ they might say. ‘What a pity, what bad luck, just when he was about to escape, he had to go and get tonsillitis.’ The more I thought of it, the better it seemed and eventually I went and saw Major Coke, only I did not say directly what was in my mind; instead, I asked him what he thought. ‘You must make up your own mind whether you are coming or not,’ he said. ‘Let me know later how you feel.’ From that moment on, I was in an agony of indecision. On the one hand was peace, tranquillity, release from the nagging fears that made the night so hideous; on the other hand, as then I thought, honour, glory and renown. Indeed, what further proof would be needed that I was a Man? I prowled around finding things to do, looking at my watch, scratching my name and number on blank identity tags that Pat had provided from somewhere, rewinding bandages, anything to take my mind off the decision that I had to eventually make. The day wore into afternoon, the afternoon into evening. Eventually, I could stand it no longer. As though in a daze, I sought out Major Coke again. ‘Well?’ he asked. I opened my mouth to speak and heard my voice coming from a long way away. ‘I think I’ll be all right sir,’ I said, ‘I mean, I think I’ll make it.’

As the night came on we lay on our beds biding our time. Fully dressed but under cover of our blankets, we waited for the last calls to be made by the orderlies, for the lights to go out and, for those able to, to settle into a reasonably untroubled sleep. Then the preparations began. First of all we had to don our boots, which we had kept carefully hidden for days under our beds. Next we armed ourselves with a toggle-rope each from the curtain restrainers and picked up our Red Cross rations. Lastly, the hose pipe had to be collected from the open hallway. This was a critical undertaking, for the guard was placed the other side of the door, but it was achieved in silence and we made our way to the window, which was to provide the exit for our escape. The hose was gradually paid out of the window and one end made fast to a bed on which five men were lying. Out went Pat Mahoney. The Major was to follow and I was to be last out. We were to wait until Pat had reached the bottom where he was to hold the hose away from the window.

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