Source: File: German
in Box.jpg, 14 HOURS IN A BOX 3ft. SQUARE. The Browser Looks Back. [online]
(updated 8th December 1914,) Available at: <http://back.thebrowser.com/article/14-hours-in-a-box-3ft-square/>
Accessed: 14 December 2014].
Detained as a prisoner of war
In England from army of Germany,
Lieutenant Otto Koehn becoming
Tired of being kept a prisoner
Of the war - wished to
return
To his country, to take up arms.
The German man told his story
Of how he had been in the
United States and had sailed
To Southampton – just before
War broke out - Once in
England
He was detained in Dorchester.
By a method, he gained a case
For packing goods - which he
Made it ready for his escape.
The officer gathered provisions
Along with blankets, a cushion
Fixing handles to steady his weight.
In a lounge suit he folded inside
And pulled the catch too.
His story started at Dorchester,
Along other fellow officers -
Among those also interned
Were those men too ill or old
For military service - who gained
Official arrangements, to return
To their homes back in Germany.
This group left Dorchester on Friday.
Arriving in London, they were taken,
From Fenchurch Street Station
And across to Tilbury railway station -
With them travelled an amount
Of luggage - transferred to trolleys,
And taken out onto the pontoon.
Among this collection was a wooden
Packing case -The type that held
Matches imported from Sweden -
Being a fairly sturdy size -
Three foot six inches square -
Was large enough to hold a man.
Otto having secured the case from
Inside - was ready for a rocky trip.
The aim was to reach the Thames
Dock at Tilbury to board a ship.
Acting as tender to SS Batavia,
The steam Ferry Katherine made
Preparations to sail for Holland.
The boat's Captain was to witness
The odd discovery of Otto Koehn.
On the Friday night, the train from
Fenchurch arriving at 1.25 a.m.
Escorted on board, the prisoners
Were followed by their luggage -
One certain wooden case caused
Some struggle for the porters,
In shifting it from the trolley,
Across to the luggage shute.
With a heave the box was tipped
Onto the shoot, turning as it hit
The deck - with other
luggage
Piled against and onto the case.
The Batavia having steamed
Down from Custom House quay,
Made ready for Rotterdam.
Two Dutch sailors From the Batavia,
Gave a hand with heavy luggage.
With other trunks and bags moved
They were faced with the case -
Which they decided could be rolled
Over and over for six turns, then slid
A length, ready to board the Batvia.
Employed on the tender was a boy,
Name of Stiles, in watching the case
Rolled he saw the case broken
He made exclaim - ‘there’s a man
In the box!’ The Dutch sailors
Looked to the Captain on the bridge,
Calling out to him, ‘Man in box!’
On the Deck the Captain went
To the case which had opened -
A man crawled out and stood.
At six foot, he looked powerful
But was dizzy and dazed –
He rubbed his head having been
Knocked about, down the shoot
The man, wearing a lounge suit,
Had some difficulty just standing.
On speaking with him, the Captain
Found it quite plain, he was not
English – at all of his questions
He shook his head - but then gave
The eventual answer - he had
Been locked in the case 14 hours.
The German explained that
He had go in the case himself,
And no one had helped him.
Having come from Dorchester,
He was able to lock and unlock
Himself from inside the case.
Inside the box was were found,
A stash of a bananas, some eaten -
A tube of meat extract, water bottles
And an air cushion - two slings
Of leather had supported him, before
The bumping of the case, caused
One to break - Having until then
His positioning quite controlled.
Semi -conscious from his injury
Otto Koehn was taken from Kent
To Gravesend Police station.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1914. German Officer
in a Packing Case – Attempted Escape – Surprise at Tilbury. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 14 Dec.
p.10. Col.4. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11285839/Daily-Telegraph-December-14-1914.html
[Accessed: 14 December 2014].
Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication,
14 December 2014).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1London
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