Impression Sketch
of German prisoners of war, Andler and Leben with policemen, outside Blaenau Ffestiniog Police
Station, 1915 - By Jamie Mann. An original images can be seen at: http://education.gtj.org.uk/en/item1/14626
The
website for Welsh cultural history - Gathering the Jewels ref: GTJ18053
Amid the lonely wild, open spaces
Of the Denbighshire hills of Wales,
One lone sheep farmer spied two
Strangers - an odd sight in such
A sparsely populated Welsh place.
A sheep Farmer from Blaencwm,
Trawsfynydd, Mr David Parry,
Was walking into Merionethshire
From County of Denbigh - a remote
Place, with a population of sheep.
In response to the £10 reward,
He told how he was looking after
His sheep- close by the junctions
Denbigh, Festiniog and Merioneth -
When spotting two walking men.
Two figures were moving towards
The Bala and Festiniog road, and
Paused within Merioneth County -
Amid his sheep Mr Parry watched
As they walked on for half a mile.
With little else different within
view
They was easy to see as they both
Turned off the road, left-ways
Onto the mountainside - moving
For quarter of a mile they stopped.
These two men then rested for ten
Minutes to climb the
mountainside.
With his raised suspicion, the
farmer
Felt they were the escaped Germans.
A car appeared, he hailed the
driver.
The driver pulled up and was asked
By Mr Richard to inform the Police,
Of strange men he had seen - at
first
He thought it there was only one man,
As they had walked so close
together.
Mr Richard later said, he felt that they
Were indeed foreign having a
military
Bearing. At 100 yards he saw as they
Hurried towards Bwlchyllu Mountain,
Onwards to Prince Edward’s Gold
Mine.
One man was taller than the other -
Both wore overcoats - one carried
A bag - Mr Richard saw then move
Over a hill, out of sight, he
followed -
When they came back into view.
Probably aware of his presence,
They must have run in avoidance
Mr Richard decided against the idea
Of following, in such a lonely place
-
So he decided it best to wait
nearby.
Working at Blaenewm, Near Dolan
Were miners, William Jones and
Robert Roberts, to see them at
11.15.
A soldier on a range, spotted their
Movements over Dalhaidd Mountain.
As the men trailed about, Police
Were assisted by people from
Blaenan Festiniog - on foot by car -
Searching all likely places, forming
Cordons - in a growing man hunt.
PC Owen Jones at 10 O'clock made
A call to Inspector Owen, as a
result
Of a sighting by a motor cyclist -
Mr Williams said how the strange
men were still atop of the mountain.
Soldier’s, cars and civilians gave
Assistance - with lookouts on roads
Of Bentnewydd and Maentwrog -
As other groups went to Migneint
Mountain and others to Cwm Prysor.
The tactful search went on until
dark
When fog encased all the mountains.
Looking resumes on Sunday morning
Over Crown Lands in Cynval Valley;
Ending again at night without
success.
Across all the mountains the search
Went on for the evasive Germans -
When on Sunday at Dyffryn, a farm
Servant of Werneanyddion, said
Two men, at one o’clock, knocked.
Mr Evans’ daughter had described
The men - who asked to be able
To shave and wash and would her
Give half a sovereign - she said
‘no.’
Police and farmers looked about.
No sign again - until a trail led to
Uwchlaw'reoed Farm, appearing
At Werngoch and onto the village
Of Gwynfryn and Llanbedr - search
Was undertaken by nine officers.
One PC - Nathaniel Davis from
Cardiganshire - on Sunday p.m.
Still on his beat, searched when
The two men had again been
Seen elsewhere, in Nantcol valley.
PC Davis cycled over to Pensarn
Station, near Harlech, to see
The two men approach - he
Knew as he dismounted his
Cycle, these were the Germans.
PC Davis addressed the men,
To say he was a officer in plain
Clothes - he openly asked them
If they were the escaped officers,
From Denbigh detention camp.
At first they denied to say other
Than they were French Tourists.
Then one man clenched fists
With preparation to fight, when
He saw other men approaching.
Admittance came as he said
They were the men - not liking
The camp they wanted to be
Near to submarines - PC Davis
Promptly handcuffed them.
They were taken over to Harlech
Police station to be searched.
Andler had hand made plans,
A compass a pen - with items
To help with their basic survival.
Leben carried field glasses, water
Bottle, money, tape and gunmetal
Watch - their final sighting was by
Mr J Jones, who had been posted
At the point of Nantcol Valley.
Mr Jones was under orders
From PC Davis to keep a watch.
When in greeting the two men,
They gave no reply – Mr Jones
Went over Llanbedr post office to
Call Davis to say they were there.
Mr Jones and others appraoched
To assist the arrest, as PC Davis
Cuffed both men - they had been
Walking free for a week - both were
Hungry, wet, with worn out boots.
In Police interview Lieutenant Andler
And Leben, were pleased to have
Evaded capture for a week - to say
And how they had gone made a way
Mountains, across to Merioneth
coast.
While appearing well and healthy,
They had a week’s beard growth.
Admitting to tiredness by sleeping
In wet fields - they carried a
parcel,
With provisions and notebook.
A noted memo said 'boat required
For secret service military return
Within two days ample reward
For secrecy' - along with a drawn
Route chart to Spain and Ireland.
They had easily escaped Denbigh
An hour after roll call, at ten p.m.
On Easter Sunday - they walked
Steadily until dawn, over 20 miles
To hide on an unknown mountain.
They lived on cake and chocolate,
Avoiding any nearby houses - they
Found the nights bitter – the heavy
Mists often halting their progress;
They had only ever seen six people.
They came across a deserted hut
For a shepherd, based on Migueint
Mountain – into which they broke,
To stay for a day’s rest; Both men
Remained cheery as they spoke.
By Motor they were both taken to
Blaenau Festiniog - news of them
Prompted a gathering crowd about
The Police station to make good-
Humoured boos at the Germans.
With big smiles at the calls, both
Andler and Leben declined
Answers to questions of escape.
On Monday, shaved and rested,
They were brought before a court.
Andler, in the crowded court, gave
Smiles about and throughout
Giving answer of ‘yes’, to all the
Evidence - applause was made
When stated they were caught
Within 30 hours in Merionethshire.
Minutes Passed in good humor;
Smiles with applause and some
Laughter, as clerk added these
Prisoners would not hurry back.
The local police were too smart.
With dignified bows the two men
Were returned back to their cells;
They were to await for a military
Escort From Dyffryn ~Aled Camp.
With telegrams passing back,
Forth about their destination,
They were handed to Denbigh
Police escort - the men as they
Left thanked inspector Owen.
Until a decision on their future
Detention was made they would
Stay in the lock up at Denbeigh.
A claim to a share of £10 reward,
Came from a lady Mrs Jane Jones.
Mrs Jones said she was the first
To suspect them, as they came off
The mountains, passed her home
Telling Mr Jones, the river watcher;
A share of £10 she felt was hers.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1915. Escaped German Officers. Cambrian news and Merionethshire standard, [online] 16 Apr. P.3. Col.3-5. Available at: http://cymru1914.org/en/view/newspaper/3412755/2 [Accessed: 16 April 2015].
Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 16 April 2015).
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