2

Captured at Dunkirk - Interned in Germany Most Secure Prison - Colditz

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:4,000.00 USD Estimated At:7,000.00 - 9,000.00 USD
Captured at Dunkirk - Interned in Germany Most Secure Prison - Colditz
Captured at Dunkirk - Interned in Germany Most Secure Prison - Colditz - released by Swiss Col Dr von Erlach - Extremely Rare Grouping. Grouping Colditz Castle POW L\Cpl George Allen – Captured at Dunkirk – Swiss Dr Colonel von Erlach – Mutiny at Colditz 1944 – Geneva Convention Art 69 Repatriation. L\Cpl Allen was captured at Dunkirk on the fourth of June 1940. He was serving with the Royal Ulster Regiment, he was one of the unlucky ones left behind. But by 1943, Allen had already been in a few German POW camps. He had managed to end up being sent to the most secure of them all the infamous Sonderlager Colditz. Likely after escape attempts in other camps – Stalag XXA, Stalag XIIID (Nürnberg) and Oflag VI-C (Colditz). George Allen seems to be the only Royal Ulster Rifles soldier to have made it into Colditz! In May 1944, Allen was ill or injured and was considered by the Gestapo and OKW as not Deutschfeindlich thus fit for repatriation under the Geneva Convention. The Mixed Medical Commission (acting under the Geneva Convention) inspected Allen on their only visit to Colditz. The leading doctor of the MMC was the Swiss Colonel Dr von Erlach. He personally cleared Allen on that very special document in the picture in May 1944 at Colditz. The visit of the MMC delegation didn’t go down well, being described as a ‘Mutiny’ – that morning is described in-depth in the book by Major PR Reid, Colditz, the Full Story (See the story below). On the 11th of May 1944, Allen left Colditz as the first person to be recognised for repatriation under Art 69 of the Geneva Convention and later returned to Northern Ireland. The document hand signed at Colditz by Dr Col von Erlach (Swiss Army) is evidence of a very special victory over the Germans. The Swiss Dr von Erlach post war was famous for saving the children of those who carried out the failed attempt on Hitler’s life (Valkyrie: 20th July 1944) to Switzerland. The extract is from Colditz, The Full Story (Pan Military Classics Series) by P R Reid. ‘The German capitulation was complete and Allied solidarity, aided by the Swiss Commission outside, had won a memorable victory. The Germans’ arrogance of 1941 and 1942 was changing and, from this day in May 1944 onwards, the prisoners in Colditz began to feel solid ground once more beneath their feet. The episode was an important turning point. The prisoners knew that Hitler and his minions intended to use them as hostages in the hour of defeat. Here was a gleam of hope...’ Colditz, The Full Story (Pan Military Classics Series) – P R Reid, p.261 POW File from German Archive is also available as a copy to the winner of this auction.