Colditz Castle 1939-45 - Oflag IV C

My Autograph Collection from the most Famous of all Prisoner of War Camps.

During World War II, Allied Officers from Australia, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, France, Great Britain, India, Canada, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Poland, Serbia, South Africa and the USA were imprisoned in the Old Castle. Built on Rock high above the town overlooking the Mulde Valley in Saxony, the building appeared the ideal place for a High Security Prison. However, between 1939 and 1945 there were over 300 escape attempts from Oflag IV C.

In early 1974 , while at School and during the period of the BBC T.V. adaption of The Colditz Story, I wrote to various British former Prisoners of War and one of the German Guards in order to obtain Autographs. All the British former prisoners gave freely, and if my memory serves me, only one did not reply. Here is a list of the autographs I obtained.

• Douglas R. S. Bader.
  The Air Force Ace.
  Compliment Slip of 18/02/1974.
• Rupert Barry. Ox and Bucks Light Infantry
  Undated Letter " I am glad you like the Colditz series on the BBC.
  I watch it myself but I never know what is coming next!"
• J. W. Best (Jack Best), M.B.E., R.A.F.V.R.
  b. 06/08/1912, d. 22/04/2000.
  Letter of 13/02/1974.
• Major Harry Elliott. Irish Guards.
  Letter of 28/02/1974.
• Bill Goldfinch.
• Lord Harewood.
  Dated 28/02/1974.
• Captain Dick Howe. Royal Tank Regiment.
• Captain "Lulu" Lawton. Duke of Wellington's.
  d. 23/11/1999.
  Colditz 1941 to 1945.
• A. M. S. Neave (Airey Neave) DSO, MC, MP.
  Author of "They have their Exits".
  First Englishman to reach England from Colditz via Switzerland, France and Spain in 1942.
  House of Commons letter of 03/04/1974.
• A. Lance Pope.
  Letter of 17/02/1974.
• Captain (Hauptmann) Reinhold Eggers.
  Camp and Security Officer
  On the back of his 1944 Photograph he has written "You may paste this in one of my books".
• P. R. Reid (Pat Reid) M.B.E., MC .
  Author of "The Colditz Story" and "The Latter Days at Colditz"
  On BBC Colditz Postcard.
• Lieutenant Tony Rolt. Rifle Brigade
  The 30's motor-racing driver.

Please note I am unlikely to be able to answer detailed queries with regard to the Castle or to other WWII POW Camps. I am always glad to hear of other Colditz related sites and to add links, however.

Photograph from November 2003 Colditz Soc. trip to the Castle. This image kindly taken by Frau R. Lippman, and sent to me by Mr. M. Webb.

Some Colditz Links -

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