Another Toilet Story

[rammjaeger]

In his book "Mein Fliegerleben" Udet reported JG I had a prisoner in Bernes. Lothar von Richthofen had shot down a British major next to the camp or airfield of JG I. In the evening during the partying the Englishmen asked for the W.C.

That caused a discussion among the German pilots because the Brit could very easy escape if he would go alone to this facility. Otherwise it would not show good manners to observe him during his "business". Some pilots followed the Britisher and found it was possible to see his boots also from outside. The POW did not try to escape this time but later the squadron was informed that a British major and aviator escaped from the toilet of a German train in German uniform (He left his guard imprisoned in the toilet).

Is somebody able to verify this story?

Why didn't they just ask the officer for his PAROLE. Officers being GENTLEMEN would have not then attempted to escape.
VBR
Peter S.

[rammjaeger]

... and Non-Gentlemen?

VBR
Hannes

Apologies and I should not have let the English trait of irony creep into my question.
An officer who gave his parole and then attempted to escape would not have been accepted by his regiment as other than a bounder. I know of no incident where an officer having given his parole (i.e. his word) would have gone back on it.
The social and military mores of that period were perhaps different to the present day.
VBR
Peter S.

[Ginger.]

This is why the British Officer class was admired the world over.They were Gentlemen who played the game by the rules and always truimphed at the final whistle.

Gentlemen!:
How about using the much gentler
sounding description of that vulgar util-
ity "toilet". Latrine sounds nice. How
about the Italian "cabinetto?"

[Ginger.]

What about calling it after the immortal Yorkshireman that invented the flushing toilet,Mr.Crapper?

[rammjaeger]

Peter,

obviously in this case the German pilots did not remember the possibility to demand the parole - I have heard about other German aviators asking their British POW for parole. In other cases Germans refused to give their word and were - as a logic result - suffering from more "carefully" treatment. In the described case the pilot Maushake, called "Mausezahn" (= "Mouse tooth") was obsessed by the idea the Britisher would try to escape.
Udet was reporting that ... but sometimes he was also a great story teller. Therefore I asked for verification but obviously I have always to answer the most "exotic" questions to myself.

"Cabinetto" sounds good and gives even the impression of a "working athmosphere" there but Latrine is more vulgar than toilett (IMHO).

Hannes

I have always thought that author Evelyn Waugh's (Sword of honour), descriptive word "Thunderbox," has an echo of truth.
Regards
Peter S

[Craig]

Ginger:
While an unabashed Anglophile in many other respects, I think that exalting the British officers class is unwarranted. The 19th century provides a harrowing litany of the abuses of imperialism - which, in this case, were implemented by the British officer class. While they are not exactly the SS, some thoroughly rotten things done to inigenous populations in the interest of the crown.

Craig