THE
PRISONER OF WAR WHO HELPED THE GERMANS TO LOAD A PIG
I
found a fantastic story in a one of the newsletters which was
produced by Channel Island evacuees in Stockport, Cheshire, during
the Second World War.
Born in Guernsey, Corporal
Leslie Sarchet, R.E. joined up during the early days of the war.
After training in England he ended up fighting in Tobruk where he was
taken prisoner.
He
was sent to an Italian prisoner of war camp at Ancona from which he
managed to escape. He discarded his battle dress for civilian
clothing and in 51 days he walked over 400 miles. During this time he
met friendly rebels in the mountains who gave him food and helped him
on his way. On one occasion he actually helped two German soldiers to
load a pig into a cart! They mistook him for an Italian, as he spoke
the language.
Bombed
for two days by British planes, he managed with great difficulty to
get through the German lines to reach the British. There he received
a great welcome and plenty of food. Finally, the newsletter states
that (in February 1944) Corporal Sarchet was spending some time on
leave in England but was was keen to return overseas for more
service.
The
newsletter also contained a photograph of some of the Guernsey
civilians who had been deported to a camp at Laufen. It included a letter written by Mr A J Sherwill who told his daughter “We
are very full here with a large influx, but not from the Channel
Islands. It is 11 November tomorrow (Armistice Day) and I have
arrange to place lovely flowers on the graves in Laufen Cemetary. We
will observe the two minutes silence by the gravesides. Our Christmas
parcels arrived today. We are wonderfully well provided for by our
fairy godmother, the British Red Cross.”