The Long March

to

Freedom

As documented by

L. Cpl. Ernest Arthur Spooner

Kings Royal Rifle Corp

Foreword

In January 1945, as the Soviet armies resumed their offensive and advanced into Germany, many of the prisoners were marched westward in groups in the so-called Long March or Death March. Many of them died from the bitter cold and exhaustion. The lucky ones got far enough to the west to be liberated by the American or British armies.

The Long March was during the final months of the Second World War in Europe. Allied POWs were force-marched westward across Poland and Germany in appalling winter conditions, lasting about four months from January to April 1945.

In most camps, the POWs were actually broken up into groups of 250 to 300 men and because of the inadequate roads and the flow of battle, not all the prisoners followed the same route. In the case of Stalag VIIIB/E594, they took a southerly route through the German occupied Czech Protectorate (Bohemia and Moravia) to Bavaria.

The groups would march 20 to 40 kilometres a day - resting in barns and even in the open. With so little food they were reduced to scavenging to survive, anything they could lay their hands on. Already underweight from years of prison rations, some were at half their pre-war body weight by the end. Because of the unsanitary conditions and a near starvation diet, hundreds of POWs died along the way from exhaustion as well as pneumonia, diphtheria, and other diseases.

As winter drew to a close, suffering from the cold abated and some of the German guards became less harsh in their treatment of POWs. As the columns reached central Germany they ran into the advancing British and American armies, for some, this brought liberation.

On 4 May 1945 RAF Bomber Command implemented Operation Exodus, and the first prisoners of war were repatriated by air in aircraft. Bomber Command flew 2,900 sorties over the next 23 days, carrying 72,500 prisoners of war home.

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Stalag V111B/E594

Diary of L.Cpl E A Spooner

Tuesday 23th January 1945

23Left camp at Konigshutte at 4 oclock in the morning, most of us pulling homemade sledges which we were ordered to discard just before Beuthen. We travelled all day and marched a distance of 42km to a gasthaus at Orzesche and bunked in with Greeks.

24On again through Rybnik where we left sick. Passed many Russian POWs dead on the side of road. Stopped in empty house 10km this side of Ratibor, 28km.

25On again through Ratibor on to Streitkirke a distance of 21 km where we rested in a barn. The going is now very bad because of the snow.

26Rested in barn

27On again through snow to a state farm where were all together, Ruskies us and the Greeks, the place was Kauthen or Kravara 20kms.

28Rested. Food is getting scarce now.

29Monday. On again, our boots were frozen when we started and we marched 20km to Gratz where we rested in an empty reslaz.

30On again, we started climbing over the hills through bad snow to Bautsch, a very bad road and we rested in gasthaus 15km.

31On again to an even worse road, snow up to a mans knees and we eventually reached Dittersdorf. 21km, where we had raw spuds, rested in hall with Greeks.

February

1. Rested

2. Friday on again and struck a good road on to Andersdorf. Rested in barn 21km.

3. On again and started to come down the mountain through Sternburg to Augezd and rested in barn, 27km.

4. Rested

5. Monday. Rested

6. Rested

7. On again to Klappe 17km, and rested in barn.

8. On again to Poboutsch 15km to a barn.

9. On again to Sichelsdorf climbing over the hills 23km, rested in barn.

10. Rested

11. Rested

12. Monday. Rested

13. Rested

14. On again to Riebnig 22km, not very good here, pro Jerry I expect, anyway we cross into the protectorate next.

15. We Rested today

16. Rested

17. (26th day) We started again and climbed right up into the protectorate and stopped for the night at Fliemanitz, where the civvies had sup ready for us and had a collection of bread and cakes for the whole column. Boy they certainly are good to us these people, we rested in barn, 25km.

18. On again to Oberfellen, 22km where we rested in concert hall. Plenty of food from the civvies here, the boys all went out over the back.

19. Monday. We rested and I had a job on the rations store, plenty eats.

20. On again to Wischka, 28km and rested in barn, the weather is cold and sunny.

21. On again to Fullenhof going around Konigsgratz to the other side, about 14km.

22. Rested. Was on rations.

23. Rested

24. On again to Reipa, 12km. I had a job on rations so had a bit of extra bread.

25. Rested in barn

26. Monday. Was raining when we left, we kept to the Dresden Road for 12km then left it to skirt the town of Florschitz, and then went on another 7km and hit the Dresden Road again and stopped at Honofous, 19km. Had to stand outside in field for 3 hours as punishment as so many of our boys have escaped.

27. Dull but dry, kept to the Dresden Road all the way to Aubenitz, 12km where we rested in barn, (Dresden 187km)

28. (37th day) Another rest day weather dull but dry. Issue of bread for next three days, 500 g a man a day, its a little extra because we have no rations for the pot. Issued with a letter card.

March

1. (38th day) On again to Ktowa where we rested in barn, did ok for food from the civvies as we were split up into 3 parties, the weather was dull but dry and we marched 19km.

2. On again and we started to climb, the weather is very windy with occasional squalls of snow, very cold in the wind. We marched 26km to Judendorf where we rested in barn after striking again, the Dresden Road.

3. We rested today

4. On again to Kropatsch Wruttz a distance of 27km, some say 31 but the first is my estimation. The weather was dull but dry until about 4 km from the end when it started to snow. We are well off the Dresden Road now heading south so we are still in the dark as to where we are going. Stopped for the night in some kind of Lager.

5. Monday. The road was covered in snow when we started but the weather kept fairly dry, we marched 26km to Duisnik Semmelkovitz where we rested in barn. The civvies came good with the soup, now 30km from Prague.

6. We rested today was issued with 1kilo of bread for 3 days, they must think we are mice, I am firmly convinced that we have no place to go to, we just wander around. Also manage to have a bit of a bath.

7. Marched out again at half 7 in the morning and marched 10km to Sloein, we rested in barn arriving at 10 oclock, still about 30km from Prague.

8. On again a distance of 25km to Schlewtschitz, the weather is dry but very cold in the wind.

9. Rest day and we have an issue of 10 cigs, what a surprise.

10. Another Rest day (Issued Pamphlet asking to fight for Jerry)

11. On again, a good road but a bad day, sleet and snow all the morning, we seem to be on the road to Karlsbad, we marched through Stran to Yedomielitz a distance of 12km where we rested in a barn. Also got dished out our rations for the day by Jerry.

12. Monday. Another rest day had a little soup from the civvies.

13. On again a good road and we marched 26km to Nesuchin. The civvies were very good to us, we had a good issue of bread and more soup than we could eat.

14. On again and we crossed the border and are now in Sudetenland so we shall go hungry again. We marched a distance of 17km to Muckhof where we rested in a barn. Once again we are dished out our rations by the Jerrys no bread for today.

15. We rested today, very sunny the warmest day so far. Had to borrow a few spuds and some kraut from the odds and sods mob as we are right out of grub. We have nothing to thank Jerry for.

16. On again at a distance of 19km to Libin. We passed through a village where there was a dump of parcels and as I said, we passed them. Are still waiting for rations from Jerry. The weather is sunny and warm, we did get rations from Jerry, it worked out 2oz of bread a day for two days. How can a man march on that?

17. On again after receiving 2 cigs a man before we started. The weather was dull and we ran into two hail storms before we got in for the day so we were a little wet. We marched 27km to Deutsches Kilmes. We still wait for food that never comes.

18. We rest today as it is a rest day. We do not get our two cigs issued. We are still waiting for food, perhaps something will turn up today. We had 350 g of bread issued a man to last for two days. They are just giving us enough to keep going on.

19. Monday. On again a climbing march, this time to Mullersgrun a distance of 15km.

20. On again (dropped down 705 km) 3km to main road, the Marienbad road through Petschau, Einsiedtel, Rayaiu to Abaschin a distance of 24km.

21. A rest day and a pleasant surprise, we had Red Cross parcels issued. Four American parcels for five men and some French biscuits and solid jam. Were the boys pleased!

22. On again we climbed down from 25000 ft to 10000 ft passing through, following and striking the main Marienbad road again onto Kettenplan where we turned off to Waschagrun a distance of 16km. (721 km)

23. On again down through Plan and on the main road to Haid a distance of 24km (745 km)

24. A rest day, weather very sunny, shortage of water but boys went down road to pond to wash. We are altogether, us, Greeks and Sammeln lager in storage sheds. We hear that the march is nearly over, two mo