Army Number: 14589798 Rank: Lance-Corporal (Acting) Name: Eric WIGBY Unit: 3 Irish Guards, Mortar Platoon Theatre: North West Europe POW Number: Date of Capture: 15/09/1944 Place of Capture: Camp: Escaper & Evader TNA Reference: IS9/WEA/6/376/2105 & MI9/S/PG 2728
Thanks for that, I checked my spreadsheet ... and I had this part transcribed Escape and Evasion Report No. I.S.9 (WEA)/6/376/2105 SECRET: 14589798 Acting Lance-Corporal Eric WIGBY, i/c Platoon H.Q. Mortars, 3rd Battalion IRISH GUARDS. Born 13 June 1924, in service for 1 year 5 months at time of interview 3/10/1944 by Robert BACON, 2/Lieutenant, AC. Graded No. 3 escape. Captured on 15/09/1944 at Overpelt, Belgium. Returned to Unit. On 15 September 1944 my Battalion was withdrawn from the line, then just on the Dutch border, and came over the canal into the village of OVERPELT to reinforce and regroup. My platoon was positioned in an orchard to ? a farmhouse. On Sunday, 17 September we were ordered to prepare to join an ? company to make up strength. We waited approximately four hours for the ?move to take place, during which time a guardsman and myself both having a slight knowledge of French were invited into the farm house for milk and fruit. About 1300 hours the move appeared to be taking place and the man left me to collect his valise and greatcoat. As I had mine already, I looked casually through the farm buildings while awaiting for him to return. I was walking back toward the farm house when a civilian stepped out of the barn (in which our own company had been cooking previously, but had now moved) and beckoned to me, “Ici, Tommy”. I walked over to him and he stepped back to allow me to enter the barn. As I did so he slipped his hand over my mouth and I found myself covered by two pistols held by two “British” soldiers. One of them informed me in moderate English that we were going to leave the barn and that any attempt to shout or escape would be futile. We then left by a small rear door (away from the orchard) and crossed about 10 yards to a British 15 cwt. truck. I was motioned into the back where one of the men in British uniform covered me again while the other drove. We went back over the Escaut Canal, through the British lines and into woods from which we (the Battalion) had withdrawn. There I was interrogated by an officer as to my brigade, its planned movement into HOLLAND, its officers, and the casualties suffered in the previous week. He also for the number of tanks we had lost since France and how many and of what types we had left. Also if reinforcements had been brought up since we withdrew. After taking my paybooks again and already having a few personal belongings, I was left with two Wehrmacht as guards. I was fed fairly regularly and allowed to smoke during my captivity. I was gradually moved back into German territory and one of the Wehrmacht informed me that I should be moved back into Germany as soon as transport was available. Fortunately British Army disposition made this difficult and on the morning of the 26th I escaped during breakfast after disposing of five enemy with a schmeiser. I made my way back to the bridge in nine hours and obtained lifts into Paris.
Courtesy of Drew... SECRET. M.I.9/S/P.G.(B )2728 ESCAPED FROM GERMAN HANDS IN BELGIUM The information contained in this report is to be treated as SECRET ACCOUNT OF ESCAPE OF 14589798 Lance-Corproal WIGBY, Eric, 3rd Battalion IRISH GUARDS Left: DIEPPE, 8 November 1944 Arrived: U.K., 8 November 1944 Date of Birth: 13 June 1924 Army Service: 15 April 1943 Peacetime Profession: Draughtsman, Air Ministry Private Address: Lund Lane, Hampshaite, HARROGATE, Yorks. On 15 September 1944 my battalion was withdrawn from the line, the just on the Dutch border, and came back over the ESCAUT Canal into the village of OVERPELT (N.W. EUROPE, 1:250,000 Sheet 3, K 3894) to reinforce and regroup. My platoon was positioned in an orchard close to a farmhouse. On 17 September we were ordered to join another company to make up strength. While we were waiting for orders, another guardsman and myself were invited to go to the farmhouse. At 1300 hours the move appeared to be taking place so my companion left me to collect his kit. As I had mine already, I walked about the farm awaiting his return. I was walking back towards the farmhouse when a civilian stepped out of a barn, which our company had used as a cookhouse, and beckoned me. I walked over to him and he stepped back to allow me to enter the barn. As I did so he clapped his hand over my mouth and I found myself covered by two men dressed in British uniforms. One of them told me in moderately good English, that any attempt to shout or escape would be futile. We then left by a door away from the orchard and I was put into a British 15-cwt truck, while the other one drove. We went back over the ESCAUT Canal through the British lines without incident, and into the woods N.W. of OVERPELT, from which my battalion had withdrawn. I was put in one of the trenches with two guards. I was then interrogated by an officer as to my brigade, its planned movement into HOLLAND, its officers and the casualties suffered during the previous week. He then took my pay book from me and told me I would be moved to GERMANY as soon as transport was available. Fortunately, British Army dispositions made this impossible. On 26 September the guards left me alone early in the morning to get my breakfast. I walked away unnoticed until I got to the last trench but one. There was a Schmeisser lying on top of this trench so I grabbed it. The two men inside jumped up and I shot them. The three men in the last trench popped up on hearing this and I shot them as well. I then ran away as fast as I could. Several shots were fired after me but I got away into another part of the wood. There was a road running alongside, along which our tanks were passing, but I avoided showing myself to them in case they shot me on sight. By keeping to the wood I got back to the bridge over the ESCAUT Canal at 1730 hours that evening. I called at an isolated house where they gave me food. I then made my way back to the bridge, walked through OVERPELT and then to HECHTEL (K 3484). A little way out of the town I stopped a Red Cross lorry which took me to BOURG LEOPOLD (K 2783), and spent the night there with some people. On 27 September I got a lift by an Army transport to BRUSSELS. After spending the night there I decided to go to MONS. I went by milk wagon to a village just near, where I spent the night. On 29 September I went into MONS by jeep. On 30 September I was taken to PARIS in a Salvation Army lorry and reported there to the British Military Police. I stayed in PARIS until 7 November, helping at B.A.S. Headquarters. On 8 November I returned to ENGLAND from DIEPPE.
