I am doing some research on the pretty successful escape of some 26 British officers in September 1941 from OFLAG V B (4 eventually made it to Switzerland). The escape was organised byLt. Col. Michael Duncan (has written a book and his son has his diary). I believe some parts of the tunnel is still there. In fact in August 1981 and during roadworks, the tunnel was re-discovered and photos were made. Unfortunately however, the exact place was not marked. I am working on a possible way to locate what ever is left to be able to put up some sort of a small memorial right there or at least close by. My questions would be: Are there still any escapees around (I have all names, ranks and units)? Or at least relatives? Who can help with inside information on camp and the escape? Reports of all 4 successful escapees are known to me already (icl. there home address in 1942), but what about the other 22? I am very new to WW2 talk and hope to have selected the correct forum.
Hi - did you get any further with this? Have you contacted Biberach Town archives yet? And a belated welcome to the forum Jules.
My father in law was there during the war as a child detainee from Guernsey. He later joined the I Corps before retiring back to Guernsey. He is currently Chairman of the detainees Assoc and liases every year with the people of Biberach not sure if he can help
Hi - did you get any further with this? Have you contacted Biberach Town archives yet? And a belated welcome to the forum Jules. Hi Jules, thanks for the welcome. I have lots of local contacts including the Biberach Town archives. There I found a strip of film produced in October 1941 by a German officer when all British officers were moved to another camp in Germany. Only approx. 2 minutes, but including two close ups of Britisch officers. About the tunnel, I did not get much further, but hope for spring to start a new approach using high tec equipment to find cavities in the ground, hopefully leading us to whatever is left of the tunnel today.
My father in law was there during the war as a child detainee from Guernsey. He later joined the I Corps before retiring back to Guernsey. He is currently Chairman of the detainees Assoc and liases every year with the people of Biberach not sure if he can help Hi, actually, I started my research after a visit to the local Biberach Friends of Guernsey back in April 2011 and I guess these people know your father in law. But still, if he wouldn't mind if I would contact him directly, please send me a private message with his name and contact address, E-mail, etc.
I guess you've come across this info about the tunnel already, but just in case you haven't : Work on the barracks tunnel began on 24 June 1941. The entrance was hidden under a stove in one of the huts in Block 6, just six feet from the perimeter wire. The tunnel was 145 feet long and ran under the wire and perimeter track with the exit just over a small ridge crest. It took until 11 September to complete and two days later, a group of twenty-six officers were ready to escape. Quote was taken from: Escapers from Germany
Thanks RosyRedd. Yes I have that information already. I did not know "The Escapers from Germany" though. The 4 successful escapees are in that report and another one, 2/Lt Chandos Blair who apparently also escaped successfully from Biberach Oflag VB on 30 June 1941. I had reports about 2 other escapees pre the September 1941 escape, which were re-captured and returned to Biberach. This other home run certainly adds to my investigation. I wonder if he was interviewed by M.I.9 etc. like the other 4.
I'm pleased it has helped. Telegraph Obit for Chandos Blair who died in January 2011: Lt-Gen Sir Chandos Blair - Telegraph If you post the names of those you know about already, I'll keep my eyes open for anyone else if I read about them.
I'm pleased it has helped. Telegraph Obit for Chandos Blair who died in January 2011: Lt-Gen Sir Chandos Blair - Telegraph If you post the names of those you know about already, I'll keep my eyes open for anyone else if I read about them. Great to have met you in BC. The articel I wrote with all names for the The National Ex-Prisoner of War Association is now on their Web site. Just click on Winter 2011 Quarterly Newsletters
Yes and you too - it was a surprise wasn't it?! Pity it was such a rushed visit, but my car wasn't parked in the best of places. The film footage taken by the German Officer was fascinating. I've noted the names - the website is interesting too.
My father in law was there during the war as a child detainee from Guernsey. He later joined the I Corps before retiring back to Guernsey. He is currently Chairman of the detainees Assoc and liases every year with the people of Biberach not sure if he can help Some clarification is needed: The Biberach Oflag was a Prisoner of War camp for military officers. There was also a separate camp at Biberach for civilian internees, which housed some of the Channel Island civilians transported to Germany in 1941-42. I do not know whether there was any overlap in administration between the two, but prisoners of war and civilian internees are two very distinct categories of person under both military and international law
Hi Drayton, in Biberach was only one camp up until 1945. Until October 1941 only military officers were there and later on, as you said also civilians from the Channel Islands. In between, but I am not so familiar with, also Russian military and I believe also jews. My investigation is on the British military officers only.
Some clarification is needed: The Biberach Oflag was a Prisoner of War camp for military officers. There was also a separate camp at Biberach for civilian internees, which housed some of the Channel Island civilians transported to Germany in 1941-42. I do not know whether there was any overlap in administration between the two, but prisoners of war and civilian internees are two very distinct categories of person under both military and international law This site: Forming friendships Freundschaften Schliessen - Guernsey Biberach has a brief history of the camp which was also known as "Lindele Camp". I've used google for the translation. It shows that it was indeed just the one camp. Translation: The story of the 'camp Lindele" at a glance 02/06/1939 Construction barracks Biberach 06/27/1939 Shooting match. Supplementary feeding of Battalion of Infantry Regiment 56 from vineyard 09/08/1939 Withdrawal of troops to the Western Wall 28/08/1940 Officers' camp - Oflag VB - for about 900 British officers, prisoners of war 13/09/1941 Flight of 26 British officers by a self-dug tunnel 09.11.1941- 02/18/1942 Main camp - Stalag VA (shadow storage) - for about 800 Soviet prisoners of war, of which 146 died 12.03.1942 Relocation of the unit Oflag 55 (VD) from Offenburg to Biberach to guard Serbo-Croatian and French officers 20/09/1942 Arrival of the first British civilian internees of the Channel Island of Jersey internment - Ilag VB Biberach 11/13/1942 Relocation of internees from Guernsey on Ilag Dorsten to Biberach 12/01/1942 Withdrawal of the Wehrmacht - Transfer to guard the camp by the Württemberg police. Inventory management by the Ministry Wuertt. (Thomma Obinsp.) on behalf of the Reich Security Main Office (SS-Ostubaf. Dr. Kroening) under the supervision of the Reich Ministry of Foreign Affairs 17./18.11.1944 Laying of 149 North African Jews from the concentration camp Bergen-Belsen to Biberach. 23/01/1945 Arrival of 133 German and Dutch Jews with South American passports from the concentration camp Bergen-Belsen, which were not allowed to attend a German-American exchange in Switzerland 04/23/1945 St. George's Day: the liberation of the camp by French troops Mai-June 1945 Repatriation of the Channel Islanders to England 07/28/1945 UNRRA camp in Jordanbad 10 for about 360 Jewish DPs, including families with stateless Jews from internment Biberach, Wurzach and Liebenau. Regards. Jules.
