The Life and Times of Hubert Brooks M.C. C.D. A Canadian Hero

Chapter 2: CAPTURE / PRISONER OF WAR / ESCAPE ATTEMPTS

Section 2.1 : CAPTURED 9–April–1942 OUTSIDE LEER

I landed in a field close to a farmhouse about two miles north of Oldenburg (Germany). On landing, I came down heavily on my left leg and my parachute pack landed even more heavily on my head. One of the buckles opened a gash in my skull which then started to bleed.

I tore my parachute canopy into strips, and hid the harness etc.

It was a little after one A.M. on the 9^th of April 1942 and I started walking north westerly (towards the North Sea / Dutch border) in the darkness.

By dawn I had arrived at the outskirts of Leer (located in the northwestern part of Germany by the Dutch border).

My face was slashed by strands of barb wire I hadn't seen in time and my leg was swollen. Due to my injured knee and swollen leg, I was unable to make further progress so I approached a farmhouse to ask for help. I knocked on a farmhouse door hoping an answer would come in Dutch, but it was a German who helped me into the kitchen.

While the farmer's wife washed and dressed my wounds and fixed breakfast, her daughter went into the nearby village of Leer to fetch the police. I was escorted to the local police station by a civil policeman and a soldier.
By eight o'clock that morning I was a prisoner of war.

In the afternoon I was taken in a police car to Police H.Q. in Oldenburg I soon discovered that the entire crew of N for Nuts had also been captured – all but the rear gunner. His parachute had apparently jammed in the rear escape hatch and he had ridden down to this death in the burning bomber.

We were then taken to a German Air Force (G.A.F.) airfield on the outskirts of Oldenburg. Here we were searched and had our personal belongings – watches, lighters etc confiscated. We were then questioned by a G.A.F. Hauptmann who threatened and shouted at us for about an hour.

We were then placed in the Detention Barracks where we remained until about 15:00 hrs on 10^th April when we were taken to the railway station.

The Life and Times of Hubert Brooks M.C. C.D.