On this day 31st March 1941.
- Get link
- X
- Other Apps
On this day 31st March 1941.
British Army Dental Corps Private Laurence Arthur Coe arrived in Sweden after escaping from a German prisoner of war camp. It is said that Coe was the first British serviceman to do so during World War 2.
Private Coe of the Army Dental Corps is thought to be the first soldier in the British Army to escape captivity in the Second World War and achieve the 'home run' back to the UK.
He was captured near Dunkirk on 30 May 1940 by the German Army and was transported to camp Stalag XXA (Thorn) in Poland. He successfully escaped from the prisoner of war camp and made his way back to the United Kingdom. King George VI thought the escape a fine performance on the part of Private Coe and awarded him the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
It is believed that Coe was aided by the Polish resistance . The Polish resistance movement facilitated escapes of British POWs from the camp, subsequently sheltering them in Bydgoszcz, and transporting them through Gdynia to neutral Sweden.
- Get link
- X
- Other Apps
Comments
Post a Comment