In April 1945, 2nd Lt. Peter During was a South African fighter pilot (N.7 Squadron) running missions over Italy when his Spitfire was shot down by German AA fire.
He managed to crash land his plane behind enemy lines where he was immediately captured. Whilst been escorted to a German Lufwaffe Prisoner of War (POW) camp (he was a pilot and thus his interrogation and imprisonment was the responsibility of the German airforce), he opened a conversation with his captors.
He was quickly able to establish that they could already see the writing on the wall, that the war was at an end and Germany would loose it. The Germans agreed with him that the best way for them to survive the war was to make it over to the Allied lines and surrender. He then convinced his four German escorts that he was their ticket to survival and to become his prisoners. They agreed and then changed direction and headed for the Allied lines instead.
It was a simple agreement really – if challenged by any German or other Axis Forces along the way the German’s agreed to say they were transferring an Allied pilot and continue on their way, and if challenged by Allied troops or the Italian Resistance fighters, Lt. Peter During would be given their MP-40 machine pistol and state he was transferring German prisoners.
On their way they stopped at several Italian houses for food and glasses of wine. One of the Germans had a camera and hence the photographs. They made it over to the Allied lines, Peter During wrote them a note mentioning their good conduct which he gave to them as they went into captivity. The camera was given to Peter for safekeeping as its owner knew it could fall into the wrong hands and be lost once going into captivity.
Despite trying on numerous occasions after the war had ended, to track down these men Peter had assisted, he was unable to find them, thank them and reunite the camera with its original owner. He printed the role of film to discover this priceless snippet of history.
He managed to crash land his plane behind enemy lines where he was immediately captured. Whilst been escorted to a German Lufwaffe Prisoner of War (POW) camp (he was a pilot and thus his interrogation and imprisonment was the responsibility of the German airforce), he opened a conversation with his captors.
He was quickly able to establish that they could already see the writing on the wall, that the war was at an end and Germany would loose it. The Germans agreed with him that the best way for them to survive the war was to make it over to the Allied lines and surrender. He then convinced his four German escorts that he was their ticket to survival and to become his prisoners. They agreed and then changed direction and headed for the Allied lines instead.
It was a simple agreement really – if challenged by any German or other Axis Forces along the way the German’s agreed to say they were transferring an Allied pilot and continue on their way, and if challenged by Allied troops or the Italian Resistance fighters, Lt. Peter During would be given their MP-40 machine pistol and state he was transferring German prisoners.
On their way they stopped at several Italian houses for food and glasses of wine. One of the Germans had a camera and hence the photographs. They made it over to the Allied lines, Peter During wrote them a note mentioning their good conduct which he gave to them as they went into captivity. The camera was given to Peter for safekeeping as its owner knew it could fall into the wrong hands and be lost once going into captivity.
Despite trying on numerous occasions after the war had ended, to track down these men Peter had assisted, he was unable to find them, thank them and reunite the camera with its original owner. He printed the role of film to discover this priceless snippet of history.
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