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Essex Scottish prisoners taken in Dieppe raid are marched for transport to POW camps
19 August 1942
Red Beach, Dieppe, France


Credits:
The Windsor Star

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Those who were captured as prisoners of war were taken to a prisoner of war camp in Lamsdorf. There the men tied to maintain some semblance of "life". As one survivor, Company Sgt. Maj. Con Stapleton recalled,"at this camp and others like Stalag V111-B, there was a monotonous menu routine which consisted of soup, potatoes and bread. Sometimes bugs or a horse's eye would pop up in the soup. The men were never openly abused in the camps. But often their basic needs of adaquate food, heat and water were neglected".

Credit: The Windsor Star- Wed. August 19,1992

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In the Wed. Aug.12, 1992 edition of The Windsor Star, there was a feature on notes kept in a POW camp by Pte. Russell Dube. In this two page spread his written account of the actual events regarding his capture and transport to the camp, as well as life in the camp provided us with a deeper understanding of what these men endured.
He had originally escaped from the beach on an Assault landing craft only to have it struck by an artillery shell. As the craft was sinking the survivors swam back to the beach. At 4 o'clock they were captured and forced to surrender.
The first day of travel was to Rouen where some medical attention was given. By now, these 15 Essex Scottish and others were packed 40 to a box car. Over the period of these three days a one pound tin of horse meat and one loaf of bread was all that each group of 4 men had to eat. Three days later they would make a 4 mile march to a transfer camp in Vernoulle. After one week the men were moved to Stalag VIII-B. One part of the camp was the Dieppe compound.
"Each camp was divided into nine compounds, each of these containing from 4-5 huts. Surrounding these compounds were high barbed wire fences and after nine o'clock at night, men and savage dogs patrolled the grounds."
From Oct.8, 1942 until Nov. 28, all Dieppe men had their wrists bound with rope. After Nov.28, rope was replaced with heavy chains. Others in the camp were allowed to leave the camp on work parties, but "during our period of reprisal for the Dieppe raid, no Canadian was allowed on these work parties where we may have a chance to escape." Cold, lice, lack of food and rationed water made life nearly unbearable. There was Red Cross soup and black bread, but only occasionally and never enough to actually keep up their strength. The thoughts of home and freedom were their strength.
Pte. Russell Dube was able to escape but was recaptured after three weeks. He managed to get film and a camera so that he could document conditions at the camp. He was involved in the digging of a tunnel to the outside where some managed to escape.
Pte. Dube and six others eventually escaped at a time when the Americans were advancing. With the help of the Ninth Army, the men would first be taken to Hanover and then on to England on Canadian transport planes. After a week's rest in hospital, the men were given indefinite leave.Pte. Dube left England on July 17 for Canada aboard the S.S.New Amsterdam.