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An important and unique Account of two Escapees in Crete as…
Sale Title:
Auction House:
Auction Location:
Auckland
Date:
9-May-2011
Lot No.
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Description:
An important and unique Account of two Escapees in Crete as told by Captain Watt of the N.Z.A.S.C. This is an original wartime closely typed manuscript with hand written notations. Believed unpublished and unknown until it surfaced recently. This document details the heroic exploits of 7542 Cpl. C.V. Christie and 1868 Pte. H.L. Stove, both of the N.Z.A.S.C. It comprises 21 pages of close typing on folio sized paper. This would convert to around 50 or more pages of normal spacing on A4 paper. It seems the two men were taken prisoner at Maleme, they became POWs and escaped, living with locals in the hills for some 5 months. Well worth publication and worthy of a lot more research. This could easily be the basis of a short film, a book or documentary, included is one unpublished Maleme Pow sketch map as part of the document. Captain A.B. Watt of Wellington; born New Zealand 8 August 1904, Company Manager, Adjutant of Supply Coy 1942-43. Well mentioned in the official history of the Supply Company. “We spied a space in the back fence where there was an opening of seventy yards between the two Jerry guard posts, these two kept coming together to talk and listen to the singing. We thought they would never get to their respective ends of their beat. At last Vic goes down on his belly quickly cutting the fire bottom barbs while I watched the guard at one end with a pal watching the other. We were to whistle the refrain of the Maori Battalion to Vic if the guard became suspicious, the wire goes ping ping. I am in a cold sweat, the guards hear the sound. Walk towards one another. Vic crawls back, they meet and we shiver in anticipation. Yes!, they are walking again to their respective ends. Good bye boys we murmur as down on our bellies, Vic leading, we go under the wire, the bag of previous biscuits come undone. I know we dare not go on without them. I curse and grope - and recover them - and crawl on to join Vic in a gully where we lie with panting hearts as if we had the run the 100 in ten.”
Estimate:
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Price:
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Category:
Unclassified