Suspected
of
being
a
British
Spy
Planning the Escape from Donington Hall
Escape from Mainland Britain - London Sojourn
Suspected of being a Spy in Germany
BIBLIOGRAPHY
My Escape from Donington Hall
preceded by an acccount of the siege of Kiao-Chow in 1915 by Kapitanleutnant Gunther Pluschow, of the German Air Service, translated by Pauline De Chary, originally published in German by Ullstein (no copyright now held by De Chary)
Published by John Lane The Bodley Head Ltd, London MCMXXII
Available from your local libray through inter library loan.
Upon arrival in Holland, Pluschow carefully blended himself in with the crew who were unloading the boat. Once ashore, he avoided Customs by using an door marked 'No Exit' and found himself on a street.
Pluschow quickly made it to the local German Consulate, who gave him some money for a bath, and a train ticket to Germany. However, the office clerk didn't believe his story, and the Consul phoned ahead: "He's pretending to be Gunther Pluschow! Whatever will they think of next!"
On arrival in Germany, Pluschow was arrested by 2 very large Bavarian Corporals, and held at a Railway station military police post. The Officers Orderly threatened that his commander didn't waste time with spies. They were to be shot.
Luckily the commander turned out to be a fellow student of Johannistal Aerodrome, where Pluschow had trained to become a pilot. The commander heartily congratulated Pluschow on his escape, whilst the Orderly prepared Pluschow a full breakfast.
In a few weeks Pluschow was receiving an Iron Cross from Kaiser Wilhelm II and was married in the hangar of a seaplane, a hero of Imperial Germany.
No other German POW ever escaped from mainland Britain, and it is with this in mind that we in Great Britain honour the memory of Gunther Pluschow, a valiant, heroic enemy, who through determination and physical ability succeeded where all others had failed.
