By ‘Eye Spy’ Canadian Editor, Lynn Philip Hodgson

Yes, this is what had been typed on Oberleutnant Peter Krug’s ‘Conduct Sheet’ May 8th, 1942.

Conduct to the prejudice of good order and Military Discipline amongst Prisoners of War in that he did escape from Camp 30 on April 17, 1942.

Had Peter Krug attempted this escape from the German PoW Camp 30 at Bowmanville, Canada, a mere five months earlier, he likely would have made it back to Germany safely.  But after December 6th, 1941, that Day of Infamy, the successful escape and return to Germany of any PoW held in Canada, became an almost impossibility.

Peter Krug ended up at Camp 30 Bowmanville as many others did before him, shot down while flying a Dornier Bomber over England.  Wounded, Krug spent time convalescing in a British hospital before being sent overseas to Canada and Camp 30.

While at Camp 30, a one hundred and ten acre site consisting of several buildings used for housing, lush green grounds and a multitude of sporting facilities, Krug, along with his friend Erich Boehle, hatched a brilliant idea for escaping.  They had conceived the idea of posing as Canadian workmen going about their daily routine of repairing various things in need of maintenance.

On April the 17th 1942, the two men, with the help of the entire camp, started to walk toward the double barbed wire fences.  The men were of course being guarded by one of their own men wearing a Canadian army uniform, which was provided by the theatrical group, who also donated supplies they would need.  The German Abwehr, through their agents in Canada, had smuggled in forged documents, Canadian and American currency and maps. Also, a soccer game had been arranged in order to cause a distraction at the very moment that the men would make their escape.

Pretending to be repairing the barbed wire fence, and marking the spots with paint, the two men climbed the fence using a ladder and went over the top.  But now there was another fence about fifteen feet away.  Nervous and afraid that the caper would be up, the men walked toward the outer fence and again put the ladder into position.  After successfully climbing over the second fence they sat down for a rest and a few minutes later, stood up and preceded to just walk away.

The men made it successfully to Union Station in Toronto where they decided it would be best if they were to slit up; they said goodbye and went on their separate ways.  Leutnant Erich Boehle was captured on Lewiston Road only a mile from potential freedom.  Peter Krug however had a much more exciting and longer flight of freedom.
The Camp 30 commandant, Colonel Bull, received a phone call from the Niagara Falls Police Department asking him if he were missing any prisoners.  Colonel Bull ensured the constable that indeed he was not.  The constable insisted and asked him to check again specifically for one Erich Boehle.  Yes, they did have a PoW named Erich Boehle but at roll call he was not missing, how could this be?  Another elaborate and brilliant idea of the theatrical group made it possible and likely would not have been detected for some time if it had not been for Boehle being picked up so quickly.

The theatrical group had made dummies using papier-mâché, a uniform, and plenty of paper stuffing.  The dummies had been hauled out for each roll call and strategically placed in the middle of the bunch while being held upright by PoWs on either side.

After a double count of PoWs, still no one was missing.  Colonel Bull ordered a oral count where all PoWs would have to call out when their names were called and it was only then that it was found that not only was Leutnant Boehle missing but Oberleutnant Krug as well.

While Boehle was being returned to Camp 30 to serve his 28 days in solitary confinement as his punishment, Oberleutnant Krug was still at large and was now a wanted man as part of a massive search on behalf of law enforcement.  Krug’s cover story was so convincing that he managed to convince a Priest to buy him a bus ticket to Windsor Ontario where there was a job awaiting him.

Arriving at Windsor on the evening of April 17th, Krug lay low until the next day when he would attempt to get across the St. Clair River to Detroit.  The morning of the 18th, Krug walked along the shoreline of the river searching for some means of getting across.  Finally, he found a rowboat and after manufacturing some make shift oars; he succeeded in rowing across the river. Peter Krug celebrated his 22nd birthday in the United States.

The Abwehr’s agents had provided Krug with names and addresses of safe houses, which he was to contact if he were to make it safely to Detroit.  His first contact was a Mrs. Bertelmann who in turn introduced him to restaurant owner Max Stephan.  Given food and lodging and money for his trip, Krug headed out for his final destination, Mexico, a neutral country.

Krug’s luck changed from good to bad when he arrived in San Antonio Texas.  Here he checked into a hotel where keen eyed manager had recognized Krug from an FBI photo, which had been distributed the previous day.  The manager contacted the FBI who quickly arrested the surprised Oberleutnant Krug.  After two hours of interrogation, Krug finally admitted to who he was and when questioned further as to how he had planned to cross the border into Mexico, Krug replied that he intended to, “swim across the Rio Grand.”

From items found in Krug’s bag by the FBI, among other things a military map of his escape route, FBI agents were able to trace back to Mrs. Bertelmann, Mr. Stephan and a man named Theodore Donway.  Also found in his hotel room was a .32 calibre handgun which he had purchased for $13 from a Pawn Shop.

Krug, arrogant in many ways, caused a stir when he appeared in court dressed in his Luftwaffe uniform and when questioned, belittled Americans as being, “Stupid” for believing him when on no fewer than seven occasions he passed forged documents to different levels of authority without as much as any suspicion.  Back in Detroit, Max Stephan was arrested and charged with ‘harbouring an alien’. At his trial, he was convicted of his crimes and was sentenced to death, which was later commuted to life in prison. Mrs. Bertelmann was interned as an ‘Enemy Alien’ for the duration of the war.  Theodore Donway received a fine and imprisonment for his involvement.

Peter Krug was eventually returned to Camp 30 where the commandant immediately began processing paperwork to have him transferred to the more secure camp at Gravenhurst where his ‘Conduct Sheet’ would have the following new notations.

29 Nov. 1942  “Conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline among Prisoners of War” in that he at Gravenhurst on 29 Nov. 1942 attempted to escape by cutting a hole through the dining room floor of the P./W. Mess Hall.

And the final notation of:

2 Aug. 1943  “Conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline among Prisoners of War” in that he at Gravenhurst Ont. on 2 Aug. 1943, at about 1500 hours did escape from a swimming party and was absent until apprehended at North Bay, Ontario, at about 0200 hours on 5 Aug. 1943.

Watch for ‘Bowmanville – Camp 30 – Word of Honour’ Hodgson/Longfield
September 6th, 2003
 

Research sources: The Bowmanville Museum, The Toronto Star, The Detroit Free Press, San Antonio Express, ‘Ehrenwort’ Daniel Hoffman, Bruno Petrenko, Volkmar König, Life Books