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| The crew was marched from the area of the Muschelfeld where they were initially interrogated by Oberleutnant Kurt Wentzel who was the duty officer when the aircraft made its emergency landing. By direction of the island Military Commander, Fregattenkapitän Dr. Goebell,
the crew was marched along the NW beaches to point #1. About this time the crew came under the scrutiny of the locals, and a group of the local "Reichs Arbeits Dienst" (RAD -- similar to our Civilian Construction Corps). About 60 to 100 members of the RAD who were performing
afternoon calisthenics, formed a gauntlet for the airmen to pass through. With shovels and fists the RAD men beat the airmen without intervention by the guards. Fortunately, the RAD men shows some compassion and did not strike the airmen with excessive force, or else they would not have
survived this segment of their march.
By the time the crew reached Strandstrasse (#2) they had walked about 3 kilometers (2 over sandy beaches), and in their flight gear. They turned down Strandstrasse and continued their march to the airfield where they were to be handed over to the local Luftwaffe detail for transport to the mainland. |