Bakerlite.co.uk

Behind The Barbed Wire

The story of the Second World War as experienced by E.J.Lees

In the early part of the second World War, Ted Lees, my father in Law, was injured and captured by the Germans in northern France. He kept a journal of his years of captivity in many camps including Stalag 8B and then his eventual release and walk through enemy lines from Vienna to Budapest. The journal re emerged a couple of years ago when my step daughter, Suzi, asked if she could take it to school as part of a history project. Subsequently, we typed it all up and had it published, in a small way to family and friends. Now it is time to give it a wider readership. You can download it by clicking on the links below. Part One Part Two Part Three It is in Adobe Acrobat Form (pdf files) If you haven't got Adobe Acrobat it is available free from: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Below are a few comments by e-mail
Dear Mike, I think your father-in-law's account of his time at Stalag VIIIB is the best I have come across. I was very moved to visit the site of the camp recently in the company of some former inmates and relatives of others. During the war there were up to 40,000 British and Commonwealth prisoners there, and many more Russians, Poles and other nationalities. The Polish authorities maintain an excellent prisoner-of-war museum on the site, but little remains of the British experiences as much was destroyed when the Russians invaded in 1945. I am proposing to make a documentary DVD about the British prisoners at Stalag VIIIb to preserve and honour the memory of our servicemen who endured so much. I am being helped with this by the media studies department of a local school, and their 6th-form students. This will be passed on to the museum to be kept for future generations to see, and also made available to anyone else who would like a copy. I have filmed interviews with 4 former prisoners, as well as a lot of other material. Would it be ok to quote from your father-in-law's journal? Lots of people have sent me information, souvenirs etc and I have so much now that I have set up a new website to store it all and make it accessible to all. The address is http://www.freewebs.com/lamsdorf. I've only just started, so there is a lot to do. I have already put a link to your father-in-law's journal on your website, though I now realise that I should have asked your permission first. Do let me know if this is ok! I hope to be arranging another two trips to Lamsdorf this year as several people have requested the opportunity to go. Very best wishes,	Philip Baker
Mike; I am most interested in reading your book . Currently I am having trouble picking it up. I'm no whiz on computer, but will get some help. I'm Ex RCAF POW Stalag Luft3 & 3a.	Wilkie
Dear Mike, I think your father-in-law's account of his time at Stalag VIIIB is the best I have come across. I was very moved to visit the site of the camp recently in the company of some former inmates and relatives of others. During the war there were up to 40,000 British and Commonwealth prisoners there, and many more Russians, Poles and other nationalities. The Polish authorities maintain an excellent prisoner-of-war museum on the site, but little remains of the British experiences as much was destroyed when the Russians invaded in 1945. I am proposing to make a documentary DVD about the British prisoners at Stalag VIIIb to preserve and honour the memory of our servicemen who endured so much. I am being helped with this by the media studies department of a local school, and their 6th-form students. This will be passed on to the museum to be kept for future generations to see, and also made available to anyone else who would like a copy. I have filmed interviews with 4 former prisoners, as well as a lot of other material. Would it be ok to quote from your father-in-law's journal? Lots of people have sent me information, souvenirs etc and I have so much now that I have set up a new website to store it all and make it accessible to all. The address is www.freewebs.co./lamsdorf. I've only just started, so there is a lot to do. I hope to be arranging another two trips to Lamsdorf this year as several people have requested the opportunity to go. Very best wishes	Philip Baker
I have just read part 1 of your father-in-law's moving account of his war experiences. My late father was a Royal Naval gunlayer on SS Arawa when it docked in Odessa in June 1945 to take on board POWs. He remembered celebrating VE day on board ship in Odessa when some vodka was cracked open - a drink he had never tasted before! He had by then served five years in the Navy and had been torpedoed twice. I am trying to piece together his war record with help from the Admiralty and the internet. Your father-in-law's journal has helped add another dimension to this. With thanks and best wishes	Tony Murphy
Dear Mike. My niece sent me a link to your photo site, which I enjoyed tremendously. Then I read your father-in-law's story of his World War II experiences, and was very touched. Thank you so much for sharing it.	Bobbi Convery Modeseto, California USA
Andrew Sheriff, grandson of R.S.M. Sidney Sheriff (seen here) contacted me by e-mail. He had read Ted's book and has spoken to him. Sadly, Ted died in April 2005 at the age of 85. His story lives on, for all to see, a testament to a humble and remarkable man.