Douglas Bader-Colditz

On Mon, 16 Feb 2004 22:48:13 -0500 (EST), (RON)
wrote:

In the book Colditz, by Henry Chancellor-2001, he states that Bader,
while a POW at Colditz,kept his orderly, Alec Ross, who was about to be
repatriated, two extra years at Colditz so that Ross would remain his
orderly for the duration of Baders' imprisonment.
"he came here as my lackey and he'll stay here as my lackey".
Is there any credence to this authers claim that Bader had the clout
to keep Ross from being repatriated and if he did would he have done so?

I don't know, unless Ross was up for medical repatriation.

Repatriation would have been arranged through the Red Cross, and
normally only on medical grounds after a German medical examination
process. Even if Bader was the Senior British Officer in Colditz
(which I doubt) at any given point, with someconsequent measure of
internal responsibility and authority over the other inmates, his
ability to interfere with a formal repatriation process organised on
medical grounds should have been non-existant. I can't see Bader
having any ability or authority to interfere with both the
decision-making process of German doctors and neutral doctors
appointed by the Red Cross to examine any medical repattration case.

This all assumes Ross was up for medical repatriation, though.

Gavin Bailey

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On Mon, 16 Feb 2004 22:48:13 -0500 (EST), (RON)
wrote:

In the book Colditz, by Henry Chancellor-2001, he states that Bader,
while a POW at Colditz,kept his orderly, Alec Ross, who was about to be
repatriated, two extra years at Colditz so that Ross would remain his
orderly for the duration of Baders' imprisonment.
"he came here as my lackey and he'll stay here as my lackey".
Is there any credence to this authers claim that Bader had the clout
to keep Ross from being repatriated and if he did would he have done so?

I don't know, unless Ross was up for medical repatriation.

Repatriation would have been arranged through the Red Cross, and
normally only on medical grounds after a German medical examination
process. Even if Bader was the Senior British Officer in Colditz
(which I doubt) at any given point, with someconsequent measure of
internal responsibility and authority over the other inmates, his
ability to interfere with a formal repatriation process organised on
medical grounds should have been non-existant. I can't see Bader
having any ability or authority to interfere with both the
decision-making process of German doctors and neutral doctors
appointed by the Red Cross to examine any medical repattration case.

This all assumes Ross was up for medical repatriation, though.

Gavin Bailey

Pat Reid was one of the first Brits into Colditz, and certainly one of the
first out. Although he was never at Colditz during Bader's tenure, he
subsequently wrote quite a few books on the place (IIRC, the TV show and
film were adaptations of his work). I read 'Colditz, the inside story' just
last summer, and, according to Reid, Bader was solely responsible for Ross
staying there for the duration. Can't remember why Ross was up for
repatriation, but it may've been due to his age or ill health. One of the
two, I'm afraid I don't have the book to hand. Quite an interesting book
actually, well worth the read if you can find a copy.

Jim Doyle

On Tue, 17 Feb 2004 17:34:49 -0000, "Jim Doyle"
wrote:

[repatriation from Colditz]

Pat Reid was one of the first Brits into Colditz, and certainly one of the
first out.

Yes, I read Reid's books on Colditz when I was at school - but I don't
recall anything in them about Bader quashing repatriation for his
orderly, but then it's been a long time since I've read them.

Gavin Bailey