My Escape From Donington Hall: Preceded by an Account of the Siege of Kiao-Chow in 1915

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This remarkable tale recounts the only successful escape of a German prisoner of war from mainland Britain during either World War. After being captured in Gibraltar, Pluschow was sent to a PoW camp at Donington Hall in May 1915. On July 4, he and fellow prisoner Oskar Trefftz executed a daring escape, scaling two 9ft barbed wire fences. They changed clothes and walked 15 miles to Derby, where they caught a train to London. Their escape quickly made headlines in the Daily Sketch, featuring their names and descriptions. Though they parted ways, Trefftz was recaptured at Millwall Docks. To avoid detection, Pluschow altered his appearance by removing his tie, checking his coat at Blackfriars station, and using coal dust, boot polish, and Vaseline to darken his hair and cover himself in soot, transforming into a dock worker. He then stowed away on a Dutch steamer at Tilbury docks, successfully evading a policeman in Holland before traveling by train to Germany. Upon his return, he was celebrated as a hero and awarded the Iron Cross First Class. This extraordinary story is presented in Gunther's own words for the first time in English.