LIFE IN GERMANY - "Handcuffed for 410 day*' - Captain Valentine, a Canadian Army officer of the Calgary Regiment, wearing shackles whilst eating a meal in a Camp in Germany. Capt. Valentine was captured at Dieppe in 1942 and taken to Oflag VII B Bavaria. On the morning of October 8th 1942, all Canadian officers were taken to an old Schloss on the other side of the tow, put into cells and searched. A copy of an operation order captured by the Germans at Dieppe was read to them. This stated that all Germans were to be bound at the wrist whilst waiting to be transported to Engla
LIFE IN GERMANY - "Handcuffed for 410 day*' - Captain Valentine, a Canadian Army officer of the Calgary Regiment, wearing shackles whilst eating a meal in a Camp in Germany. Capt. Valentine was captured at Dieppe in 1942 and taken to Oflag VII B Bavaria. On the morning of October 8th 1942, all Canadian officers were taken to an old Schloss on the other side of the tow, put into cells and searched. A copy of an operation order captured by the Germans at Dieppe was read to them. This stated that all Germans were to be bound at the wrist whilst waiting to be transported to England. (The reason for this order was because the raid on Dieppe was only to be a few hours duration, and time could not be spent searching German prisoners immediately on capture]. As a reprisal the Germans tied the wrists of the Canadians together with rope for two days and nights. The roped were then removed and handcuffs put on the prisoners for a period of six months. At the (Cont'd] end of this period the �cuffs' were replaced by shackles. The shackles consisted of handcuffs joined together by chains about eighteen inches long. The shackles were kept on for nine hours a day and were not removed at meal times. The shackles were eventually removed on November 21st 1943, after a total of 410 days. Many POWs including myself were shackled in the same way when being moved from camp to camp in cattle trucks. Our belts, braces and boots were taken off us at the same time of travelling British Army, 21st Army Group
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