At the Germans' request, prisoners brought unused straw
mattresses down from an attic, loaded them onto a cart, and dumped them in
Colditz Town. Stepping onto a mattress lying on the ground, a German officer
felt something hard. Inside was English Lieut. John Hyde-Thomson, in civilian
clothes. Lieut. Peter Allan, in another mattress, managed to get away, but was
later caught in Vienna and returned to Colditz.
