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ESCAPE EXERCISE by Barry Jones of The Advertiser - date unknown

NINETY boys from the Infantry Junior Leaders Battalion at Park Hall Camp Oswestry, left the area over the weekend on an Imaginary Prisoner of war camp escape. The escape started alongside the golf Course on Llanymyaech Hill and finished three grueling days later across the estuary from Llandanwg in Merionethshire.

Colonel C. Barker told the Advertiser that the boys enter the Battalion around the age of 15 to 16 and the younger entrants serve the full seven terms. The escape exercise comes as the climax to their Junior career and rigorously puts to the test all that the boys have learnt whilst at the camp. Then they go on to the Regular after their passing out parade the following month.

“While at the camp the boys are taught to overcome every existing obstacle.” Said Col. Barker He continued “ Their character and personality must be bought out during their training

The boys partake in such hobbies as ham radio, carpentry, archery, model aero and canoe construction, canoeing, pottery, cycling, hiking, sailing, judo, rock climbing and map reading. It is this final which incorporates the majority of the hobbies and also puts heavy demands on initiative.”

The operation started at Park Hall Camp itself. Where the boys left in three batches of 30, on three consecutive nights. The first batch left on Easter Monday and about tea time the boys where paraded for over an hour and then taken to the “prisoner of war” headquarters, which was a converted hut. Inside the hut I witnessed the atmosphere expected in such conditions. Members of the permanent staff donned enemy uniforms and repeatedly tried to obtain from the boys more than simply just their name rank and number by a series of rapidly fired questions. Trees and sawdust strewn inside the hut and monotonous Chinese music was played continuously“PARK HELL”

The hut was known as “Park Hell” and the boys remained here for up to two hours in squatting positions, initially to press home the importance of the exercise. At about 8 O’clock after having been stripped and thoroughly searched for such luxuries as cigarettes, food, or money they left by lorry still under enemy control for the concentration camp on Llanymyasein Hill. Here they were again interrogated and penalised on a points system for any excess information they gave. As the enemy commander laxed his attention for a short while a “friendly agent” contacted the boys individually and told them to follow him.

They were briefed and shown the mine shaft through which they had to make their escape. The shaft was a sheer drop for 70ft and required great skill and manipulation. The boys released at five minute intervals, then pothole their way out and endeavoured to meet their next agent. The escape system was that they travelled from agent to agent receiving instructions from them enabling them to reach the next. After the first agent the boys grouped into four or five and continued there escape together.

The approximate route led them past Llanyblodwell and Llangyong over the mountains towards Bala At the crossroads near Peny-bontfawr the boys were to be met by “Jennifer” a beautiful woman agent.” And 17 year –old school girl daughter of Col. Barker. She gave the boys encouragement and fresh instructions that they were to meet lorry driver called Fred who was in an Express Motor Carriers lorry from Oswestry. From here the boys went on towards Bala and just before reaching there contacted a further agent, a priest known as father Amos.FIRST ‘Kip’

It was his disused church nestling beside a fast flowing stream and lit by candles that offered them the first opportunity of sleep to the boys for about 3hrs. The church part of the “pipeline” to the coast had two open bibles in its vestibule lit by flickering candle flame.Father Amos sported gown, beard and suitably styled hat.
He was in contact with Lake Bala by short wave radio. At the pre arranged time he gave the boys the signal to awaken and top get up. Within 5 seconds one group of five shed their sleeping bags and were standing to attention straight from sleep.

They then had to cross Lake Bala diagonally in the middle of the night continually on the look out for the enemy. Previously near Penybontfawr, they had had to cross a frontier manned by the enemy,
And shortly after encountering another agent dressed as a station master guarding the now disused Aering railway station with a rifle. Further ambushes were met with which broke the silence of the valley. In all the boys travelled at least 76 miles and took three days to complete the operation, which was under the supervision of Major Evan Evans.

Each member of the most successful group will be presented with a tankard and the group will receive the Captain H G Greatwood shield. Captain Greatwood who will be shortly leaving the battalion completed the arduous trek himself and was under the complete control of a Junior Leader. He set up a next to best time over one section of the course. On arrival at their destination the boys were returned to camp for a big meal.
After climbing rock faces, crossing lakes, pot holing dispensing with cigarettes for days and foot slogging for almost 80 miles the boys must realise overwhelming sense of achievement having successfully completing the course.