August 19, 2025 • 12 mins
Delve into the gripping true story of M. C. Simmons, a Canadian soldier who found himself at the mercy of the German Army during the tumultuous early days of World War I. This narrative chronicles his harrowing sixteen months as a prisoner of war, detailing his interactions with fellow captives from Allied forces, as well as his insightful observations of his captors and their homeland. Most strikingly, we follow Simmons through his daring escape attempts—each more audacious than the last—his subsequent recaptures and punishments, and the perilous journey through enemy territory that defined his relentless spirit. As McClung notes, Private Simmons is a close and accurate observer who sees clearly and talks well. He tells a straightforward, unadorned tale, every sentence of which is true, and convincing. Prepare to be captivated by a story of resilience and courage.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Section thirteen of three Times and Out by Nellie mc lung.
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, Chapter fifteen
Caught again. The bridge was a fine iron one without lights.
The road which led to it was not much traveled,
(00:22):
and it looked as if it might carry us over
without accident. Anyway, it was our only chance. We walked
on to the bridge, taking care to make no noise,
and striking a gait that was neither slow nor fast.
We were nine tenths of the way over the bridge,
with hopes springing in our tired hearts at each step.
(00:46):
Away to the west, straight ahead of us, distant lights twinkled.
We thought they were in Holland, and they beckoned to
our tired hearts, like the lights of home. We were
only about ten feet from the other side of the bridge,
when suddenly a light was flashed on us, a great
(01:06):
dazzling light that seemed to scorch and wither us. It
seemed to burn our prison clothes into our very souls.
I'm sure the rings on my knees showed through my
overcoat into the circle of light. Three German soldiers came
with rifles leveled. They advanced upon us until their bayonets
(01:28):
were touching us, and again we saw our dream of
freedom fade. The soldiers took us in charge and marched
us to Lathen, a town near by where part of
the hotel was used as barracks. They showed us no hostility.
It was just part of their day's work to gather
(01:48):
in escaping prisoners. There was a map on the wall,
and when they asked us where we came from, we
showed them Canada on the map of the North American continent.
They were decent looking young fellows and asked us many
questions about Canada. Although it was about midnight, there seemed
(02:09):
to be people on the streets which were brilliantly lighted.
A sergeant major came in with a gendarme who had
two women with him. They were well dressed young women,
but I kept wondering what they were doing out so late.
The sergeant major and the policeman lacked the friendliness of
the privates, and the former began the conversation by saying
(02:32):
england ist kapput. The sergeant major repeated his statement with
greater emphasis, and I put more emphasis on my reply,
and there we stuck. It did not seem that we
could get any farther. It seemed a place to say
time will tell. The gendarme was a coarse, beer drinking type,
(02:54):
and I kept wondering how two such fine looking women
came to be with him. The younger and handsomer one
was not his wife. I knew he was so attentive
to her. The other one may have been, though she
was evidently his superior in every way. Still, even in
our own country, many fine women are sometimes careless about
(03:17):
whom they marry. The sergeant major poured out a volume
of questions in German, to which we replied nixforstant. Then
the Johndarme thought something was being overlooked, and he suggested
that we be searched. I was afraid of that and
had taken the precaution of hiding the compass as well
(03:39):
as I could, by putting it in the bottom of
the pasteboard box that held our shaving stick. The stick
had been worn down, leaving room for the compass at
the bottom of the box. The soldier who searched us
did not notice the compass and handed the shaving stick
back to me, and I breathed easier. But the gendarmes
(04:01):
had probably done more searching than the soldier, and asked
me for it. He immediately let the stick fall out
and found the compass, which he put in his pocket
with a wink at the others, and it was gone.
All our little articles were taken from us and put
into two parcels, which we were allowed to carry but
(04:24):
not keep, and which were eventually returned to us. And
whether it was done by carelessness or not, I do
not know, but by some fortunate circumstance, my maps were
left in my pay book case and put in the package,
but I did not see them until my punishment was over.
My note book attracted the attention of the gendarme, and
(04:47):
he took it from me. I had made entries each day,
and these he read aloud, translating them into German as
he went, much to the apparent entertainment of the two women,
who laughed to him with a forced gaiety, which confirmed
my diagnosis of their relationship. I think he was crediting
(05:08):
me with entries I had never made. For the central
figure seemed to be one Rosy fraulein whom I did
not have the pleasure of meeting. We could see that
although the privates were friendly. There was no semblance of
friendliness in either the gendarme or the sergeant major. I
(05:28):
think they would have gladly shot us on the spot
if they had dared. They were pronounced cases of anglophobia.
The gendarme at last broke out into English, cutting his
words off with a snarl. What do you fellows want
to get back for? Anyway? England is no good. England
(05:50):
is a liar and a thief. When he had said this,
I could see Edward's face grow white and his eyes glitter.
He was breathing hard, like a man going up a
steep hill, and his hands were opening and closing. He
walked over to the gendarme and glared in his face.
(06:11):
What do I want to get back for? He repeated,
in a steady voice, stretched tight like a wire. I'll
tell you this is not any ordinary war where brave
men fight each other. This is a war against women
and children and old men. I have fought with the
borers in Africa, but I bore them no ill will.
(06:36):
They fought like men and fought with men. I've been
through Belgium. I've seen what you have done. I have
boys of my own, little fellows, just like the ones.
You cut the hands off, and I will tell you
why I want to go back. I want to serve
my country and my God by killing Germans their not
(07:00):
fit to live. The women drew back in alarm, though
I do not think they understood the words. Instinctively, I
drew up beside edwards, for I thought it was the end.
But to our surprise, the brutal face of the gendarme
relaxed into a broad grin, and he turned to the
(07:20):
women and Sergeant Major and made some sort of explanation.
We did not know what was coming. And then a
controversy took place between the two men as to what
should be done with us. The gendarme wanted to take us,
but the ladies protested, and at last we were led
away by the two privates, carrying our two little packages
(07:44):
of belongings. We went into an adjoining room, where a
coal fire burned in a small round heater, whose glow
promised comfort and warmth. The privates very kindly brought us
a drink of hot coffee and some bread, and pulled
two mattresses beside the stove and told us to go
to sleep. Then they went out and brought back blankets
(08:08):
and with friendly looks and smiles, bat us good night,
incidentally taking our shoes with them. The Germans are a
spotty race, said Tad, as we lay down, look at
these two fellows, and then think of those two mugs
that any decent man would want to kill at sight.
He pointed to the room where we had left the
(08:30):
gendarme and the sergeant major. Oh, wouldn't I enjoy letting
up it a daylight through that policeman's fat carcass. Next morning,
when we awakened, our guards came again and brought us
some more coffee and bread. It was a bright morning
of sunshine, with a frost which glistened on the pavement
(08:52):
and the iron railing surrounding the building we were in.
The streets were full of people and streamers of bunting
festooned the buildings. Children were on the streets carrying flags,
and the place had a real holiday appearance. Suppose this
is all in our honor, sim Ted said, as he
(09:13):
looked out of the window. I wonder how they knew
we were coming. We really did not intend to. One
of the guards, who had a Kodak and was taking
pictures of the celebration, asked us if he could take
our pictures. So we went out to the front door,
which was hung with flags, and had a picture taken.
(09:34):
What are the flags up for, we asked him, It
is the birthday of the All Highest. He replied proudly,
ted said to me so the guard could not hear. Well,
the old man has my sincere wishes that it may
be his last. During the forenoon we were taken by
(09:55):
rail to Meppin. The sergeant major came with us, but
did not stay in the compartment with the guards and us.
On the way, the guard who had taken our photograph
showed us the proof of it, and he told us
he would send us one and had us write down
our addresses. He must have been a photographer in civil life,
(10:15):
for he had many splendid pictures with him and entertained
us by showing them to us. I remember a very
pretty picture of his young daughter, a lovely girl of
about fourteen years of age, standing under an apple tree.
Before the Sergeant major handed us over to the military
authorities at Meppen, he told them what Edwards had said
(10:38):
about wanting to go back to kill Germans, but he
did not tell all that Edwards had said However, they
treated us politely and did not seem to bear us
any ill will. In the civil jail at Meppin to
which we were taken, and which is a fine building
with bright halls and pleasant surroundings, we were put in
(11:00):
clean and comfortable cells. There was a bed with mattress
and blankets, which in the daytime was locked up against
the wall, toilet, accommodations, drinking water, chair, table, wash, basin,
and comb It looked like luxury to us, And after
a bowl of good soup I went to sleep. I
(11:22):
wakened the next morning much refreshed and in good spirits.
The guard was polite and obliging, and when I said, Guard,
I like your place, his face broke into a friendly grin,
which warmed my heart. Ted had spoken truly when he
said the Germans were a spotty race. It is a
(11:43):
spotty country too, And one of the pleasant spots to
us was the civil jail at Meppen. Of course, to
men who had been sleeping in beds and eating at
tables and going in and out at their own pleasure,
it wouldn't have been a jail. But to us, dirty, tired, hungry,
(12:04):
red eyed from loss of sleep, and worn with anxiety.
It was not a jail. It was a haven of rest,
and in the twenty four hours that we spent there,
we made the most of it, for we well knew
there were hard times coming. End of Section thirteen.
Section thirteen of three Times and Out by Nellie mc lung.
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, Chapter fifteen
Caught again. The bridge was a fine iron one without lights.
The road which led to it was not much traveled,
(00:22):
and it looked as if it might carry us over
without accident. Anyway, it was our only chance. We walked
on to the bridge, taking care to make no noise,
and striking a gait that was neither slow nor fast.
We were nine tenths of the way over the bridge,
with hopes springing in our tired hearts at each step.
(00:46):
Away to the west, straight ahead of us, distant lights twinkled.
We thought they were in Holland, and they beckoned to
our tired hearts, like the lights of home. We were
only about ten feet from the other side of the bridge,
when suddenly a light was flashed on us, a great
(01:06):
dazzling light that seemed to scorch and wither us. It
seemed to burn our prison clothes into our very souls.
I'm sure the rings on my knees showed through my
overcoat into the circle of light. Three German soldiers came
with rifles leveled. They advanced upon us until their bayonets
(01:28):
were touching us, and again we saw our dream of
freedom fade. The soldiers took us in charge and marched
us to Lathen, a town near by where part of
the hotel was used as barracks. They showed us no hostility.
It was just part of their day's work to gather
(01:48):
in escaping prisoners. There was a map on the wall,
and when they asked us where we came from, we
showed them Canada on the map of the North American continent.
They were decent looking young fellows and asked us many
questions about Canada. Although it was about midnight, there seemed
(02:09):
to be people on the streets which were brilliantly lighted.
A sergeant major came in with a gendarme who had
two women with him. They were well dressed young women,
but I kept wondering what they were doing out so late.
The sergeant major and the policeman lacked the friendliness of
the privates, and the former began the conversation by saying
(02:32):
england ist kapput. The sergeant major repeated his statement with
greater emphasis, and I put more emphasis on my reply,
and there we stuck. It did not seem that we
could get any farther. It seemed a place to say
time will tell. The gendarme was a coarse, beer drinking type,
(02:54):
and I kept wondering how two such fine looking women
came to be with him. The younger and handsomer one
was not his wife. I knew he was so attentive
to her. The other one may have been, though she
was evidently his superior in every way. Still, even in
our own country, many fine women are sometimes careless about
(03:17):
whom they marry. The sergeant major poured out a volume
of questions in German, to which we replied nixforstant. Then
the Johndarme thought something was being overlooked, and he suggested
that we be searched. I was afraid of that and
had taken the precaution of hiding the compass as well
(03:39):
as I could, by putting it in the bottom of
the pasteboard box that held our shaving stick. The stick
had been worn down, leaving room for the compass at
the bottom of the box. The soldier who searched us
did not notice the compass and handed the shaving stick
back to me, and I breathed easier. But the gendarmes
(04:01):
had probably done more searching than the soldier, and asked
me for it. He immediately let the stick fall out
and found the compass, which he put in his pocket
with a wink at the others, and it was gone.
All our little articles were taken from us and put
into two parcels, which we were allowed to carry but
(04:24):
not keep, and which were eventually returned to us. And
whether it was done by carelessness or not, I do
not know, but by some fortunate circumstance, my maps were
left in my pay book case and put in the package,
but I did not see them until my punishment was over.
My note book attracted the attention of the gendarme, and
(04:47):
he took it from me. I had made entries each day,
and these he read aloud, translating them into German as
he went, much to the apparent entertainment of the two women,
who laughed to him with a forced gaiety, which confirmed
my diagnosis of their relationship. I think he was crediting
(05:08):
me with entries I had never made. For the central
figure seemed to be one Rosy fraulein whom I did
not have the pleasure of meeting. We could see that
although the privates were friendly. There was no semblance of
friendliness in either the gendarme or the sergeant major. I
(05:28):
think they would have gladly shot us on the spot
if they had dared. They were pronounced cases of anglophobia.
The gendarme at last broke out into English, cutting his
words off with a snarl. What do you fellows want
to get back for? Anyway? England is no good. England
(05:50):
is a liar and a thief. When he had said this,
I could see Edward's face grow white and his eyes glitter.
He was breathing hard, like a man going up a
steep hill, and his hands were opening and closing. He
walked over to the gendarme and glared in his face.
(06:11):
What do I want to get back for? He repeated,
in a steady voice, stretched tight like a wire. I'll
tell you this is not any ordinary war where brave
men fight each other. This is a war against women
and children and old men. I have fought with the
borers in Africa, but I bore them no ill will.
(06:36):
They fought like men and fought with men. I've been
through Belgium. I've seen what you have done. I have
boys of my own, little fellows, just like the ones.
You cut the hands off, and I will tell you
why I want to go back. I want to serve
my country and my God by killing Germans their not
(07:00):
fit to live. The women drew back in alarm, though
I do not think they understood the words. Instinctively, I
drew up beside edwards, for I thought it was the end.
But to our surprise, the brutal face of the gendarme
relaxed into a broad grin, and he turned to the
(07:20):
women and Sergeant Major and made some sort of explanation.
We did not know what was coming. And then a
controversy took place between the two men as to what
should be done with us. The gendarme wanted to take us,
but the ladies protested, and at last we were led
away by the two privates, carrying our two little packages
(07:44):
of belongings. We went into an adjoining room, where a
coal fire burned in a small round heater, whose glow
promised comfort and warmth. The privates very kindly brought us
a drink of hot coffee and some bread, and pulled
two mattresses beside the stove and told us to go
to sleep. Then they went out and brought back blankets
(08:08):
and with friendly looks and smiles, bat us good night,
incidentally taking our shoes with them. The Germans are a
spotty race, said Tad, as we lay down, look at
these two fellows, and then think of those two mugs
that any decent man would want to kill at sight.
He pointed to the room where we had left the
(08:30):
gendarme and the sergeant major. Oh, wouldn't I enjoy letting
up it a daylight through that policeman's fat carcass. Next morning,
when we awakened, our guards came again and brought us
some more coffee and bread. It was a bright morning
of sunshine, with a frost which glistened on the pavement
(08:52):
and the iron railing surrounding the building we were in.
The streets were full of people and streamers of bunting
festooned the buildings. Children were on the streets carrying flags,
and the place had a real holiday appearance. Suppose this
is all in our honor, sim Ted said, as he
(09:13):
looked out of the window. I wonder how they knew
we were coming. We really did not intend to. One
of the guards, who had a Kodak and was taking
pictures of the celebration, asked us if he could take
our pictures. So we went out to the front door,
which was hung with flags, and had a picture taken.
(09:34):
What are the flags up for, we asked him, It
is the birthday of the All Highest. He replied proudly,
ted said to me so the guard could not hear. Well,
the old man has my sincere wishes that it may
be his last. During the forenoon we were taken by
(09:55):
rail to Meppin. The sergeant major came with us, but
did not stay in the compartment with the guards and us.
On the way, the guard who had taken our photograph
showed us the proof of it, and he told us
he would send us one and had us write down
our addresses. He must have been a photographer in civil life,
(10:15):
for he had many splendid pictures with him and entertained
us by showing them to us. I remember a very
pretty picture of his young daughter, a lovely girl of
about fourteen years of age, standing under an apple tree.
Before the Sergeant major handed us over to the military
authorities at Meppen, he told them what Edwards had said
(10:38):
about wanting to go back to kill Germans, but he
did not tell all that Edwards had said However, they
treated us politely and did not seem to bear us
any ill will. In the civil jail at Meppin to
which we were taken, and which is a fine building
with bright halls and pleasant surroundings, we were put in
(11:00):
clean and comfortable cells. There was a bed with mattress
and blankets, which in the daytime was locked up against
the wall, toilet, accommodations, drinking water, chair, table, wash, basin,
and comb It looked like luxury to us, And after
a bowl of good soup I went to sleep. I
(11:22):
wakened the next morning much refreshed and in good spirits.
The guard was polite and obliging, and when I said, Guard,
I like your place, his face broke into a friendly grin,
which warmed my heart. Ted had spoken truly when he
said the Germans were a spotty race. It is a
(11:43):
spotty country too, And one of the pleasant spots to
us was the civil jail at Meppen. Of course, to
men who had been sleeping in beds and eating at
tables and going in and out at their own pleasure,
it wouldn't have been a jail. But to us, dirty, tired, hungry,
(12:04):
red eyed from loss of sleep, and worn with anxiety.
It was not a jail. It was a haven of rest,
and in the twenty four hours that we spent there,
we made the most of it, for we well knew
there were hard times coming. End of Section thirteen.
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