The Great Escaper

The aristocratic and ambitious Leutnant Otto Thelen had joined the German Army Flying Corps before the war. In late 1914 he served as an observer in Flieger Abteilung 5 but his flying career came to an early end on 22^nd November when his Albatross aircraft was forced down by Lieutenants L A Strange and F G Small of No. 5 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, using an experimental and unauthorised Lewis gun mounting. In an incident recorded in the Official History of the War in the Air Vol I, Thelen crash-landed near Neuve Eglise with 20 bullet holes in his aircraft. The British officers landed nearby to claim their prisoners and saw that

 “the German observer… took little notice of them; as soon as his machine had landed he jumped out of it, and dragging the partner of his dangers and triumphs out of the pilot’s seat, knocked him down, and began to kick him heavily about the body.”

The frustrated Thelen was sent to a prisoner-of-war camp in Donington Hall in Lincolnshire, where he met a naval officer, Leutnant Hans Keilback. Escape featured regularly in their conversations, and soon they had got into the cellars under the library and dug an eight foot tunnel under the foundations of the walls using an old poker and a garden trowel, which they stole while undertaking voluntary renovation work on a private chapel in the grounds of the Hall. The excavated earth was dumped in the many rooms in the cellar complex. In the early morning of September 18^th 1915 they escaped and the military authorities offered a reward of £100 for their capture. The two men managed to get to Chatham in Kent and actually board a ship bound for the continent before they were discovered and arrested. . Subsequently they were sent to Holyport Prison Camp outside Maidenhead but again attempted escape, this time tunnelling 34 feet from the prison bathroom. They were caught when a guard saw one of them sawing up floorboards while the other played the harmonica “vigorously” to deaden the sound. As punishment the pair were sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment at the Military Detention Barracks at Chelmsford Prison and driven there with an armed escort.

Chelmsford Military Detention Centre

Chelmsford held both British and German servicemen who had been convicted in the military courts. The wooden huts and wire fences of the run-of-the-mill camps elsewhere were here replaced by solid buildings and high walls, with the county police headquarters and an Army training ground across Sandford Road and a former military airfield behind. But on Whit Sunday, 27^th May 1917, Thelen, with a new accomplice, Leutnant Emil Lehmann, managed to escape again. This caused immense excitement in Chelmsford and the district, with military, regular and special police, and even boy scouts forming search parties. Richard Godfrey’s father was a special constable and he remembers him being called out to hunt for the escaped Germans and returning home late that night, “with his thick boots worn right through with the tramping around the district”. Special Constable Herbert Gripper was also called out and spent the day searching for the prisoners. The two men were recaptured by soldiers of the Army Cyclist Corps near Billericay at around 5 am the following morning.

The ingenuity of the escape attempt drew grudging respect from the press and public. Thelen, described as 5’ 9” in height, clean-shaven, dressed in a German Army uniform with dark brown boots, and Lehmann, 5’ 7”, slight dark moustache, dressed in a German Navy uniform with brass buttons and heavy boots, had spent some time preparing for the escape. It was believed that they had at some point obtained a key which appeared to be able to open several doors in the prison. They were kept in separate cells in the same corridor but removed the locks on their cell doors and substituted them with imitation locks made from blackened cardboard. They had also constructed dummies, complete with hair removed from their mattresses, and arranged them in their beds in a way that satisfied the inspection of the guards viewing them through the peephole in the cell door. The escape took place late at night, passing from the cells into a corridor and through an iron gate, and two further locked gates, all of which were presumably opened by the stolen key. They made their exit from the prison through a small gate which led to the garden of the Chaplain’s house on Sandford Road. From here they made their way around the back of the prison, and down Hill Road towards the Gas Works and the footbridge across the Chelmer. They crossed the King’s Head Meadow where they stole Mr Greenwood’s boat from the boat house to cross the Can, and then they picked up the Baddow Road and finally made off towards Galleywood. On recapture they were in a dishevelled state, and a passing car was commandeered by their captors and they were driven back to Chelmsford “in a rather dejected condition”. Both men had altered their uniforms to resemble civilian clothes and wore ordinary cloth caps. They had no money, and little food but a fair amount of chocolate.

Thelen and Lehmann were moved out of Chelmsford and sent to Sutton Bonington camp, in Nottinghamshire. In September 1917 after tunnelling fifty yards in three months, they led twenty two fellow PoWs in a mass escape. They were all recaptured. Thelen survived the war and was eventually returned to Berlin, via Holland, in 1919.

Some statistics

In the 1911 census the population of the borough of Chelmsford was given as 18,008. Excluding the soldiers billeted or camped around the town, the population during the war was estimated at around 20,000, the increase due largely to the arrival of munitions workers.

But in 1918 an electoral register was drawn up. This provided not just a list of those entitled to vote at the local and general elections, but also a list of absent voters, with the designation "NM" for "Naval or military voter" for those who had been called up.

Across the three wards of the borough there were 1,791 men marked as absent, or nearly 10% of the pre-war population. Figures from the Office of National Statistics suggest that men of military age (between 18 and 41) comprised about 20% of the national population, which suggests that half the eligible men of Chelmsford were away in the services.

South Primrose Hill is probably one of the least changed areas in our city. In 1918 it was less than ten years old; one road in a fine new estate of "working mens' houses" built by a benevolent and paternalistic town council. From two terraces of 83 houses, 41 men were in the Army or Navy. Ernest and Emma Coppen had three sons serving, one of whom, Henry, was killed in the spring offensive of 1918. As Andy Begent notes on his Chelmsford War Memorial website, Henry was one of the "South Primrose Hill Boys", the twenty two men from this quiet, unassuming road who gave their lives in the Great War.

Rainsford End: Rainsford Road on the left, leading into Chelmsford, and Primrose Hill on the right
(Fred Spalding; author's collection)

The village of Broomfield had 421 properties listed in the the 1918 electoral register, with 108 men absent on military service.

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Chelmsford War Memorials

There are a number of war memorials in and around Chelmsford and a superb resource is Andy Begent's Chelmsford War Memorial website, which has a comprehensive list and biographical information about many - if not all - of the men listed on the Chelmsford, Springfield, Moulsham and Widford war memorials.

The Chelmsford War Memorial

The idea of a memorial to the dead of the Great War was addressed by the Bishop of Chelmsford as early as November 1916, when he wrote an article in the Diocesan Chronicle expressing concern that any such memorial must be of sufficient artistic merit to make an impression on worshippers "in the year 2000 AD", and he cautioned against individual memorials in churches, recommending instead a Roll of Honour at the end of the war.

The Mayor, Alderman W Cowell, first proposed a war memorial for Chelmsford at the Town Council meeting on Wednesday 27th November 1918 and a public meeting was held on Monday 16th December 1918 at which, following discussion, the council reacted in its usual way by appointing yet another sub-committee. A Mr E P Bucknall submitted a plan for monument which he had prepared, which would cost around £3,000 if built of marble. The War Memorial Committee first met on 20th January 1919, at which it was decided that the primary purpose of the memorial "should remind the present and future generations of the supreme sacrifice made by Chelmsford officers and men in the war".

In March four memorial schemes were selected from twelve proposals, including a "Victory Ward" at the Chelmsford & Essex Hospital; a Town Hall and Memorial Hall; a monument in the lower part of Duke Street; and a memorial playing field. By early March the Town Hall and Memorial Hall plan had been chosen, and the public were invited to contribute funds. The Memorial Hall was to be "an inspiring building, with organ, gallery, platform, pillars, stained glass windows, statues, pictures and so on..." By July a £500 gift had been received from Mr George Courtauld, of Halstead, towards the proposed "War Memorial Hall" and concerns were raised that the fundraising for the hall would conflict with a campaign by the hospital, which was seeking £20,000 for an extension.

A heated council meeting in September 1919 saw the approval of a site for the new municipal buildings and memorial hall at the corner of Rainsford Road and Coval Lane, on 2 acres and 320 square yards of land for £2,700. Criticisms of this site included that for Springfield and Moulsham councillors this was at the "extreme end of the borough" and the proposal was rejected at the October meeting. In December it was announced that the War Memorial Sub-Committee were to look at two further sites. In February 1920 they reported that they had identified a site on London Road between the Manse and the Cloisters (now under the Parkway) which was suitable for the joint building (£750), and also that Rainsford House, on the corner of Duke Street and Coval Lane, would be a good site for the municipal offices.

By April 1920 there were complaints from the public about the lack of progress with the Chelmsford memorial, when memorials had been erected by villages and hamlets throughout the land. This appeared to galvanize the council, and the it was announced that the London Road site would be acquired and an appeal for funds was launched on the 9th June. By July the whole idea of a memorial hall was dropped, following the poor response from the public (the hospital appeal had by now raised nearly £20,000 and was looking to continue with further fundraising).

Original design accepted 28 September 1921
(Chelmsford Chronicle)

By October 1920 the whole process of the Chelmsford War Memorial was re-started; and in November, in the absence of a borough memorial, the first Armistice Day ceremony was marked with a service of commemoration at the Cathedral.

The sub-committee continued its deliberations and by March 1921 they were considering some form of monument, to be sited either in place of the Sebastapol Gun in front of the Shire Hall, or in place of the statue of Judge Tindal (to be moved inside the Shire Hall). In July the decision was taken to move the Tindal Statue to Bell Mead and that the Chelmsford War Memorial would be erected in Tindal Square. There would be an open competition for designs.  The competition was arranged under RIBA guidelines and 87 designs and models were considered. Incredibly, at the September council meeting it was announced that the winner was Mr W Hamilton Buchan, of Battersea. It was to be 27' 3" in height, made out of Portland stone, and would cost £2,750. His prize was 10 guineas. An appeal was made for £2,300 from the public.

£1,606 had been raised by the end of March 1922, and there was an increasing feeling that the Tindal Square site was not satisfactory. The sculptor wrote to the council offering to reduce the height from 27' to 24' 9", which would cut the cost to £2,745; and that once given permission to start it would take him ten months to finish.

Meanwhile the plans for new council offices at the Rainsford House site had been approved and so there was little surprise that at the September council meeting it was announced that the Tindal Square plan had been abandoned and the memorial would be erected on the east side of the new council chambers. A cenotaph-type design was suggested, which would keep costs within the £2,000 or so that had been raised. It was further suggested that a semi-circular portico would be set up at the entrance to the council building, with the names of the fallen inscribed on panels and, funds permitting, a stained glass window. March 1923 saw a decision to press ahead with the cenotaph monument, noting that the portico and panels were a separate project, and in June the Borough Engineer, Mr Ernest J Miles, produced a model of the monument to be erected in Duke Street "ready for unveiling on Armistice Day". Names of the fallen were to be placed on bronze panels, and families were asked to submit names to the Town Clerk's office. In August the local masonry firm of Wray and Fuller were invited to construct the memorial for £990, employing ex-servicemen for the work. The bronze panels would cost £250, and the balance of the fund would be used for a window. Work began quickly.

On the 1st October 1923 the Mayor, Alderman Fred Spalding, led a ceremony involving members and officials of the council, in which a casket of Portland stone lined with lead and filled with "records of local and national interest, specimen war medals, etc." was lowered into a cavity at the base of the unfinished memorial.

Finally, on Sunday, 11th November 1923, Vice-Admiral Sir Roger Keyes unveiled the Chelmsford War Memorial, in front of a number of distinguished guests and civic dignitaries. The guard of honour was provided by 5th Battalion the Essex Regiment, and a large crowd witnessed the ceremony. Wreaths were laid by ex-servicemen and voluntary groups including the Girl Guides and the Boy Scouts.

(Chelmsford Chronicle)

Essex Records Office

The archives of the Essex Records Office provided much of the background to my book. They are also marking the centenary of the First World War at the moment and have a number of resource suggestions available at Essex Records Office First World War resources

Route march

(Fred Spalding; author's collection)

This is a classic Fred Spalding postcard of a column of soldiers marching past the Shire Hall. But a number of questions leap out, not least who are they? Where are they going? Where are they coming from? When was the photograph taken?

Fred Spalding owned a photography business at the top of the High Street and he often took the opportunity to photograph events viewed from the upstairs window (he lived above the shop). From the angle of the shadows this photograph was taken fairly early in the morning.

This is a large column, the front ranks of which (officers, without rifles) have already passed Spalding's window. The group in the foreground, which extends back to the young lad on the right, appears to comprise about 48 men, which would be a platoon. From the Shire Hall back up Duke Street there seem to be another three platoons, which gives us a full company.

It is impossible to see the detail of the soldiers' cap badges but they appear large and circular. During the war there were many different regiments stationed in the area so it would be difficult to identify this specific regiment.

Looking at the uniforms we note that the men are carrying rifles but no webbing or packs which suggests that they are on a short march.  They are approaching from Duke Street and on down the High Street. At the time Duke Street was at the top, north end, of Chelmsford - as Basil Harrison recalls, the corner of Duke Street and Broomfield Road was "where the countryside began". There were a few military camps out at Admiral's Park and on Broomfield Road, but there was a large Drill Hall on Market Road (where the RSA building now stands). We might also consider that the men could be coming from the railway station.

There is little apparent reaction from the few civilians in the picture, which suggests that there is nothing particularly exciting or interesting about this event. We can also see a rather tall civilian with a flat cloth cap marching in the column. The soldiers appear to be of "military age" (between 18 and 41), which would suggest that they are regular soldiers, rather than members of the Volunteer Corps, a part-time force made up of older men. However, younger men in certain occupations might be given exemption from military service on condition that they joined the Volunteers. There were large numbers of such men working in the great munitions factories in Chelmsford, such as Marconi's and Hoffmann's. Men about to join up might also attend Volunteers' drill nights and parades to gain military experience, which could explain the civilian.

Essex Regiment cap badge

By 1916 the Volunteer Corps had received official recognition from the Government and was integrated into the formal defence of the United Kingdom mainland. Volunteer units were given military designations and the Essex Volunteers were given the cap badge of the Essex Regiment, which was large and circular.

The Drill Hall location, light marching dress, and a company-sized column leads to a tentative conclusion that this photograph shows C (Chelmsford) Company of 1/2nd Essex Volunteer Regiment on an early morning march, perhaps on their way to a local church such as St. Andrew's at Sandon, which according to the Chelmsford Chronicle took place on Sunday 15th July 1917.

Or not.

Landing grounds

There is much discussion about the location of airfields in and around Chelmsford. The big one was off Sandford Road, behind the prison (now, of course, the Springfield Park Estate). There were others at Broomfield Court and Widford Camp.

The debate is over what these airfields were used for, and indeed whether they were airfields at all. In the Official Histories of the War in the Air, Chelmsford gets little mention, other than as a sub-station of the main aerodrome at Chingford. At the end of 1914 there was an order that two aircraft were to be stationed at Chelmsford, as part of the developing anti-aircraft defences on the east coast. But by 1916 this airfield was closed and doesn't appear in subsequent listings of Royal Flying Corps units.

To make sense of the airfield problem it is worthwhile to consider the state of military aviation at the start of the war. Aircraft were flimsy and prone to mechanical failure. Navigation was simple pilotage - following landmarks such as rivers and railway lines at low levels. Airmen in difficulties, whether technical or navigational, needed to be able to put their aircraft down quickly and safely. To do this, the Royal Flying Corps reconnoitred suitable landing grounds and prepared the field for emergency landing. This included mowing and rolling as required (ploughed fields were clearly unsuitable). One requirement was that the field should be approachable from any direction and therefore free from trees and other potential obstructions. In some cases hutted accommodation was provided, with a fuel store. Most importantly there was a telephone.

A pilot getting into difficulties flying from the main base at Sutton's Farm (better known as Hornchurch) to Stow Maries aerodrome (near Maldon) would know the location of these landing grounds and would be able to put down safely and contact his squadron for help.

The east coast air defence system involved night flying and the landing fields would also have flares to help guide airmen back. Note that unlike the second world war there was no formal blackout system, and there are instances of Zeppelin raiders mistakenly bombing the illuminations of the night landing grounds.

The Broomfield Court landing ground (and probably the others) was used for communication. In the absence of radio, signals were conveyed to aircraft by means of coloured panels and strips on the ground during the day, and coloured lights and flares at night.

Henry Road Hutments

During the First World War there were many small camps around Chelmsford. After the early days of billeting troops on the civilian population or under canvas the Army introduced pre-fabricated huts for accommodation. One of these hutments was at the end of Henry Road, on the field now owned by Anglia Ruskin University.

As seen in the contemporary OS map, there were seven huts. War Office records from 1918 refer to an Army Service Corps depot on this site. Three huts were occupied by the men, one by the NCOs, and one by the officers. One served as an office/store and the seventh was a canteen and mess. There were a couple of smaller storage huts, a washroom and a latrine. There are several stories in the Chelmsford Chronicle of horses escaping from the fields in this area, so it is most likely that this was a horse transport section.

This unit was probably linked to the Army Service Corps forage depot on Broomfield Road, which was on the site of what is now the John Henry Keene Memorial Homes estate. Bear in mind that at the time there was no Chelmer Valley Road, so there would have been easy access between them.

Original WW1 Army hut at Staithes, North Yorks.