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On April 17th 1942, the two men, with the help of the entire camp, started to walk toward the double barbed wire fences. The men were of course being guarded by one of their own men wearing a Canadian army uniform, which was provided by the POW's own theatrical group.

Pretending to be repairing the barbed wire fence, and marking the spots with paint, the two men climbed the first fence using a ladder and went over the top. After successfully climbing over the second outer fence they sat down for a rest and a few minutes later, stood up and proceeded to just walk away.

The men made it successfully to Union Station in Toronto where they decided it would be best if they were to split up. Leutnant Erich Boehle was captured on Lewiston Road only a mile from potential freedom in the United States. Peter Krug however had a much more exciting and longer flight of freedom. The Camp 30
commandant, Colonel Bull, received a phone call from the Niagara Falls Police Department asking him if he were missing any prisoners. Colonel Bull ensured the constable that indeed he was not. The constable insisted and asked him to check again specifically for one Erich Boehle. Yes, they did have a POW named Erich Boehle but at roll call he was not missing, how could this be? Another elaborate and brilliant idea of the theatrical group made it possible and likely would not have been detected for some time if it had not been for Boehle being picked up so quickly.

The theatrical group had made dummies using papier-mâché, a uniform, and plenty of paper stuffing. The dummies had been hauled out for each roll call and strategically placed in the middle of the bunch while being held upright by POWs on either side. After a double count of POWs, still no one was missing. Colonel Bull ordered aN oral count where all POWs would have to call out when their names were called and it was only then that it was found that not only was Leutnant Boehle missing but Oberleutnant Krug was as well.

Oberleutnant Krug made it all the way to San Antonio Texas where keen eyed hotel manager recognized Krug from an FBI photo. The manager contacted the FBI who quickly arrested the surprised Oberleutnant Krug. Peter Krug was eventually returned to Camp 30 where the commandant immediately began processing paperwork to have him transferred to the more secure POW camp at Gravenhurst.

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Dummy used for Escape attempt at Camp 30
Circa 1941
Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada