Page 21 - 2020 AMA Summer

Sunrise
The study period started on Sat 28th September with three guest speakers. A serving member of the UK Defence Humint Unit (DHU) presented on modern day Escape & Evasion which brought the idea and reality of it into perspective. Second up was an introduction to MI9 by Dr Helen Fry. Set up in the late 1930’s, MI9 was the department that managed everything to do with Prisoners of War – including captured Germans brought to the UK, our own imprisoned service men abroad, as well as those supporting the escape lines supporting escapee’s back to the UK. This also included running an interrogation facility in London – that ironically became the Russian Embassy. Dr Barbara Bond followed, an expert on the escape maps printed on silk and codes used to communicate between the POW camps and London. The maps were smuggled by MI9 who were tasked with providing practical support to would be escapees. The day’s entertainment was rounded off with a dinner in Chicksand’s Sergeants’ Mess and a talk from Col Fox (Rtd) who told stories of three escapees who dared the Pyrenees crossing including Virginia Hall and her wooden leg nicknamed “Cuthbert”.
The name “Exercise 900” came from Room 900 of the Old War Office. During World War Two the room housed Lt Col Airey Neave, himself an escapee from Colditz, who set up and supported many of the escape lines throughout Europe.
The next day saw a flight to Toulouse where the group were met by the support team. Transported to St Giron on the Salat river, a base was established at the Hotel Eychenne where kit was distributed, and packs prepped!
The hotel’s elderly owner cheerfully told stories of how during the war, upstairs rooms were used for escaping British and American service men. Sprinkled within those numbers were a few SOE female agents who had overstayed their welcome in occupied Europe. It was wondered if Virginia and “Cuthbert” had been accom- modated?
Early Monday and the four groups (Tom, Dick, Harry and George) individually set upon following two routes, with the aim of meeting up four days later in the foothills of Mt Valier. Groups Tom and Dick headed south via a small village of Alos. Harry and George would take the route through the hamlet of Moulis.
Ed B-M starts the story of Team Tom:
“Groups Tom and Dick made their way South via a quaint village of Also and then onto Cap de Bouirex. Group Tom pushed up to just east of the summit prepping for a dawn ascent. With an early start, they were not disappointed with the sunrise lighting up the Pyrenees. After a replenish- ment at the Col de la Core their route then took them along the GR 10D and into the foothills and passes of Mt Valier. With
Refuge - clouds
Summit - Mount Valier
thunderstorms moving in and the threat of lightening, the groups came together and took the rough protection that the Cabane de Subera offered. On the third day they split as they made their way south.
“Along the route was a monument to a crashed RAF bomber, some parts of the plane still seen lying silently in the gully bringing home the isolation of the area. Despite the rain and poor visibility, the air was calm and quiet with the vast mountains providing protection. A moment was held before the ascent continued. With rocky ground, a big drop to the left and low visibility, the rugged path took them up to Col de Craberous and worsening weather conditions. Making the pass, the wind hit hard, and the rain stung as it found bare skin. The effort of the climb was soon forgotten as people’s attention sharpened quickly with the change in situation. A very short moment was had to celebrate the climb – but it was time to move and get to lower protected ground. Descending quickly, they dropped into the gully finding shelter from the wind to spend the night.
“The following day the weather had dra- matically changed, with clear blue skies and cloud down in the valley below. Group Tom continued south and ascended to
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