Jack & I were talking about the 33 Bolivian coal minors currently trapped half a mile underground. There is a rescue plan underway, but it is expected to take four months to reach the trapped men. This reminds Jack of a story he heard somewhere, in a play maybe, but supposedly based on a true story:
During the WWII invasion of France by the allies, seven German soldiers were trapped in an underground supply bunker. They had plenty of supplies, but were unable to dig their way out. After three and a half years their supply of candles ran out. After seven years, the French were going along dismantling old war fortifications and they found these guys. Three and a half years in the dark! Gads.
Of course, it could all be fiction. I did some searching on the web but I didn't find anything.
About 10 years ago while working on a trawler I found and read a book about this written in the early 50's. I wish I'd kept it, about 12 German soldiers were trapped in an officers mess supply bunker by American shelling on D Day. They lived on wine and tinned food. Most died, some murdered, some mad. Two escaped when the bunkers were dug out years later although one was completely mad. It was purported to be a true event. The book was called, I believe, "The Tomb" but I've never traced it since. The candles didn't run out, they lost the matches in the dark when one of the guys threw the tin they were in during a temper tantrum and they never found them again.
ReplyDeleteIs this the story you were talking about: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,806023,00.html#ixzz0xb1dYksq
ReplyDeleteI read the book in the late 50's. They survived mostly on a diet of wine and cheese which they had in abundance. I remember it was supposed to have actually happened.
ReplyDeleteSon of Veteran said: I heard this story in my youth; my father was a translator in some part time interrogations and we have family in France in the region where they were found. As kids (baby-boomers)we were always fascinated with true stories at holidays, and our distant Aunt, a member of the resistance. She visit and tell us the story of
ReplyDeletethe men,half died from trauma(PTS)
Renal failure and shock-insanity.
The rest were blind. Later in my late twenties I saw this exact story in B&W full feature film
about them. I never was so impacted by the thousands of WW2
films as this one left indelible
visions unforgettable as I could
not forget the horror of the film
The film has a narrative saying
that this is the account of 1
survivor and true. Sorry, I do not know the Films name but it in
the genre of Roman Polanski,heavy
in psychological and the human
condition;If you know it-post it!
It's a true story, there was a colour film made of it, but the bunker was I think really in Poland. Think there were seven, only two survived. The light ran out after two years and they had to sit in the full dark for five.
ReplyDelete