Bound, But Not Broken: A POW’s Story of Survival

Bound, But Not Broken: A POW’s Story of Survival

by | Aug 30, 2024 | Jane's Family

Imagine spending an entire year with your wrists bound in front of you, unable to perform simple tasks like eating or dressing yourself. That was the horrifying reality for my ancestor, Leslie Greenwell, who was a prisoner of war during World War II.

“For the first three months, we spent the daylight hours with our wrists crossed in front of us, tied together with cord. After that, our wrists were shackled with chains that only allowed approximately eight inches of movement,” Greenwell told the Perry County Republican during a July 1945 interview after his release.*(1)

Born in Perry County, Missouri on May 16, 1902, George Leslie Greenwell grew up in Alberta, Canada. “Cousin Leslie,” as he was known by many, was a first cousin to Esther Brewer (my grandma), Evelyn Davis, and Floyd Greenwell.

Family tree showing relationship between Esther Brewer and Leslie Greenwell.
Canadian soldier standing outside.

Lance Corporal George Leslie Greenwell

Greenwell joined the Canadian Calgary Regiment in 1940 at the age of 38. He served as a chief mechanic and tank driver when he was captured by the Germans during the Dieppe Raid.

The Dieppe Raid, also known as Operation Jubilee, took place on August 19, 1942. It involved over 6,000 troops, mainly Canadians. Unfortunately, the raid faced several difficulties. The element of surprise was lost, and German defenses were strong.  Canadian soldiers on the open beach at Dieppe were met with heavy machine-gun fire, suffering devastating casualties. While some objectives were partially achieved, the raid was ultimately a disaster. Allied losses were significant, with over 1,000 Canadians killed and nearly 2,000 captured.(2)

Greenwell believed the Germans had been tipped off prior to the invasion and were prepared to resist. He and the invading force were subject to intense enemy fire for almost an hour while they waited on the beach for English air support. When they returned to the beach to destroy their tanks and other heavy equipment, English ships were not waiting to evacuate them as planned. With their ammunition exhausted, there was no choice but for them to surrender.

Newspaper clipping from February 1943

Greenwell, who suffered shrapnel wounds in both arms during the raid, was sent to Stalag VIIIB, a prison camp in Lamsdorf, Germany (now Poland).

The conditions at Stalag VIIIB were deplorable. All of the POW’s clothes were confiscated when they entered the camp. They were given only thin blankets to protect them from the brutally cold temperatures, which were reported to be between -4° to -13° Fahrenheit in the winter.(3) The men shared a bathroom, called the “forty holer,” which consisted of forty holes in the ground instead of toilets.(4) Lids covered most of the forty seats until they were later stolen by the men for firewood.

The left half of the Forty Holer

The men were constantly on the brink of starvation. “The food rations were terrible,” Greenwell said, “consisting of thin soup made of potatoes or turnips, with black bread and an occasional bite of meat.” It was later revealed that black bread, widely disliked by the POWs, contained saw dust, minced leaves, and straw.(5)

Greenwell weighed 165 pounds when he was taken prisoner and only 135 pounds when he was released. 

“We were able to survive only because of the Red Cross food parcels which reached us every two weeks,” Greenwell said.

The POWs managed to secretly build a radio from parts smuggled in by friendly guards. It was their only way to know what was happening outside the prison walls, enabling them to follow the progress of the war.

The desperate men made many attempts to break free from Stalag VIIIB. Greenwell said the captives tunneled a trench under their barracks, through which many escaped. “I made two attempts myself, getting into Italy on one occasion and into Switzerland on another, only to be caught and brought back.” One of the milder penalties for escaping was solitary confinement. According to fellow POW Hubert Brooks, the minimum sentence in solitary confinement was one month.(6)

A view of the Canadian Compound at Stalag VIIIB. An escape tunnel was dug from this area to the forest outside the camp perimeter.

Many captives who repeatedly attempted to escape from POW camps were sent to Saalhaus Colditz, more commonly known as Colditz Castle. Considered an escape-proof prison, Greenwell’s military records reveal that he was among those transferred to this facility.

Leslie Greenwell endured three years as a prisoner of war, finally gaining his freedom in April 1945. His bravery during the Dieppe Raid was recognized with a medal from the King. 

Record of Leslie Greenwell’s Military Medal.

Greenwell passed away on July 28, 1975. Despite enduring unimaginable hardships as a POW, Cousin Leslie’s spirit remained unbroken. His courage was a testament to the human capacity for resilience. Let us honor his legacy by sharing his story and never forgeting the challenges he overcame.

*The quoted material in this post is based on a secondary source: an article in the Perry County Republican newspaper that paraphrases an interview with Leslie Greenwell.

Note: The chained prisoner in the first photo is Jack Diamond, a fellow POW from Stalag VIIIB.

  1. “Gives Details On Dieppe Raid,” Perry County Republican (Perryville, Missouri), 19 July 1945, p.1, col. 1; SHSMO.org (https://shsmo.org/collections/newspapers: accessed 30 August 2024).
  2. Veterans Affairs Canada, “The Attack at Dieppe,” (2022); Veterens.gc.ca (https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/information-for/educators/learning-modules/dieppe-raid/attack-at-dieppe: accessed 30 August 2024).
  3. “Stalag VIII-B Pow Camp 344 Lamsdorf Poland,” RSM Goodey Archive (n.d.); web article (https://stalagv111b.weebly.com/stalag-viii-b-pow-camp-344.html: accessed 30 August 2025).
  4. Ralf Brooks, “The Life and Times of Hubert Brooks M.C. C.D. A Canadian Hero,” section 2.9 (n.d.), website that seemingly draws from unknown source created by Hubert Brooks; web article (http://www.hubertbrooks.com/2_9HubertBrooks_3rdEscape.html: accessed 30 August 2025).
  5. C.B. Perdue, “Recipe for Black Bread,” (26 January 2017); blog, b17chief.com (https://b17chief.com/2017/01/26/recipe-for-black-bread/: accessed 30 August 2024).
  6. Brooks, section 2.4; (http://www.hubertbrooks.com/2_9HubertBrooks_3rdEscape.html: accessed 30 August 2025).
  • Parker, W., POW Jack Diamond During ‘Chaining Up’ Period [Photograph] (n.d.). Bomber Command Museum Archives. https://www.bombercommandmuseumarchives.ca/s,stalag.html?fbclid=IwAR3pq11ykKuoF25pvjfwxzVW2NM4sQ7ZKJYIat0gZO272aOoo1JUpF5LgxQ
  • Spohr, J., Family Tree [Image] (August 2024). Personal Collection.
  • George Leslie Greenwell [Photograph] (1946). Personal Collection.
  • The St. Louis Star and Times, Prisoner of Nazis [Image] (February 1943). https://www.newspapers.com/clip/154155218/reported-prisoner-of-war/?xid=637
  • Parker, W., Left Half of the ‘Forty Holer’ [Photograph] (n.d.). Bomber Command Museum Archives. https://www.bombercommandmuseumarchives.ca/s,stalag.html?fbclid=IwAR3pq11ykKuoF25pvjfwxzVW2NM4sQ7ZKJYIat0gZO272aOoo1JUpF5LgxQ
  • Hill, J., Canadian Compound Stalag VIII B [Photograph] (1942-1945). Imperial War Museums. https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205018437
  • Canada, Military Honours and Awards Citation Card [Image] (1946). Ancestry.com
Who tells his story?

Who tells his story?

by | Jan 27, 2022 | Jane's Family

To quote a song from the musical Hamilton,
“You have no control who lives, who dies, who tells your story.”

I want to tell his story…

First let me say that I am neither a genealogist nor a writer. I am just a gal with an interest in my family’s history. None of this post will be properly cited (much to the chagrin of my genealogist husband). The information presented here comes from documented verbal history (Esther Brewer), separate handwritten letters from Valentine and Fred Brewer to Carl Brewer, and things found on the internet. Rest assured, though; I am 90% confident the information is accurate. (There is some confusion about the spelling of a few names, though.)

This is a story about Henry Valley Brewer.

Henry – who went by the name “Valley” – was born on March 11, 1922. Valley was the sixth child of Joseph Valentine (“Tine”) Brewer and Mary Rosalia (“Rosa”) Reed. Carl Brewer, my grandfather, was Valley’s brother. There was a 17-year age difference between the two brothers.

Valley started getting sick on Sunday, February 13, 1928. Valley’s father and another brother, Fred, also had the same illness just before Valley became sick. Both men said they had a head cold and complained of earaches, but they recovered fully. Valley also suffered from an earache, but the illness hit him a lot harder.

The sick 5-year-old boy was confined to the house for approximately 11 days, and he spent most of that time in bed. He had a bit of a reprieve from his illness on Sunday, February 20, when he got out of bed and road his tricycle inside the house. However, later that evening he became so sick that Tine and Rosa called for Dr. Shirley to come to their home. The doctor said it was a “virus in his head” causing the high temperature.

During this time Valley hadn’t eaten much of anything. His bowels hadn’t moved in five days, and he was suffering from a high fever. He became so weak he could barely raise himself in the bed. Tine stayed by his son’s side, sometimes staying up with him the entire night.

On February 23, Tine was still optimistic that his young son would recover. However, Valley passed away at 7:35 a.m. the very next morning. Valley was five years, eleven months, and seven days old. Although Valley’s death certificate lists the cause of death as Osteitis, at least two other documents state he died from Spinal Meningitis. Valley is buried along with his parents at Mount Hope Cemetery in Perryville, MO.

I hope this helps keep Valley alive in our memories.

Photo of Henry Valley Brewer – Age 4

Cemetery Information from Findagrave

Letter to Carl from Fred 2-17-28 (This is an interesting letter because it talks about boot-legging as well as Charles Lindbergh.)

Letter to Carl from Tine 2-21-28

Letter to Carl from Tine 2-23-28

Newspaper Announcement of Valley’s Death