Destination England -
Poltava Jail
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14. Poltava Jail
My new jail this time was on Russian (actually Ukrainian) territory, at
a place named Poltava, which is not far from Kiev and Chernobyl.
We had to wait another twenty four hours before being transferred by
'black maria' to the local jail which would become our home for another
two months.
During my stay at this jail and not seeing any possibility of getting
out of it, I decided to use one of my previously prepared plans, which
if successful could help me to get out of jail by being sent to one of
the factories from which there would be better possibility to run away
through Caucasus to Turkey or Persia (Iran).
So I demanded to see jail commandant. After few days of my
consisting demands I was called to see him in his office, where I told
him that I have few inventions which might be useful to Russian
military. He, after long spell of thinking, promised to pass our
conversation to higher authority. Few days later about midnight,
I was called again to commandants office, from where I was taken under
escort to a waiting "black maria" by which we arrived to Russian Secret
Police (N.K.V.D.) head quarters in Kiev.
There I was led to big office occupied by several high ranking officers
whose leader was in the rank of general, who after dismissing my
escort, ordered me to sit in the chair in front of his desk (padded
one, which was a luxury of the time), and offering me cigarette,started
questioning about my inventions and reason for willing to pass them to
the Soviet Forces? My answer was simple: every inventor likes his
plans to be put to practise and by "rotting in jail because you were
born under different flag" does not help any body, and after reading
few of the books about your country (especially poems by Pushkin) I was
becoming "to like your people and Russian way of life". (I don't
think he believed in what I was saying, neither did I myself, but
politics are like that). Anyway after about half an hour he
dismissed me, by saying that instructions will be given to my jail
commandant, and after joining my escort I returned to jail.
Two days later in the morning I was called again to commandant's office
from which I was taken by him to different cell in which was single bed
with two blankets on it ( luxury after few months not seeing one ) and
of course table with paper, pencils and other drawing amenities on it
and chair to sit on.
I was very disappointed, because things were not going the way I
wanted, but to avoid being accused of misleading my hosts (and avoiding
to be shot), I had to continue my "deception" whatever happens.
So I started my schematic drawings of the projects which in my opinion
were not very helpful to them, and this lasted for thirty
days. During that time I enjoyed being on my own and sleeping on
the bed e.t.c.. Quite often from the guard, (some of them were
quite "human"), with whom during the nights I had friendly discussions
about life outside the Soviet Union, I was receiving extra rations of
bread and sugar ( two or three matchboxes of sugar instead of one ),
but I was asked to eat it as soon as possible so other guards won't
notice. I also got extra soup (with little chunks of fish in
it).
Every day I was taken for 15 minutes walk in the prison yard.
After one of such walks returning to my cell, I found that all the
drawings, pencils and paper were gone and I was told to collect my
belongings (which were not many) and was taken back to my previous cell
where I joined my old companions who were not transported yet.
After a fortnight a whole lot (60) of us were loaded on rail transport
( cattle carriages again ).
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© Nick Bailey & Krys Bailey (nee Stendera) & Jozef Stendera
2013-2020