Colditz
Following his capture Burn was sent to Marlag und Milag Nord, a naval POW camp that was the destination of all Charioteers prior to the separation of Commando and Royal Navy personnel. He was then incarcerated in Spangenberg Castle, Oflag 1X A/H, and there began giving lectures to fellow POWs before being sent to Colditz Castle, Oflag IV-C. There, shorthand learnt for previous employment in journalism meant Burn acted as scribe to Colditz's secret radio operator, Lieutenant-Colonel Jimmy Yule.
On liberation, Burn sent dispatches to The Times about what had gone on in Colditz, published in newspaper on 19 and 21 April 1945. Burn had written a novel during his stay, which was published as Yes, Farewell in 1946.
While at Colditz, Burn had received a Red Cross parcel from an old Dutch acquaintance, Ella van Heemstra. After his release from Colditz, Burn responded by sending packages with food and cigarettes to van Heemstra. The food helped the manlnourished van Heemstra and her daughter, Audrey Hepburn, survive the hardships following the end of the war. Van Heemstra was also able to sell the cigarettes for penicillin on the black market to treat the seriously ill Hepburn, perhaps saving her life.
Burn ended the war as a Captain.
Read more about this topic: Micky Burn