Corporal Peter Peel

	General experience.
	This page: includes inventory and audio clip.

TO PRINT THIS ARTICLE ... ... click on print-friendly pdf which opens in a new tab/window. To open PDFs you will need Acrobat Reader. Most computers will already have the Reader but if not there is a free download here

Peter Peel is pictured with hat and pipe, third from the left standing

Inventory of the Donation

• Photographs
• Tape-recorded
• 20 pieces of original artwork - including set designs for POW camp productions

The cast of 'Twelfth Night'. The set designer, Peter Peel (third from the left on the front row), played Sebastian opposite the later celebrated actor, Denholm Elliott (front row, centre) who played Viola

An 'action shot' from 'Twelfth Night' with Peter Peel as Sebastian on the right

'Behind the Delousing House' by Peter Peel

Ballet Set - The Eye - by Peter Peel

Peter Peel Audio Clip:
Asked by Peter Liddle about Denholm Elliott, Peter Peel goes on to talk about activities in the camp and the possibilities for escape.

Audio Clip Requires Real Player - free download here

Transcript of Audio Clip

[Peter Liddle: Denholm Elliott too was in the ranks?]

He was just a Private in the camp, as I was, yes. But because of his acting ability he didn't go out on working parties, he was kept in by the sheriffs or the organisation like I was and I got all these jobs and I was doing all this work and so on, teaching in the school, painting and designing all the sets, costumes, playing in some of the productions, all sorts of things you see and then I was in the escape committee or whatever they called themselves, there was forging documents. . . so my stay in Stalag was justified as being useful and the Germans allowed this sort of thing - they didn't know about the escape committee but they allowed the symphony orchestra, the theatre and the school and so on - they were proud of these things and when the inspectors came from Switzerland they would show us off, all this business you see, as though "aren't we wonderful?" you know "what a marvellous time these prisoners are having with every opportunity to further their education and to occupy their minds and so on". But I was extremely busy and never had a dull moment because I was writing a book as well at the same time on reproduction, printing reproduction and I had my name down as a volunteer to escape which I liked to do on the one hand, which I wanted to do, but on the other hand I never worried about it because I had plenty of other things to occupy my mind and eventually it was explained to me that there were very rigid priorities and at this time in the camp the priorities were airmen, particularly pilots and navigators and they were the only people who were given the chance actually to escape through these tunnels that were built and so I had to content myself with forging documents.

	General experience.
	This page: includes inventory and audio clip.