The Story of James Brady, A Commando in SS-Jagdverband 502/Mitte
Published in „Siegrunen“ Magazine - Volume XI, Number 3, Whole Number 65, Spring 1998
Provided by J.D.M.
After the end of WWII, James Brady was placed on trial by the British military. This is the original statement that he provided to the court after interrogation. Some of the German names were phonetically rendered rather than accurately spelled out.
STATEMENT OF JAMES BRADY, 7043207,
ROYAL IRISH FUSILIERS
„I was born on the 20th May 1920 at Roscommon, Co., Southern Ireland of Irish born parents. My mother is dead and I do not know where my father is because I have had nothing to do with them for over five years. The last time I heard of my father, he was in Roscommon. I joined the British Army about December 1938, enlisting at the Recruiting Centre, Liverpool, in the Royal Irish Fusiliers. I took the oath of Allegiance. In May 1939 I joined my Battalion, together with other members of my squad, (in) moving to (the island of) Guernsey.“
„Together with another soldier named Frank Stringer, I got drunk in June 1939 and we assaulted a civilian policeman, although I cannot remember much about it because I was too drunk. I was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, whilst Stringer go 21 months. Towards the end of 1939 we asked to be returned to our unit as the war had started. I understand that our application was forwarded to the Home Office by the Military Governor of Guernsey, but met with no success. We again asked to be returned to Britain when we knew the Germans would invade the island. The Sheriff in charge of the Police said that he was afraid to release us in case he got into trouble with the Germans and was himself shot.“
„The Germans arrived in Guernsey in July 1940, and they were informed of our presence in prison. A German officer visited us in prison in September 1940, and asked us which unit we belonged to. About the third week in September 1940, my sentence expired, and together with Stringer, who was then released from prison, I was taken by the civilian police to St. Peters Port, where we were placed in a German transport and taken to St.Lo, near Cherbourg, in France. I was given a P.O.W. number, but I cannot now remember the number, except that it began with the figure ‘7’ (seven). In December 1940, the whole camp, comprising of about forty British soldiers and ten thousand Frenchmen, was transferred to the Lukenwamde prison camp. After about two weeks, all of the British were moved to the Lamsdorf prison camp. As far as I know the Camp Leader was a R.S.M. Russell. A German officer, Oberleutnant, with one arm, was in charge of the camp. After a few weeks, several of us, a mixed lot, including Stringer and myself, were sent in a working party to a village, I believe Schonbone, where we worked on road making until February 1941.“„Then we were returned to Lamsdorf, where the Germans informed us that we were to be sent to an Irish Camp at Friesach, about 80 kilometers from Berlin. The senior British officer in thsi camp was Lieutenant Bissell, who was later replaced by Major McGrath. About two weeks later, a German Lieutenant of the Wehrmacht, named Rheinherst (phonetic), commonly called ‘Gestapo ‘ , visited our camp and questioned a number of P.O.W.’s, including myself. He asked me if I belonged to the I.R.A., and I replied ‘No’. In November 1941, he asked me if I would like to work for the Germans but I gave him no definite answer as I wanted to think it over. The next day, I went to see Major McGrath and told him about the suggestion put to me by Reinherst, and Major McGrath advised me to accept any work the Germans gave me, and if possible to report to the British Authorities, and to use his name to substantiate any information I might possess.“
„I then made an appointement with Rheinherst and he visited the camp a few days later. He asked if I would like to leave the camp and live as a civilian in Germany, but he would not say anything about the work I should have to do. He wanted to know if I knew anything about radio. I agreed to the proposition and Rheinherst left the camp. In December 1941, Rheinherst again visited the camp and interviewed me. He said arrangements had been made for me to leave the camp and that I would be supplied with a passport and other papers. I had my photograph taken in the camp. I learned that Rheinherst had made similar proposals to Sergeant Cushing, and we discussed the matter together. Cushing never told me why he had agreed to work for the Germans, and I never told him why I had.“
„Just before Christmas 1941, five of us, myself, Cushing, Walsh, O’Brien and Murphy, left Friesach prison camp. We were all in uniform and were supposedly being transferred to another prison camp, but I knew we were going to Berlin as arranged by Rheinherst. We were taken to a flat (apartment), No.208 Hohenzollendamm, by motor car, having changed into civilian clothes, which we found in the car. This change was carried out during the black-out. When we arrived at the flat we met Rheinherst and another officer. We were supplied with money, and all spent the night on celebrations, Rheinherst paying the bill. The next day, Rehinherst told us that we were going to a school to learn about explosives, after which he would have a proposition to make to us. Subsequently we were taken to a house, named ‘Quintz’ in Brandenburg. This house stood on its own and was near a lake. We were the only five pupils and were instructed by two German chemists, one who was named Kruck (phonetic). The training consisted of instruction in the use of high explosives and incendiary compositions. We were taught about eight formulae, one of which included mixing 300 parts of potassium chloride with 100 parts of sugar. The mixture was to be placed in between two railway lines, so that it would be exploded by a train pasing over the joint.“
„We learned how to mix the incendiary compositions in order to start fires in factories; also about the use of electrons and fuses. We were not told where our work would be carried out, but were informed how to use ordinary batteries, watches, etc., to make the explosions possible. Instruction was also given how to buy the chemicals from chemists (pharmacists). We were all passed out as being competent after about fourteen days course, but were supposed to return to ‘Quintz’ later for a refresher course. Whilst we were at ‘Quintz1, we were confined to the house. We were paid about 80 Marks per week from our arrival in Berlin. After the course we returned to the flat at No. 208 Hohenzollendamm, Berlin, and we began to learn radio. We were instructed by a German wearing civilian clothes, named Bublitz (phonetic). We learnt about the working of wireless sets, and the receiving and transmission of messages.“
Above: SS-Hauptsturmführer Adrian von Foelkersam, the staff of the SS Commandos (Jagdverbände), with a group of Baltic-German SS volunteers.
„I stayed at the flat until May 1942, when I moved together with Walsh to Stettin, where we carried on with more advanced training in radio. We contacted several radio stations, all working under code names, but I believe one was (in) Breslau. All messages were in codes, which were changed at frequent intervals, some every three hours. I cannot remember the wavelengths, but mostly operated on frequencies varying from 5000 to 8000 kiloycycles. By now I was able to receive and transmit at about 80 letters a minute, which was good enough for the Germans. My pay rose to 120 Marks per week, being paid by Dr. Haller, who had replaced Rheinherst.“
„About July 1942, Walsh and myself returned to ‘Quintz1, but I did very little refresher work; Walsh did all the ‘swotting up’, but I never knew what he was doing as it was supposed to be secret. I remember now that whilst I was in Stettin, Dr. Haller proposed to me that I should go to England or Northern Ireland and learn all about the Americans; their numbers, training and equipment. Any information I obtained I was to transmit to Germany by radio. He also suggested that I shoult attempt to build up an organization of Secret Service agents in England or Northern Ireland. We discussed the financial side to the proposition. Haller said I could go by submarine or be dropped by paracute. I agreed to the proposition.“
„Walsh and myself were at ‘Quintz’ for about five days and then we moved to Hamburg. I carried a small portable wireless set. We both stayed at the Berlinerhoff Hotel, occupying three rooms. I carried on with my radio work from a building next to the hotel, and we were instructed in (the) use of various inks by a chemist. We spent three days in a bungalow in a big wood, working on long distance transmissions. I was issued with three codes - a book code written by Jack London, a machine code and a small emergency code, which I was to use if I lost the other two codes. These codes were not used on our practice transmissions.“
„About August 1942, Walsh and myself returned to Stettin, where we stayed until about the 15th September 1942. Haller used to visit us nearly every week. We returned to Berlin on 15th September 1942, and saw Haller who told me that I was to leave Norway by plane and parachute into Northern Ireland, where I was to work as previously arranged. Haller gave me 8,000 pounds English money and 3000 dollars American money. Whilst in civilian clothes in Germany I carried identity cards in the name of Charles de Lacy. When Haller handed me the money he also gave me three identity cards in my own name. I was not issued with any ration books.“
„About the 19th September 1942, Walsh and myself left Berlin by plane and went to Trondheim (Norway). I was due to leave Trondheim on the 23rd and Walsh on the 24th September 1942, but on the 22nd September 1942, I was asked to talk to Haller. I spoke to Haller who was with a Captain in the German Marines (Navy), and he said that he was very sorry as to what had happened but I would have to return to Berlin. Three German Military Police were waiting outside for me and escorted me to Oslo. I didn’t know what to think had happened. Whilst at Oslo I heard that Walsh was also in the Military Prison but I never saw him. I was in Oslo for about three weeks before I was taken to Denmark by boat. On the train from Denmark to Berlin I saw Walsh under close arrest but was unable to speak to him. I went to a military prison at 61, Lehtre Strasse, and saw Walsh as I was going inside. In October 1942,1 was interrogated several times by the Germans, who said they had evidence that Walsh and myself were going to double-cross them, and go to the British authorities. I knew this could not be true because Major McGrath was the only person I had spoken to regarding double-crossing the Germans. After about three weeks in Berlin prison, I was released and lived in the Hotel Continentale. I have not seen Walsh since I left the prison. Haller then suggested that I should work for the German propaganda on radio. At first I refused and he said that he could no longer support me and that I would have to go back to prison, so I agreed.“
Above: SS-Obersturmbannführer Otto Skorzeny addressing his SS commandos at their base in Friedenthal, 1944.
„He said that I should have to have a voice and writing test, but these were so messed up that he dropped the idea. Haller then suggested that I should go to an estate in Pomerania and there work on a farm. In January 1943, together with Colley, Strogen, Lee and Johnstone, I was moved to Kleinkesow, where we all worked on a farm owned by Dr. Lotz. It was here that I again met Stringer, who told me that he had been sent there because he had got into trouble with the Germans. Stringer said that he was to have gone to Canada or America. In February 1943, Haller visited us on the farm and took away Strogen, Lee, Colley and Johnstone. We were all fed up with farm work, but he only took those four away, as I think he had reason to believe that he could use Stringer and myself later.“
„About the end of April 1943, a civilian named Frtiz Richter, from Berlin, came to the farm. He carried a small transmitting set and gave Stringer and mysef tests. He said he would find us a job. We journeyed to Berlin two or three days later, unescorted, and were met at the railway station by Richter, who took us to the Hotel Nationale. After a few days we moved to a big house in Florastrasse, at Lehnitz. This house passed as a school of languages but was actually a radio training school. The commander, who changed his name several times, used the name Siegel and Walters.“
„The morse instructor was called Odensthal, whilst two other instructors, Becker and Polman, were Dutchmen, the number of pupils varied and at times included French, Danes, Norwegians, Bulgarians, an Arab and a Turk. Richter was interested only in Stringer and myself. We were at the school until about the end of July and were trained in receiving and transmitting morse. Here we used the machine code, utilizing two pieces of cardboard, which turned in opposite directions. Towards the end of July 1943, Stringer and myself were taken by Richter to a seaport called Berdiansk on the Sea of Azov, South Russia. We made radio contact with stations at Wansee and Kharkov. We were on this work until September 1943, but I did very little as I couldn’t get on with Richter.“
„Subsequently Stringer and myself returned to the Hotel Nationale in Berlin. My weekly pay was now 70 Marks per week. Haller visited us at our hotel and said he had received complaints from Richter that we wouldn’t take any interest in our work. Haller said he had no more work for us to do, so we decided to join the German Army, as I knew it was easy to get into. Richter then took Stringer and myself to the recruiting office of the Waffen-SS in Scheerstrasse, Berlin, where we enlisted in the Waffen-SS. The same day we went to Sennheim, in Alsace, unescorted, still wearing our civilian clothes. We reported to the SS Training Camp, where we were issued with SS uniforms, and commenced infantry training.“
„After we had been training for about three weeks we were tattooed with our blood groups under the left arm. My grouping was ‘A’ and I have this day shown my tattoo marking to Sergeants Cash and Skelton. I still used the name Charles de Lacy. I was at Sennheim until about March 1944, when Company Commander Mensel visited the camp and interviewed us all. Some of the men were sent to divisions at the front, but about thirty of us including Stringer and myself were kept back. We thirty had been selected to go into a special unit, and we were moved to Friedenthal. Stringer was sick and could not leave Sennheim; he joined us about six weeks later in May 1944.“
„I was trained in small arms, map reading, grenades and anti-tank warfare. This training lasted for about three months. The name of my unit was changed from 502 Jäger Bataillon to Jagdverband ‘Mitte’. Stringer and myself were fed up with infantry training so we went to see the Company Commander Hunke and told him that we were radio specialists and wanted a transfer. We then worked at the radio station in Friedenthal. We did some more training there.“
„About August 1944, about fifty members of the battalion, including myself, but not Stringer, were posted to Romania. We were in Romania for about three weeks, during which time I helped to blow up two river bridges and one railway bridge. We went near Kronstadt but did not blow up any bridges there. There were only twenty-two of us left when we pulled out of Romania. Some men were killed by the Russians and others by the Romanians. I returned to Friedenthal about September 1944, where I stopped for about two weeks before my company was ordered to Hungary. We went to Budapest as it was our job to get (Admiral) Horthy out before Hungary packed in. We had a ‘scrap’ with some Hungarians and lost a few men before we got Horthy out of Hungary. We took Horthy to Munich where he was met by the Deputy of the German Foreign Minister.“
Above: Officers of SS-Jagdverband „Mitte“ in Friedenthal, October 1944. Second from right: SS-Hstuf. von Foelkersam, (chief of staff). Far right: SS-Hstuf. Werner Hunke, (company commander).
„We returned to Berlin, where we stayed until the middle of January 1945. I then met Stringer again and we spent Christmas (1944) together. I heard that one of our companies, the 1st, to which I was later attached, had been engaged on the Western Front. I later learnt that it was the Ardennes offensive and that the unit had previously been trained to use American equipment.“
„About the third week in January 1945, the whole battalion - including Stringer and myself - were taken in lorries to Schwate (probable phonetic rendering of Schwedt) on the River Oder. Here we held a bridgehead on the eastern bank of the river for a month against the Russians. Stringer was in the bridgehead. Firstly I was a machine-gunner and later became section (squad) leader although I was still a private. At the end of February 1945 we evacuated the bridgehead , and were transferred to another bridgehead at Oderbridge (Oderbrück?). We held it for a few days and then we made an attack, forcing the Russians back a short distance. The Russians then attacked and I was slightly wounded. I went behind the lines to a training unit at Eberwarlde.“
„I was attached to a police unit - I was training the civilian police who had been called up. This lasted for about two weeks and I then re-joined my unit who were still holding the bridgehead at Oderbridge. This was the 25th March 1945. Two days later the Russians attacked again and just about wiped us out. I was slightly wounded in the head and returned to Grunau until the Russians arrived there, and then everybody who could fight, including myself, was brought into Berlin. I held the rank of Corporal (Rottenführer). I was wounded in the legs and taken to a hospital in Berlin. The last time I saw Stringer was in the bridgehead at Oderbridge, before I was wounded. He was then a lance-corporal (Unterscharführer).“
„About the 10th of May I was moved on a stretcher to Everwarlde hospital, where I stayed for about one week. Several of us then left the hospital; I was still using crutches and I travelled to Bercheseble (phonetic), sometimes by lorry and sometimes by train and at times helped by the Russians.“
„I spent a week in the hospital at Bercheseble where I was supplied with a paper indicating that I was a German soldier returning home to Hamburg. This paper was given to me by a German girl, who was an interpreter. She was born in Russia, of German parents. I left Bercheseble about the end of May 1945, and was tramping about the country in company with two or three Germans, being undecided what to do. About the middle of June 1945, I entered the American Zone together with another German soldier by crossing the River Molde where there were no sentries. We waded and swam across the river near Grimmer (phonetic).“
„On the 18th June 1945, I was arrested by American Military Police in Leipzig as they were rounding up everybody who had no identity papers. The paper previously supplied to me was of no use. I was taken to an American prison camp at Wissenfels where I was interrogated by the American Intelligence Corps and I insisted that I was a German. After about ten days I was moved to another American camp at Naunburg where I was again interrogated. I left there in July 1945, and was moved to another camp, where I stayed only two days before I was moved into the Rhineland to an American camp at Seersien.“
„The French took this camp over at the end of July 1945, and I was kept there until September 1945, when I moved to a French prison camp at Eppinghein (phonetic) in France, where I stayed for about three weeks. In October 1945, I was moved to Luniveld (phonetic) where I was registered as an Irish P.O.W., because I told the French that I was Irish, but was living in Germany when the war broke out. I was kept at Luniveld until January 1945, working on canals and minefields, and was due to be released to Germany in January 1946, when I managed to get away from the prison camp with the assistance of some friends. I do not wish to say anything further as to how I got out of the camp or who assisted me.“
„I arrived in Germany in March 1946, and stayed at Heilbren, in the American Zone, where I had connections, until May 1946. I went into Heilbren with some Americans and my entry ‘appeared legal’. In Heilbren I received papers from the Americans discharging me from the German Army in the name of Charles Lacy. My home was shown at Naunburg, now in the Russian Zone, and I subsequently entered the Russian Zone in July 1946. I stayed at Naunburg, where I obtained civilian clothing, for two weeks before moving on to Leipzig where I stayed for about ten days. I then spent a few days in Dresden, before moving to Halle, where I spent about two weeks. I then stayed for about three weeks in Wittenburg. All this time I was able to live with the assistance of connections and with money made easily in the Black Market. I wish to say nothing further about my activities or friends during the period from January 1946 to September 1946.“
„On the 10th September 1946, I arrived in Berlin and had a look round the city. The following day I reported to the British P.O.W. Department (D.P.) in Berlin where I was interrogated by the British Intelligence, but I told them a different story to the one I have told you, because I didn’t want to be arrested in Berlin. I left Hamburg by air on the afternoon of 20th September 1946, and arrived in London on 21st September 1946. During my travels after the cessations of hostilities, I only met one British soldier. He had an English accent and said he was staying in Germany as he had married a German girl. He was living at Halle but wouldn’t tell me his name or any particulars concerning himself. Persons who can prove that I am a British soldier of the identity claimed by me, are: Lt.Col. O’Donovan, C.C., Lt. Hagen, Platoon Leader, R.S.M. Meagher, C.S.M. Jones, Sergeant Welsh, Sergeant Dolan. All the men are of the 1st Battalion or Depot Company, Royal Irish Fusiliers. (Signed) James Brady.“
Above: SS-Stubaf. Skorzeny with some of his Waffen-SS commandos at Friedenthal, 1944.
„The above statement has been read over to me and it is true. (Signed) James Brady. Statement taken and signature witnessed by Sgt. W. Cash, Special Investigation Branch, in the presence of Sgt. A. Skelton, Special Investigation Branch, on 24th and 25th September 1946 at the Great Central Hotel, Marylebone, London.“
Editor’s Note: Brady was then asked to confirm the above statement, which he did. There was then a confirmation of Brady’s SS blood group tattoo marking, then he was asked to acknowledge that he had „no complaint about the manner in which the statement was taken“, which he did not, to indicate that he had not been tortured or forcibly coerced. The ultimate fate of James Brady is not known to the editor. Pronunciation in the above testimony has been kept very close to the original.
