Capture of escaped POW's May 1917

The mobility of the 8th Essex by means of their cycles was one of the reasons why they were seen as an important cog in the home defences.

 German prisoners of war at the Chelmsford detention camp were able to obtain a duplicate key for one of the exits.

Lieutenant Clentik and Lieutenant Lehmann used this key overnight on 27 May 1917 to escape from the camp. They then made their way towards the Thames with the aim of boarding a vessel to escape to neutral territory.

Once the escape was discovered the 8th Essex were tasked with recapturing the men.

They tracked the men from the camp across Galleywood Common, through Billericay and eventually found the men, cold wet and muddy, at Basildon where they were arrested and returned to the detention camp.