CROSS TO BEAR

plan to escape and rendezvous with the U-38 submarine off the Great Orme in Llandudno.

On August 13 1915, they walked out of the front gate of Dyffryn Aled in civilian clothes and made their way to Llandudno. Their escape, with cellmate Capt Wolff-Dietrich Baron von Helldorf, seemed to be going to plan – they even stood on the promenade to watch a parade of soldiers at one point.

After failing to spot U-38 in the small hours of August 14, the trio split up and attempted to get a train to London.

Meanwhile, Sarah’s greatgrandmother Laura Jane Jones was unaware that reports she was hearing of three escapees in her job as a telephone operator would strike so close to home.

On August 16, she was walking along Mostyn Street with her daughter Beti when they were stopped by a “handsome man” who complimented Laura on her beautiful baby before reaching down into the pram and bidding them good day.

It was only later that Laura realised the man had left a medal with her daughter.

Later that day, Tholens handed himself in to local bobby Morris Williams, and the other two handed themselves in later that evening.

“It wasn’t until later that they realised the Iron Cross was in my grandmother’s hand,” said Sarah. “My mum told me the story 18 months ago and so I started talking about it with her. I said we shouldn’t really have it. We want to return it to their family and return it to their country.”

Tholens was repatriated to Germany in 1919 and later joined the Nazi Party. He died in 1967. Our sister paper the Daily Post has approached the German Embassy to try to find Tholens’ descendants.