Prisoner-of-war's escape map presented to Eden Camp museum

The colourful map, carefully drawn in crayon on a piece of sketchbook paper, was actually created by a prisoner-of-war incarcerated in Germany.

It was made as an escape map and indicates the route to take when trying to get away from Stalag 383 at Hohenfels in Bavaria.

The reverse gives instructions on what to do along the route – one of which reads simply and memorably “Now be careful.”

The maker of the map is not known but it was found among wartime memorabilia that has now been presented to the Eden Camp wartime theme museum, which itself is housed in an old PoW camp, near Malton.

It was given by the family of the late Arthur Seller who saw service as an NCO with the East Riding Yeomanry, part of the Royal Armoured Corps.

He was sent to France in the early stages of the Second World War as part of the British Expeditionary Force but was shot in the left arm and ended up being captured.

IN UNIFORM: Corporal Arthur Seller, who was a prisoner in Stalag 383

After being moved from camp to camp he ended up at Stalag 383 where he remained for the duration of the war.

He kept the map and other reminders of the camp, including a newspaper, in an old ammunition box which his family are believed to have discovered gathering dust in his Hull attic following his death.

Eden Camp archivist Johnny Pye described the map as a rare survivor from the war years which the museum was delighted to take possession of.

“We don’t know if Arthur Seller actually used it or not but we’re now trying to find out more about him and his experiences,” he said.