Winfred

1

Official Report

British Intelligence

Code: 3986

Kathleen Winfred

My name is Kathleen Winfred. I am a member of Britain's Women's Auxiliary Air Force. I escaped. I am a coward.

I don't know why, or how I survived. Out of all of them, why me? I still ponder over the question in bed, late at night. It's so hard for me to fall asleep. Of course, you'd have troubled sleeping if you'd been through what I've been through, would you not? It presses heavily on me. I don't know whether or not I'll ever be able to forget- or move on. 

I know that I am not writing in the official report format, designated by the British Intelligence, but this is for me. Before I write a report to submit, I know I have to work through everything myself.

Looking back, I realize that I made the mistakes which led to my capture. I take full responsibility. I only regret that I could not escape with my fellow countrymen. I will always remember them as they were on my day of departure: the day I said goodbye. The day that they let me, instead of them, go free. They were so very brave that day... I, the coward, was allowed to be free. I, of all of our people, did not deserve to be helped to freedom. 

My question of whether or not I will ever be able to forget? I will never, ever forget. It would be impossible. Many people were involved in my escape to freedom from the Nazi Prison, but each will come into the story in his or her own time. I will never forget them. I will never forget their courage. I will never forget their sacrifice; some paid with their lives. 

It is a long, hard tale to bear, such a story as mine. I will do my best to make sure that the words on the following pages are as accurate as possible. I can only hope that my meager words can give voice to those whom I so dearly miss; those whom I so dearly wish I could have saved. My words will take you from the rise of an empire, to its fall, as well as every place in between. 

***

Image: Emily Vancamp as Kathleen Winfred

I just want to say that I won't leave as many author's notes as I usually do for my other stories. I'm going to try to just leave you with the chapter. I will include, however, as I did above, a short explanation of the image I chose for the chapter. 

This will hopefully be one of few author's notes. I'm putting it here to explain some things. This story is in a very rough form. Chapters will be short. It's meant to be read as a report, collecting the scattered memories of one prisoner of war and putting them into some sort of logical form. It is unedited. It is unplanned. I am simply writing bits and pieces as they come to me, as I have time, or in between working on my other works.

I do, however, hope you enjoy the story.

-Micah