At war's end it was our aim to surrender to British Army units but the Croatian Army was stopped by the British at Bleiburg on May 13, and they turned over all their prisoners to Tito's Army. Then started the nightmare.
Here are some notes - but the full story can be found here. Some time after the midnight have surrendered to an unknown unit of the Yugoslav Army JA. I was ordered to stop, disarm and turn of road onto a meadow to rest later. Lost contact with anybody from Battery since my surrender. Changed into civilian clothes and wear but kept my riding boots. At morning started forced "exchange" brutal pillage and stripping of by marauding soldiers of unknown JA's unit.
Many personal items were taken away as well as all military items and my spare pair of boots. Some hours later all Prisoners of War POW were gathered into a fenced orchard situated on a hill south of Slovenjgradec town. Did not get any food or water since enslaved. Moved around camp some 2 km. Soon after leaving rally camp noticed ill treatment of all fatigued, weaker or elder ones.
POWs were tortured and indiscriminately murdered whenever leaving marching column for any moment. Constant shooting devastated POW's marching column. Walked through night some 40 km. Short rest near Celje's center accounting for missing and dying ones.
Marched that day about 50 km of which my first barefooted 45 km. Near Vrhovo without any notice accompanying watchmen disappeared after which marching column broke down. POWs from Osijek M. Around midday more guards arrived and led POWs without any stops through the night arriving at Samobor at dawn.
