Be patient, cautious, and avoid overconfidence. An enemy approach is no cause for panic. Normally, the chances of remaining unobserved are good. Conserve your strength by avoiding exhaustion. When you are compelled to remain in one place for an extended period, exercise moderately in order to keep fit.

Generally, avoid eating uncooked food or drinking unboiled water. Select a hiding place, cook the food, and boil the water to be used en route to the next evasion objective.

Retain items of personal clothing and equipment that can serve a useful purpose during evasion. Keep some item that identifies you as a serviceman, such as

Figure 6-3.-Compensating by paces and right angles.

your dog tags. If you are not able to identify yourself as a serviceman, you maybe treated as a spy, if captured. You may also be refused assistance by escape organizations or friendly locals.

Do not leave or throw away articles that, if found would reveal your presence. Bury or otherwise dispose of the effects of your campsite; otherwise, these effects could give the enemy a clear picture of your direction of travel.

Practice supply economy. The same jacket or pair of shoes may have to be used throughout the entire evasion trip. This may cover hundreds of cross-country miles during both winter and summer seasons. Build up your food and water supplies and ration them carefully so they last until you can reach an evasion objective or replenish them or both.

Use firearms only in an emergency, and keep them concealed at all times during your evasion unless a situation arises that requires a show of arms.

Avoid people as long as possible. However, if you find that you can no longer hope to go ahead on your own because of sickness, lack of food, or other compelling reasons, then, and only then, should you seek help from the local populace. Assistance may come from individual locals who are sympathetic to the Allied cause or from members of the underground who operate escape lines for the purpose of returning evaders to friendly forces. You must be wary when contacting locals regardless of what they claim to be. When you are fortunate enough to travel through an area where an organized escape line exists, the chances are good that a spotter will seek you out. Spotters for resistance or underground organizations are particularly alert when they have reason to believe that friendly forces are in their area. But this also applies to the enemy police and counterintelligence agents. Persons wearing civilian clothing in enemy-held territory are not necessarily civilians; many enemy soldiers have been found disguised as civilians.