Haldane thought Brockie essential to any escape plan as he spoke Afrikaans and a Bantu language. Churchill heard about the plan and wanted to join it. Haldane and Brockie thought that Churchill, by far the most prominent prisoner, would be missed within a few hours while Haldane’s and Brockie’s absence might go unnoticed for much longer. Nevertheless, Haldane relented but gave Churchill no details of the route they would follow to Portuguese East Africa – Haldane would give the orders.