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It is 80 years since one of the most daring escapes of World War 2 took place ‘The Great Escape’. Immortalised in books & films even today it continues to resonate with people across the world, it is a story of courage, resilience & the fight for freedom.
Probably the most famous portrayal of the events was the film ‘the Great Escape’ released in 1963 & shown on British Television annually around the Christmas Holiday period. This film was based on the book by Paul Brickhill & starred Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, James Donald, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, David McCallum & Donald Pleasence.
At Stalag Luft 3 a German POW Camp in Sagan, Poland during the Spring of 1944 allied prisoners mainly Airmen, devised an escape plan to claim their freedom.
This involved the digging of 3 tunnels Tom, Dick & Harry all of which were concealed under the camp barracks. Despite many challenges & a high level of risk they worked together strategically to plan the escape, gather intelligence, forge documents, make civilian clothes, dig the tunnels, disperse sand, act as lookouts & all the other jobs that went along with such a monumental feat!
On the night of the 24th March 1944 after many months of work 79 men made it through the tunnel named Harry, their escape was sadly short lived as the majority were recaptured. In violation of the Geneva Convention, the Gestapo executed 50 men on the orders of Adolf Hitler. Just 3 men made it home to freedom.
It always amazes me whilst working with POW Questionnaires of men who spent time in Stalag Luft 3 how many men were actually involved in assisting escapes whether that be digging tunnels or providing bed boards to support the tunnels. I always find that reading these documents brings you that bit closer to history.
The duty of an airmen was to return to his unit & these types of escapes highlight the sheer courage, bravery & sacrifice that each of them gave.
Tunnel named Harry (one showing location of entrance) - Public Domain - Wikicommons
One book that I have reviewed & that I can highly recommend is the Stalag Luft III Official History book, this was taken from the original documents written up after the war on the running & structure of the camp. It provides a great insight into the day-to-day goings on in the camp as well as listing the men who contributed to the various escape organisations. You can purchase it via Pen & Sword here
All 79 men have been listed below, those marked with a 'X' were shot by the Gestapo, those with an 'E' escaped & returned home & those, those with an 'A' were arrested outside the exit of the tunnel, the remaining 23 were recaptured & sent to various camps in Germany.
109946 F/Lt A Armstrong RAF
373 Sgt P Bergsland RAF E
120413 F/Lt PA Bethell RAF
J5233 F/O H Birkland RCAF X
61053 F/Lt EG Brettell RAF X
122363 F/Lt LJC Brodrick RAF
43932 F/Lt LG Bull RAF X
90120 S/Ldr RJ Bushell RAF X
J6487 F/Lt W Cameron RCAF
39024 F/Lt NJ Casey RAF X
A400364 S/Ldr J Catanach RAAF X
NZ413380 P/O AG Christiansen RNZAF X
41255 F/Lt RSA Churchill RAF
12241 F/O DM Cochran RAF X
39305 S/Ldr P Cross RAF X
05175 W/Cdr HMA Day RAF
101106 Maj JB Dodge Territorial Army
86685 F/Lt SH Dowse RAF
82542 F/Lt B Dvorak RAF
378 Sgt H Espelid RNAF X
42745 F/Lt BH Evans RAF X
742 2/Lt N Fuglesang RNAF X
103275 Lt JS Gouws SAAF X
76904 F/Lt B Green RAF
45148 F/Lt WJ Grisman RAF X
60345 F/Lt ADM Gunn RAF X
A403218 F/Lt AA Hake RAAF X
50896 F/Lt CP Hall RAF X
42124 F/Lt AR Hayter RAF X
42177 F/Lt ES Humphreys RAF X
42232 F/Lt BA James RAF
J10177 F/O GA Kidder RCAF X
A402364 F/O RV Kierath RAAF X
P0109 F/Lt A Kiewnarski RAF X
39103 S/Ldr TG Kirby-Green RAF X
P0243 F/O W Kolanowski RAF X
P0237 F/O SZ Krol RAF X
C1631 F/Lt PW Langford RCAF X
37938 F/Lt RB Langlois RAF A
46462 F/Lt TB Leigh RAF X
89375 F/Lt JLR Long RAF X
89580 F/Lt R Marcinkus RAF X
36103 F/Lt HC Marshall RAF
115320 F/Lt AT McDonald RAF
956691 2/Lt SCAN McGarr SAAF X
J5312 F/Lt GE McGill RCAF X
103586 F/Lt HJ Milford RAF X
P0913 F/O J Mondschein RAF X
1007 2/Lt JE Muller RAF E
Lt (A) AD Neely RN
70811 F/Lt TR Nelson RAF
42872 F/Lt AK Ogilvie RAF
P0740 F/O K Pawluk RAF X
86793 F/O HA Picard RAF X
78847 F/Lt DL Plunkett RAF
402894 F/O J Pohe RAF X
Lt (A) DA Poynter RN
76017 S/Ldr L Reavell-Carter RAF A
42152 F/Lt PG Royle RAF
30649 Lt B Scheidhaver X
NZ391368 F/Lt MM Shand RNZAF
213 W/O E Scantzikas RHAF X
47431 Lt RJ Stevens SAAF X
130452 F/O RC Stewart RAF X
107520 F/O JB Stower RAF X
123026 F/O DO Street RAF X
37658 F/Lt CD Swain RAF X
C97013 F/Lt AB Thompson RCAF
P0736 F/O P Tobolski RAF X
83232 F/Lt IP Tonder RAF
NZ2481 S/Ldr LH Trent RNZAF A
82532 F/Lt E Valenta RAF X
106346 F/Lt B Van der Stok RAF E
30268 F/Lt RLN Van Wymeersch RAF
73023 F/Lt GW Walenn RAF X
J6144 F/Lt JC Wernham RCAF X
J7234 F/Lt GW Wiley RCAF X
40652 S/Ldr JE Williams RAF X
106173 F/Lt JF Williams RAF X
A memorial to ‘The Fifty’ was erected by the airmen of the camp to hold the urns of the 50 men murdered. Three tablets list the names of the men who were murdered. After the war the urns were moved to Old Garrison Cemetery in Poznan.
Lest we Forget!
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