Amazing story, and very similar to the plot of "Von Ryan's Express". Wonder if somebody had insider knowledge? "A top secret SAS raid in which commandos stole a train and drove it behind enemy lines to carry out a major prison break in the Second World War has finally been revealed after 80 years. British and French soldiers landed in Taranto in Italy in September 1943 and stormed the local railway station to seize the locomotive. They drove it 50 miles deep into Nazi-occupied territory to a concentration camp where hundreds of prisoners, including Jewish civilians, were being kept in savage conditions. Once they reached the camp, the raiding party burst out of the train and ambushed the Italian and German guards, giving 180 prisoners the chance to escape. The freed inmates crammed into the train which sped back towards liberated territory with the Germans in hot pursuit. The soldiers even captured the Pisticci camp commandant so he could be brought to justice. The daring operation involving 50 commandos, was masterminded by 2 SAS officer Major Oswald Cary-Elwes and his French deputy, Raymond Couraud on September 13-14, 1943. It has come to light 80 years later after historian Damien Lewis found confidential reports about it tucked away in the Kew archives. Maj Cary-Elwes is a direct ancestor of the English actor Cary Elwes, 61, who has starred in a string of Hollywood films including Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Twister and the most recent Mission Impossible offering - Dead Reckoning Part One. Mr Lewis said it was the most 'audacious' mission he had ever read about and 'too far-fetched for a Hollywood movie plot'. Mr Lewis has given a step-by-step account of the 'genius' break-out, which was kept secret by the authorities, in his new book, SAS Forged Into Hell. He spoke to Maj Cary-Elwes' daughter who had no idea about the rescue mission her father had pulled off alongside other pioneers of the famed regiment, whose motto is 'who dares wins'. She said he did not talk about his wartime operations but he did once tell her 'they learnt how to drive locomotives during their training'." Top secret WW2 SAS raid is revealed at last: Commandos stole train and drove it behind enemy lines to rescue hundreds from concentration camp in incredible mission that has been kept under wraps for 80 years | Daily Mail Online
Not sure. I knew at one point, at least who was saying it at that time. Echoes of Mark Twain, like everything else. 'You've likely heard the famous quote from writer extraordinaire, Mark Twain, that says, “Truth is stranger than fiction, but it's because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; truth isn't.”'
