The story of The Great Escape from Stalag Luft III is a story of World War Two that has fascinated me for years. I thought I'd create a topic of it here so that members might talk about it. Chat about it, discuss the finer points of it and ask questions about it. --- **This is NOT for discussion of the film of the same name. While alright, I generally consider the film to be a bloody ripoff** --- One thing I loved about the Great Escape was the ingenuity, the creativity and the resourcefulness of the prisoners. Creating compasses out of window-glass and gramophone records and making wire-cutters out of window-latches and all that. Gramophone records were melted down and were then pressed into a circular mould. The directions, the pivot and a magnetised sewing-needle was inserted, and then a circle of glass was fitted into the top. As a joke, the prisoner who made the compass-mould carved lettering into it so that on the underside of each compass were the words 'MADE IN STALAG LUFT III'. How the prisoners managed to dig the tunnels is a feat that has always fascinated me. I would never have the guts to try that. Thirty feet down!! Yeepers!
Agreed, escapology has always fascinated me but the pure logistics of this are incredible. As a bit of a claustrophobe the whole tunnel thing is enough to put the willies up me. The Wooden Horse is another great escape story, really amazing stuff.
Ah yes, I've read the Wooden Horse as well. That was a devilishly good escape plan. And all three men made it home!! But the claustrophobia of the tunnels in the Great Escape...Jesus... let's look at the stat's... Entrance-shaft - 30 feet down. Tunnel - 336 feet long. Width - Approx 2ft/6. Exit-shaft - Approx 20-30 feet up. Facts: - Contained air-pumps (made of old bags, ping-pong racquets, bed-boards). - Air-pipes (made of klim --- that's 'milk' spelt backwards --- tins). - Contained railway and trolleys with two haulage points ('Leicester Square' and 'Piccadilly Circus') - Lamps burning butter-fat. (Later, electric lights powered by the camp's own generators). And these statistics are interesting. The following list was an inventory of missing items which was compiled by the Germans after the Escape had taken place (the little additions after each figure are my thoughts on what these materials were used for). 4,000 bed boards; - Tunnel shoring. 1,370 beading battens; - Tunnel shoring. 1,699 blankets; - Creation of clothing, mufflers (strips of cloth were nailed to the railway-tracks to muffle the sound of the escape-trolleys). 161 pillow cases; - See above. 635 palliasses; - "" 34 chairs; - Tunnel-shoring. Manufacture of escape-materials. 52 20-man tables; - Tunnel shoring. Manufacture of escape-materials. 90 double tier bunks; - Tunnel shoring. 1,219 knives; - Table-knives, that is. These were used to create weapons and picks and all kinds other things for escapees. 478 spoons; "" 30 shovels; Digging! What else? 1,000 feet of electric wire; - This was used to provide electrical lighting inside the tunnels (the prisoners also salvaged as many lightbulbs as they could from around the camp). 600 feet of rope; - This was used to pull the trolleys, carry out measurements and various other tasks. 192 bed covers; - Clothing. 3,424 towels; - Clothing. 1,212 bed bolsters; - Tunnel-shoring. 10 single tables; - Tunnel-shoring. 76 benches; - Tunnel-shoring. 246 water cans; - Pulled apart. Pieces of metal used to create weapons and other escape-materials. 582 forks; - Used to create escape-materials. 69 lamps. - Used for lighting the tunnels.
It's all so amazing, what those POWs were able to to with all the things that they were allowed to have by the Germans. Good thread
They really had there own little societ with classes and everything they must have been very good at organizing work loads to get it all done.
Even if they were prisoners, military rank, conduct and general heirachy (sp) was still observed. So imprisoned men still followed the orders of their fellow imprisoned superiors and this kept things running smoothly. One thing that confused me a lot when I read the book on the Escape was the reference to 'civilian clothing'. It wasn't until I realised that the men were imprisoned in their military uniforms that I understood what all the fuss was about!
yes, thats what I mean. They also still held there self pride and integrity, and acted as soldiers not prisoners.
Yes, that's right "...And I asked him, I said - 'Where am I? Colditz?' 'No! You're in Sacsenhausen!'...I'd been taken to Sacsenhausen concentration camp..." - Escapee Jimmy James recounting a conversation he had with a fellow prisoner after he was rearrested. I loved the fact that the prisoners were able to take seemingly ordinary things and do wonderful stuff with them. And how they bribed the guards. At first it seems stupid. What could a prisoner possibly have to bribe a guard with? But the POWs had Red Cross parcels packed with salt and sugar, chocolates, coffee, cigarettes, butter, all kinds of things --- and the Germans never had any of these. All they got was wehrmacht rations which were bugger-all. I laughed when I read in the book about how much buying-power a piece of chocolate, or a cigarette or even a cup of REAL coffee had.
The 'Aces High' Gallery in Wendover, Buckinghamshire has just announced a limited edition set of prints by the artist Richard Taylor. Some are signed by surviving 'Great Escapers'. -: Aces High Aviation Art Gallery :- The Great Escape - Matted http://www.aceshighgallery.co.uk/pinfo/1589 I've just nabbed a couple...............well you have to don't you!!
Following on from the above, this Sunday a number of Great Escapers will be in attendance signing stuff AND PEOPLE, the Great Angus Lennie, 'Ives' from 'The Great Escape' movie will also be there!! Booked my ticket already!!
