THE GREAT ESCAPE

This is a place for veterans of military service to remember and reflect. War time or peace. Any service.

Moderators: DuncaninFrance, Niner Delta

Post Reply
User avatar
DuncaninFrance
Global Moderator Sponsor 2011-2017
Posts: 10934
Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2006 3:08 pm
Location: S.W.France
Contact:

THE GREAT ESCAPE

Post by DuncaninFrance » Fri Dec 28, 2012 11:52 am

TUNNEL REVEALED AFTER 67 YEARS. . . . THE GREAT ESCAPE. . . .

Untouched for almost seven decades, the tunnel used in the Great Escape has finally been unearthed.
The 111-yard passage nicknamed Harry by Allied prisoners was sealed by the Germans after the audacious break-out from the POW camp Stalag Luft III in western Poland ...

Despite huge interest in the subject, encouraged by the film starring Steve McQueen, the tunnel remained undisturbed over the decades because it was behind the Iron Curtain and the Soviet authorities had no interest in its significance.

Image

Unearthed: The entrance to the tunnel, which lay untouched for almost seven decades

But at last British archaeologists have excavated it, and discovered its remarkable secrets.

Many of the bed boards which had been joined together to stop it collapsing were still in position. And the ventilation shaft, ingeniously crafted from used powdered milk containers known as Klim Tins, remained in working order. Scattered throughout the tunnel, which is 30ft below ground, were bits of old metal buckets, hammers and crowbars which were used to hollow out the route.

A total of 600 prisoners worked on three tunnels at the same time. They were nicknamed Tom, Dick and Harry and were just 2ft square for most of their length.

It was on the night of March 24 and 25, 1944, that 76 Allied airmen escaped through Harry. Barely a third of the 200 prisoners many in fake German uniforms and civilian outfits and carrying false identity papers who were meant to slip away managed to leave before the alarm was raised when escapee number 77 was spotted.

Image

Tunnel vision: A tunnel reconstruction showing the trolley system.
Image

Bitter-sweet memories: Gordie King, 91, made an emotional return to Stalag Luft III

Only three made it back to Britain. Another 50 were executed by firing squad on the orders of Adolf Hitler, who was furious after learning of the breach of security.

In all, 90 boards from bunk beds, 62 tables, 34 chairs and 76 benches, as well as thousands of items including knives, spoons, forks, towels and blankets, were squirrelled away by the Allied prisoners to aid the escape plan under the noses of their captors.

Although the movie might suggest otherwise, no Americans were involved in the actual operation. Most were British and the others were from countries including Canada, Poland and Australia ..

Image

Discoveries: The site of the tunnel, recently excavated by British archaeologists

The latest dig, over three weeks in August, located the entrance to Harry, which was originally concealed under a stove in Hut 104. The team also found another tunnel, called George, whose exact position had not been charted. It was never used as the 2,000 prisoners were forced to march to other camps as the Red Army approached in January 1945. Watching the excavation was Gordie King, 91, an RAF radio operator, who was 140th in line to use Harry and therefore missed out. This brings back such bitter-sweet memories,he said as he wiped away tears. Im amazed by what they've found.
Duncan

What contemptible scoundrel has stolen the cork to my lunch? -- W.C. Fields
"Many of those who enjoy freedom know little of its price."
You can't fix Stupid, but you can occasionally head it off before it hurts something.
User avatar
Dave 101
Moderator Sponsor 2011,12,13,14
Posts: 353
Joined: Mon Jan 11, 2010 3:36 am
Location: Essex . UK

Re: THE GREAT ESCAPE

Post by Dave 101 » Fri Dec 28, 2012 2:39 pm

What an amazing discovery .

Dave
User avatar
Niner
Site Admin
Posts: 11519
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2003 1:00 pm
Location: Lower Alabama

Re: THE GREAT ESCAPE

Post by Niner » Mon Jan 28, 2013 2:21 pm

I watched a DVD of the movie last night. It came with a second DVD telling about the actual events as well as the making of the movie.
though the movie might suggest otherwise, no Americans were involved in the actual operation. Most were British and the others were from countries including Canada, Poland and Australia ..
I don't know how much of what I saw on that DVD is true.....but....

According to the story I watched it was true that, unlike the movie, no Americans were present when the actual escape happened. The Americans who worked on the escape were all moved to another camp shortly before the breakout along with all other Americans in the camp. And the "Big X" that oversaw the operation was actually South African by birth. The guy who planned the tunnel locations was Canadian and helped make the movie. Two of the three that escaped were Norweign...escaping by boat and going aboard a ship in a port , as played by Charles Bronson, who seems to have been pretending to be Polish, and another "tunnel king" actor. The guy played by James Coburn was the other escapee through help from the French underground and going through Spain.

The fifty men that were shot as an example weren't all killed at once. The largest number shot at one time was ten.

The successful escapee's from an internet search:
Per Bergsland, Norwegian pilot of No. 332 Squadron RAF
Jens Müller, Norwegian pilot of No. 331 Squadron RAF
Bram van der Stok, Dutch pilot of No. 41 Squadron RAF
Post Reply