The Great Escape

[Mike]

On 10/03/2019 at 22:57, BIG X said:

  



I built one of these some years back

 

 

Keep up the good work

 

[badger]

Hope you feel better soon mate.

 

All the best

Ben

[BIG X]

It's nice to see that the BBC haven't forgotten that today is the 75th anniversary of the escape.  They have sent a reporter to Sagan and are reporting on the breakfast show - well done BBC.

 

Sadly my own small tribute went off the rails and hit the buffers almost 2 weeks ago now.  I have been so ill that I haven't been anywhere near my bench - oh well - never mind - I'll finish my tribute at some point - but sadly it won't be today.

[BIG X]

Can you imagine the sense of tension - 75 years ago this very afternoon.  A Friday afternoon - cold with snow on the ground.  In tunnel 'Harry' blankets were being nailed to the floors of the 'halfway houses' known as Piccadilly & Leicester Square - so men could crawl across without getting their escape outfits covered in dirt.  A string of electric light bulbs were being hauled along the entire length of the tunnel and miraculously they worked.  The 'rail track' at the first and last fifty feet where sound proofed with strips of blanket and all over Stalag Luft III the 'little x' in each hut was handing out water bottles / fudge / maps & compasses to those who were going to escape that night.

 

History eh...

[Brandy]

I've just caught up with this, some interesting stuff! Going back a couple of pages, the cannon shell holes appear to be there on the other side, right on the "Z", top right and bottom left. They certainly won't be right opposite the entry holes!

On a side note, I dated a girl in Florida in the early 2000s and through her met an ex B17 pilot who was a close friend of hers. He was also in Stalag Luft III, spending some time in solitary confinement. Just before he passed away he was in hospital and insisted on a room with a window. He still couldn't deal with the after effects after all those years.

He left all his belongings to my girlfriend and we found a sketchbook from the camp with all kinds of images of it, including his solitary, poems written at the time, plus a huge nail, presumeably from one of the buildings, mounted on a plaque, and quite a few other bits and pieces including a 1916 Lugar.

I still have his post war USAF licence and medical.

 

RIP Andy, you're not forgotten! 

 

Ian

[BIG X]

Right about now - 5pm local time - the last role call of prisoners was being taken.  Out of all the prospective escapers BIG X was the only one who knew for certain that if he was captured he would be executed.  In 1942 the Gestapo had been keen to 'put an end to him' but two years later, with their record of torture and murders, he had been warned by his Luftwaffe captors that if he was to try to escape - that his capture was a death sentence.  But Roger Bushell was convinced that he could reach Paris, with his escape partner - a Frenchman - Scheidehaur and from there link up with the French resistance.

 

I don't know how many of us would have the courage to face such a risky plan, with the ultimate price to be paid for failure.

[BIG X]

OK - I hope your still with me...  It's around 19:55hrs local time.  The tunnel is due to be opened in the woods at 20:30hrs.  BIG X is due to be one of the first out of the tunnel and has a train to catch in Sagan at 21:00hrs - heading for Breslau - 120 miles to the south.

 

Some of the escapers have just eaten a hearty meal of bully beef fritters, mixed with flour made from ground barley and seasoned with garlic.  Who knows when they will get another proper meal.

[clive_t]

Following now, I am sorry to have missed the start of the thread until a few minutes ago.

[clive_t]

Probably too late now, having only just seen what you set out to do, but I found this on YouTube, a guy making - then 'breaking' - a Spitfire for a diorama he was going to do.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CK_MTyjF-5U

 

Hope you are recovering from your bout of illness now.

 

[BIG X]

It's now 20:30hrs - 0:00HR - but there is a delay - the first of many...

[BIG X]

A problem with the ropes that pulled the trolleys along the last part of the tunnel called for a replacement.  Swollen wooden bracing strips at the exit of the tunnel also led to a delay in opening the exit up.  By (21:00hrs local time) there were seventeen men crammed in the farther reaches of the tunnel - either in the halfway houses or on trolleys in the actual tunnel itself.  I can't begin to image how claustrophobic things were getting by this point in time. 

[BIG X]

With the time now creeping toward 22:00hrs local time things were getting very delayed.

 

The two men trying to open the tunnel exit were ‘Johnny’ (Leslie) Bull and ‘Johnny’ (HC) Marshall.  Bull had been trying to open the exit for over half an hour when he came back down the ladder saying he was ‘done in’.  At this point Marshall stripped down to his underwear – so as not to ruin is escape clothing.  He worked for over ten minutes, whilst clinging to the ladder, to loosen the first of the swollen roof boards.  At this point Marshall came back down the ladder, covered in sweat and wiped his face on his shirt tail, before Bull went back up to finish the job.

 

Bull was ecstatic when his small shovel finally broke through and he began to make a proper hole to climb out of.  The fresh air filtered down the tunnel and as Bull climbed the last 2 rungs of the ladder he could see stars.  As he popped his head above ground though – he got the shock of his life.

 

We’ve all seen the film & we know they came up short.  In reality it was only 10ft.  We know they used a rope for signalling – but that isn’t exactly how it worked.  The reality took a hell of a lot more bravery.

[BIG X]

The need for more rope further delayed the escape and it took valuable time to figure out how the men were going to get to the wood, without being seen by the ‘goons’.  The actual plan was much braver than the fiction of the film.

 

According to camp history, 'Johnny' Bull lay on a blanket in the snow, pushing down on the head of each escaper, until it was safe for them to emerge and follow the rope to the wood.

 

There was another train due to leave Sagan station at 23:00hrs and Bushell instructed the first twenty men out to try to catch it.

 

As in the film, further delays were caused by en who had ignored instructions to ‘travel light’ and were carrying cases that slowed things down in the tunnel.

 

The final delay came courtesy of their ultimate ‘boss’ – Air Marshall Sir Arthur ‘bomber’ Harris – who had ordered the last major air raid of the war on Berlin.

 

A force of 811 heavy bombers drifted south of Berlin – which caused the area to be blacked out – including the electric lights in the tunnel.

[BIG X]

23:00hrs local time – 10pm here – right now…

 

Bushell, Scheidhauer and several others made it to the station and caught a train to Breslau.

 

Hannelore Zoller – a censor of the mail at the camp spotted several of the escapers and indeed reported them to a policeman.  Their papers were checked – but they were waved onto the train.

 

At this point luck was still on their side.

[badger]

Really "enjoying" the real time updates. 

 

Brave men indeed.

[BIG X]

3 minutes ago, badger said:

Really "enjoying" the real time updates. 

 

Brave men indeed.

Tense isn't it...

 

By this point Bushell and several others were on the train and speeding away from the immediate area.  Des Plunkett, who was also on the train vividly remembered Bushell walking down corridor of the train, furtively gripping his hand & shaking the hands of the other escapers, without making any eye contact or other acknowledgment.

[BIG X]

Back in the compound, all the hut doors had been barred by the guards and only the Hundeführer were left in the compound for the night.

 

An order was given in hut 104 for blankets to be laid on the floors and for the men to remove their boots – to keep any noise down to a minimum.

 

It was just gone midnight - so right about now that the RAF Bombers commenced their bombing run on Berlin - sixty miles to the south and the lights went out...

[BIG X]

At this point men carrying cases were found to be causing great delays in the tunnel and trollies were getting derailed.  Arguments ensued and Tim Walenn – who was carrying what could only be described as a ‘trunk’ – had to send it on a trolley on its own – whilst he travelled behind.  Soon after this cases were banned altogether.

 

It's quite remarkable how the film echoes some of these themes, whilst being completely inaccurate in others.  For me the main error in the film, or 'changing of the facts' is the scene depicting American Independence Day - which is obviously 4th July.  According to the film tunnel 'Tom' is discovered, Ives is killed whilst climbing the fence and Virgil Hilts (Steve McQueen) offers to escape to survey the local area.

 

The film suggests the escape was shortly after these events - not in the middle of March - - -  GREAT FILM THOUGH!!! 

[BIG X]

By 01:00hrs on Saturday morning it was decided that even men carrying blankets through the tunnel were taking far too long – at 14 minutes per man.  So the order was given for no more blankets – which was worrying, as the weather was so cold.

 

The escape carried on until 05:00hrs, when a guard strayed from his post & noticed men in the woods.

 

By this time 76 men had escaped and another 11 were in the tunnel.  As shots were heard, they were called back and men started to hide their clothes / food / maps and compasses – whilst desperately burning their documents.

[Smithy]

Very late to the party for this but wanted to say what a wonderful idea for a thread!

 

I have quite a bit on Roger as 92 Sqn is a very special interest of mine, so if there's anything that you're after I'm more than happy to help.

 

A couple of interesting asides about Roger that you may or may not be aware of are that Roger was spectacularly adept at languages, and his headmaster at Wellington actually wrote to Roger's father saying that in his opinion the school could not improve Roger's language skills. As a result pater Bushell immediately took him out of Wellington and sent him to Grenoble University for four terms where he became the most brilliant linguist. He was fluent in French, German, Italian, Danish, Slovakian and Russian. Because of his ability with Danish he was conversant in Norwegian and Swedish. He was also able to hold a conversation in several of the regional Swiss dialects. A most talented fellow both academically and on the sports field. As well as skiing he was a very accomplished golfer and rugby player, playing for the first XV at Pembroke College, Cambridge.

 

If there's any Londoners here, immediately prior to the war as a junior barrister he was living in Tite Street in Chelsea, sharing a flat with Michael Peacock, another barrister and fellow member of 601 Sqn at that time.

 

A really remarkable man.

 

 

[BIG X]

The Sagan Order – much has happened since the escape, some men were caught in the tunnel, some escaped by mere seconds.  Some have been sent to ‘the cooler’ – but too many were involved and it was soon full.  Outside – some were caught almost immediately and they fully expected to be returned to the camp – but were sent elsewhere.  Some were well and truly ‘on the run’.

 

Hitler was informed of the escape and in meetings with Goering, Himmler and Keitel he flew into one of his now infamous rages.  He demanded that all the escapes were to be shot, but after being advised that this might invite reprisals on German prisoners in allied hands , he revised his death sentence to say ‘most of the escapes must be shot’.

[Smithy]

3 minutes ago, BIG X said:

He demanded that all the escapes were to be shot, but after being advised that this might invite reprisals on German prisoners in allied hands , he revised his death sentence to say ‘most of the escapes must be shot’.

 

A despicable order by a despicable little man.

 

Hope the Spits are coming along nicely Big X!

[BIG X]

14 minutes ago, Smithy said:

 

A despicable order by a despicable little man.

As a result of the meeting with Hitler / Goering / Keitel and Himmler  - Himmler summond with his second in command – Kaltenbrunner and the Sagan Order was drawn up.  Basically it said that due to the increase in escapes of allied officers it was causing a menace to internal security.  Himmler and indeed Hitler – were indignant about the inefficient security measures and as a result Hitler had decreed that half of the officers be shot.  So the escapees were to be handed over to the Gestapo – where they were to be returned to their original escape route and shot ‘en route’.  This was to be explained as they were ‘shot whilst trying to escape’ or had ‘offered resistance’.  If ever a ‘war crime’ was committed – this was perfect example.

 

One notable comment was also made ‘prominent personalities would be excepted’.  Their names were to be reported to Himmler and he would make a decision.  This is widely regarded as the reason that Harry Churchill was spared – as it was considered that he might be related to Winston…

[BIG X]

Meanwhile – whilst still ‘on the run’ – after reaching Breslau – Bushell and Scheidhauer had the opportunity to buy tickets to the Paris – via Dresden, Leipzig, Frankfurt, Mainz, Saarbrucken and Metz – quite a journey…

 

By Sunday – that’s today (Tuesday 26th March) in our time frame – BIG X had reached Saarbrucken and successfully put 500 miles between himself and the camp.  He was almost on the border with France.

 

It was at this point that they ran into trouble…

[Smithy]

Great stuff Big X, keep the timeline and information going. I would have liked your previous comment for the information but I was worried that my "like" might be misconstrued as liking the subject and content! I decided that a thanks might be best - the joys of modern internet etiquette.

 

Another bit of trivia. One of my friends back home is a rather well-known Battle of Britain historian and who also has a spectacular collection of bits and bobs from the war. When I was round at his house one time he showed me an original order from Himmler promoting an SS fellow to the rank of general. The strangest thing was that Himmler had signed the order in green pencil and my friend assured me that this was common practice for Himmler when signing official orders and communiques. I found holding that document which had been held and signed by that man to be a remarkably nasty feeling.