description
Physical description
1
compass, clandestine, bar, possibly as used by Oliver Philpot during his escape from Stalag Luft III
History note
Oliver Philpot, Canadian by birth, first came to the UK to study at Oxford. He joined the RAFVR, and was a pilot in 42 Torpedo/Bomber Squadron. He was assigned to RAF Coastal Command in 1940. He was shot down off the coast of Norway in 1941, and taken prisoner. He was subsequently imprisoned in prisoner of war camps in both Germany and Poland, before his involvement in the wooden horse escape from Stalag Luft III allowed him to escape to Sweden and Scotland.
His memoir, _Stolen Journey_, was published in 1953.