Description
Object description
British officer prisoner of war in Stalag Luft III, Sagan in Germany, 1942-1945 including participation in Great Escape, 3/1944
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as prisoners of war during tunnelling preparations for Great Escape at Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany, 1943-1944: move to new compound; potential for escapes; how he was selected for working with X escape committee under Squadron Leader Roger Bushell; German counter tunnelling activities; incentives for tunnelling; tunnel dimensions; construction of tunnels and half way houses; discovery of tunnel 'Dick'; removal of excess sand; use of trolleys; design and use of air pumps and ventilation system.
REEL 2 Continues: tunnel lighting system; selection of escape date; selection of escapers and their order of escape; categories of escapers; method of dispersing of tunnel sand; fate of three tunnels; length and direction of 'Harry' tunnel. Recollections of escape during Great Escape from Stalag Luft III, Sagan, 3/1944: assembling of escapers, 24/3/1944; problems with exit of tunnel; method of escape from tunnel exit; method of hauling escapers in tunnel.
REEL 3 Continues: lighting problems during escape; collapse of tunnel during James 'Cookie' Long's escape; exiting tunnel; discomforts of season; decision to seek shelter after two days; capture by civilians; removal to Görlitz Prison; conditions on imprisonment; conduct of interrogations by Gestapo; disappearance of escapers from prison; return to Stalag Luft III and punishment; attitude of prisoners of war to solitary confinement; German announcement of fate of escapees; opinion of Paul Brickhill's book 'The Great Escape' (1950); fate of escapees.
REEL 4 Continues: second hand account of German discovery of tunnel; prisoners of wars' reaction to execution of escapees; opinion of reasons for German execution of escapees; question of what part his surname played in his survival; reasons for planning such a large escape; conduct of Gestapo interrogations and his response; conditions in Görlitz Prison, 3/1944-4/1944.
REEL 5 Continues: prisoners of war lack of respect for Gestapo as result of earlier camp searches; explanation of term 'Hard Arser'; conduct of lottery to choose escapers.