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The Great Escape: The Full Dramatic Story with Contributions from Survivors and Their Families
On the night of March 24, 1944, 76 Allied RAF officers escaped from Stalag-Luft III, Nazi Germany’s most secure POW camp. It was the biggest, most daring break-out of World War II. The tenacity and ingenuity of the prisoners has become the stuff of legend, as they carried out their plan to dig the longest and most sophisticated tunnel ever conceived. But the men paid a high price for their bravery—of the 73 men recaptured, 50 were brutally executed on Hitler’s direct orders. The tireless RAF investigation into the atrocity offers a chilling insight into the last hours of the victims and the actions of the killers. Drawing on the meticulous research carried out for the war crimes trial, as well as interviews with survivors and families of the murdered men, Anton Gill gives us the definitive account of the escape and its shocking aftermath. Among the author’s many books are The Journey Back from Hell and Art A Biography of Peggy Guggenheim.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
119 people are currently reading
153 people want to read
About the author
Anton Gill
64 books66 followersAnton Gill worked for the English Stage Company, the Arts Council of Great Britain, and the BBC before becoming a full-time writer in 1984. He has written more than twenty books, mainly in the field of contemporary history.
aka Oliver Bowden
aka Oliver Bowden
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 16, 2019
Difficult to rate this book.
Why ?
One of my favourite films is The Great Escape, and the information in the book stays pretty close to the truth.
So why difficult to rate,well this book and author has done some terrific research, fantastic details, enormous history to an incredible story of engineering, courage and determination.
Saying all that, there are so many names/ characters British, Poland, New Zealand and many more nations, it is so hard to keep up with all the names, who is in the camp, who has left etc..
I know in reality the film added some great American stars to the cast of the film (James Garner and Steve McQueen)which great for promoting the film, but not real characters in the true history of the story.
To me what shows best in the book is the boredom of being a prisoner, the enormous organisation and planning of digging the tunnels, from map making to lighting and heating in the tunnels.
Great detail on the escapes, the recapture, the story of the Germans, the guards.
The easiest character to follow is of course Roger Bushall ( as always remembered by Sir Richard Attenborough), great biography of this character and reading the book, I knew the character from the film.
Overall a great dedicated well researched book, so four stars.
Why ?
One of my favourite films is The Great Escape, and the information in the book stays pretty close to the truth.
So why difficult to rate,well this book and author has done some terrific research, fantastic details, enormous history to an incredible story of engineering, courage and determination.
Saying all that, there are so many names/ characters British, Poland, New Zealand and many more nations, it is so hard to keep up with all the names, who is in the camp, who has left etc..
I know in reality the film added some great American stars to the cast of the film (James Garner and Steve McQueen)which great for promoting the film, but not real characters in the true history of the story.
To me what shows best in the book is the boredom of being a prisoner, the enormous organisation and planning of digging the tunnels, from map making to lighting and heating in the tunnels.
Great detail on the escapes, the recapture, the story of the Germans, the guards.
The easiest character to follow is of course Roger Bushall ( as always remembered by Sir Richard Attenborough), great biography of this character and reading the book, I knew the character from the film.
Overall a great dedicated well researched book, so four stars.
June 29, 2017
I knew the story of the Great Escape, but reading this in-depth account of it reinforced my admiration for the ingenuity of the POWs. Those men could make anything out of nothing. They made four thousand maps, hundreds of travel documents, clothing from suits to uniforms to overalls for the escape. They engineered tunnels complete with electric light and a ventilation system, using kit bags and tar paper. There was no limit to their resourcefulness and it seems there was no problem or challenge they couldn't rise to meet.
The logistics of the escape were amazing, with an ambition to get 200 men out of Stalag-Luft III through the tunnel. For various reasons, that didn't happen, but 76 men got out, with three of them making it to safety and freedom.
With the Third Reich entering its last 14 months, it was becoming increasingly obvious that it was a question of when not if Germany would lose the war. And as time went on, Hitler was becoming increasingly paranoid and sensitive. He took the mass breakout of 76 Allied officers from a POW camp as a personal insult and issued the order to shoot the escapers when they were caught, in direct contravention of the Geneva Convention. Eventually, the Nazi High Command agreed to execute 50 of the escapers, chosen randomly by a man in an office.
Anton Gill tells the story of the Great Escape calmly and concisely. This is no stuffy history book, but a human account of what the POWs went through.
Knowing what happens to so many of the men in this book makes reading it bittersweet, but you can't help but admire the character of these men, enduring so much but refusing to give in. It's inspirational.
The logistics of the escape were amazing, with an ambition to get 200 men out of Stalag-Luft III through the tunnel. For various reasons, that didn't happen, but 76 men got out, with three of them making it to safety and freedom.
With the Third Reich entering its last 14 months, it was becoming increasingly obvious that it was a question of when not if Germany would lose the war. And as time went on, Hitler was becoming increasingly paranoid and sensitive. He took the mass breakout of 76 Allied officers from a POW camp as a personal insult and issued the order to shoot the escapers when they were caught, in direct contravention of the Geneva Convention. Eventually, the Nazi High Command agreed to execute 50 of the escapers, chosen randomly by a man in an office.
Anton Gill tells the story of the Great Escape calmly and concisely. This is no stuffy history book, but a human account of what the POWs went through.
Knowing what happens to so many of the men in this book makes reading it bittersweet, but you can't help but admire the character of these men, enduring so much but refusing to give in. It's inspirational.
December 13, 2021
This is an interesting book, but as I've read the earlier book by Paul Brickhill (one of the POWs who assisted in the Great Escape) I didn't really find this a truly interesting read.
Gill includes excerpts from letters from the POWs and their families, but there feels like a great emotional distance between the events bring covered and the events themselves. For some people this distance may be preferable, but for me the lack of emotion didn't work.
Gill does give you more of a backstory, particularly around the politics of POWs (an overview to be sure so don't expect an in-depth political analysis) that helps give some context to the camp system. The book does feel a bit jumpy though (a bit like my reviews) as the author seems to pick up a topic thread part way through another one, but if you see this as more of a helicopter view it makes sense. This book also highlights some of the POWs who I don't recall from the Brickhill book.
So an interesting read, but not a great one. If you're interested in this topic I think it's worth trying.
Gill includes excerpts from letters from the POWs and their families, but there feels like a great emotional distance between the events bring covered and the events themselves. For some people this distance may be preferable, but for me the lack of emotion didn't work.
Gill does give you more of a backstory, particularly around the politics of POWs (an overview to be sure so don't expect an in-depth political analysis) that helps give some context to the camp system. The book does feel a bit jumpy though (a bit like my reviews) as the author seems to pick up a topic thread part way through another one, but if you see this as more of a helicopter view it makes sense. This book also highlights some of the POWs who I don't recall from the Brickhill book.
So an interesting read, but not a great one. If you're interested in this topic I think it's worth trying.
January 6, 2022
As a boy I read the Great Escape by Paul Brickhill it was, and is, a great read.
However this account of the escape is an extremely detailed and riveting account of the preparation; carrying out; consequences and retribution of the escape that is VERY hard to put down. I have no hesitation in recommending this book as a worthy and superior in detail follow up to the Brickhill book, which was published in 1950, while most of the investigations were just starting.
A poignant and very valid point re cost of the escape was made: 50 officers were shot as a result of the escape, yet 58,000 aircrew were killed in the war and the escape was a costly operation; a week after the escape, 500 aircrew were lost over Nuremberg. The callous disposal of those executed is a pointer to the cruelty and heartlessness of the Nazi high command and its followers.
However this account of the escape is an extremely detailed and riveting account of the preparation; carrying out; consequences and retribution of the escape that is VERY hard to put down. I have no hesitation in recommending this book as a worthy and superior in detail follow up to the Brickhill book, which was published in 1950, while most of the investigations were just starting.
A poignant and very valid point re cost of the escape was made: 50 officers were shot as a result of the escape, yet 58,000 aircrew were killed in the war and the escape was a costly operation; a week after the escape, 500 aircrew were lost over Nuremberg. The callous disposal of those executed is a pointer to the cruelty and heartlessness of the Nazi high command and its followers.
June 23, 2019
If you are interested in the famous World War II escape from Stalag-Luft III that took place 24/25 March 1044 then I recommend this book.
If you are familiar with the book "The Great Escape" by Paul Brickhill (and the movie based on the book) then you will notice that this book takes that story and expands on it with additional information and letters/recollections from either participants of the escape or their family.
This additional information adds to the story and gives the reader a greater understanding of this escape and see why it is justifiably called "The Great Escape".
If you are familiar with the book "The Great Escape" by Paul Brickhill (and the movie based on the book) then you will notice that this book takes that story and expands on it with additional information and letters/recollections from either participants of the escape or their family.
This additional information adds to the story and gives the reader a greater understanding of this escape and see why it is justifiably called "The Great Escape".
July 19, 2017
This is the story of perseverance, commitment and never-say-die spirit. The escape wasn't really a successful one. Almost all those that escaped from the prison were either brought back or killed. Yet is was called great because of the sheer courage and determination shown by those that were involved in it.
July 15, 2018
Fantastic Story
Great to read the book at last. Film good but nothing ever as good as the book usually and no exception in this case. Sadly the younger generation do not seem to realise that all the freedoms they take for granted were bought at a terrible price by others before them.
Great to read the book at last. Film good but nothing ever as good as the book usually and no exception in this case. Sadly the younger generation do not seem to realise that all the freedoms they take for granted were bought at a terrible price by others before them.
July 31, 2018
World War 2 Story
This is a good book. It tells the story very well, especially since it had been told previously. He introduced the characters and sources from outside the camp. I knew some guards had been tamed, but I didn't know to what extent. Out tells a tale of the War which should be remembered.
This is a good book. It tells the story very well, especially since it had been told previously. He introduced the characters and sources from outside the camp. I knew some guards had been tamed, but I didn't know to what extent. Out tells a tale of the War which should be remembered.
January 4, 2019
I remember watching a documentary featuring this story a while back - and it sure is one hell of a story, despite its brutal ending. This account was informative, detailed and well-written, incorporating eyewitness testimony from several of this audacious escape's survivors. A quick and interesting read.
November 18, 2022
Very Thorough and Readable
Thoroughly enjoyed this very readable account on The Great Escape. The ingenuity of the scroungers, forgers, tailors, the courage of the diggers. How they combatted the Germans was unbelievable. I salute the 50. Sickened that many of those who arranged and shot them didn’t swing at the end of a rope like the so few who actually did.
Thoroughly enjoyed this very readable account on The Great Escape. The ingenuity of the scroungers, forgers, tailors, the courage of the diggers. How they combatted the Germans was unbelievable. I salute the 50. Sickened that many of those who arranged and shot them didn’t swing at the end of a rope like the so few who actually did.
March 20, 2024
After watching the movie, "The Great Escape" recently, I was curious about the details of what happened and found this book. It was very interesting and detailed on how the whole organizing and planning was accomplished, how the actual escape happened and the deadly results for so many of the men who made it out.
May 13, 2018
Factual research
I had high hopes for this book, being a big fan of the film. Unfortunately a true story of great determination and courage was unnecessarily compromised by the length of the book
I had high hopes for this book, being a big fan of the film. Unfortunately a true story of great determination and courage was unnecessarily compromised by the length of the book
February 4, 2018
Excellent book. Well written and the research h is brilliant. I've seen the film like most people probably have but the truth is more amazing than you can imagine. Such brave and clever men. Brilliant story.
April 3, 2019
Great read gives you an insight as to what really happened enjoyed every page but was a heart breaking read to think so many were murdered, so sad.
June 7, 2019
I loved the movie but didn't like the book as much. What I enjoyed most was seeing scenes and characters from the movie described in the book.
Three stars waxing.
Three stars waxing.
April 20, 2020
Great Read
I enjoyed this book a lot and the fortitude these guys had to go through and the determination all of them had to escape from the prison camps.
I enjoyed this book a lot and the fortitude these guys had to go through and the determination all of them had to escape from the prison camps.
August 21, 2014
I came upon this book after re reading Paul Brichhill's book of the this infamous wartime story. It appears to be a scholarly fully referenced piece of research. Of particular note are the chapters fleshing out the back story of Roger Bushel (big x) and subsequent hunt for the those responsible for war crimes. I note that there is another account of this escape published last year, Human Game by Simone Read.
October 6, 2013
A wonderfully written account of one of WW2's enduring exploits. Gill offers a lovely balance of the technical and the personal, leaving the judgments and opinions to the survivors themselves, as should be the case. A great read.
September 17, 2024
Interesting reading.
Very informative and detail account. Personally I would have preferred a more linear story but gained considerable insights into the efforts and attitude of the people involved.
Very informative and detail account. Personally I would have preferred a more linear story but gained considerable insights into the efforts and attitude of the people involved.
Want to read
April 4, 2008I love the movie with Steve McQueen.
January 21, 2013
Brilliant account of the true story behind the classic film. Fascinating and well written.
Read
January 21, 2016History,ww2
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews