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Escape, Or Die: Authentic Stories Of The RAF Escaping Society
Escape - or Authentic Stories of the RAF Escaping Paul Escape - or Authentic Stories of the RAF Escaping Pan FIRST First Edition Thus, 17th Printing (1972). Not price-clipped. Published by Pan Books, 1954. Octavo. Paperback. Book is very good with previous seller stamp on first page. 100% positive feedback. 30 day money back guarantee. NEXT DAY SHIPPING! Excellent customer service. Please email with any questions. All books packed carefully and ship with free delivery confirmation/tracking. All books come with free bookmarks. Ships from Sag Harbor, New York.Seller 336256 Pulp Paperbacks We Buy Books! Collections - Libraries - Estates - Individual Titles. Message us if you have books to sell!
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1946
40 people are currently reading
265 people want to read
About the author
Paul Brickhill
44 books66 followersFrom Rosetta Books:
Though The Great Escape is a novel, its basic story is true, and the novel's author Paul Brickhill (1916-91) was a participant in it. Brickhill, an Australian, had flown missions against the Germans in Tunisia for the Royal Australian Air Force when he was shot down in 1943. Locked away and bored in Silesia in Luft Stalag III, he and his fellow prisoners concocted an escape plan -- a daring idea that would result in a mass escape from the Germans. Of the 76 officers who escaped, only three were successful; Hitler himself ordered the execution of 47 of the men who were recaptured. Still, the escape remains one of the great heroic stories of World War II.
A native of Melbourne, Brickhill had begun a career as a newspaper reporter at the Sydney Sun when war was declared in 1939. His instincts as a reporter stuck with him during his incarceration by the Germans, as he collected stories from his fellow prisoners that became the foundation for his later work. After the war, Brickhill sought to go back to newspapering, but quickly abandoned it to begin work on his first book, entitled Escape to Danger (1946), about his experiences in the POW camp. From this, he drew the story of The Great Escape, published four years later.
The following year, Brickhill published The Dam Busters, an acclaimed account of pinpoint bombing raids by the 617 Squadron, followed by an anthology of POW stories entitled Escape or Die (1952) and Reach for the Sky (1954) a biography of aviator Douglas Bader.
Though The Great Escape is a novel, its basic story is true, and the novel's author Paul Brickhill (1916-91) was a participant in it. Brickhill, an Australian, had flown missions against the Germans in Tunisia for the Royal Australian Air Force when he was shot down in 1943. Locked away and bored in Silesia in Luft Stalag III, he and his fellow prisoners concocted an escape plan -- a daring idea that would result in a mass escape from the Germans. Of the 76 officers who escaped, only three were successful; Hitler himself ordered the execution of 47 of the men who were recaptured. Still, the escape remains one of the great heroic stories of World War II.
A native of Melbourne, Brickhill had begun a career as a newspaper reporter at the Sydney Sun when war was declared in 1939. His instincts as a reporter stuck with him during his incarceration by the Germans, as he collected stories from his fellow prisoners that became the foundation for his later work. After the war, Brickhill sought to go back to newspapering, but quickly abandoned it to begin work on his first book, entitled Escape to Danger (1946), about his experiences in the POW camp. From this, he drew the story of The Great Escape, published four years later.
The following year, Brickhill published The Dam Busters, an acclaimed account of pinpoint bombing raids by the 617 Squadron, followed by an anthology of POW stories entitled Escape or Die (1952) and Reach for the Sky (1954) a biography of aviator Douglas Bader.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 28, 2017
I'm not normally a short story man but since Brickhill has turned out some highly rated military stories I had to give this one a bash. I'm so glad I did.
This book is comprised of eight true tales of escape, either by escaped POWs or E&E by downed airmen. Brickhill inserts an introductory paragraph or two at the start of each tale giving some biographical information on each escapee and relating how the escapee found himself in uniform to begin with. At the end of each tale of escape he inserts a few more italicized paragraphs to update the reader on what the protagonist is doing at the time of writing. Since my copy was published in 1970, this information is regrettably no longer current.
What adventures these fellows had! They were very inventive in making their respective getaways, and some of the tales are so outrageous that they would be considered too unbelievable to be published if they were written as fiction. Like the fellows who sheltered in a bordello while waiting to be guided to a safe area, or the chap who, having escaped to a cut-off Russian unit, found himself galloping with a Cossack unit across an open meadow while under German fire. And then there was the fellow who made it back to his lines and was back in the air so quickly he was able strafe some of the German units who were still searching for him.
Each of these brief accounts merits a book all to itself, and in fact several of the escapees did write accounts of their adventures. But these stories are very good, each as short and sharp as a firefight.
I will be looking for more of these tales. And reading more Brickhill!
This book is comprised of eight true tales of escape, either by escaped POWs or E&E by downed airmen. Brickhill inserts an introductory paragraph or two at the start of each tale giving some biographical information on each escapee and relating how the escapee found himself in uniform to begin with. At the end of each tale of escape he inserts a few more italicized paragraphs to update the reader on what the protagonist is doing at the time of writing. Since my copy was published in 1970, this information is regrettably no longer current.
What adventures these fellows had! They were very inventive in making their respective getaways, and some of the tales are so outrageous that they would be considered too unbelievable to be published if they were written as fiction. Like the fellows who sheltered in a bordello while waiting to be guided to a safe area, or the chap who, having escaped to a cut-off Russian unit, found himself galloping with a Cossack unit across an open meadow while under German fire. And then there was the fellow who made it back to his lines and was back in the air so quickly he was able strafe some of the German units who were still searching for him.
Each of these brief accounts merits a book all to itself, and in fact several of the escapees did write accounts of their adventures. But these stories are very good, each as short and sharp as a firefight.
I will be looking for more of these tales. And reading more Brickhill!
February 19, 2025
Dit boek verscheen in het Nederlands onder de titel ‘Vlucht in het gevaar’. Het gaat over mannen die als vliegenier in de tweede wereldoorlog meededen aan bombardementen. Dat was een riskante klus. Velen overleden, maar ook werden velen krijgsgevangene gemaakt. De verhalen van deze vliegeniers worden in dit boek verteld. Het boek vertelt over een grote ontsnappingspoging uit een van deze gevangenissen. Heel vernuftig werd gewerkt aan ondergrondse vluchtwegen. Dit vroeg om samenwerking en discipline, onder uiterst moeilijke omstandigheden. Van de mensen die er in slaagden moet vluchten, werd een groot deel weer door de Gestapo doodgeschoten. De auteurs slagen er in om ook de Duitsers als mensen te portretteren, het waren niet allemaal ploerten. De namen die in het boek voorkomen zijn niet verzonnen maar echt. Over de Nederlander Bob van der Stok vond ik meer gegevens. Hij overleefde de oorlog en publiceerde ook over zijn avonturen.
May 2, 2015
Very good. It's 8 amazing stories. Published in 1952 so no hyperbole. Just straight forward story telling. Then what these men did dies not need "biging" up
January 3, 2025
First published in 1952, 'Escape - or die' tells the stories of eight RAF aircrew who were captured during WW2 and subsequently escaped. The tales are quite engaging and matter-of-fact in the way that they are told, although there are minor 'facts' that do not stand up to scrutiny - this is, after all, a piece of military history writing from a time before it became fashionable to list sources via profuse notes. Nevertheless, some thrilling tales just like everything that I have read by Brickhill.
December 19, 2025
Yeh it was interesting and an easy read although it got a little receptive.
I guess my main takeaways if I'm captured is 1) Prepare
2) Rely on others
3) Be unbelievably lucky
Odd that alot of them went back to the army afterwards, guess it can be a little addictive
I guess my main takeaways if I'm captured is 1) Prepare
2) Rely on others
3) Be unbelievably lucky
Odd that alot of them went back to the army afterwards, guess it can be a little addictive
May 3, 2020
Eight brief but exciting escape stories involving RAF personnel from Paris to Singapore
January 14, 2022
Didnt hold my interest. Chapters too long
February 3, 2023
Great stories, but the writing style is not very engaging
August 4, 2023
4.5 stars
June 23, 2024
My favorite genre! Really genuine memoir of the great British/Australian soldiers that went through the WWII
January 7, 2022
Written in 1952 still very valid to day . Stories of courage and determination of the RAF pilots during WW2 . Delighted wih the story about Malta .......“At the time Malta was taking its beating, two unusually pretty sisters lived near the aerodrome at Takali. One was dark and the other was a rare Maltese blonde, and both were warmly, if light heartedly, pursued by more than half the fighter pilots on the aerodrome. - till the middle of 1943. After that the pilots called them the Jinx Sisters and stayed away, because the two girls had thirteen pilots “confirmed”. The thirteen were not smitten by Cupid's arrows. Every boy the girls seemed to favour was shot down a week or two later. It was only a coincidence, but a consistent and unhealthy one: two girls and the kisses of death. ``
December 20, 2021
WWII escape stories you have probably never hear
We have probably all heard tales of valour from various wars, of events that led to the award of the Victoria Cross.
This book is about hardly known accounts of escape and hardship, of fear and hardship, of tedium, of the heroism (and sometimes torture and death) of civilians.
Simply told, in their own words, this the story of some of those who escaped to fight another day.
We have probably all heard tales of valour from various wars, of events that led to the award of the Victoria Cross.
This book is about hardly known accounts of escape and hardship, of fear and hardship, of tedium, of the heroism (and sometimes torture and death) of civilians.
Simply told, in their own words, this the story of some of those who escaped to fight another day.
December 7, 2021
It's a long time since I read a Paul Brickhill book. This was first published about 1953 but the stories still seem fresh. The people who survived being a prisoner of war by refusing to be caged. They'd succeed today because they had spirit and only the technology is different.
September 8, 2008
It contains exciting stories and will give you pleasure and strength.
January 19, 2015
Some hair raising tales of bravery
November 14, 2021
Spell binding
The stories of Brave men of the highest order each undergoing a unique, very dangerous experience in a savage war.
The stories of Brave men of the highest order each undergoing a unique, very dangerous experience in a savage war.
September 20, 2022
A great selection of stories,that are well written and make an facinating read.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews