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Escape from Stalag Luft III: The True Story of My Successful Great Escape; the Memoir of Bob Vanderstok
A memoir of the most decorated pilot in Dutch history and one of the World War II POWs who fled Nazi Germany what is known as “The Great Escape.”
On the night of 24 March 1944, Bram Vanderstok was the eighteenth of 76 men who crawled out of Stalag Luft III in Zagan, Poland. The 1963 film The Great Escape was largely based on this autobiography but—with Vanderstok's agreement—filmmakers chose to turn his story into an Australian character named Sedgwick, played by James Coburn.
His memoir sets down his wartime adventures before being incarcerated in Stalag Luft III and then describes various escape attempts which culminated with the famous March breakout. After escaping, Vanderstok roamed Europe for weeks before making it back to England. Two months after escaping, he returned to the British no. 91 Squadron. In the following months he flew almost every day to France, escorting bombers and knocking down V1 rockets.
In August 1944, he finally returned to his home. He learned that his two brothers had been killed in concentration camps after being arrested for resistance work. His father had been tortured and blinded by the Gestapo during interrogation. He had never betrayed his son.
“His escapes, his operations as a Spitfire pilot, his experiences as a prisoner of war, and his incredible escape crossing the Pyrenees—all are described in a breathtaking manner which made me read his book through in one sitting.” —Prof. Dr. L de Jong, founder/director of the Dutch Institute for War Documentation
“Such a modest man, such a dramatic story—you’ll be pulled into this absorbing account.” —Jonathan Vance, author of The True Story of the Great Escape
On the night of 24 March 1944, Bram Vanderstok was the eighteenth of 76 men who crawled out of Stalag Luft III in Zagan, Poland. The 1963 film The Great Escape was largely based on this autobiography but—with Vanderstok's agreement—filmmakers chose to turn his story into an Australian character named Sedgwick, played by James Coburn.
His memoir sets down his wartime adventures before being incarcerated in Stalag Luft III and then describes various escape attempts which culminated with the famous March breakout. After escaping, Vanderstok roamed Europe for weeks before making it back to England. Two months after escaping, he returned to the British no. 91 Squadron. In the following months he flew almost every day to France, escorting bombers and knocking down V1 rockets.
In August 1944, he finally returned to his home. He learned that his two brothers had been killed in concentration camps after being arrested for resistance work. His father had been tortured and blinded by the Gestapo during interrogation. He had never betrayed his son.
“His escapes, his operations as a Spitfire pilot, his experiences as a prisoner of war, and his incredible escape crossing the Pyrenees—all are described in a breathtaking manner which made me read his book through in one sitting.” —Prof. Dr. L de Jong, founder/director of the Dutch Institute for War Documentation
“Such a modest man, such a dramatic story—you’ll be pulled into this absorbing account.” —Jonathan Vance, author of The True Story of the Great Escape
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Published April 16, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 23, 2021
The story of The Great Escape! Enough said.
April 7, 2020
If you have ever seen the 1963 movie “The Great Escape” you might remember that in the film one of the three aviators that managed to successfully escape out of Germany and make it back to England was an Australian called Sedgwick (played by American actor James Coburn). His character was based on Dutch pilot Flight Lieutenant Bram van der Stok, MBE (I have no idea why they changed his nationality).
The book starts with his joining the Netherlands’ Army Aviation Group (precursor of the Royal Netherlands Air Force) reserves in 1937 and his studying medicine to become a doctor. His medical training was halted by the Germans invasion of the Netherlands in May 1940. It covers his participation in the defence of his country and the eventual occupation by the Germans (hopefully not a spoiler to anyone 😊 ). Then the book covers his eventual escape out of Holland and voyage to the UK. Once in the UK and was posted to the Royal Air Force and trained to be a spitfire pilot.
It was while flying a spitfire that he was shot down on 12 April 1942 in the Pas-de-Calais, France. He was quickly captured and eventually incarcerated in Stalag Luft III (a German Airforce POW Camp). The book covers his activities in the camp supporting the mass break out of the camp that was being planned. He was the eighteenth prisoner (out of 76) that exited the tunnel on the night of 24-25 March 1944 and it covers his journey from the camp in what is now Poland back to England via Spain. Once back with the RAF he rejoined the fight and flew missions supporting the Allies advance through the Low Countries till the end of the war.
I found this to be an interesting book. Even though I have read a number of books and watched several documentaries on “The Great Escape” there is always something new to discover, for example they talked about a map in the library that showed the status of the Eastern Front that the captives kept up to date based on BBC news reports from a hidden radio. The German guards would find excuses to be in the library so they could look at the map as it was more information than what they were being told. Also, as this was Bram’s story there is a lot of info on the author that would not be in more general books about the escape.
I would recommend this book to anyone that is interested in Military History, especially WW II. It is not a overly difficult read and even though it does cover war there is no graphic language used so it is suitable for readers of all ages. One of the things I like is that it had a number of picture and diagrams, including one with the author and the main stars of the TV show “Hogan’s Heroes”
My only complaint with the book was the ending it ended rather abruptly. I would have liked him to continue the story and talk about his immigration to the USA where he was a doctor and worked with the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.
The book starts with his joining the Netherlands’ Army Aviation Group (precursor of the Royal Netherlands Air Force) reserves in 1937 and his studying medicine to become a doctor. His medical training was halted by the Germans invasion of the Netherlands in May 1940. It covers his participation in the defence of his country and the eventual occupation by the Germans (hopefully not a spoiler to anyone 😊 ). Then the book covers his eventual escape out of Holland and voyage to the UK. Once in the UK and was posted to the Royal Air Force and trained to be a spitfire pilot.
It was while flying a spitfire that he was shot down on 12 April 1942 in the Pas-de-Calais, France. He was quickly captured and eventually incarcerated in Stalag Luft III (a German Airforce POW Camp). The book covers his activities in the camp supporting the mass break out of the camp that was being planned. He was the eighteenth prisoner (out of 76) that exited the tunnel on the night of 24-25 March 1944 and it covers his journey from the camp in what is now Poland back to England via Spain. Once back with the RAF he rejoined the fight and flew missions supporting the Allies advance through the Low Countries till the end of the war.
I found this to be an interesting book. Even though I have read a number of books and watched several documentaries on “The Great Escape” there is always something new to discover, for example they talked about a map in the library that showed the status of the Eastern Front that the captives kept up to date based on BBC news reports from a hidden radio. The German guards would find excuses to be in the library so they could look at the map as it was more information than what they were being told. Also, as this was Bram’s story there is a lot of info on the author that would not be in more general books about the escape.
I would recommend this book to anyone that is interested in Military History, especially WW II. It is not a overly difficult read and even though it does cover war there is no graphic language used so it is suitable for readers of all ages. One of the things I like is that it had a number of picture and diagrams, including one with the author and the main stars of the TV show “Hogan’s Heroes”
My only complaint with the book was the ending it ended rather abruptly. I would have liked him to continue the story and talk about his immigration to the USA where he was a doctor and worked with the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.
February 6, 2023
This is a superb account of one of the highlight stories of World War 2 - The Great Escape. Dutch RAF pilot Bram Vanderstok was the 18th POW to gain his freedom through the tunnel from Stalag Luft III. and only one of three to make it back to active service. The book is detailed, yet flowing and maintains excitement through the narrative. His story starts from when he tried to get out of Holland to join the RAF as the Nazis had shut down all avenues to excape. His work to help try and establish a workable counter espionage establishment in Holland shows how tightly the Germans had locked veerything down, After his service in the RAF and being shot down in a dog fight his start in the RAF is interesting, but after that he details the life of a POW before the Great Escape. His account of his trip from the escape through the tunnel and then to Spain, Gibraltar and back to the UK is an enthralling that has just enough detail to keep you on the edge of your chair, without getting boring. Bram (Bob) finishes his war as a Squadron Leader in charge of a Dutch squadron in the RAF operating in Holland. He is offered the position of Officer in Charge of the new post-war Dutch Air Force but opts to resume his studies as a medical student and emigrate to the United States. I don't know if he wrote any subsequent books of his life in the US, but I will check it out as I would love to follow his life story. I consider him to be an absolute hero.
August 13, 2025
Absolutely incredible story of a Dutch medical student turned war pilot. I felt the book's title did him a disservice by suggesting the most impressive/only significant event was his part in "The Great Escape". Around 75% of the story covers his experiences in the Dutch Air Force, being shot down, and his escape from occupied Holland to the UK where he then met members of the Dutch Royal Family and continued his service, only to be captured again - all of which is equally, if not more, interesting as his time in and escape from Stalag Luft III.
The epilogue mentions the original book title was "The War Pilot of Orange" which is much more fitting, but presumably publishers wanted to highlight his involvement in the Great Escape following the interest in the film. I always find this so frustrating as it just works to discredit all the other interesting experiences and makes readers feel disappointed despite the interest of the overall story (it often happens with Holocaust stories where someone spent a short time in Auschwitz following many other memorable experiences, only to have their book title be something like "The Cleaner/Musician/Nurse of Auschwitz").
Bram van der Stock's post-war life and family's war time experiences (briefly covered in the final chapter and epilogue) could also have made for another fascinating book. What an amazing man!
The epilogue mentions the original book title was "The War Pilot of Orange" which is much more fitting, but presumably publishers wanted to highlight his involvement in the Great Escape following the interest in the film. I always find this so frustrating as it just works to discredit all the other interesting experiences and makes readers feel disappointed despite the interest of the overall story (it often happens with Holocaust stories where someone spent a short time in Auschwitz following many other memorable experiences, only to have their book title be something like "The Cleaner/Musician/Nurse of Auschwitz").
Bram van der Stock's post-war life and family's war time experiences (briefly covered in the final chapter and epilogue) could also have made for another fascinating book. What an amazing man!
August 10, 2022
Should have retained the original title “War Pilot of Orange”
The book was interesting but way too long. Probably more than half was about his flying time, the title of the book is misleading, although it did a good job of describing the POW camp and the attempts at escape.
One of the reasons I gave it a 3instead of a 4 is that numerous times the author repeated descriptions of places and things like the info on the parachute training and the gun sight had a cross on the windscreen and the ability to destroy it with a hidden charge. Also, the ability of ground control to direct the fighters via radar and the operation of the “cockerel system”. The writing of code names on their wrists that could be erased with a little spit. Repeated reference to, “is your cockerel crowing” became very annoying. Zebra stripes on the pLanes was repeated adnausium.
Once back to the pow camp, the usage of raisins for making booze was repeated several times. How many times can you say “the Germans knew we were digging”?
It was almost no one did any editing for repeats.
The book was interesting but way too long. Probably more than half was about his flying time, the title of the book is misleading, although it did a good job of describing the POW camp and the attempts at escape.
One of the reasons I gave it a 3instead of a 4 is that numerous times the author repeated descriptions of places and things like the info on the parachute training and the gun sight had a cross on the windscreen and the ability to destroy it with a hidden charge. Also, the ability of ground control to direct the fighters via radar and the operation of the “cockerel system”. The writing of code names on their wrists that could be erased with a little spit. Repeated reference to, “is your cockerel crowing” became very annoying. Zebra stripes on the pLanes was repeated adnausium.
Once back to the pow camp, the usage of raisins for making booze was repeated several times. How many times can you say “the Germans knew we were digging”?
It was almost no one did any editing for repeats.
July 8, 2021
A captivating story about one of the three men who survived after they escaped from a prison camp Stalag Luft III during WWII (The film, "The Great Escape" was based on this book and another. And the Australian character Sedgwick, played by James Coburn in the film was actually based on the author of this book, the dutchman Bob Vanderstok).
Vanderstok's story kept my attention from start to finish. He lived quite an adventurous life and was able to persevere through the many hardships and ups and downs of WWII. After the war, he went on to become a doctor and contribute in significant ways in America and eventually Hawaii.
If you're a WWII buff or a fan of the film, this is one to add to your must-read list!
Vanderstok's story kept my attention from start to finish. He lived quite an adventurous life and was able to persevere through the many hardships and ups and downs of WWII. After the war, he went on to become a doctor and contribute in significant ways in America and eventually Hawaii.
If you're a WWII buff or a fan of the film, this is one to add to your must-read list!
September 24, 2025
Everyone's heard of The Great Escape (go on, whistle the theme, you know you want to), that classic WWII film of intrepid soldiers escaping a German POW camp. Well, that film is based on a real event, and this book is the story of one of the survivors of that escape; Dutch pilot Bram "Bob" van der Stok.
To add some context that I didn't know about the real escape (and that the quite humble van der Stok doesn't mention in the book) the escape from Stalag Luft III was by 76 escapees. Of these, 73 were recaptured. Van der Stok is one of the three men that escaped to Britain, along with two Norwegians. He then returned to active duty for the rest of the war and is casually the most decorated aviator in Dutch history. So there's that. Holy wow.
Anyway, this book isn't all about the escape. In fact most of it is about his life and education, and how he was going to be a doctor before the war. He joined the air force and was active during the invasion by Germany in 1940, before moving to England to follow the Dutch monarchy and join the resistance from England. In 1942, he was shot down over France in his spitfire and captured by Germans and interred at POW camp Stalag Luft III. Its from here that he was part of the internal camp resistance in plotting to escape, his proficiency in multiple languages being a useful asset to their efforts.
It's interesting to me that this has similar vibes to The Colditz Story, where if you get a bunch of military chaps together in one space they can't help but plot escape and shenanigans. It's notable that these two stories are more jovial and positive than any other WWII prisoner memoir, which I think speaks to how comparitively respected military POWs were.
Facsinating story, important history.
To add some context that I didn't know about the real escape (and that the quite humble van der Stok doesn't mention in the book) the escape from Stalag Luft III was by 76 escapees. Of these, 73 were recaptured. Van der Stok is one of the three men that escaped to Britain, along with two Norwegians. He then returned to active duty for the rest of the war and is casually the most decorated aviator in Dutch history. So there's that. Holy wow.
Anyway, this book isn't all about the escape. In fact most of it is about his life and education, and how he was going to be a doctor before the war. He joined the air force and was active during the invasion by Germany in 1940, before moving to England to follow the Dutch monarchy and join the resistance from England. In 1942, he was shot down over France in his spitfire and captured by Germans and interred at POW camp Stalag Luft III. Its from here that he was part of the internal camp resistance in plotting to escape, his proficiency in multiple languages being a useful asset to their efforts.
It's interesting to me that this has similar vibes to The Colditz Story, where if you get a bunch of military chaps together in one space they can't help but plot escape and shenanigans. It's notable that these two stories are more jovial and positive than any other WWII prisoner memoir, which I think speaks to how comparitively respected military POWs were.
Facsinating story, important history.
October 11, 2022
This is the true story of Bob Vanderstok's role in one of the most famous escapes from a Nazi PoW camp, made famous by the movie the Great Escape where Vanderstok was represented by an Australian called Sedgwick (played by James Coburn). This memoir covers Vanderstok's journey to the UK originally to join the Allied Forces then his time in the camp and his escape and journey back to join the war effort. It is told in an campfire storytelling easy to read way that gives the facts without judgement of the overall regimes, allowing you as the reader to get engrossed in the story and enjoy the action.
November 11, 2025
The real story
An absolutely fantastic book, so well written and what a story! I’ll admit that the movie of the ‘great escape’ helped me picture the POW camp, but hearing the story directly from Bob’s perspective was so much richer. It really is quite remarkable that his escape was successful, when so many others were captured, or even killed. His stories of flying WWII fighter planes were riveting (at that’s something I don’t usually go in for). Highly recommended.
An absolutely fantastic book, so well written and what a story! I’ll admit that the movie of the ‘great escape’ helped me picture the POW camp, but hearing the story directly from Bob’s perspective was so much richer. It really is quite remarkable that his escape was successful, when so many others were captured, or even killed. His stories of flying WWII fighter planes were riveting (at that’s something I don’t usually go in for). Highly recommended.
June 29, 2023
Interesting book, talks about Bam’s time in the Dutch Air Force during the invasion of the Low Countries, how he escaped to England and eventually joined the RAF. Gives an interesting account of the infamous Great Escape, some of the details in the book resemble the film itself, gives an interesting account of how he tried to evade recapture once escaped.
January 6, 2024
A fairly comprehensive account of one man’s experiences in the Second World War. However, in his account of the wooden horse he describes this a a failed attempt which it was not. One wonders how many other reflections may differ from actual events.
June 30, 2025
The Great Escape is my favourite movie even though I know it is historically incorrect in many ways. I loved this book, getting the true story from someone who was actually there and was one of the 3 that managed to escape to freedom. A must read to anyone who likes historical war stories.
April 15, 2020
Brilliant
Brilliantly written, not only did I learn a lot about “the great escape “ but the battles after D Day and V.E day. Thanks
Brilliantly written, not only did I learn a lot about “the great escape “ but the battles after D Day and V.E day. Thanks
September 23, 2023
Fascinating - a real page turner!
May 21, 2025
First Hand
Amazing first-hand account of “The Great Escape” and other important WWII events. These individuals accounts are pure gold for the historian or hobbyist.
Amazing first-hand account of “The Great Escape” and other important WWII events. These individuals accounts are pure gold for the historian or hobbyist.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews