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The Last Escaper: The Untold First-Hand Story of the Legendary World War II Bomber Pilot, "Cooler King" and Arch Escape Artist
“A remarkable memoir of a British lad’s salad days flying bombers against the Nazis and then repeatedly escaping their prison camps” (Kirkus Reviews). The product of a lifetime’s reflection, The Last Escaper is Peter Tunstall’s unforgettable memoir of his days in the British Royal Air Force and as one of the most celebrated British POWs of World War II. Tunstall was an infamous tormentor of his German captors. Dubbed the “cooler king” on account of his long spells in solitary, he once dropped a water “bomb” directly in the lap of a high-ranking German officer. He also devised an ingenious method for smuggling coded messages back to London. But above all he was a highly skilled pilot, loyal friend, and trusted colleague. Without false pride or bitterness, Tunstall recounts the hijinks of training to be a pilot, terrifying bombing raids, and elaborate escape attempts at once hilarious and deadly serious—all part of a poignant and human war story superbly told by a natural raconteur. The Last Escaper is a captivating final testament by the “last man standing” from the Greatest Generation. “Right up there with Stalag 17 and The Great Escape.” —New York Post “The historical account of behind-the-scenes drama makes this a valuable addition to the period literature.” —Publishers Weekly “The stark reality of war is ever present in his detailed accounting of life as a prisoner of war. We are taken through the highs and lows of not only each failed attempt but the psychological effects of imprisonment on himself, others in the camps and ultimately how it changed each person involved.” —Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
418 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 8, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
October 24, 2014
OK, he was my Dad, but still... probably the last first-hand account of WW2 ever to be written, and the only one to have been written so many years after the event - with the perspective of an old man living in the 21st century.
May 28, 2025
A fascinating story from one who was there
I have read many books on escape efforts during WW2. My father (who served in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps) had a large collection of them and his brother was with The Royal Canadian Engineers when he was captured by the Germans in the Liri Valley in Italy. They have always fascinated me, and as a child, I remember playing with local children that we were escapers trying to get out of a POW camp. Where this book differs from them is that it was told through the lens of significant time having past, which allows one to use hindsight in understanding what took place.
Tunstall made his story have all the fascination of a fictional novel, and yet the events described did happen. It was quite shocking to read how very little training young men in the RAF were given before being sent off to bomb the enemy. The details of his early exploits in service were honest, even when they didn't always include good judgment. The story of his capture and subsequent escapades were fascinating and will be of interest to anyone who loves WW2 history. It is an important story told before it was too late. May we never forget.
I have read many books on escape efforts during WW2. My father (who served in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps) had a large collection of them and his brother was with The Royal Canadian Engineers when he was captured by the Germans in the Liri Valley in Italy. They have always fascinated me, and as a child, I remember playing with local children that we were escapers trying to get out of a POW camp. Where this book differs from them is that it was told through the lens of significant time having past, which allows one to use hindsight in understanding what took place.
Tunstall made his story have all the fascination of a fictional novel, and yet the events described did happen. It was quite shocking to read how very little training young men in the RAF were given before being sent off to bomb the enemy. The details of his early exploits in service were honest, even when they didn't always include good judgment. The story of his capture and subsequent escapades were fascinating and will be of interest to anyone who loves WW2 history. It is an important story told before it was too late. May we never forget.
May 8, 2018
It is the memoirs of a WW 2 bomber pilot who was in the Royal Air Force and shot down over Germany and put in different prisoner of War camps. They were not concentration camps or death camps. These camps had some rules that were for the most part followed. The author has a nice easy way of telling his story. Some parts read pretty fast and some didn't. I find that history and non fiction usually does that. It was worth the read, but once will be enough for me.
June 12, 2019
An excellent book that wasn’t what I was expecting, a third of the book goes by prior to Tunstall actually getting to a prison camp.
You learn about his travails in the RAF, before finally having Tunstall arrive in Germany, then his exploits are very interesting, while the very end of the book is an apologia of Bomber Command.
Worthwhile and to get into any more detail would be to enter spoiler territory, but an interesting look back from the wisdom and perspective of a 95 year old.
You learn about his travails in the RAF, before finally having Tunstall arrive in Germany, then his exploits are very interesting, while the very end of the book is an apologia of Bomber Command.
Worthwhile and to get into any more detail would be to enter spoiler territory, but an interesting look back from the wisdom and perspective of a 95 year old.
November 26, 2014
‘The Last Escaper’ opens differently to many of the great escape biographies that were released soon after the war as it is told some 70 years later. Peter Tunstall was a RAF pilot who was shot down and spent many years as a Prisoner Of War across occupied Europe, including in Colditz. He lived through the war, but also lived through many decades of peace. Will these years of the relative quiet life lesson the tales of bravery and dare doing of the war? Of course not!
Tunstall’s biography purports to give more perspective on being a POW doing WW2 and that it won’t be just another boy’s own adventure. However, it does not take long to work out that this is not strictly true. Tunstall was known as the ‘Cooler King’ during the war due to the amount of time spent in solitary confinement after repeated attempts to escape various camps. Not only did he try to escape, but when he was trapped he spent as much time as possible disrupting his captures. With this in mine, ‘The Last Escaper’ has some great stories to tell; many of them not that highbrow.
The one thing that comes off the page more than any other is the strong character of Tunstall himself. It is clear that he was a single minded man and this would have been needed to survive the war and partake in as many escape attempts as he did. He obviously had a glass-half-full approach to life and this reflects on his stories; many of them light-hearted asides about botched escapes or pranks on the guards.
There is also a darker side to the book, which is only right when exploring the subject matter. Although Tunstall never contemplated suicide, there are elements of ‘The Last Escaper’ which explore what it felt like to be trapped and nowhere to go. The afterword is particularly poignant as Tunstall discusses the vilification of the Allied Bombers after the war. The importance of hindsight is integral to any student of history and this afterword is a great lesson for anyone who wants to try and get into the mind-set of those who lived history and didn’t just study it.
Even with moments of great pathos, the prevailing feel of ‘The Last Escaper’ is one of action and fun. Tunstall’s writing is wonderfully evocative. He is also able to explain quite complex and dry subject matters in a way that is entertaining i.e. the workings of a plane engine. You get a real sense of what it was like to be a POW, how the differing nationalities coped – some with dignity, some with passion and the Brits often with a silly sense of humour. His actual moments of freedom are extremely tense as you wonder if he will make it back home. Never one to hog all the limelight, Tunstall is equally happy to praise those around him who managed successful escapes and tells their tales with as much passion as he does his own.
‘The Last Escaper’ may very well be the last of the memoirs to come out of the POW camps of WW2 as the generation passes. Unlike the prologue suggests there seems to be relatively little reflection of the past 70 years of peace on this book. Instead, it is another extremely fun look at POW with moments of poignancy and very well written memories.
Tunstall’s biography purports to give more perspective on being a POW doing WW2 and that it won’t be just another boy’s own adventure. However, it does not take long to work out that this is not strictly true. Tunstall was known as the ‘Cooler King’ during the war due to the amount of time spent in solitary confinement after repeated attempts to escape various camps. Not only did he try to escape, but when he was trapped he spent as much time as possible disrupting his captures. With this in mine, ‘The Last Escaper’ has some great stories to tell; many of them not that highbrow.
The one thing that comes off the page more than any other is the strong character of Tunstall himself. It is clear that he was a single minded man and this would have been needed to survive the war and partake in as many escape attempts as he did. He obviously had a glass-half-full approach to life and this reflects on his stories; many of them light-hearted asides about botched escapes or pranks on the guards.
There is also a darker side to the book, which is only right when exploring the subject matter. Although Tunstall never contemplated suicide, there are elements of ‘The Last Escaper’ which explore what it felt like to be trapped and nowhere to go. The afterword is particularly poignant as Tunstall discusses the vilification of the Allied Bombers after the war. The importance of hindsight is integral to any student of history and this afterword is a great lesson for anyone who wants to try and get into the mind-set of those who lived history and didn’t just study it.
Even with moments of great pathos, the prevailing feel of ‘The Last Escaper’ is one of action and fun. Tunstall’s writing is wonderfully evocative. He is also able to explain quite complex and dry subject matters in a way that is entertaining i.e. the workings of a plane engine. You get a real sense of what it was like to be a POW, how the differing nationalities coped – some with dignity, some with passion and the Brits often with a silly sense of humour. His actual moments of freedom are extremely tense as you wonder if he will make it back home. Never one to hog all the limelight, Tunstall is equally happy to praise those around him who managed successful escapes and tells their tales with as much passion as he does his own.
‘The Last Escaper’ may very well be the last of the memoirs to come out of the POW camps of WW2 as the generation passes. Unlike the prologue suggests there seems to be relatively little reflection of the past 70 years of peace on this book. Instead, it is another extremely fun look at POW with moments of poignancy and very well written memories.
February 7, 2017
I really liked how this book did not deal with the horrors of POW camps exclusively. The details of the escapes were so interesting and funny. This is a captivating first-hand story of a fascinating and harrowing time in Tunstall's life.
July 24, 2023
So well told by Peter himself!
I loved every word of Tunstall’s life experiences as a young man,pilot and POW! Great writing and so much humor amidst the horrors of what he and other POWS endured! Highly recommend! Loved every word!
I loved every word of Tunstall’s life experiences as a young man,pilot and POW! Great writing and so much humor amidst the horrors of what he and other POWS endured! Highly recommend! Loved every word!
December 31, 2024
Finished The Last Escaper: The Untold First-Hand Story of the Legendary World War II Bomber Pilot, "Cooler King" and Arch Escape Artist by Peter Turnstall, one of the last of the greatest generation. Peter Turnstall died at 94 in 2013 and this book was published the following year. Two events inspired an interest in this book. One was meeting a US Army Air Force navigator shot down over Austria who was a POW for over two years. His experience was not remotely like Hogan’s Heroes and he had difficulty telling me about it. The other was the 1963 film, The Great Escape, a semi fictional account of a mass Allied POW escape that resulted in the execution of fifty one of the escapees. Turnstall’s memoir does honor to all who served in primitive airplanes attempting to take the war to Hitler. The fatality rate was appalling and so many who survived spent time in POW camps.Turnstall joined the RAF in 1937 and spent over five years in POW camps, being branded an incorrigible escapist. Very moving book.
May 26, 2019
cover
The Great Escape is my all time favourite movie and I think Steve McQueen's "Cooler King" could well be based on Peter Tunstall's escapades while a POW at Colditz. As a history buff, this is an amazing story of how, even while they were POWS, the men never stopped disrupting their German captors lives by making numerous escape attempts. A must read for any fans of the history genre.
The Great Escape is my all time favourite movie and I think Steve McQueen's "Cooler King" could well be based on Peter Tunstall's escapades while a POW at Colditz. As a history buff, this is an amazing story of how, even while they were POWS, the men never stopped disrupting their German captors lives by making numerous escape attempts. A must read for any fans of the history genre.
March 14, 2021
Excellent read, describing what allied bomber crews went thorough. How they suffered at the hands of their German captors. To what extent they would torment their captors, and the realization and thought that went into trying to escape from the German POW Camps. The ingenuity the POWS used to try and torment, then try to escape from their German captors.
January 30, 2018
There was nothing I didn't like about this book. Read my full review --> http://www.ridingwiththewindowdown.co...
May 19, 2018
Very British.
March 13, 2023
Excellent memoir from a remarkable man.
November 28, 2023
Wonderful book, amazing man.
August 29, 2020
ONE AMAZING & REMARKABLE LIFE IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF
Peter Tunstall (1918-2014) was not really legendary as a British World War II pilot. He only flew a handful of sorties in 1940 before being captured. He and his crew got lost flying in a storm. Out of fuel, they were forced to crash land in what they thought was Ireland. As it turned out, they were in occupied Holland. What is remarkable about this story is his life as a guest of the Nazis for four years and eight months until his liberation in April 1945.
He's 95 when he finally writes his memoir of the war as a POW (book published posthumously in 2014). In his Forward, he states there are three reasons he's done so. First, as far as he knows, he is one of six British POWs still alive who were held at Colditz, one of the most well known of the Nazi POW camps. He states this will be their "final testimony." Second, he had strong feelings that other histories of "escapers," as they were called, wrote their stories while they were young shortly after the war and their tales are highly romanticized. He impresses the point that the war was a horrible thing to endure and not some great adventure written to sell books. Finally, and most importantly, its a defense against later revisionist history that first appeared in the 1990s that questioned whether the British air campaign in the Second World War was as guilty of atrocities bombing indiscriminately, killing innocent civilians, as were the Nazis during Blitz. His argument was that hindsight is 20/20. Easy to say now that the Allies were going to triumph and the horrific carnage their bombs inflicted was not necessary. "We didn't know that at the time," he sardonically states.
In the first chapter of his book and repeated a few more times throughout, he recalls an instructor, a veteran of World I, giving his charges three dictums should they find themselves a POW. First, escape; second, provide information to your country that can useful in defeating the enemy; and third, cause as much trouble for him as you can. This is really Tunstall's story. He remarkably delivers in all three directives. He has seven escape attempts and assists with many others, devises an ingenious way to slip intelligence back to British Command, and, if to be believed, causes an insurmountable amount of mischief to his German oppressors. It does becomes obvious in his writing that he felt slighted that he never received the full recognition he deserved as he never hit a "home run." British prisoners euphemism for a successful escape and repatriation back to Britain.
I have great respect for this man. How could I not? He actually speaks to the "bluffs" he successfully pulled off as a disguised "Nazi" that gave him the impetus to become a successful actor after the war. I was quite captivated early on by his story, but then, to be candid, it became something of slog as he simply strings along a series of experiences he and his mates endure in confinement. His insight into the human psyche between captor (German) and captive (English) was interesting; compassion at times from some, and cruelty more often from others. Still, when the book ended, I was happy to be liberated.
Peter Tunstall (1918-2014) was not really legendary as a British World War II pilot. He only flew a handful of sorties in 1940 before being captured. He and his crew got lost flying in a storm. Out of fuel, they were forced to crash land in what they thought was Ireland. As it turned out, they were in occupied Holland. What is remarkable about this story is his life as a guest of the Nazis for four years and eight months until his liberation in April 1945.
He's 95 when he finally writes his memoir of the war as a POW (book published posthumously in 2014). In his Forward, he states there are three reasons he's done so. First, as far as he knows, he is one of six British POWs still alive who were held at Colditz, one of the most well known of the Nazi POW camps. He states this will be their "final testimony." Second, he had strong feelings that other histories of "escapers," as they were called, wrote their stories while they were young shortly after the war and their tales are highly romanticized. He impresses the point that the war was a horrible thing to endure and not some great adventure written to sell books. Finally, and most importantly, its a defense against later revisionist history that first appeared in the 1990s that questioned whether the British air campaign in the Second World War was as guilty of atrocities bombing indiscriminately, killing innocent civilians, as were the Nazis during Blitz. His argument was that hindsight is 20/20. Easy to say now that the Allies were going to triumph and the horrific carnage their bombs inflicted was not necessary. "We didn't know that at the time," he sardonically states.
In the first chapter of his book and repeated a few more times throughout, he recalls an instructor, a veteran of World I, giving his charges three dictums should they find themselves a POW. First, escape; second, provide information to your country that can useful in defeating the enemy; and third, cause as much trouble for him as you can. This is really Tunstall's story. He remarkably delivers in all three directives. He has seven escape attempts and assists with many others, devises an ingenious way to slip intelligence back to British Command, and, if to be believed, causes an insurmountable amount of mischief to his German oppressors. It does becomes obvious in his writing that he felt slighted that he never received the full recognition he deserved as he never hit a "home run." British prisoners euphemism for a successful escape and repatriation back to Britain.
I have great respect for this man. How could I not? He actually speaks to the "bluffs" he successfully pulled off as a disguised "Nazi" that gave him the impetus to become a successful actor after the war. I was quite captivated early on by his story, but then, to be candid, it became something of slog as he simply strings along a series of experiences he and his mates endure in confinement. His insight into the human psyche between captor (German) and captive (English) was interesting; compassion at times from some, and cruelty more often from others. Still, when the book ended, I was happy to be liberated.
April 4, 2015
This was a Goodread's giveaway book, and man, am i ever glad i was lucky enough to get this one!!! This is a fantastic memoir about a remarkable man and his fellow mates as they battled the Nazis. . . even after being captured and held as POWs. Tunstall's many and varied escape attempts are extremely entertaining, as are those of his fellow POWs. Perhaps even more interesting (and often humorous) were the stunts the fellows pulled just to drive their German captors mad. Tunstall's account is brutally honest, as he reflects on his own faults, and failings. He gives assessments of his fellow prisoners, naming those he respected and admired, and protecting the names of the ones who had deep troubles dealing with extended prison life. As a retired history teacher, i REALLY liked his final chapter, the Afterward. In it, he patiently takes to task those critics who try to judge one era based on the values and 20/20 hindsight of the present. His arguments are very hard to dispute indeed. I only wish i had a chance to meet this fine, courageous, creative, witty man in person. This is an extremely well-written book, and i highly recommend it to all, whether you like to read fiction or non-fiction. ('Cause it will yet again prove that truth is often stranger than fiction.)
September 8, 2016
When Royal Air Force (RAF) pilot Peter Tunstall and his crew became lost during a World War II night bombing mission, they were taken as prisoners of war by the Germans. At the POW camp, Tunstall immediately began following the instructions given to RAF officers in such situations: try to escape, and be as big a bloody nuisance as possible to the enemy. What follows is an account of his escape attempts and harassment of the guards as he was shuttled between various POW camps and solitary confinement due to his capers. Over the years, Tunstall escaped and was caught over 8 times using various methods including one where he dressed up as a German guard and brazenly walked through the front gate with his unknowing guards saluting him. From laugh out loud moments of hilarious pranks on the guards, to sobering accounts of the physical and psychological tolls on the men, the story provides a personal look at life in the German POW camps. The Last Escaper showcases the ingenuity of one man hell-bent on escaping, and the power of his indomitable spirit; it’s a story that will linger long after the book ends.
(Reviewed for San Francisco Book Review)
November 26, 2018
Great book! I enjoyed this as an audio book, but I think it would be an enjoyable read too. This is the story of Peter Tunstall who was one of the few pilots who survived WWII. This book is equal parts adventure, horror and comedy as the author and his comrads fly into Europe, drop bombs, get lost, crash land, get captured and try to escape their captors. Make no mistake this is no white washed version of the past. Tunstall is careful to document the lives of friends who were lost along the way and the uncertainty of everyday life as a POW. It's well worth the time to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2015
An exciting read, Tunstall's story invites us to imagine how we might survive under the same conditions, and also encourages us to remember just how desperate the situation was for Britain at the beginning of the Second World War and the decisions made in that desperation. Frequently funny, Tunstall also shares what discourages and distresses prisoners of war (and, arguably, any of us) and ways of coping. Plenty here for book club and older family discussions. Recommended.
April 5, 2015
Peter Tunstall's book is excellent, well written and informative. It was interesting to discover how ill prepared England was for the coming war compared to Germany. My admiration went to the prisoners and their ingenuity and perseverance in trying to escape. The author's full life afterward was well deserved. Thank you to Goodreads and Overlook Books for a free copy of this book.
December 19, 2015
Better than your average WWII memoir. Amazing to see the lengths prisoners would go through to escape and get back to the fighting especially when one could be shot for the effort. Popularly written. a favorite incident found one of the officers asking for "air discipline" during an escape. That being not to scream out should one fall while trying to repel down a five story building.
August 23, 2015
A great and exciting read!
Best book I have ever read on the POW experience in WW II. The author frustrated his captors at every turn but retained his sense of humor and humanity in the most trying circumstances. He somehow returned to lead a very normal life after five terrible years.
Best book I have ever read on the POW experience in WW II. The author frustrated his captors at every turn but retained his sense of humor and humanity in the most trying circumstances. He somehow returned to lead a very normal life after five terrible years.
September 28, 2015
Wow, the real Cooler King was so cool and ballsy that only Steve McQueen could have played him. However he was British and not a part of the whole "Great Escape." He and his fellow escapers did stuff that sounds like something from Mission Impossible.
July 21, 2016
Phenomenal. I've read many WWII memoirs, but most were written during, or soon after the war finished. I thoroughly enjoyed his sprinklings of reflections and insight looking back on the war many years later. Gripping read.
February 17, 2024
Great piece of history
I enjoyed this book. I have always liked history and this gave me a first hand account of life of a POW in Germany. It wasn't dry and boring, but real page turner. I'm glad I read it.
I enjoyed this book. I have always liked history and this gave me a first hand account of life of a POW in Germany. It wasn't dry and boring, but real page turner. I'm glad I read it.
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October 17, 2014PW
May 22, 2015
A great retrospective written after a lifetime of reflection. Read the forward and afterward sections and not just the chapters.
June 18, 2015
Veddy British. Besides the escape stuff, Tunstall spends a bunch of time on what it was like to live in POW camp psychologically. A nice addition to WWII escape literature.
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January 26, 2017I really enjoyed this book and appreciated that it did not deal exclusively with the horrors of the POW camps. I loved the humor and found all the escape attempts so interesting!
February 13, 2024
Fantastic. Well written and very interesting. I really enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews