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Long Way Home
At the age of nineteen, Glasgow-born John McCallum signed up as a Supplementary Reservist in the Signal Corps. A little over a year later, he was in France, working frantically to set up communication lines as Europe once more hurtled towards war. Wounded and captured at Boulogne, he was sent to the notorious Stalag VIIIB prison camp, together with his brother, Jimmy, and friend Joe Harkin.
Ingenious and resourceful, the three men set about planning their escape. With the help of Traudl, a local girl whom John had met while working in nearby Bad Karlsbrunn, they put their plan into action. In an astonishing coincidence, they passed through the town of Sagan, around which the seventy-six airmen of the Great Escape were being pursued and caught. However, unlike most of those other escapees, John, Jimmy and Joe eventually made it to freedom Now, due to the declassification of documents under the Official Secrets Act, John McCallum is finally able to tell the thrilling story of his adventure, in which he recaptures all the danger, audacity and romance of one of the most daring escapes of the Second World War
Ingenious and resourceful, the three men set about planning their escape. With the help of Traudl, a local girl whom John had met while working in nearby Bad Karlsbrunn, they put their plan into action. In an astonishing coincidence, they passed through the town of Sagan, around which the seventy-six airmen of the Great Escape were being pursued and caught. However, unlike most of those other escapees, John, Jimmy and Joe eventually made it to freedom Now, due to the declassification of documents under the Official Secrets Act, John McCallum is finally able to tell the thrilling story of his adventure, in which he recaptures all the danger, audacity and romance of one of the most daring escapes of the Second World War
- GenresNonfictionHistory
160 pages, Paperback
First published July 12, 2005
11 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 25, 2022
A very interesting and different story about the life prisoners of war during WWII, and life after successfully escaping.
September 16, 2012
Amazing story. The other great escape is a slightly misleading addition to the title, it does chart another escape during WWII, but it also charts a 4 year experience of living through incarceraton as a POW. It confirms much of the information relayeed in the film 'The Great Escape' but in a much less Hollywood style.
I'm not usually into true stories but this was set in a era that has great interesgt to me and had just the right amount of personality about it. You can tell thios is not a professionaly writter who has researched the subject but a normal everyday person who had an extraordinary experience during one of the most horrific persiods of recent history.
That is what made it such a stand out book for me.
If you are only going to read 1 non-fiction book this year, make it this one.
I'm not usually into true stories but this was set in a era that has great interesgt to me and had just the right amount of personality about it. You can tell thios is not a professionaly writter who has researched the subject but a normal everyday person who had an extraordinary experience during one of the most horrific persiods of recent history.
That is what made it such a stand out book for me.
If you are only going to read 1 non-fiction book this year, make it this one.
March 27, 2013
This is a simple straightforward account of three young Glaswegians escape from a North German POW camp in 1944, after four years in captivity. John McCallum, author and narrator, is the youngest of the three and writes in a simple, easy-to-follow style which makes the tale interesting.
There are no stiff upper lips or overt heroics, just three determined but frightened young men desperate to return home. The escape is planned in a rather haphazzard fashion and carried out a bit on the hoof, adapting plans as they go along. An exciting, low-key read which grips because it's underplayed.
There are no stiff upper lips or overt heroics, just three determined but frightened young men desperate to return home. The escape is planned in a rather haphazzard fashion and carried out a bit on the hoof, adapting plans as they go along. An exciting, low-key read which grips because it's underplayed.
October 7, 2012
A pleasant read about the true story of 3 guys who did manage to escape from Germany during WWII and get away via Sweden. Written as a first hand account I thought it might be somewhat basic but this was not the case.
It is a fairly riveting story where you want to eagerly find out what happens next. Also the book goes further than just the escape telling the story of what happened to the author once he was back in Britain and what he went on to do just after the war ended.
A nice well written book.
It is a fairly riveting story where you want to eagerly find out what happens next. Also the book goes further than just the escape telling the story of what happened to the author once he was back in Britain and what he went on to do just after the war ended.
A nice well written book.
November 17, 2012
The Long Way Home chronicles the service of three Scottish soldiers during WWII after Dunkirk where John is captured after being wounded during the retreat. While in the German Stalag he finds his brother and their best friend. The three spend many years in prison during the war and eventually escape successfully making their way home where they are once again thrown into the fray. John returns to Germany just after the war has ended completing his service there.
A good read if not as stirring as other more fictional accounts of imprisonment and escape.
A good read if not as stirring as other more fictional accounts of imprisonment and escape.
July 16, 2013
No movie, no documentary, no hype just an honest-to-goodness account of three ordinary guys from Glasgow determined to escape from POW camp. Written in a very open & unassuming style. Three unsung heroes of WWII. They deserve to be remembered for their grit & daring. Great read!
June 14, 2014
Just an incredible story- how on earth did they get away with it? Perhaps not the finest writing but the sheer effrontery of the trio keeps the reader going. Well worth a couple of hours to read.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews