I am interested in finding information about the escape of 50 NCOs from Stalag Luft 3E in May 1942. Can anyone tell me anything about it or point me in the direction of information?
I am interested in finding information about the escape of 50 NCOs from Stalag Luft 3E in May 1942. Can anyone tell me anything about it or point me in the direction of information? You sure it was 50 NCOs and MAY 1942?
Post war report on the captivity of W/O T A Vermiglio RAF Section 4 'Escapes Attempted' states that he attempted escape 'by tunnel in May '42 from Stalag IIIE, companion Sgt O'Brien...50 men in all escaping...'.
David, the figure 50 is quite a round No. What isn't said is how many were caught again like W/O Vermiglio. Perhaps the Camp History or any Red Cross Reports could give a little more.Ocassionally they do. The mens Liberation Reports certainly would; if they made one and if you had any names. Given the names of any who made it back to the U.K. I should be able to find reference to an Escape Report. Brian
Just checking again to see if your dates are right as the first successful escape from Stalag Luft III took place in October 1943 and was known by the name Trojan Horse. Leslie
'Footprints on the Sands of Time' by Oliver Clutton-Brock tells of this escape from Stalag IIIE at Kirchain on 12th May 1942. It states that 52 escaped by tunnel although all were caught within 10 days.
I've got a question. Does anyone here know of a Canadian Air Gunner named Rod Ball from Kitcherner, Ontario, Canada?. Little that I know of him is he was also a Canadian Mountie and he was one of the 76 men to escape and survive the great escape.
I've got a question. Does anyone here know of a Canadian Air Gunner named Rod Ball from Kitcherner, Ontario, Canada?. Little that I know of him is he was also a Canadian Mountie and he was one of the 76 men to escape and survive the great escape. March 24, 1944 The Great Escape—Canadian Rod Ball of Kitchener, Ontario, a gunner in a Lancaster bomber shot down the previous June, along with 75 other POWs, escapes from Stalag Luft III at Sagan in East Prussia. None would make it out of Germany and out of the total, 50 captured by the Gestapo are executed under orders from Hitler himself. Among the murdered are six Canadians; James Wernham of Winnipeg, Manitoba; George Wiley of Windsor, Ontario; Patrick Langford of Penticton, BC; George McGill of Toronto, Ontario; Henry Birkland of Calgary, Alberta; and Gordon Kidder of St. Catherine’s, Ontario. At war’s end, the Allies would track down and hang 14 Nazis for their involvement in the massacre. March 23 to March 29 > Trident News > In History
hopefully this can be translated............yes it can ........ somewhere on this page there is a pic with Rod Ball in. Le souvenir de la 2ème GM dans la Marne et dans les Ardennes - Le monument Mackenzie de Reims présenté par Jean-Pierre Husson
'Footprints on the Sands of Time' gives the only Canadian named Ball who was in Stalag Luft III as Flying Officer RJJ Ball of 408 Squadron shot down while in Halifax JD107.
"Rod Ball, an ex-Mountie from the RCMP, showed us all how to construct a solid, sizeable back-frame out of wood to strap on enough worldly possessions to see us through this time: essentials such as as much food as we could lay our hands on, as well as cigarettes, coffee, chocolate and soap. Everyone knew from recent bitter experience that you needed not only enough for yourself, but also enough to trade with." Ken Rees prepares for another stage of the Long March, April 1945 - related in Ken Rees, Lie in the Dark and Listen, the remarkable exploits of a WWII bomber pilot and Great Escaper, Grub Street, London 2006, p.198
I am interested in finding information about the escape of 50 NCOs from Stalag Luft 3E in May 1942. Can anyone tell me anything about it or point me in the direction of information? Yes! Go to YouTube and type in OFG in search box. Under "From Bomber pilot to POW" you will hear a talk on this very subject by #11 th person to escape in this tunnel.
