STALAG LUFT III
The Secret Story
Multi-Signed by POWs involved with the Great Escape
Signed by RAF POWs at Stalag Luft III involved with the Great Escape
Flt Lt Walter Morison ~ engineer on ‘Harry’ & Colditz POW
Wg Cdr Ken Rees ~ Tunneller
Sqn Ldr BA ‘Jimmy’ James MC ~ no 39 out of the tunnel
Flt Lt Neil Stebbings ~ Stooge
Fg Off Leonard Hall ~ Meteorologist
Flt Lt Jack Lyon ~ Stooge
Flt Lt Alan Bryett ~ Penguin & Stooge
Fg Off Bobby Laumans ~ Penguin
Plt Off Frank Stone ~ Penguin
Patrick Stephens Ltd first edition 1989. 412 pages and well illustrated with photos.
Very Good condition hardback book in black covers, gold titles and red end papers. The pages do have a light even toning due to paper quality and there is a small PO signature to the front end paper. The unclipped dustjacket is in Fine condition. dustjacket.
Stalag Luft III, near Sagan, Poland is best known for the Great Escape and it housed thousands of Allied Airmen POWs. Drawing on official records and prisoners’ accounts, Durand reveals daily life, resistance activities, escape attempts and the extraordinary organisation that enabled Allied airmen to maintain morale and discipline while in captivity.
Unlike many books on the subject, Durand devotes considerable attention to American POWs balancing earlier accounts, which tended to focus heavily on British participants in the Great Escape. By highlighting the experiences of American airmen, he broadens the story beyond a single escape operation and presents Stalag Luft III as a complex multinational community.
Meticulously researched and highly detailed, the book separates historical fact from popular myth. While less cinematic than many escape narratives, its strength lies in its depth, accuracy and attention to the realities of POW life.
For readers interested in aviation history, wartime resilience and the true story behind The Great Escape, it is an essential study enhanced by some very relevant signatures.