Escape from Stalag Luft III – The True Story Of My Successful Great Escape
by Bram 'Bob' Vanderstok MBE
Our Price: £20.00 GBP
RRP: £25.00 GBP
A born raconteur, 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, The True Story of the Great Escape
Quickly, I climbed up to the surface and immediately found the rope… I felt no signal, so it was not safe yet. Then I felt three distinct tugs and slowly popped my head up. The nearest "Goonbox" was at least 200 feet away; but, indeed, I was 20 feet from the edge of the woods.
- Bram Vanderstok
On the night of 24 March 1944, Bram (Bob) Vanderstok was number 18 of 76 men who crawled beyond the barbed-wire fence of Stalag Luft III in Zagan, Poland. The 1963 film The Great Escape made this breakout the most famous of the Second World War: this is the true story of one of only three successful escapees.
Vanderstok's memoir sets down his wartime adventures before being incarcerated in Stalag Luft III, and then in extraordinary detail describes various escape attempts, which culminated with the famous March breakout. After escaping, Vanderstok roamed Europe for weeks, passing through Leipzig, Utrecht, Brussels, Paris, Dijon and Madrid, before making it back to England. He reported to the Air Ministry, and three and a half months after escaping, on 30 May 1944, 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.
The Great Escape from Stalag Luft III – The Memoir of Jens Müller
Our Price: £15.99 GBP
RRP: £19.99 GBP
The Great Escape was far more than a Hollywood film; it was an aggressive campaign waged by Allied prisoners against the Nazi security forces in their own back yard – and Jens Müller was a key player. His memoir is a must read for anyone interested in this gripping episode of the Second World War.
- Simon Pearson, author of The Great Escaper: The Life and Death of Roger Bushell
Jens Müller was one of only three men who successfully escaped from Stalag Luft III in March 1944 – the break that later became the basis for the famous film, The Great Escape.
Müller was no. 43 of the 76 prisoners of war who managed to escape from the camp. Together with Per Bergsland, he stowed away on a ship to Gothenburg. The escapees sought out the British consulate and were flown to Scotland. From there they were sent by train to London, and shortly afterwards to 'Little Norway' in Canada.
Müller's book about his wartime experiences was first published in Norwegian in 1946, titled, Tre kom tilbake (Three Came Back). This is the first translation into English and will correct the impression – set by the film and Charles Bronson – that the men who escaped successfully were American and Australian.
In a vivid, informative memoir, he details what life in the camp was like, how the escapes were planned and executed, and tells the story of his personal breakout and success reaching RAF Leuchars base in Scotland.
