Shall we remember 50 hero's today? ...

[Mark Allen M]

Yes indeed we shall. Today, tomorrow and everyday. They will never be forgotten and they're short lives mattered then and they still matter today.

The 'Great Escape' from prisoner-of-war camp Stalag Luft III took place on this night exactly 74 years ago.

Although 200 airmen had planned to escape, only 76 managed to escape and 73 were later captured. Of those 73 recaptured, 50 were shot dead by the Nazi’s.

Most of those buried in Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery below are those involved in the mass escape from Stalag Luft 3, Sagan (now Zagan), in March 1944, and others who died while prisoners of war during the German occupation, at Stalag VIIIC, Sagan, Stalag XXID at Poznan, Oflag XXIB (also known as Oflag 64) and Stalag XXIB, both at Schubin.

More info about Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery: http://tinyurl.com/pn4jy8c

Continue to rest in peace brave souls.

[C VEICH]

Rest in peace heroes.

[DH82EH]

Very moving Mark.
Thanks for this and thanks to these brave young souls, may they rest in peace.

Andy

[Richard W.]

They all look so young. RIP.

Thanks for posting this.

[avenger2504]

Yes thanks Mark may we never forget.

[Mossie]

I was recently reading 'I flew for the Fuhrer' by Heinz Knoke.
Didn't realise that Alistair Gunn in the PR Spitfire he shot down over Norway was one of the escapees who was executed.

[Snake45]

Great movie and an even better book.

All of the main characters in the movie are real people, or composites of two or more real people, with one exception: Virgil Hilts, the Cooler King. The movie producers thought they needed to add Steve McQueen in a (completely fictitious) "hero" role to bring in American audiences (dollars).

[Scooby]

I met a member of the organizing party for the Great Escape, he didn’t go out the tunnel. He was a guest speaker at one of my squadrons mess dinners.

His stories were amazing. How they dug the tunnels, made radios, IDs, German uniforms,etc.

[CoastieJohn]

Sad but fascinating story. While looking up this story again I came across another escape from the same camp. That escape was called the Wooden Horse Escape and was more successful.

http://therealgreatescape.com/stalag-lu ... den-horse/



http://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-art ... scape.html