Eighty years ago today (Sunday, March 24) 76 airmen escaped from the Prisoner of War camp Stalag Luft III. Only three made it home and, of the remainder, 50 were murdered on Hitler’s orders.
A fictionalised version of the story was made into the 1963 film The Great Escape starring Steve McQueen, James Garner and Richard Attenborough.
Decades later a new exhibition has opened at the National Archives in London to explore the human spirit during the Second World War and tell under-told stories of prisoners of war and civilian internees.
A table of measurements used to plan tunnels used in the Great Escape – drawn by Bertram ‘Jimmy’ James – are on show at the exhibition which runs until July 21.
The document has been donated to the exhibition from Eden Camp Modern History Museum near Malton.
Jimmy James made several escape attempts as a Prisoner of War, most famously in the Great Escape from Stalag Luft III.
He was one of hundreds of men – organised by the camp’s escape committee – involved in digging three tunnels, creating disguises, forging IDs and making 4,000 maps.
Jimmy was responsible for depositing sand from the tunnels under the seats of the camp theatre.
Eden Camp’s collections and engagement manager Summer O’Brien said she was “incredibly proud” to see the exhibition open.
“After several months of hard work and planning, we are excited to see Jimmy James’ story get the national recognition he deserves,” she added.
Dr William Butler, a curator of the exhibition, said: “Many people will have heard the story of the Great Escape, thanks to the 1963 film, but our exhibition also reveals stories not yet told.
“Great Escapes is about the agency of individuals, their courage, resilience and ingenuity in the face of adversity.
“We hope to show visitors how prisoners and internees made decisions in order to feel human, with community and activity groups being formed ‘behind the wire’, whether they be escape committees or choirs.”
Steve Burgess, head of events and exhibitions at the National Archives, added “We must thank our team of volunteers at the National Archives who catalogued around 200,000 War Office records which has allowed us to uncover new material and tell these stories for the first time.”
Meanwhile, Eden Camp marked the 80th anniversary of the Great Escape with a weekend event last month.
Re-enactment group Axis-Allied showcased a real-life demonstration of the escape from Stage Luft III.
The event supported the families of the veterans involved, remembered each individual story, and highlighting the huge impact The Great Escape had on the war effort and morale of the country.
