'Dick' excavations.

Discussion in 'Prisoners of War' started by von Poop, Sep 11, 2007.

  1. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Interesting radio programme yesterday on the current excavation of the Tunnel systems (Tom, Dick, & Harry) left behind after the great escape at Stalag Luft III ('Dick' only found in 2003). They described the site as reclaimed by woods now, just a series of hummocks and rather eery.

    I had no idea the tunnels were so deep (30 odd feet!), or extensive.

    Can't for the life of me remember which programme it was on, I think it was one of the 'magazine' style ones. so here's a link to the Torygraph story:
    BBC - Shropshire - History - Jimmy James on the Great Escape
    and a little more here:
    Pearson Prentice Hall - Science News

    Cheers,
    adam.
     
  2. Lucy Stag

    Lucy Stag Senior Member

    I know the first link well, but the second looks new to me! I look forward to reading it.

    Once again let me complain about how these interesting things are actually on the news in Britain, but the USA...Well, they needed Steve McQueen to make the story go down easy for their audience (not that I am knocking the man, great film, but sometimes I wish there was a second hald as accurate at the first.) We just don't hear about these things.
     
  3. en830

    en830 Member

    Strangely the film is quite accurate, the majority of the events shown did at one point or another happen, though not necessarily in connection with the escape of 23 March 1944. The scene with Donald Pleasance and James Garner is loosly based on the experences of Walter Morrison who managed to bluff his way onto a Luftwaffe airfield and tried to steal a Junker communications aircraft, he and his accomplise were only discovered when they couldn't start the aircraft.

    This website is great for those who are interested in the "Great Escape" ;-

    The Great Escape, March 1944: Rob Davis
     

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