Escape from Stalag Luft III: The True Story of My Successful Great Escape: The Memoir of Bob Vanderstok
Bram Vanderstok · Simon Pearson
Nov 2020 · Casemate Publishers
4.2star
18 reviewsreport
Ebook
256
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About this ebook
A memoir of the most decorated pilot in Dutch history and one of the World War II POWs who fled Nazi Germany what is known as "The Great Escape."
On the night of 24 March 1944, Bram Vanderstok was the eighteenth of 76 men who crawled out of Stalag Luft III in Zagan, Poland. The 1963 film The Great Escape was largely based on this autobiography but—with Vanderstok's agreement—filmmakers chose to turn his story into an Australian character named Sedgwick, played by James Coburn.
His memoir sets down his wartime adventures before being incarcerated in Stalag Luft III and then describes various escape attempts which culminated with the famous March breakout. After escaping, Vanderstok roamed Europe for weeks before making it back to England. Two months after escaping, 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.
"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, author of The True Story of the Great Escape
On the night of 24 March 1944, Bram Vanderstok was the eighteenth of 76 men who crawled out of Stalag Luft III in Zagan, Poland. The 1963 film The Great Escape was largely based on this autobiography but—with Vanderstok's agreement—filmmakers chose to turn his story into an Australian character named Sedgwick, played by James Coburn.
His memoir sets down his wartime adventures before being incarcerated in Stalag Luft III and then describes various escape attempts which culminated with the famous March breakout. After escaping, Vanderstok roamed Europe for weeks before making it back to England. Two months after escaping, 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.
"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, author of The True Story of the Great Escape
Ratings and reviews
4.2
18 reviews
Mark Sherratt
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March 23, 2023
very dissapointed The book is full of padding, over 100 pages at the beginning have no relationship to the escape. Waste of money for a hard up pensioner. Regards Mark
Peter Brooks
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May 4, 2020
utterly fascinating - what a rich and incredible life story!
Paul Young
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April 17, 2020
A fantastic read.
4 people found this review helpful
About the author
Bram (Bob) Vanderstok, MBE, was born on 13th October 1915 in Sumatra in the Dutch East Indies. he was a world war ii fighter pilot and still holds the record as the most decorated aviator in Dutch history. after the war he studied and practiced medicine as well as working with the us coast guard auxiliary, participating in 162 rescues. he died in February 1993. Simon Pearson is _The Times_ newspaper obituaries editor and author of TThe Great Escaper: The Life and Death of Roger Bushell 'the mastermind behind the great escape'_ (Hodder).
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