‘An amazing story.’ – The Sunday Express

‘Moonless Night has strong claim to be the finest escape story of the Second World War.’ Amazon review

‘I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone. It’s a quick read and a very interesting one.’ A Wargamer’s Needful Things

From the moment he was shot down to the final whistle, Bertrand ‘Jimmy’ James’ one aim as a POW of the Germans was to escape. The Great Escaper describes his experiences and those of his fellow prisoners in the most gripping and thrilling manner. The author made more than 12 escape attempts including his participation in The Great Escape, where 50 of the 76 escapees were executed in cold blood on Hitler’s orders. On re-capture, James was sent to the infamous Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp where, undeterred, he tunnelled out. That was not the end of his remarkable story. Moonless Night is one of the finest escape stories of the Second World War.

‘It isn’t something written to be read as a novel or individual story, but a collective look at what life was like in a PoW camp, and what lessons might be learnt for the future, how support from outside could have best helped the inmates.

‘All in all an incredible level of detail covering life in the camp which saw two of the most famous escape stories that came out of WW2. A fascinating addition to the history and one of those documents which is so good to now have publicly available.’ Military Model Scene

‘The film The Great Escape was great entertainment, but with re-written history. This overdue account is a warts and all commentary of the events at and related to German PoW camp Stalag Luft III. Every bit as entertaining as the film, but its also a stirring and poignant account of downed airmen not prepared to give up. Strongly recommended.’ Firetrench

Opened in March 1942 to house captured Allied airmen, particularly officers, Stammlager Luft III at Sagan was built to make escape particularly difficult, especially tunnelling. This did not stop the prisoners who dug through more than 100 yards of loose sand, enabling seventy-six men to escape. All but three of the men were recaptured, however, and fifty were executed by the Germans.

This Official History of the camp was prepared for the War Office but was never released to the general public. It explains the German administration and running of the camp, the food and conditions the prisoners endured, and the means by which morale was maintained under such trying circumstances. Inevitably considerable space is devoted to the escapes and their careful preparation as well as the anti-escape measures undertaken by the guards. There is also a chapter detailing the punishments meted out for attempting to escape, and lists the number of shooting incidents.

This account provides the reader with an accurate and unprecedented insight into life in a German PoW camp in the latter years of the Second World War.

As featured in the Daily Express: ‘The Great Escape – The truth behind the iconic World War 2 film. On the 75th anniversary of the wartime breakout, we look out how true the movie was to real events.‘

As seen in The Armourer magazine.

‘This book tells the full true story of the planning and taking place of the escape along with what happened to the escapees. The author has also got to know those who took part in the escape and it is this which is the difference with other books that I have read on the subject. The book is well written and contains many nuggets of information that will interest the reader. Thoroughly recommended.’ NetGalley reviewer.

The prison break from Stalag Luft III in eastern Germany was the largest of its kind in World War II. Seventy-six Allied soldiers and airmen made it outside the wire – but only three made it outside Nazi Germany. Fifty were executed by the Gestapo. Jonathan Vance tells the incredible story that was made famous by the 1963 film. The escape is a classic tale of prisoners and their wardens in a battle of wits and wills. The brilliantly conceived escape plan is overshadowed only by the colourful, daring (and sometimes very funny) crew who executed it – literally under the noses of German guards.

From their first days in Stalag Luft III and the forming of bonds key to such exploits, to the tunnel building, amazing escape and eventual capture, Vance’s history is a vivid, compelling look at one of the greatest ‘exfiltration’ missions of all time.

As seen in The Armourer magazine.

‘This is a brilliant first-hand rendering of the now epic tale of escape by prisoners of war from the infamous Stalag Luft III prison camp in Germany during WW2. Thoroughly enjoyed it!’ Amazon reviewer.

Jens Müller was one of only three men who successfully escaped from Stalag Luft III in March 1944 – the breakout 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 (now in Zagan Poland). 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.

‘This is a wonderful, first-hand account of Bob Vanderstok, bringing alive his stories and the reality of life as a Spitfire pilot, and as a prisoner of war. He was not, however, just an ordinary pilot, but had such a unique, exciting and dangerous experience of the War, and that makes this even better to read. It brings the Great Escape story alive once again, but with a more authentic, real air to it, and I really enjoyed that about this. A story we love but from a different perspective. He tells it all in such wonderful detail and you cannot help but thoroughly enjoy it. I would definitely recommend this book.’ Amazon reviewer

As featured in the Daily Express: ‘The Great Escape – The truth behind the iconic World War 2 film. On the 75th anniversary of the wartime breakout, we look out how true the movie was to real events.‘

“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 twenty 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. This is the true story of one of only three successful escapees.

As seen in the Daily Mail, February 2019: ‘How the Great Escape tunnels were built: German soldiers show how brave British prisoners carried out their famous bid for freedom in never-before-seen photographs.’

As featured in History of War magazine: ‘The Great Escape in rare photos.’

In early 1942 the Third Reich opened a maximum security Prisoner of War camp in Lower Silesia for captured Allied airmen. Called Stalag Luft III, the camp soon came to contain some of the most inventive escapers ever known.

The escapers were led by Squadron Leader Roger Bushell, code-named ‘Big X’. In March 1944, Bushell masterminded an attempt to smuggle hundreds of PoWs down a tunnel build right under the noses of their guards. In fact, only three of the men made successful escapes.

This remarkable escape would be immortalised in the famous Hollywood film The Great Escape, in which the bravery of the men was rightly celebrated. Behind the scenes photographs from the film are included in this definitive pictorial work on the most famous POW camp of World War II.