THE GREAT ESCAPE & the PlM

17 May 2002, 05:07 PM

Dear Forumites,

Has anyone seen the 1963 movie 'The Great Escape' recently?

Did anyone notice, at the film's beginning, in the Commandant's office, that he is wearing a Pour le Mèrite?

They even pan across the wall in his office, and there he is in a photo, standing in front of a biplane.

My question: does anyone know who this character was based on?

I'll be checking my copy of GERMAN KNIGHTS OF THE AIR...

VBR,
Captain Lewis

Barrett · 17 May 2002, 06:12 PM

Far as I can tell, the kommandant is fictional. It shouldn't be hard to learn who the commander of Stalag Luft III (?) was at the time of TGE, but remember that the movie is historically flawed. No Americans were involved. History Channel dealt with it (apparently accurately for a change) in one of the "History v. Hollywood" segments.
Also, Steve McQueen's captured "BMW" motorcycle is a Triumph, I believe...

Billy_Bishop · 18 May 2002, 09:41 AM

Actually, Americans were involved to a point. Before the escape actually took place, they were transferred to a newly built camp. But they had quite a bit to do with getting things ready.

VBR,

Al Lowe

Volker_Nemsch · 21 May 2002, 06:49 AM

According to "Under the guns of the German aces" HERBERT MARTIN-MASSEY war the Senior British officer of this POW camp during the great escape in March 1944. In WWI he was the 5th victim of

WERNER VOSS.

Volker_Nemsch · 21 May 2002, 06:50 AM

According to "Under the guns of the German aces" HERBERT MARTIN-MASSEY war the Senior British officer of this POW camp during the great escape in March 1944. In WWI he was the 5th victim of

WERNER VOSS.

21 May 2002, 09:12 AM

One of the trivia things I seem to recall about the movie was the SBO (Senior British Officer) wearing his WW1 ribbons backward. The costume department had Victory Medal/War Medal/1914-15 Star in that order, instead of the other way round. However, I haven't seen the movie in years, so I could be wrong.

21 May 2002, 07:27 PM

A few weeks ago on a show called 'The Panel' an Australian veteran was interviewed who was actually in the tunnel when the Germans uncovered what was happening, so he had to crawl all the way back through the tunnel back to the barracks.

The interviewers stated that it was bad luck that he couldn't get out, but he replied that when he found out later that the 5 other Australians who escaped were all killed by the Germans he was rather pleased that he didn't get out.

It was a great interview and he proved to be a very interesting man.

In regard to the movie I don't think James Coburn ever mastered his Australian accent.

Regulus · 22 May 2002, 01:01 PM

Hi,

The Kommandant of Stalag Luft III was Oberst (Colonel) Friedrich-Wilhelm von Lindeiner-Wildau who was a professional and honourable soldier who won the respect of the senior prisoners. It even seems that the prisoners were handled quite fairly by him within the Geneva Convention.

von Lindeiner-Wildau was 61 when the camp opened in May 1942, a capable, educated man who spoke good English. Having joined the army in 1908, and after being wounded three times in WW1, winning both Iron Cross awards, he left the army in 1919 and worked in several civilian posts, meanwhile marrying a Dutch baroness, whilst trying to steer clear of Nazi politics. Eventually he joined the Luftwaffe (the least Nazified of the three German forces) in 1937 as one of Goering’s personal staff. Refused retirement, he found himself posted as Sagan Kommandant, with Major Gustav Simoleit as deputy. The first Kommandant, Colonel Stephani, had been quickly replaced when found to be unsuited to the task.

So no WW I flying ace wearing the PlM... Sorry.

Best from Regulus

Russell · 25 May 2002, 03:45 AM

Re the tunnel,

I have had the wonderfull honour ten years ago or so, of seeing in the home of one of the Australians involved the Great Escape, the original plans for the tunnel, as well as numerous good quality sketches of the major personalities in the camp. Drawn by PO H S W "Bill" Fordyce, a commercial artist, captured when his navigator turned right too early flying from Malta to Egypt in a Wellington, and brought them in over Daba, where the 109s dispatched them.

Michael · 26 May 2002, 07:58 PM

My fellow group leader's father was PoW in Stalag Luft III after being shot down over the North Sea in a Beaufort. Unfortunately he passed away in the 1970s, as she has a number of stories of his.

The 1950 British movie of The Wooden Horse contained a number of Kriegies playing themselves as extras. He recognized a number of familiar faces.